Maybe You Should Drive

Following the commercial success of Gordon, Barenaked Ladies pursued a more mature and refined sound on their sophomore effort. Recording sessions took place at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, with Canadian producer Ben Mink, known for his work with k.d. lang and Murray McLauchlan.{{cite book |last=Barclay |first=Michael |author2=Ian A.D. Jack |author3=Jason Schneider |title=Have Not Been the Same: The CanRock Renaissance, 1985–1995 |publisher=ECW Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-55022-475-4}}

Compared to the band's debut, songwriting for this album was notably less collaborative. Steven Page and Ed Robertson, who had co-written the majority of tracks on Gordon, worked more independently on this follow-up. Critics and fans observed that this shift led to a more fragmented album, with differing lyrical tones and stylistic approaches reflecting the individual sensibilities of each songwriter.{{cite news|title=Barenaked Ladies: Spontaneity And Surprise |first=Jennie |last=Punter |url=http://www.davidrickard.net/bnl.org/html/impact.html |newspaper=Impact |date=June 1996 |accessdate=2010-03-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040611145010/http://www.davidrickard.net/bnl.org/html/impact.html |archivedate=June 11, 2004 }}

As with their early sessions, the band recorded one track, "Intermittently," entirely in the nude as a form of light-hearted tradition. Several tracks written during this period were excluded from the final album. "Break Your Heart" was later re-recorded for Born on a Pirate Ship (1996), while "Trust Me" appeared as a B-side on the Shoe Box EP (1995).{{cite web|title=Barenaked Ladies Discography Archive|url=http://www.bnl.org/discography.htm |accessdate=2024-04-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040412130631/http://bnl.org/discography.htm |archivedate=April 12, 2004}}

Reflecting on the challenges of recording with a major-label budget, Page noted:

"We did most of the last record in Burnaby, a cold and industrial wasteland, with a huge budget we really did not need. All a huge budget does is put you further in debt. Imagine if they raised your VISA limit to $5,000 and then gave your card to a professional shopper—let us call him a producer—and he said, 'OK, let us spend the whole thing.'"

During rehearsals for the album, keyboardist and percussionist Andy Creeggan considered leaving the band. Though convinced to stay through the album's recording and subsequent promotional tour, he formally departed in late 1995 to pursue music studies at McGill University in Montreal. He later formed the duo The Brothers Creeggan with his brother Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies' bassist), releasing four albums between 1997 and 2002.{{cite web |title=The Brothers Creeggan Biography |url=http://www.bnl.org/sidebrothers.htm |accessdate=2024-04-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020202215357/http://www.bnl.org/sidebrothers.htm |archivedate=February 2, 2002}} His departure led to the addition of multi-instrumentalist Kevin Hearn in 1995, signalling a shift in the band's instrumental texture and stage dynamics.

Maybe You Should Drive was released on 16 August 1994 in Canada and shortly thereafter in the United States. The album yielded two singles: "Jane" and "Alternative Girlfriend," both of which received moderate radio rotation in Canada.{{cite magazine |title=RPM Top 100 Singles |magazine=RPM |date=October 1994}}

Critical reaction was mixed. Some reviewers appreciated the album's reflective lyrics and subtle arrangements, while others felt it lacked the spontaneity and comedic energy of the band’s earlier work. Nevertheless, it helped to maintain the band's popularity in Canada and laid groundwork for their later international success.

In a 2016 interview with Toronto radio station Boom 97.3, Page remarked that the album remained one of his favourite Barenaked Ladies records.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chg_uyhXAgY | title=Behind the Vinyl: "Jane" with Steven Page former frontman of Barenaked Ladies | website=YouTube | date=November 15, 2016 }} Conversely, Robertson stated that it was his least favourite of the band's records, cited "fractured" dynamics and communication issues within the group; the difficulty of following up the success of their previous album, Gordon; and difficulty dealing with the 1993 death of his brother.{{cite web | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rank-your-records-barenaked-ladies-ed-robertson/ | title=Rank Your Records: Barenaked Ladies Vocalist ed Robertson Puts the Band's Ten Albums in Order | date=July 14, 2016 }}

The album was certified 2× Platinum by Music Canada, signifying over 200,000 units sold.{{cite web |title=Gold/Platinum - Music Canada |url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/ |accessdate=2024-04-27}}

{{tracklist

| all_writing =

| headline =

| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title1 = Jane

| extra1 = Steven Page

| writer1 = {{hlist|Steven Page|Stephen Duffy}}

| length1 = 4:04

| title2 = Intermittently

| extra2 = Steven Page

| writer2 = Page

| length2 = 3:05

| title3 = These Apples

| extra3 = Ed Robertson

| writer3 = Ed Robertson

| length3 = 3:10

| title4 = You Will Be Waiting

| extra4 = Steven Page

| writer4 = Page

| length4 = 3:45

| title5 = A

| extra5 = Steven Page

| writer5 = Page

| length5 = 4:20

| title6 = Everything Old Is New Again

| extra6 = Steven Page, Ed Robertson

| writer6 = {{hlist|Page|Duffy}}

| length6 = 4:13

| title7 = Alternative Girlfriend

| extra7 = Steven Page

| writer7 = {{hlist|Page|Duffy}}

| length7 = 4:23

| title8 = Am I the Only One?

| extra8 = Ed Robertson

| writer8 = Robertson

| length8 = 4:49

| title9 = Little Tiny Song

| writer9 = Andy Creeggan

| extra9 = Andy Creeggan

| length9 = 1:02

| title10 = Life, in a Nutshell

| extra10 = Steven Page

| writer10 = {{hlist|Page|Robertson}}

| length10 = 3:14

| title11 = The Wrong Man Was Convicted

| extra11 = Steven Page

| writer11 = {{hlist|Page|Duffy}}

| length11 = 5:06

| title12 = Great Provider

| extra12 = Ed Robertson

| writer12 = {{hlist|Page|Robertson|Jim Creeggan}}

| length12 = 4:35

}}

• Steven Page – lead vocal (1, 2, 4–7, 10, 11), background vocals (1), acoustic guitar (1), electric guitar (2, 7), lead electric guitar (3), harmony vocal (12)
• Ed Robertson – acoustic guitar (1, 3, 4, 6–8, 10–12), electric guitar (1, 2, 3, 5), background vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11), lead vocal (3, 6, 8, 12), pedal steel guitar (3, 6), bass drum (2, 6), banjo (3), mandolin (4), electric mandolin (2), mandola (12)
• Andy Creeggan – piano (2–6, 8–11), percussion (3, 5, 8), background vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), lead vocal (9), electric piano (5, 7, 12), keyboards (5, 12), cymbals (2, 6), organ (7), hammered dulcimer (1), timpani (2), accordion (6), reed organ (6), tambourine (7), cuica (9)
• Jim Creeggan – bass guitar (1, 2, 3, 5, 7), double bass (4–6, 8, 10–12), background vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), cello (2, 5, 11), arco bass (2)
• Tyler Stewart – drums (1–7, 10–12), snare drum (2, 6, 11), cowbell (5), laffs (5), cymbals (8)

• Ben Mink – violin
• Sarah McElcheran – trumpet
• Gene Hardy – saxophone

• Ben Mink – production
• John Whynot – engineering, mixing
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.barenakedladies.com/?rdr Official Barenaked Ladies website]

{{Barenaked Ladies}}

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Category:Barenaked Ladies albums

Category:1994 albums

Category:Reprise Records albums