Pulse Music Magazine Over the course of 35 years, multi-platinum rockers Barenaked Ladies have sold over 15 million records worldwide, and built up an arsenal of hits such as “If I Had $1,000,000,” “One Week,” “Pinch Me” and “The Big Bang Theory Theme.” Widely acknowledged as one of the best live acts on the planet, BNL has hosted a cruise, had their own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavour, and participated in the first-ever “space-to-earth musical collaboration” with astronaut Chris Hadfield. To date, BNL has amassed eight JUNO Awards, garnered two GRAMMY nominations, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Recently, the band released their highly anticipated 18th studio album, In Flight. Brimming with 14 vibrant tracks, the record seamlessly captures the hallmark playfulness and astute observation that have earned BNL global renown, and artfully juxtaposes those signature elements against a contemplative, philosophical backdrop, converging into a resounding impression of growth and wisdom gained. Stand-out singles include: “Lovin’ Life,” “One Night,” and today’s, “What Do We Need?” which explore the band’s journey as Barenaked Ladies through the years, reminiscing on what they’ve achieved while looking forward to what the future may hold.
Produced by Grammy and JUNO award-winning producer Eric Ratz and recorded at Noble, In Flight marks a new chapter for the band. Maybe it’s just the passage of time, maybe the joy of getting back on the road after the COVID lockdown, but Ed Robertson has noticed a change in his own attitude which adjusted his tone on the new project. While BNL’s last album, 2021’s Detour de Force, looked closely at the perils of contemporary, alternate reality media, In Flight offers a sense of joy and appreciation for life.
In addition to the eight songs written/co-written by Robertson, the album features four songs from Kevin Hearn, (two of which are love letters to Toronto: “See the Tower” and “The Peace Lady”) and two from Jim Creeggan, (“Just Wait” and “Wake Up). The album also features co-writers such as Kevin Griffin (Better Than Ezra), who co-wrote with Ed on “One Night” and “Lovin’ Life” (the latter with Thirty Seconds to Mars’ Steve Aiello), as well as notable Canadian musicians Max Kerman (Arkells) and Donovan Woods.
Robertson says, “We’re a band that has committed to being who we are and what we are, and being as good as we can be—doing the best shows we can do, writing the best songs we can write—and we’ve done it for 35 years. I’m super proud of that.”
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