In the two years that I have been working on this blog, I have surprised myself only a couple of times about subjects that have come up (Per Gessle, anyone?). Here comes another one of those subjects…Barenaked Ladies. They have posted one of the finest ballads of their career on their website, and I can’t get enough of it. It is not the quirky humor we’ve come to expect with “One Week” and “If I Had a Million Dollars”, but it holds true to their expert lyrical skills.
I tried but you tried harder
I lied but you lied smarter
You made me guess who was it
I did my best but it wasn’t enough
Someone commented on the sound of “You Run Away” as “Coldplay meets the Beach Boys”, and I cannot think of a better comparison, unless you maybe include the Goo Goo Dolls. This song is ripe for Adult Top 40 radio, and although I am not sure if it will make the cross over to Top 40, I would not even think about betting against it. Their full-length CD All In Good Time should be out at the end of March. (H/T to Bill’s Top 40/Pop Blog)
[I would be remiss in not noting that this is among the first material that is being released after co-lead singer Steven Paige left the group. He is also planning on releasing an album this year, although from what I have been able to gather, it is not a solo effort. He recorded an album in early 2009 with the Art of Time Ensemble that is being released in February, but he has also been working on a solo record. According to Page, his album is all over the place:
“Turns out, it sounds a lot like Steven Page: Power-pop, gay disco, big band swing, acoustic ballads. It seems as eclectic as the best BNL albums were, but I guess I’m biased that way.”
(Source)
Can’t wait to hear what that one sounds like, either.]
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Pop Music Notes 
Adore this. Like Dashboard Confessional and Indigo Girls, this is one of those groups that I love immensely but don’t blog about nearly as often as I should.
I would imagine that you heard a good bit of them while you were in Rochester, too.
Coldplay meets Beach Boys, eh? I’ll check into this when I get home. I’m usually only a fan of theirs in a novelty way, but this sounds promising.
I am with you. Having grown up Upstate, I heard a LOT of them in the 90s. This definitely shows an evolution in a positive direction.
You think it was played a lot Upstate? Interesting. I vividly remember “One Week” being played to death when I was younger so much that I got a bit burned out on their kitsch. I’m intrigued…
Oh, trust me. Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse got a TON of it. 93Q in Syracuse actually ranked “If I Had a Million Dollars” at #1 on their playlist for a few weeks, while the single never even made it to the Hot 100.
That’s hilarious! I had no idea! I’m only realizing now how much of a yardstick stations in Syracuse and Albany are in breaking rock records deemed appropriate for pop crossover (who knew?). Crazy.
You know I’m not a big balladry guy, but this one sounds nice. I do like BNL, so I may give this puppy another listen or two.
I’m intrigued enough that I want to hear the whole album now. I know they’re great lyricists and musicians, but like Mel, I got burned out on the shtick. To see their abilities channeled toward more substantial outlets is very encouraging.
Unfortunately, the song is still so handicapped by the vocals that I find iat unlistenable.
I actually can understand that. Ed has a voice that some people despise, but others love. I enjoy it simply because it is unique and not the type of voice you normally hear on pop records.
This song is growing on me, but I can help but want something a little less…. “ballady”. I love Ed’s voice though…..even if it’s just because of familiarity
The song just floats to the surface about once a day or so. Ed’s done the ballad thing before, so I am not that taken aback by it. And those harmonies! You don’t hear that on the radio much these days.
I head this track and it is very good. Ed Robertson seems very focused and the writing is top notch. The loss of Steven Page seems to have hit him hard, resulting in some great music!