Customer Reviews

Maroon

5 star:		(115)
4 star:		(58)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Thinking of buying this CD because you loved STUNT and you're looking for STUNT II? You're probably going to be a bit disappointed. If you're a long-time BNL fan, though, I'm sure you'll find MAROON pays off. It's a nice balance of 3/4 Steve and 1/4 Ed on lead vocals (with a pinch of Kevin on the last track), and a great mix of traditional BNL fare, new jazzy tunes, and even a STUNT-y song or two. Much as I love this CD, I fear that not much of this is going to get play on your local FM dial. Quick takes: Fans of 'ONE WEEK' will enjoy 'PINCH ME', fans of the witty, well-constructed songs of BNL's youth will get a kick out of 'NEVER DO ANYTHING' and 'SELL SELL SELL', and if anyone other than me was dying to hear a Kevin lead-vocal number, you're in luck because his (hidden) track (HIDDEN SUN) is an absolute delight.

My first reaction when listening to the Barenaked Ladies' newest album was one of confusion:

Where is the silliness? Where is the knockout, hysterical single? Why aren't Ed and Steve harmonizing? What happened to Ed's lead vocals?

Maroon sounds almost completely unlike anything the Ladies have produced so far, owing to a good deal of 80's influence (mostly for background effects) and outright new musical directions for the band. One song in particular, The Humour of the Situation, makes me think of Pallisades Park, which I think came out in the early sixties . . .

After giving the album a couple more listens, however, it all starts to gel. The lyrics are potent, intelligent and witty. The trademark Barenaked silliness is still there, but you've got to dig a little more for it this time through. Although the album doesn't generate laughter at the pace that, say, Gordon did, it still has its moments.

There are several great songs, here. Whether you like the fast-paced romps of Ladies' past, or some of their more introspective tunes, this album has it all in spades.

Gem of the album goes to Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel, the most morbidly fascinating song I think I've ever heard. What makes it even better, with a title like this, is that it's ultimately one of those twisted love songs that BNL does so very well. Touching, and at the same time downright creepy.

Yes, the album is a little more stark due to the scarcity of harmonizing vocals, and I would've liked more than just the two or three leads that Ed performs, but it all still works. Steve Page is an incredible vocalist, and he shows his usually broad range here. The songs tend to lend themselves more to a single vocalist, anyway. And you still get harmony in the choruses, so there.

Compare this album, if you will, to Maybe You Should Drive. More serious than Gordon, but not entirely a serious album, this is another step in the "maturity" of the band.

It's not Stunt. It's not Gordon. But it's still the Barenaked Ladies. And it's really, really good.

This is probably the best CD that the Ladies have done to date. It's different, but it includes elements of all of their prior releases.

There is probably not a single song on this album that I would skip all of the time. I'm not too fond of Sell, Sell, Sell, but the rest of the CD is superb. I especially like the way the the album sort of flows from one song to the next--the order is perfect. You can't just listen to one song at a time, you have to sit there and listen to the whole album to get the full effect.

As for the standout tracks, I absolutely worship Conventioneers, Helicopters, and Off the Hook. Conventioneers is such a great song, especially live. Steve's voice is just amazing. One of the reviews I read on some website said that Conventioneers was just "pop by numbers," which makes it clear to me that he knew absolutely nothing about the song. It has a lounge singer feel to it, but what really sets it apart from the pop genre is that there is essentially no chorus. The lyrics are all verses that tell a story. Off the Hook is amazing lyrically. "shaken while he stirred," etc. There is so much that I like about this song, although the drum machine I could do without. Helicopters is great too. It's so poingnant. And it is a wonderful lead in to Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel. A large number of reviews that I read disliked this song, saying that it was too gory. Actually, I get the opposite feel from it. It's really quite sad, but it will make you smile because of the juxtaposition of the funky circus music with such a lyrically heavy song.

Too Little Too Late is a great rock opener with an infectious beat. Go Home has a bit of a country feel, but it's like the Beatles crossed with country. They can turn a phrase in that song like you wouldn't believe. Never Do Anything is a fun party type song, classic BNL. Baby Seat would be a good song, but the chorus is a little weak. It has a rather 80's feel to it, which isn't really a bad thing.

