Barenaked Ladies
have announced a very special collaboration with the legendary "Kings of A
Cappella" titled, Ladies And Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies And The
Persuasions to be released April 14, 2017. Produced by Gavin Brown, the album
features 14 tracks re-imagined BNL's award-winning catalogue and the classic
'Good Times.' BNL recorded the album live off the floor with The Persuasions
last Fall at Noble Street Studios in Toronto.
Ladies And Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies And The Persuasions
is available to pre-order on iTunes on March 10. Album and bundles featuring
exclusive merchandise of Barenaked Ladies and The Persuasions will also be
available worldwide through PledgeMusic. Each pre-order includes four
instant-grat downloads of "The Old Apartment," "Odds Are,"
"Keepin' It Real," and "Don't Shuffle Me Back."
The video streaming app Sessions X filmed the entire session
and will feature full-length performances, interviews, and behind the scenes
moments. Sessions X will launch their BNL content on Wednesday, March 22.
The seed for Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies &
The Persuasions was planted when Kevin Hearn befriended The Persuasions at Lou
Reed's memorial held at the legendary Apollo Theatre in 2013. The friendship
led to an invitation for The Persuasions to perform with BNL at Central Park
Summerstage during the Barenaked Ladies 2016 Last Summer On Earth tour. Both
bands had such a fun time, they all agreed to "do more" together.
Before hitting the studio together, and after running through about 25 songs
from the BNL catalogue, both BNL and the Persuasions's excitement grew and the
songs were narrowed down to the final 15 tracks featured on the LP.
Although The Persuasions enjoy a long, storied career, the
group has admittedly never recorded an album in a room live, with the band
performing the songs. Says Dave Revels, lead vocalist for The Persuasions,
"…with Barenaked Ladies, [their] music is passionate so I guess that's why
we identify with it…because we can feel passion so I think that's why it was a
natural union."
Says BNL drummer Tyler Stewart, "To actually play with
these guys who are veterans of music making for so long… everything that comes
out of their mouths is dripping with soul and you can't help but absorb some of
that when you're in the room."
Considering the once-in-a-lifetime feel of a musical project
between two groups who have collectively released 40 albums across their
careers, Sessions X, which is an online subscription music series that features
intimate performances straight from the stage or studio, was an opportunity to
document the recording session, all of which was recorded over two days in
October, 2016 in Toronto. Tyler Stewart described the collaboration as
"Top three most fun things I've done" in his twenty six years of
performing. Dave Revels, lead singer for The Persuasions described the
collaboration as a "beautiful chemical reaction".
Founded in 1962, The Persuasions first came together on the
street corners of Brooklyn with a musical inventory deep rooted in gospel, with
a major measure of soul, and a dose of pop. Featuring original members Jimmy
Hayes and Jayotis Washington, along with Raymond Sanders and Dave Revels, their
eclectic repertoire has drawn from country to blues to gospel to rock to jazz.
The group has released 26 albums, performed in concert halls worldwide, and
shared stages with such seminal artists as Lou Reed, Ray Charles, Bruce
Springsteen, Richard Pryor and Frank Zappa.
Currently, Barenaked Ladies are putting the finishing
touches on their 15th studio album, Fake Nudes, expected to be released later
this Fall. More information will be announced in the coming weeks.
Track Listing - Ladies And Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies And
The Persuasions
01. Narrow Streets
02. Gonna Walk
03. Don't Shuffle Me
Back
04. The Old Apartment
05. Keepin' It Real
06. For You
07. Some Fantastic
08. Good Times
09. Odds Are
10. Sound Of Your Voice
11. When I Fall
12. Maybe Katie
13. One Week
14. Four Seconds
15. I Can Sing
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