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A favorite band, I first heard Barenaked Ladies while working overnights at SDPTV. Most C-Band satellite feeds were scrambled by 1992, but two things that were in the clear were the CBC and Toronto's Muchmusic (now known as Fuse).

Through these two sources, I saw a lot of the band when very few in the US had ever heard of them. A Muchmusic special called "On Gordon Pond" sealed the deal for me, and when I got off my shift I walked down to the music store and bought Gordon.

1. Gordon (1992)
   In their twenties, BNL made one of my all-time favorite albums. Alternating the absurdly silly (If I Had $1,000,000, King of Bedside Manor) with the thoughtful and often depressing (What a Good Boy, Brian Wilson), this album is loaded with great songs. Almost entirely acoustic, Gordon has a raw power the belies its instrumentation.



2. Rock Spectacle (1996)
   A live album that I think was, at least partially responsible for the success of the band's breakthrough Stunt album. No new material here, but it was the recorded debut of keyboardist Kevin Hearn with the band. I find some of the live versions on this album superior to their original counterparts, my favorite example of this, the remarkably powerful version of Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank with Kevin's accordian leading the way.




3. Maroon (1998)
   The follow up to Stunt, not nearly as well received. Still a wonderful album, featuring Pinch Me and the sort of sophomoric humor ("I just made you say underwear") the band will always be known for.



4. Maybe You Should Drive (1994)
   A very different album from Gordon, smoother, more electric. showing more range. I was quite worried when I first heard it as Ed Robertson and Steve Page, whose songwriting made Gordon had many more songs written individually. Ed's Am I The Only One remains a standout track.



5. Stunt (1998)
   I always try not to be that "I've been a fan for years, their earlier stuff was better and all of you 'Johnny-come-latelies' don't really know this band" guy, but Stunt made the band look like an overnight success to a lot of people. One Week remains the most recognizable BNL song, a good song that tries to recapture some of the band's live, improv antics.



6. Born On a Pirate Ship (1996)
   When I Fall is the highlight of this, decidedly more electric album that also has the band strongest full on electric performance, Just a Toy.



7. Barenaked Ladies Are Me (2006)
   A really fine album, trying to recapture the energy of Gordon, but also showing how far the band has come since their early days in Toronto. Sound Of Your Voice would have fit in on any previous BNL album and is one of my favorite BNL songs.

Everything to Everyone (2003)
...and I call myself a fan...
The only BNL album I don't own, though I've heard most of the tracks and like everything I've heard. Having not given it as much attention as the other albums, I do not rank this one.

I didn't bother to rank any of the numerous singles, EP's or bootlegs I own, nor did I bother to rank Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits (1991-2001) as therr was no new material on it.

BOJ

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