Stunt - Barenaked Ladies

"Stunt" is the fourth studio album from Canadian alternative rockers Barenaked Ladies. It is also probably the only Barenaked Ladies album that managed to sell in considerable numbers on this side of the pond, as it coincided with the Ladies' brief hint of commercial success here in the UK: early 1999, when novelty pop-rap "One Week" hit the UK top 5 and for a few fleeting moments, it looked like BNL would hit the big time. Prolonged mainstream success was alas not to be, but this particular album did sell reasonably well, reaching the UK Album Chart top 20. It deserved the success, too - it combined the band's trademark literate and witty ...

If we were dabbling in a game of word association and I said 'pop music', I'd probably be greeted with responses of 'S-Club 7', 'Hearsay' or '{Insert Expletive}'. As you will have gathered from my recent op's I am one of the world's biggest Barenaked Ladies fans. The BNL's produce the best pop music around and Stunt is a typical example. Fear not, they are not a group of scantlily clad women or over-hyped commercial tarts, they are a band that produces music that's easy on the ears accompanied with lyrics that are incredibly witty and intelligent. They combine all the lighter aspects of rock music perfectly with ...

This was the album that finally got the Barenaked Ladies noticed in the UK. I was aware of them as a wacky, beachwear-doffing band before "Stunt" came out, and must say I thought they were very similar to They Might Be Giants - they have been described as the "Canadian Housemartins", which seemed about right. Even the band's name is a joke? (obviously, there are no ladies at all, clothed or otherwise, in the band!) Then I went to see them live, and realised they are more than just a quirky indie / novelty band. Their set was extremely professional, highly entertaining and full of great songs, including the well-deserved hits ...