Written by Liv Foltiny Photos provided by Girlie Action Media
As of this week (and to the tune of “One Week”), it’s been eight weeks since I looked at them, took their photos, and wrote about seeing them, three weeks since I agreed to give their new album a listen and critique.
Silliness aside, after photographing and reviewing the Barenaked Ladies’ show at The Met back in July, I decided I’d give reviewing their newest album, In Flight, a shot, considering how their live performance was fun, witty, and good-hearted to say the least. However, because I had never listened to any of their albums from beginning to end (until now), I didn’t honestly know what to expect.
With my laptop open and the volume up, I pressed play and was greeted by the first track, “Lovin’ Life,” a cheerful and upbeat song in which the band describes how being alive is a wonderful thing, even though life has plenty of bad moments, not just good ones. The song nicely fits into the kind of playlist you’d create to combat a shitty day. Following suit, “One Night,” the second track, carries a positive concept by encouraging people to live in the moment and indicating how taking risks is necessary sometimes. Simply put, both of these songs have the ability to put a smile on your face and, for lack of better words, exude joy.
Between this song, “What Do We Need?”, “Just Wait”, and “Waning Moon”, the band covers various topics ranging from the changes that come with getting older to wanting to be there for their loved ones and how they continue to experience life lessons. Between this song, “What Do We Need?,” “Just Wait,” and “Waning Moon,” the band covers various topics ranging from the changes that come with getting older to wanting to be there for their loved. ones and how they continue to experience life lessons. Out of these four songs (and possibly the entire album), “What Do We Need?” was, without a doubt, the one with the hardest-hitting line: “I love it more than anything, but please make it end.” This statement follows Ed Robertson singing about how the band members leave their families to go on tour with one another and continue to grow older as the years pass. Given the order of the lines, I wasn’t sure (and still am not sure) whether the “please make it end” was directed toward one, both, or neither of these sentiments. In the case of the latter of these options, I wonder if the plea refers to the heartache that can come with having to decide whether to tour and, if so, the blunt recognition that they’ll be away from loved ones for a while.
Although a majority of the tracks following “Just Wait” (with the exception of “Wake Up”) don’t appeal to me personally, they are still put together well and continue to carry a self-reflective voice. They also have lyrics that plenty of us can relate to. Yes, I’m looking at you, “Too Old” because “I’m too old for this shit” is a comment that, regardless of its tone when spoken (i.e., joking or serious), is something that can resonate with a lot of us in some way. Lines like this, as well as the beautifully painful ones (like that line in “What Do We Need?” I referenced before), are things that make In Flight stand out and indisputably make it human.
In Flight is available now! You can check it out on your favorite streaming device or buy it directly from the band’s online store.
