It might make sense to think of Barenaked Ladies as a part of a lineage of Canadian funny men like Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd, Jim Carrey and Seth Rogen.
Barenaked Ladies are a musical act, of course, so maybe you choose to view them as part of a tradition that includes Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Rush and Joni Mitchell. Except funnier.
The band plays perky pop with agile rapping stuffed with pop culture references — to sushi, TV, E-Z listening, art films, Sting and whatever else the members feel like cramming in. Like fellow Canadian Alanis Morissette, Barenaked Ladies are ironic. They are never entirely earnest. Sometimes the band sounds like Jack Johnson after a sketch-comedy workshop. Or maybe they are like the Gen X version of Garrison Keillor.
If winking light tunes are your thing, with lyrics that poke fun at all the gooey feelings associated with love and longing, then Barenaked Ladies is your wry and crisp pop snack. The band released its 11th full-length studio album last year.
The Barenaked Ladies perform at Toyota Oakdale Theatre, 95 S. Turnpike Road, in Wallingford, on Saturday, June 25, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 to $85. 203-265-1501, livenation.com.