Pinch Me and Falling for the First Time are the only Ed songs on the album, and he makes full use of them. Though the lyrics to FFTFT may seem a little contrived, they just flow so well throughout the song that it is forgivable.

All in all, one of, if not the best effort to come out of the Ladies yet. I thoroughly enjoy this album, from start to finish. I think it may have usurped MYSD from it's top position on the BNL hierarchy.

Ed Robertson almost didn't complete "Pinch Me" because he feared it sounded too much like "One Week"; these fears were soon proved groundless. Don't be silly, guys. I'm thinking "Maroon" is a bit like "Gordon": both have catchy, sometimes lush, melodies, tweaks at the mass media and celebrity culture, slightly twisted love songs and good natured pokes at themselves. However, something about "Maroon" seems far darker, almost grimly contemplative than any prior release, especially "Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel," a song that almost made me shudder.

I enjoyed the album thoroughly and can't wait for the tour.

I have one request for the music producers and record companies: PAY MORE ATTENTION TO CANADIAN ARTISTS!! This may come as a surprise to many, but there was life before Stunt for the Barenaked Ladies. Yeah, no joke. These boys have been happily making music since the late 80s, but released their first cd "Gordon" in 1992, but due to the grunge-rock era, these lads never got the well deserved air play that would have made them stars here in America. Anyway, moving forward 6 years to '98 and the smash "One Week", these guys FINALLY got the well needed break with us and became multi-platinum selling artists. Now, let's see if we can help them out with their new cd Maroon. Now this might just be because I'm a HUGE fan of BNL, but this cd is awesome. It has the humor of Gordon in it, but the maturity of Stunt. For instance, the song "The Night I Fell Asleep At the Wheel". It's not meant to be a funny song, but darn it, you can't really help laughing due to the freakin' oompa band in the background. Plus, my personal favorite song is "Baby Seat". Now c'mon--BABY SEAT? Again, I start giggling every time i hear it. But anyway, I digress. This album is special for many reasons and it shows in the lyrics. Keyboardist Kevin Hearn had complications after a bone marrow transplant surgery and was in the hospital in and out for about 2 years. That experience touched the other Ladies and inspired some wonderful music. Thankfully, Kevin is slowly, but surely regaining strength and confidence and is again rocking with the band. I can't say anymore or try to convince you to buy this cd. It's up to you, but I will say this; the Barenaked Ladies are one of the finer bands out there today because they deliver a positive message but they aren't oozing with bubble gum pop tunes like some artists who will remain nameless. Give the guys a chance. For me and for them. They've come a long way, baby and I have a feeling they'll keep on coming for a very very long time after.

I consider "Maroon" to be my favorite Barenaked Ladies album for two reasons. First, I think it represents the most interesting collection of songs they've ever put together on a CD, ranging from subjects as diverse as infidelity ("Off the Hook") to meeting one's demise in an auto accident ("Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel"), to Hollywood marketing hype ("Sell, Sell, Sell"), to the angst of growing up ("Baby Seat"). Second, I consider it a signifcant album because multi-instumentalist Kevin Hearn, who was diagnosed with Leukemia shortly after the recording of the band's previous album, "Stunt", was around to contribute (and thankfully still is; his Leukemia has been in remission for about 6 years as of this writing). For this reason I find the bonus track "Hidden Sun", sung by Kevin, to be especially moving. One gets the impression that he is revealing to the listener some insight that he discovered during his fight to stay alive.

There are only two tracks on this CD that I'm not overly crazy about: "Conventioneers", which tells the tale of two attendees at a business convention engaging in a brief dalliance; and "Helicopters", a rather dark song discussing the protagonist's reaction to war. As the Amazon.com review stated, one can easily discern the influence of early XTC in some of the band's tracks, and as one customer reviewer noted a bit of Beatles as well ("Go Home" reminds me of the Beatles' "Act Naturally" from a stylistic point of view). The lyrics to almost every one of the tracks in "Maroon" reveal an unusual depth of articulation and expression. Steve Page and Ed Robertson never fail to amaze me in that regard. And it should of course be noted that this CD was produced by legendary producer Don Was. Simply put, there is a lot to like about "Maroon", and the fact that it gets a prominent spot in the CD changer in my car ought to tell you what I think about it. This one is definitely worth a listen.

