The 'B' Album

The collection of songs on The B Album have a largely consistent and unchanging sound, despite having been written over a six-year period. All of the selections here feature tight vocal harmonies, lyrics that are sometimes silly but clever (and sometimes just plain silly), and a complete lack of attention to showy instrumentals. The very fact that these songs hang together so closely might be perceived as a sign of stagnation — why is there no new angle? No attempt to expand into different styles? But what comes across so clearly here is that this is a group who enjoys each other, who are good at what they do, and who love being Canadian. Many of their songs are topical and focus on aspects of Canadian culture and politics that have no context for U.S. listeners, which may explain their very low profile in the U.S. Some already feel dated, like "The Greatest Man in America," a paean to Rush Limbaugh and his all-reaching influence, on the wane since this song was written in 1994. So what? You don't necessarily have to "get" all the references to enjoy these songs, and while the Canadianisms are frequent, they don't make up the majority of the lyrics. There's plenty to enjoy here, like the upbeat rhythms and ironic lyrics of "I Love My Boss," so play it and indulge in some music plainly, just for the fun of it.