The Vanity Project
Encyclopedia
The Vanity Project is an album
released as a side-project by Steven Page
, then of the band Barenaked Ladies
(BNL). It is also the artist name under which the album was released. Its first two singles, "That's All, That's All" (in the U.S.
) and "Wilted Rose" (in Canada
), were released in early May 2005; only the latter song had a music video, which was animated.
The album features songs written mostly with longtime collaborator Stephen Duffy
(one track—"So. Cal"—was written solo). Some of the songs are older holdovers ("That's All, That's All" was a song cut from the 2000 BNL album Maroon). Other songs were written later specifically for the project. The album was released on June 21, 2005.
The lead vocals on the album were all provided by Page. Page also provided much of the album's instrumentation both through playing of instruments, and through programming computer-generated instruments. Duffy also played instruments on the record, as did several other guest performers.
in the early 1990s, and their first co-written tracks appeared on the Barenaked Ladies' second release, Maybe You Should Drive
. The two co-wrote a number of songs over the years, including several on each of the band's next two albums. On their fifth album Maroon, only one Duffy co-write was included (at least two others were cut). Starting with the following album, the band decided that it would be best to keep the writing duties amongst the band members. Page started The Vanity Project to allow himself to write with other writers outside of Barenaked Ladies, as well as to express some writing ideas that did not work within the band.
Page continued writing with Duffy and directed those songs, as well as song unused prior songs to his solo effort. The project's name resulted from a tape made for the project which was jokingly labeled "Vanity Project". The title was subsequently adopted seriously for the project. Page indicated, at the time of its release, a potential for subsequent albums in collaboration with other writers and artists, but as of his 2009 departure from Barenaked Ladies, there had been no indication of any work on a follow-up.
songs. Since these promotional shows, there has been no subsequent reference by Page to his solo act as The Vanity Project, though he has played songs from the album at these shows.
In January 2007, Page put together a band for the Barenaked Ladies
Ships and Dip Cruise to perform a concert of The Vanity Project music with him. The Vanity Projects, as he dubbed them, performed two shows in the Firebird Lounge of the Carnival Legend
. The band included Steven Page
(vocals, guitar), Jay Coyle (drums, vocals), Chandler Coyle (Bass) and Allan Fogul (guitar, vocals). The band performed with Page on each of the Ladies' subsequent cruises: in January 2008, two shows in the Carnival Victory
's Adriatic Lounge on Ships and Dip III (with Craig Northey
(guitar, vocals) and Murray Atkinson (guitar, vocals, keyboards) from the New Odds
in place of Fogul); and in January 2009, one show on Ships and Dip V in the Spinnaker Lounge on the Norwegian Jewel
(with Doug Elliot (bass), also of the Odds, in place of Chandler Coyle).
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
released as a side-project by Steven Page
Steven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
, then of the band Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
(BNL). It is also the artist name under which the album was released. Its first two singles, "That's All, That's All" (in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) and "Wilted Rose" (in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), were released in early May 2005; only the latter song had a music video, which was animated.
The album features songs written mostly with longtime collaborator Stephen Duffy
Stephen Duffy
Stephen Anthony James Duffy is an English singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was a founding member and vocalist/bassist of Duran Duran. He went on to record as a solo performer under several different names, and is the singer and songwriter for The Lilac Time with his older brother...
(one track—"So. Cal"—was written solo). Some of the songs are older holdovers ("That's All, That's All" was a song cut from the 2000 BNL album Maroon). Other songs were written later specifically for the project. The album was released on June 21, 2005.
The lead vocals on the album were all provided by Page. Page also provided much of the album's instrumentation both through playing of instruments, and through programming computer-generated instruments. Duffy also played instruments on the record, as did several other guest performers.
