you're the last thing on my mind.

I give you full permission to judge me for the following Tuesday Spotlight. I reserve the right, however, to not care. The following band was my absolute favorite band for several years, and still has a sizable place in both my heart and record collection (one and the same?). They've been around for nearly twenty years and released their seventh proper studio album today. They moved away from a major label to create their own, with distribution through Nettwerk (see The Format and Anathallo), and have been doing a great job in keeping up with the times and public demand for more (digital) material. In addition, I wouldn't be me without mentioning, in high regard, that they've released a Christmas album that rivals most in my book. Again, their latest album is available in stores today and is called Barenaked Ladies Are Me.
Barenaked Ladies went from unknown Canadian goofballs to college radio gods through their numerous singles in the mid to late nineties. They have always boasted two phenomenal singers and songwriters in Steven Page and Ed Robertson. When they started, they boasted classically trained brothers on stand-up bass and piano/percussion. Jim and Andy Creeggan also play together in an aforementioned side project. Andy left the band to pursue other musical options and the band welcomed Kevin Hearn as their keyboard/dozens of other instruments player. Shortly after Hearn joined the group he underwent a serious bout with cancer that he would recover from completely. Barenaked Ladies Are Me is BNL's fourth proper album with Hearn's contributions and his addition to the band is not to be understated.
I'm more likely to connect with songs on BNL albums that don't have a "single feel" and I'd like to share those with you. Most of these songs represent the slowest and most somber moments of every generally lively album, but they are the songs that stick with me. After all, you've heard "One Week" enough, I'm sure.




Barenaked Ladies' "Brian Wilson"
from Gordon

Barenaked Ladies' "Am I The Only One?"
from Maybe You Should Drive

Barenaked Ladies' "When I Fall"
from Born On A Pirate Ship

Barenaked Ladies' "If I Had A $1000000 (Yellow Tape Version)"
from Shoe Box EP

Barenaked Ladies' "Break Your Heart"
from Rock Spectacle

Barenaked Ladies' "Some Fantastic"
from Stunt

Barenaked Ladies' "Tonight Is The Night I Fell Asleep At The Wheel / Hidden Sun"
from Maroon

Barenaked Ladies' "Thanks That Was Fun"
from Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits (1991-2001)

Barenaked Ladies' "War on Drugs"
from Everything To Everyone

Barenaked Ladies' "Christmastime (Oh Yeah)"
from Barenaked For The Holidays

Barenaked Ladies' "For You"
from Au Naturale: Live in Denver, CO 08-02-04

Barenaked Ladies' "Bank Job"
from Barenaked Ladies Are Me