shmoopie13's Full Review: Maroon by Barenaked Ladies
You all know that old party game question, right? Well, I've got to figure out which of my previous Top 5 will have to be left behind so that I can add Maroon to the list. As a die-hard, long-time Barenaked Ladies fan, most... ok, all of my Top 5 are BNL CD's. I can't help it. Their music is so diverse that you can find something on any CD to suit any mood. Maroon is no different from the rest.
All the reviews lately talk about how the band is maturing. Maturity, schmaturity! They're nearly 30 (or past), for goodness sakes! It's time for them to sing about something other than high school crushes (as in "Enid") or intestinal problems ("Stomach vs. Heart") or even arachnophobia ("Spider In My Room"). Granted, the subject matter of Maroon's "Tonight Is The Night I Fell Asleep At The Wheel" isn't going to win any new teenybopper fans on its own, but those teenagers should still listen and take heart. Maybe someone at Reprise can get it on the soundtrack of those gory Driver's Ed films they show you when you're 15.
The tone of Maroon, in my humble opinion, is one of self-examination and taking responsibility for your actions. Something listeners of any age should consider. The track which most closely relates to this is "Pinch Me," the video for which you may have seen. It's a cute one, with Ed Robertson playing all the employees of a fast food restaurant (hey, he's got experience and was even named "Employee of the Month" once!). However, it is mature subject matter, aside from the food fight reminiscent of the flying macaroni at their live shows.
"Pinch Me" explores the boredom and lack of motivation which is sometimes faced by many people. Got an afternoon free where you could be writing the Great American Novel, but you instead decide to Climb the stairs up to my room / And sleep away the afternoon? Well, who hasn't? Or, do you sometimes wish you could run away from your troubles? Well, then you can relate to: Pack the car and leave this town / Who'll notice that I'm not around. However, many of us, instead of hopping the next bus to Vegas, will talk ourselves out of it: I could leave but I'll just stay / All my stuff's here anyway. Been there, done that?
You may have never flown into a war-torn area to offer aid to the citizens of the country, but that doesn't make "Helicopters" any less palatable. Celebrities frequently take on a cause of some sort, lending their name and drawing power for financial support. BNL has done so for the past couple of years with Farm Aid. However, "Helicopters" puts a different perspective on the aftermath of such events. Can you go home to your family and not experience some effects of what you've just seen? Will your quick tour make a difference to the people you're trying to help?
But, by far, my personal favorite on this album is "Falling For The First Time." You can look at it as a treatise on young love or an exploration of a renewed love or long-established relationship. The words lend themselves to fit any special love in your life. You may have considered that the grass is greener or that the past was better. But if you look at what you have, what you love, and work at it, you will know what is right: Anyone perfect must be lying / Anything easy has its cost / Anyone plain can be lovely / Anyone loved can be lost. Truly some of the best lyrics I've heard in quite a long time.
Several tracks on Maroon are deeply rooted in a theme and tell a story, as do most of Barenaked Ladies' tunes. Many popular groups rely heavily on a catchy phrase, throw in a couple extra lines, repeat that catchy phrase a few times, and they get a hit out of it. The trick is to get a hit out of something with more meat to it. BNL does just that. It's too soon to know which of the tracks, besides "Pinch Me", will be released as singles and get airplay on Adult Contemporary radio stations. But, Jimmy Buffett never worried about getting airplay, and he's making millions while he makes music his fans enjoy. I only hope that when the Ladies hit 50 they're still entertaining us too.
1998 s quadruple-platinum smash Stunt catapulted Barenaked Ladies from alternative favorite to major pop stardom. The colorful Maroon, produced by Don...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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