Barenaked Ladies Are Up to Their Old Antics

Barenaked Ladies (all men, none naked) are wildly popular in Toronto for their bittersweet folk-pop and jocular stage shows. Coming into the El Rey Theatre on Monday, the group was riding high on the success of “The Old Apartment,” an overdue Top 40 hit after six years of struggling for recognition in the U.S.

In a goofy, antic-laden set, Barenaked Ladies delivered tongue-in-cheek odes to rappers Young MC and Biz Markie, and seemingly impromptu comedy routines that sometimes wore thin. Despite the all-in-it-together party vibe, the set also revealed the band’s weaknesses. The feel-good jangle-rock (which at the El Rey veered into occasional jags of ‘60s pop) sometimes lacked a spark of true invention that would make them stand out.

That doesn’t mean that there weren’t moments when Barenaked Ladies--fronted by wacky guys Ed Robertson and Steven Page--didn’t come close: “Brian Wilson,” a song more about innocence and its loss than about the pop legend, was delivered with bittersweet passion; the lilting, sweet ballads “Jane” and “What a Good Boy” came across with a trembling lushness.

But there weren’t many more songs with that kind of instant appeal and interesting depth, and the set was also weakened by Robertson and Page’s dragged-out comedy routines. The group’s radio success has been long overdue, but Barenaked Ladies are going to have to push beyond palatable folk-rock and goofy medleys of hit pop songs to become more than that cult band from Canada.