Born on a Pirate Ship

Filled with clever lyrics that range from the blatantly cynical to the mildly romantic, Born on a Pirate Ship offers more of the same musical fun the Barenaked Ladies put forth on their debut CD, Gordon, and its follow-up, Maybe You Should Drive. From the manic ravings of "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank," a musical exploration of celebrity-stalking, to the bluesy lament of "Break Your Heart," BNL serve up a musical complexity and rare intelligence that separate them from the pack of mostly acoustic bands who dominate radio playlists. Highlights include "The Old Apartment," and anthem about trying to recapture lost youth and "When I Fall," a haunting song about a professional window washer. While it lacks some of the raw energy of their earlier releases, Born on a Pirate Ship is still a fine offering, and the ECD clips are worth the price of the disc.