Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
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Free Music Notes for Healthy in Paranoid Times
Free Music Review: A Healthy Return To Form
Hit: 4 Stars
One would think that after five studio releases and over four million albums sold worldwide a band would lose some of the urgency that powers most groups on their freshman and sophomore discs. For Our Lady Peace, many considered Gravity, their 2002 CD that spawned the hit single "Somewhere Out There," to be the "safe" album that usually signifies the start of Greatest Hit Tours and an extra ten pounds popping out of the leather pants. Well Healthy in Paranoid Times is a swift kick to the tails of naysayers everywhere and OLP knows it.
"Where Are You?," the first single of HIPT, would make The Clash proud with its anthemic chorus and downstroked verses. Raine Maida, singer, in an ode to an uncertain world makes us believe that even in perilous times, "This could be the best day" of our lives. Weaved throughout the album, the idea that hope and peace can be found in a world that's gone to hell stands out as a mantra against apathy and in action. Definitely not an encouragement for blissful ignorance, the band calls the listener to rise above and make the world a different place through social action and a loud clear voice over the din of global malaise.
Musically, HIPT is Our Lady Peace's most sonically mature album. The growing pains experience on Gravity, their first collaboration with producer Bob Rock, have given way to a far more cohesive and organic band. This kind of ascension to the next level come at price though, as the band almost broke up several time during the 1165 days it took to record HIPT. But as Achtung Baby, an album birthed in similar trials, gave us a renewed and more focused U2, so HIPT presents a more seasoned and collaborative OLP that comes away scarred but smarter.
Songs like "Angels/Losing/Sleep" and "Will the Future Blame Us" are tracks that the band never could have pulled off in the past. Only a band that has been broken and reforged can opine, "I'll wait until you fall from grace" and come across as sincere rather than pretentious. Throughout twelve musical experiences we come to know Our Lady Peace far better than most bands ever let themselves be known.
The only critique of the album is that some may dismiss the overall effort as being too politically charged and heavy handed. The album wasn't made for those people though and the band is unapologetic in regards to such complaints. Duncan Coutts, bassist told Circle Six Magazine that, "I guess in a way it was a selfish thing but it's just a natural course of life."
Healthy Paranoid Times may not only be Our Lady Peace's strongest outing since 1997's Clumsy but is also arguably one of the strongest releases of that year by any band. Repeated listenings of the album will challenge as well as inspire. This is a powerful work that is to be experienced as well as enjoyed. If you haven't been introduced yet to Our Lady Peace, it's time to "come home."
Free Music Review: Not the same OLP. But hey, it's better than Gravity.
Hit: 4 Stars
Over three years ago, Our Lady Peace put out an album that single-handedly shunned probably 85% of the band's long-time fanbase, while making fans of Avril Lavigne and Nickelback take notice of them because they sang about purple hair and being sorry. In other words, it was the end of Our Lady Peace's once twisted, carnival-like world as we knew it, and was replaced by a world full of derivation and triteness. But hey, the album went gold, so they really taught them, right?
Flash forward three years now. Surely everyone has had to come to grips that Our Lady Peace will never be Our Lady Peace ever again. Raine has given Avril fans further excuse to listen to the band, as he helped out on her last album behind the scenes. This new album has to suck. It just has to. But here's the kicker -- it doesn't... as long as you let go of the notion that the old OLP can ever return. But that can be a hard thing to do, so many are just going to jump the "OLP hater" bandwagon because the band isn't writing songs about big green monkeys or birdmen anymore.
So why exactly is this a good album? The songs are just stronger than "Gravity." Raine Maida's vocals in that album lacked any concern or conviction, and made most of it feel flat. Now the only thing that feels flat about Our Lady Peace's music these days is the terrible production, thanks again to "Gravity" producer, the Svengali-like Bob Rock. Really, someone needs to tell this man his style just isn't suited for rock music. He needs to start producing Britney or Hilary Duff, and leave the rock music to the professionals. Sorry, Bob, you're the biggest weakness on this disc. You ALMOST ruin the songs on the album. Luckly, Raine is feeling like a human being again, and Steve Mazur has turned into Mike Turner III (MT Jr. is probably still out there hiding somewhere, and big Mike is in a band that's putting out music worse than "Somewhere Out There").
In short, if you're a long-time Our Lady Peace fan, you're probably going to hate it at first... or forever. But please, look past the squeaky clean production and the sometimes overly-simplistic lyrics. Underneath all of that, there's a good album waiting to be heard by you, and waiting to show people who loved "Gravity" that they were in love with drivel all along.
Free Music Review: Doesn't compare to older works, but...
Hit: 4 Stars
It's a step in the right direction.With this disk OLP has stepped out of the modern rock obscurity that was the disappointing Gravity, and have once again claimed a unique sound. Guitarist Steve Mazur moves from crunchy electric to acoustic to haunting ambient sounds with ease, and sets off Raine Maida's caterwauling beautifully. Speaking of Raine, it seems he has learned to sing, and yet maintains his token falcetto. It works.
Duncan and Jeremy deliver bass and drums lines that are interesting, a departure from the steady 2/4 of the last album.
The choice track is the haunting "Al Genina (Leave a Light On)" - the first indication that the band is Canadian comes from the lyrics fell asleep tonight//in North Ontario ... Love it.
This will no doubt be billed as a political album, with Raine's work with War Child taking prominence over the actual work. I feel that Jeremy is right when he says, "We're just a couple of guys who like playing music."
It's a great CD for a music fan. Not nearly as dark as older OLP, and highly accessible for new fans, it surprisingly does not alienate the old crowd. You win, guys. You're keeping old fans and making old ones. Kudos.
Free Music Review: Great music, great singer, just ok lyrics
Hit: 4 Stars
This album is long overdue. When compared to OLP's last album Gravity, this one is a bit of a disappointment. While the music is as dynamic as ever and Raine's voice is amazing; the lyrics are much more mainstream and predictable than their past albums. It sounds a bit like OLP is trying too hard to fit in with the current music scene which is not what their fans are really looking for. With that said there quite a few songs which are worthy of being singles including "Where Are You?", "Angels/ Losing/ Sleep", and "Love and Trust". I'd say the album is about on par with Clumsy in the sense that the first half of the album is amazing and the last half is just ok.Free Music Review: In 1165 Days.....
Hit: 4 Stars
This album was very very good and a lot better than gravity. i do like some songs on gravity yet i like all the songs on HIPT this is the type of album that i felt compelled to buy the Dual Disc version and i feel my money was well spent. they stated that they had written 47 songs in the 1165 days that had passed between gravity and HIPT so i am excited to see them live and hear new stuff or for them to release A new Album sometime soon