Link:Our Lady Peace
The Inside Pulse:
Our Lady Peace’s sixth studio album comes off the trails Gravity, you know, the one OLP album that really sucked. You remember that one? The one completely devoid of original thought or design? The one where people stopped thinking of OLP as something interesting and began to think of them as corporate radio fodder? Well, thankfully, the three years since mall punks everywhere crooned about how innocent they were, OLP return with something that will still make some folks wish they stopped at Clumsy, but is definitely a step in the right direction. The feeling that only OLP can generate has unquestionably returned (the one fifteen minutes before the end of a bad day when four minutes of pop can make everything make a little more sense) and there are no “Innocent” styled songs on this record; just comforting lyrics about a hard world. OLP have always been awesome about album names, but Healthy in Paranoid Times is probably the best description of the music held within.
Positives:
Our Lady Peace sound inspired and ready with a message. As well, the guitars actually sound rested and able to produce a lick or two you don’t expect to be as quality as they are. Raine Maida is still a basic philosopher in terms of lyrics but he uses his range and strange wails to much better effect on this record.
Negatives:
The first half of “Where Are You”, the lead single, sound straight from sessions from the last record. As well, it almost sounds like OLP is returning to old ground instead of pounding new soil, which is really a first for the band.
Cross-breed:
OLP tinges their sound just enough so that the immediate influences and resemblances aren’t immediately clear. If you like them, you’ll probably like Foo Fighters, Jet, The White Stripes, And Nirvana. But OLP don’t necessarily sound like any of them (they actually sound closest to the f*cking Goo Goo Dolls, but there’s really big differences that cross out that comparison).
Reason to Buy:
You’re a college guy who likes solid rock that gives a slightly deeper (though never greatly deep) message than your average rock group. OLP has always (except for the last time) been a sure bet for getting a good rock album with few holes, and this record is no different. The lack of any solid single other than “Where are you” actually makes it a better product altogether, as well.
