The Barenaked Ladies are known for their musical wizardry – they blend rhythms and sounds to create entertaining songs. But the band earns accolades more for its lyrics than its musical ingenuity.

That pattern is repeated on Barenaked Ladies’ latest release, Stunt (Reprise Records). Each song on the album is like a cryptogram waiting to be decoded. Without listening to the songs and reading the lyrics simultaneously, the intended humor and wit get muddled.

“One Week,” the first release from the album, moves at an incredible speed. Many listeners know the chorus, but few can discern the other lyrics. After reading the words, the song almost makes sense. “Watchin’ X-Files with no lights on/We’re dans la maison/I hope the Smoking Man’s in this one.” Comprehension of the lyrics intensifies the humorous aspects of the song.

“Alcohol” pays tribute to liquor: “Alcohol, my permanent accessory/Alcohol, a party time necessity/Alcohol, alternative to feeling like yourself/O Alcohol, I still drink to your health.” Barenaked Ladies explores everyday topics, examining them from a different, more comical angle. The songs use ironic statements and plays on words to complicate the simplicities of life.

On the slower, more melodic tracks, the Barenaked Ladies appear to trade in their usual antics for a more serious message – don’t be fooled. “Light Up My Room,” a romantic melody, simply describes light bulbs and lamps. “If you question what I would do/To get over and be with you/Lift you up over everything/To light up my room.”

Although a listener may not know the words to the song, he will hum the tunes incessantly. The catchy music sticks in listeners’ heads long after the CD has finished.

Stunt keeps listeners interested from start to finish. The rhythm and pace of the songs differ from one track to the next. While the music is undeniably great, Barenaked Ladies’ lyrical genius makes the album a true success.