O.C. Pop Music Review : Barenaked Ladies Improve With Age

Barenaked Ladies aren’t what they used to be. But they still can be awfully exciting.

Slimmed down and grown up a bit since their last appearance at the Coach House just over a year ago, the Toronto band proved in a return to that venue Monday night that Barenaked Ladies who are more mature aren’t necessarily less attractive. Particularly when you’re maturing from the “Grade 9” level.

Lead singer Steven Page was more ‘60s-style herky-jerky than punk manic in his movements this time around, though he wasn’t above jumping around like a human pogo stick on occasion.

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And lead guitarist-singer Ed Robertson appears to have become unflappable. Even when Page forgot his lyrics midway through the song “A” and bolted from the stage like an embarrassed schoolboy, Robertson barely missed a beat. “How hard can it be? Everything starts with the letter ‘A,’ ” he quipped, calmly retuning his guitar to play a substitute song.

Page returned many long seconds later, still looking rather sheepish and offering that he hadn’t felt well; Robertson playfully accused him of running upstairs to read the lyric sheet. They redid the song, this time without a hitch, and the show was back on track, though Page seemed a bit out of sorts for the remaining few songs of the nearly two-hour set.

Barenaked Ladies’ debut album, “Gordon,” was a largely whimsical, congenial effort that featured such novelty songs as “Be My Yoko Ono,” “Brian Wilson,” “Grade 9” and “If I Had $1000000.”

The lyrics were witty and full of hip jabs at American pop culture that went over especially big in Canada. The group’s good-natured, exuberant live shows gained them a large and loyal club following, including the enthusiastic 475 or so assembled for Monday’s sold-out show, which launched the band’s latest U.S. tour.

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Critics have noted that the band’s recently released second album, “Maybe You Should Drive,” is a bit more serious than its predecessor. So it follows that their concerts would also be less frivolous.

Still, “Maybe You Should Drive” is a far cry from a U2 album. And this show steered away from the darker selections off the new work, such as “The Wrong Man Was Convicted” and “Am I the Only One?,” to emphasize songs with a more palatable pop sensibility.

“The Great Provider,” however, came off as a folksy ballad with something genuine to say about father-son relationships, and “Everything Old Is New Again” certainly felt serious, dragging as it did in the live version and absent the bright, Beatle-esque full orchestration of the album.

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More characteristic of the show, though, were “Alternative Girlfriend,” “Life, In a Nutshell” and the band’s new single, “Jane”--all quirky, lively songs about ordinary people’s peculiarities. “Alternative Girlfriend,” in particular, really rocked, with the help of drummer Tyler Stewart and the hair-swingin’ Creeggan brothers--bassist Jim and keyboardist Andrew--who brought plenty of energy to the backfield.

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Additionally, “Enid” (from the “Gordon” album) and “Intermittently” (from the new one) stood out for their punchy, driving back beats and strong vocals by Page, who powered through the instrumental frenzy with the kind of rich, creamy tones you’d expect of a big-band singer.

This group can go from a Latin-flavored beat to crunchy hard rock to Manhattan Transfer-style swing and four-part harmonies in the span of a lyric, and Page’s voice handles every transition seamlessly.

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The most playful side of Barenaked Ladies emerges in between-song patter and improvisational riffs. This time around, the highlight was a medley of “famous cowbell songs” that included snippets of “Maniac” from the “Flashdance” soundtrack, the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women” and Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”

And even though the Ladies have grown up a bit, they haven’t abandoned forays into rap and hip-hop, which again provided some of the show’s most delightful, surprising moments.

Let’s hope they never mature too much.