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BNL joins the tired ranks of groups to release Christmas albums. Of course, they do it in true BNL fashion, and are not content to simply record a bunch of slightly-warmed-over standards. Some of the songs are original compositions, such as "Christmastime (Oh Yeah)," and some are standards done up in BNL's jazzy, rock style. Still others sound as if they are being played on your Grandmother's old electric organ, complete with tacky drum machine. (I have to wonder if this last is a peek into their early Christmas traditions.) And lastly, there are some very off-the-wall tunes, like "Deck the Stills" and "Sleigh Ride" that pretty much sound like the guys screwing around.
All of the tracks are well-polished, and the entire album evokes a holiday spirit. So in that sense, this album is a huge success. I only subtract 1 star because if you're not a fan of the band, you won't be too interested in their interpretation of the standards, and the novelty songs will probably be a bit of a turn off. However, if you like BNL, this is a must-have, even if you skip a few of the songs after listening to them once.
I've been a fan of BNL since just before Maybe You Should Drive (I think I'm one of the 14 or so people in the world who loves that album), and have come to expect something different from the Ladies with each release. If they released the equivalent of Stunt 2, Stunt 3 and Stunt 4, for the sake of the masses and the band's popularity and commercial success, that schtick would get old really quick, and fans would criticize them for selling out.
So, while Maroon was a bit of a departure from Stunt, if you appreciate their experimentation with different sounds, it grows on you; it's truly a solid effort. Everything for Everyone, well, is half great/half mediocre (I'm resisting saying "terrible") -- rather, it seems like the band just threw something together to get their record label off their backs. (This is what I like to believe; the converse, that the band actually LIKED some of those songs and thought they were good, is too frightening to consider.)
So, here we have their holiday album. If Everything for Everyone seems thrown together, this project just reeks of a studio exec thinking "BNL's fame is waning; let's get them to release a 'Christmas' album right before the holidays, and squeeze as much money from their loyal fans as possible."
Folks, no matter how much I'd like to say otherwise, this CD is pretty bad. Now, I know I'm going to get a lot of "not a helpful review" comments from the BNL faithful, but they're not listening to the album. Listening to the entire thing is a chore; thankfully it's fairly short, so the pain is over quicker.
The best song on it -- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" recorded backstage with Sarah McLachlan in 1996 -- is TRULY wonderful (hence the 2nd star). It's loose, relaxed, and a great take on an Xmas tune that can be pretty boring to listen to if done more traditionally. But, that song is available on a MUCH BETTER album put out by Nettwerk in 2000, entitled "Christmas Songs". There you get great tunes by the likes of Dido, Delirium, and Matthew Ryan, as well as Sarah McLachlan's wonderful cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Song For A Winter's Night"...
Do yourself a favor. Pick up Nettwerk's "Christmas Songs", or save your money for a show the next time BNL is in your area...
Item was sent to me that was supposed to be brand new and instead was used and in unacceptable codition. The money has been already credited back to me. I will never again purchase through amazon. This was my first and will be my last experience.
Some of these songs just make me laugh. If you're a BNL fan, I think you'll truly appreciate their antics on this album. If you're looking for traditional holiday favorites, you won't find them here. If you're sick to death of the traditional holiday favorites and want something that'll put a smile on your face, I suggest giving this one a shot.
I thought the song w/ Sarah McLaughlin was great - my favorite x-mas song of the season. Other songs I would drop off the CD. But it does get you in the mood for the holidays.
Off-beat Beats for the Holidays, October 5, 2004
Has the well run dry?, November 20, 2004
A refreshing change, February 24, 2006
Returned Item, January 31, 2006