BNL has produced many albums, each a work of art. I went to the mall and bought this CD without hesitation, and I assumed correctly; the Barenaked Ladies had yet again created another masterpiece.

Too little too late - mindless tune that doesn't require much effort to listen to

Never do anything - catchy song, bouncy and a little vulgar, but still great

Pinch me - My favorite, I love how the Ladies state the most obvious. It starts out with a the sort of beat you would hear at a dance club, then surprises you by turning into docile and pleasant, like something you would hear a content person humming

Go home - Fast beat, good lyrics, exceptional guitars

Falling for the first time - my personal second favorite-the sort of song that states one idea, then contradicts itself

Conventioneers - slow song with a romantic melody and sung very sweetly

Sell sell sell - brilliant. BNL sings about things that have never been sung before. Has an unusual beat to it, and surprisingly enough, a harp. Struck me as rather different then their ordinary, but still just as good

The humour of the situation - humorous, playful, and bouncy

Baby seat - interesting format, very intriguing lyrics, a mysterious sort of guitar playing in the backround

Off the hook - the second slow song, just as sweet but an entirely different subject

Helicopters - fast beat, but at the same time depressing and stated in a matter-of-fact rythm

Tonight is the night I fell asleep at the wheel - chilling tale of the death of one of the Lady's relative's death, and yet still you cannot help but to listen with wide-eyed attention. Has kind of a slow, woeful carnival air to it

(hidden track) - wonderful, imaginative track that somehow forces you to ponder, and I can't understand why they hid it when it deserves to be recognized

There is no reason that a BNL fan should not have this in their collection. There is also no reason for a boring person to have aquired this CD-only eccentric people are permitted to listen to this album! The reason is because only the strange people can truly understand the Barenaked Ladies and what they are trying to say.

Barenaked Ladies 'Maroon' is a great follow-up to the mega smash album 'Stunt'. With songs of all different sorts, most centering around feel good pop or quirky ballads, it's easy to see why success has taken this group so far. The tracks are very good, though I must say that my favorites were 'Never Do Anything', 'Pinch Me', 'Conventioneers', 'Helicopters', and 'Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel'.

It features wonderful vocals, most by Steven in lead. With the same subtle genius of the lyrics on 'Stunt', the Barenaked Ladies are on full-force with this album. Though it falls a bit short of the aforementioned album, it is still a must own for any BNL fan!

A new Barenaked Ladies CD is a good thing. The new Maroon album should delight most BNL fans. The album has a harder edge to it then previous BNL gems. More electric guitar emphisis seems to be the rule this time out. I like the more acoustic tunes that BNL does, however I was not disappointed at all by Maroon. Their are enough mellow tunes to balance the album. The serious musicianship sprinkled with a dash of fun, the delightful harmonies, the cool lyrics, it's all nicely tucked in Maroon. Is Maroon better than Stunt? jury's still out on that, in fact I'm listening to Stunt while I type this review. Oh heck I'll just enjoy all their albums. Go get Maroon and enjoy!

This album isn't as "Poppy" as some of their others and, like others have said, few singles will come out of it, but for die-hard BNL fans, this is a must buy! Like all of their albums, you can listen to this one all the way through. However, there aren't as many up beat happy-go-lucky songs as albums such as Stunt and Gordon, but there are a few. However, these guys are great musicians and it doesn't matter what kind of tone their songs have because they make fantastic music no matter what style they play. Even if you haven't been a long time fan of BNL you should try this album, it's modern musicianship at it's best. I doubt that BNL will ever make a bad album, and this album is further proof of that theory. You know that these guys are passionate and enthusiastic about their music, and it shows. Overall a great album, 5 stars!