One thing I never thought I would be doing in 2013 is reviewing a brand-new Barenaked Ladies record, but here I am. Famous for 1998 mega hit ‘One Week’, this is BNL’s 13th studio album, and it is chock full of middle of the road pop/rock songs that, while pleasant, are entirely dull.
The irreverence and rapid energy of ‘One Week’ is largely missing from this album, which is filled instead with traditionally structured pop sounds supporting themes of love and parenthood. With very few original, unique moments, the album feels instantly dated; during the second track, which is appropriately titled ‘Boomerang’, I felt like I had entered a time warp to 1999 and turned on NewFM in the middle of a Matchbox 20 or Live song. It was odd, and not as exciting as you might think.
There are some good moments; ‘Off His Head’ has a very cool refrain that showcases the band’s abilities to perform close harmonies with perfection; the vocals in ‘Odds Are’ are delivered in a rapid-fire, almost rapped performance that is reminiscent of ‘One Week’. ‘Keeping It Real’ is bluesy and dark, and the harmonies again prove to be a highlight. ‘Did I Say That Out Loud?’ is one of the only songs that feels like a product of 2013, but in a way that still feels dated, with the electronic bleeps, feel-good trebles and chanted chorus refrain that goes “Oh-wow-oh-oh”, all of which are current pop/rock trends that I’m hoping will die out soon.
Grinning Streak is a nice enough album that I really wanted to like, based almost-entirely on my nostalgia for a song I loved when I was 12, but it falls short. The Barenaked Ladies are skilled musicians who can write a well-structured pop song, but the over-production on Grinning Streak renders their musical accomplishments invalid – the sound could just as easily have been electronically produced. Furthermore, without humour or interesting musical and lyrical themes, Grinning Streak falls directly in the middle of the road, with nothing to distinguish it from the countless other albums like it that have been produced from 1998 onwards.
5/10
Reviewer: Frances Bulley