Grunt
Overall Album Score: 8.3 out of 10 The Nakedlady Bears are BACK! (And everyone rejoices for everyone hated Bastard Child Born on a Pirate Ship.) Pretty much everything that was good about this band from the very beginning of their Gordon days (the confidence, the boldness, the humor) have all suddenly come back to them and it graces their forth album from its start to finish. (Well, not to its finish. The very last track is a pretty good Moody Blues imitation.) Of course, I don't think you can expect The Barenaked Ladies to quite get back up to the sheer novelty that was Gordon (and they don't really give us anything as howlingly irrelevant as "Be My Yoko Ono"). Heck, these songs aren't even jazzy in nature! This is pretty much straightforward alternative rock done with Gordon's level of enthusiasm. But I'm very happy that these guys did something to bring back the awesomeness, because their last album was a true disaster. Stunt is much better and quite a bit refreshing. So, three cheers for the Barenaked Ladies! Stunt is one of the best albums of their career! Overall Album Score: 8.3 out of 10 (Attempts at re-Gordon-fying the Barenaked Ladies prove successful this time, and they in consequence churn out one of the best albums of their career.) Average Song Score: 8.5 (What can I say? These songs measure up to Gordon!) Album Tilt: 8.5 (An enjoyable album ... perhaps not as refreshingly wacky as Gordon, but it's still pretty darn loopy.) Artist Rating: 8.0 (Eh ... sorry. Not artistically daring or anything new for the Ladies, but at least it's no artistic failure this time.) Track Reviews One Week 9.5/10 Now this is a return to form. The music is tuneful and bold ... just like Gordon! Hurrah! Hurrah! Even the lyrics are goofy. Oh yeah, baby ... Barenaked Ladies fans rejoiced by removing their clothes as soon as they bought this CD and started listening to it. It's All Been Done 9/10 Wow! Another super-strong alternative-rock-type song ... and they sound as confident as ever at it. The melody is really quite smashingly excellent, and so are the arrangements. It's both bold and awesome. Light Up My Room 8/10 Even the slow songs are good. It's not splendidly exciting or anything, but it's a really strong song. Again, the confidence level is at a high, and the song is even pretty tuneful. It certainly ain't the perfect slow song, though. I'll Be That Girl 8.5/10 Another very good song ... 'tain't the Beatles, but the song is delightful and tuneful. Again, the revived confidence level that we're hearing from The Barenaked Ladies is an exciting thing, indeed. Leave 8/10 This song is STRONG, but it's lacking on the melody front. Well, actually, the melody is alright. It's an easy song to listen to ... and it's yet another prime specimen of the Golden Age of the Barenaked Ladies' super duper revival. Alcohol 9/10 Really good! This is one of the album's most memorable tunes. The tune is really good, the lyrics are goofy, and the song is hella energetic and confident. Another very nice addition to the album. Call and Answer 8.5/10 Another slow-type song. Love slow-type songs or hate them, but you can't deny that this has a good melody, a very nice sentimental feeling about it, and some really great instrumentation! Whoowooo!!!! In the Car 8.5/10 There's a very nice piece of melody here in the chorus ... and the rest of this song is very strong as well. It's another very well done Barenaked Ladies song. Never is Enough 8/10 This is another song. Who Needs Sleep? 9/10 Very peculiar ... A song that insomniacs would particularly enjoy. The instrumentation and the aura about the song is exceptionally strong, and I like the funny lyrics more than anything! A nice, clever song. Told You So 8/10 A good song! It's not as good as "Who Needs Sleep?" but "Who Needs Songs Better Than 'Who Needs Sleep?'" Some Fantastic 8.5/10 I really like that squishy synth in the background (...I have no idea what that instrument is ... so it's probably a synth!) I also like the melody and the lyrics. More super stuff from these mis-dressed women. When You Dream 8.5/10 Okay. Justin Hayward from the Moody Blues must have jumped into the recording room like an utter wild man when the Barenaked Ladies were recording, stabbed everyone to death, and decided to record this song ...... Why do I say such things? Because this is a dang dead ringer for a Moody Blues song! It's psychedelic ... and the singing also sounds A LOT like Justin Hayward's voice. Wild stuff, baby. Don't get naked! Send me comments! Here! |
All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. He's got Yo Yo Ma in a chokehold.
