Barenaked Ladies
Maroon
- Reprise
By daring to sound like they're actually enjoying themselves, Barenaked Ladies have been going against the grain for years now. Setting out to prove their quadruple platinum 1998 album, Stunt, was no fluke, the Canadian rockers have built upon the success with the equally entertaining but more lyrically mature Maroon.
Primarily penned by Steven Page and Ed Robertson, a lot of the songs here can be taken on two levels. For example, on the surface, the lead single, "Pinch Me," is supremely simple, riding on a cool rhythm and a crisp acoustic/electric mix. But it's set against a far more provocative lyrical theme, with Robertson contemplating his very existence in the world outside his front door.
Despite the Barenakeds' occasional tendency to flirt with frat boy mentality ("Tonight I Fell Asleep at the Wheel"), this Don Was-produced set is packed with hooks, starting with the vibrant, hand-clapping pop of "Too Little Too Late" and carrying through the slightly funky "Never Do Anything" and the flat-out exhilarating "Falling for the First Time."