Search - Bif Naked :: Essentially Naked

Definitive

Cristina Paez | laredo, TX USA | 12/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i've been an avid fan of Bif Naked since i first heard "spaceman" on Much Music. her style, talent and natural beauty have since captivated me, and she has yet to disappoint. Bif is uncompromising, her lyrics are personal; she speaks from her perspective, most of them deep with angst and feelings of betrayal, but others forgiving but not forgetting. this is a great collection of her work, its a time span of 10 years of her music. i would call it the definitive collection of what Bif Naked is musically [hence the title, 'Essentially Naked'] and well, it comes with videos for singles. its a great deal, what more can you ask for?"

Is Bif Naked ready for a Best Of collection already??? Why t

Patrick M. Boothe | Dallas, TX | 08/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bif Naked has so far peaked in the US with her astounding Punk/Pop masterpiece I Bifficus(1998) And then faded back to Canadian obscurity after the release of Purge(2001), but listening to this carefully constructed non-sequential selection of Bif's various singles and poems from her first three albums(and various in betweens) justifies the need to highlight Bif at her best.



It's interesting to figure out what Bif was trying to be when she first exploded onto the scene with her debut lp from 1994(either a teenage punky lesbian in "Everything"; an alterna-queen on "Daddy's Getting Married" and "My Bike"; a pop princess on "My Whole Life").



But listening to her rocking I Bifficus tracks, it's easy to see why this Mare has made such an impact in her hometown of Canada. "Moment Of Weekness" and "Twitch" are classic Bif attitude with their high energy punk likeabilities, while "Chotee" follows the same mantra with a more personal and dark touch. As good a song as "Lucky" is, it makes you wonder if that was just Bif's attempt at mainstream success.



When Purge came around in 2001, Bif tries a more universal approach to the rock genre, releasing high energy party anthems like "I Love Myself Today"; bubbly punk/pop like "Tango Shoes", as well as more mainstream tracks like "Choaking On The Truth" and "Leader".



Bif's personality comes through the most in the well-spoken poems that appear throughout this compilation, the devil seems to be a common theme. And the newer tracks, "Rich and Filthy" and "Back In The Day" are as infectious and fun as any of the other singles. The BIG bonus is the special DVD that comes with this collection, including 14 videos that just don't dissapoint. If you're a Music video nut(like myself) than the DVD alone is worth the purchase!



Overall, take a sample of I Love Myself Today, Moment Of Weakness, Everything, or My Satan Poem and if you enjoy any of those tracks, this set may find a happy home in your collection."