Barenaked Ladies claw back after a tumultuous period

 

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Hearn also explained that although recording was therapeutic, it posed a challenge because Barenaked Ladies were used to working as a quintet with Page. (For the record, the former singer releases his first post-BNL collection, "Page One," on Anthem/Zoe/Rounder Records on Sept. 28.)

"It was an exciting challenge and sort of became more of an adventure than a challenge," said Hearn, who is in remission for chronic myelogenous leukemia. "When you work closely creatively with a certain group of people over time and over projects, you develop a certain dynamic and a certain method and pattern and unspoken rules, etc. etc. We were able to dispose of all that and start fresh and recreate things a little bit, and I think we all really enjoyed that. I think the energy is evident on most of the record."

Over the course of the past 21 years, Barenaked Ladies have racked up eight Juno Awards and multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 14 million albums worldwide and written a plethora of hit singles (including "One Week," "Pinch Me" and "If I Had $1,000,000"). The band -- which also includes vocalist Jim Creeggan and drummer/vocalist Tyler Stewart -- wrote and recorded the theme song to the hit CBS television series, "The Big Bang Theory." "All in Good Time" is the follow-up to Barenaked Ladies' 2008 Juno-nominated children's album, "Snacktime." The name of the new album, Hearn explained, has several meanings.

"We could not come up with a name for the record," Hearn said. "I think someone suggested ['The Big Bang Theory']." It was the first name where we all said, 'That sounds nice. That sort of fits how we're feeling right now. It's ambiguous enough. It's also the title of one of the songs we recorded. It's not on the record proper. You get it when you purchase the record on iTunes."

That energy is apparent live as well, as the band has embarked on a tour in support of the album. Hearn said the setlist is a mix of old and new material, with the shows changing nightly. The dynamics have changed now that Barenaked Ladies are a quartet. At the Phoenix show on Sunday (7/25), band members took turns singing songs. For example, drummer Stewart came to the front of the stage, and Robertson behind the kit, for "Alcohol." Robertson took the mic for songs like "The Old Apartment."

"We've had to reinvent some of the songs -- most of the songs, really," Hearn said. "We're sharing the vocal duties a lot more. We're all singing more and all playing more. It's hard work, but we enjoy what we do. Judging by the responses we're getting form the audiences, they're enjoying the shows. We're all pretty happy right now. We're all really lucky to be doing what we're doing."