Despite being a fan of The Barenaked Ladies I have to admit that it came as a bit of a shock to see the release of Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before, after all the band have already released one Best Of in their career (given that was ten years ago). You can’t even think that flagging sales may be the reason behind the decision because despite the fact their lead singer, Steven Page, left in 2009 the rest of the band still did quite well in the sales department.
Still, it is pretty certain that true Barenaked Ladies fans will purchase Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before and I must admit it’s a good start for those who are yet to hear this talented Canadian group as it really does cover most of their career… well most of their singles anyway.
The album kicks off with their earliest single, ‘If I Had $1000000’ which actually first hit the shelves in 1992, mark my words though, this is a track that is loved by real Barenaked Ladies fans but will possible be shunned by anyone who is not.
In fact one of the things that hits you about listening to this album is just how up and down The Barenaked Ladies’ careers have been. They certainly know how to be smooth, tracks like ‘The Old Apartment’, ‘Falling For The First Time’, ‘Testing 1,2,3’ and ‘Easy’ prove that, but they also aren’t the kind of songs that you get excited about every time you hear them.
Therefore it is lucky that the album also contains some of their more unforgettable singles. ‘Brian Wilson’ always springs to mind when people talk about good modern rock while Page’s fast-paced vocals on ‘One Week’ is still bringing people to grief in karaoke bars even to this day.
It is however tracks like ‘Pinch Me’ and ‘It’s All Been Done’ that reminds you just how good these guys are while the melodies of ‘Too Little Too Late’ and ‘Postcards’ show you why Paul McCartney has admitted to being in awe with The Barenaked Ladies melodic style.
Oh and if you’re looking for the perfect love song to put on a mix tape then you really can’t go past, ‘Call And Answer’, the one song that the band haven’t performed since Page left the band (and nobody seems to know why). The other good news is if you are looking for the theme to The Big Bang Theory then look no further. These are the guys that recorded it and this is (so far) the only place you’ll find it on a album.
Luckily The Barenaked Ladies have had more hits than misses over the years so Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before is certainly worth a listen, in fact it’s the perfect summer album. Page’s sweet melodies go hand-in-hand with warm summer winds.
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