History
Steven Page began collaborating with songwriter Stephen DuffyStephen Duffy
Stephen Anthony James Duffy is an English singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was a founding member and vocalist/bassist of Duran Duran. He went on to record as a solo performer under several different names, and is the singer and songwriter for The Lilac Time with his older brother...
in the early 1990s, and their first co-written tracks appeared on the Barenaked Ladies' second release, Maybe You Should Drive
Maybe You Should Drive
- Singles :* "Jane"** Released: 1994** Formats: CD, cassette* "Alternative Girlfriend"** Released: 1995** Formats: CD- Charts :Album...
. The two co-wrote a number of songs over the years, including several on each of the band's next two albums. On their fifth album Maroon, only one Duffy co-write was included (at least two others were cut). Starting with the following album, the band decided that it would be best to keep the writing duties amongst the band members. Page started The Vanity Project to allow himself to write with other writers outside of Barenaked Ladies, as well as to express some writing ideas that did not work within the band.
Page continued writing with Duffy and directed those songs, as well as song unused prior songs to his solo effort. The project's name resulted from a tape made for the project which was jokingly labeled "Vanity Project". The title was subsequently adopted seriously for the project. Page indicated, at the time of its release, a potential for subsequent albums in collaboration with other writers and artists, but as of his 2009 departure from Barenaked Ladies, there had been no indication of any work on a follow-up.
Live performance
Following its release, Page toured on his own in support of the album, performing the songs acoustically on guitar, mainly in music and book stores around the United States. He played both songs from The Vanity Project, and Barenaked LadiesBarenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
songs. Since these promotional shows, there has been no subsequent reference by Page to his solo act as The Vanity Project, though he has played songs from the album at these shows.
In January 2007, Page put together a band for the Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
Ships and Dip Cruise to perform a concert of The Vanity Project music with him. The Vanity Projects, as he dubbed them, performed two shows in the Firebird Lounge of the Carnival Legend
Carnival Legend
Carnival Legend is a Spirit class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Lines. It was built by Kvaerner Masa-Yards which was a subsidiary of Kvaerner, in Helsinki, Finland. It was launched on December 17, 2001, and delivered to Carnival on 14 August 2002.Carnival Legend currently offers a 7-day...
. The band included Steven Page
Steven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
(vocals, guitar), Jay Coyle (drums, vocals), Chandler Coyle (Bass) and Allan Fogul (guitar, vocals). The band performed with Page on each of the Ladies' subsequent cruises: in January 2008, two shows in the Carnival Victory
Carnival Victory
Carnival Victory is a Triumph-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Lines in the Caribbean.-Layout:Carnival Victory is themed to depict the different oceans and seas of the world. She is structurally identical to her sister ship, Carnival Triumph...
's Adriatic Lounge on Ships and Dip III (with Craig Northey
Craig Northey
Craig Northey is a Canadian musician and one of the founding members of the band Odds.After the breakup of Odds in 1999, Northey has embarked on several other ventures, including working with Colin James, Rosanne Cash, Glen Phillips, Bruce McCulloch and many others...
(guitar, vocals) and Murray Atkinson (guitar, vocals, keyboards) from the New Odds
Odds (band)
Odds are a Canadian alternative rock band. The band's power pop style has been frequently compared to that of contemporaries such as Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Weezer, Tom Petty, Sloan, The Clash, XTC, Franz Ferdinand, and The Tubes.-Odds :...
in place of Fogul); and in January 2009, one show on Ships and Dip V in the Spinnaker Lounge on the Norwegian Jewel
Norwegian Jewel
Norwegian Jewel is a cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She is the lead vessel of NCL's Jewel class cruise ships and entered service in 2005.-History:...
(with Doug Elliot (bass), also of the Odds, in place of Chandler Coyle).
Track listing
- "Hit & Run" – 4:10
- "Wilted Rose" – 4:40
- "These Wasted Words" – 4:11
- "So. Cal" – 3:16
- "That's All, That's All" – 3:42
- "Everything's the Same" – 5:56
- "Glitterbug" – 2:36
- "Thank You For Sharing" – 4:42
- "Baby Loves the Radio" – 2:54
- "By the Roadside" – 3:56
- "So Young, So Wrong, So Long" – 3:18
- "Here Today and Yesterday" – 2:57