Disco de Our Lady Peace: “Gravity”

I'm going to qualify each of the two stars I'm giving this record, and it's going to take me a few paragraphs. Those who'd like to rate this review "unhelpful" simply because they disagree with it are advised to read the below, or at least pretend to read to it (most will do neither).

I am an Our Lady Peace fan. I've been so for years, and there isn't much I don't know about the band. From the 1992's independant video "Out of Here" featuring the long-departed drummer Jim Newell, to lost songs "Home" and "Sleeping In," to the source material for the band's disjointed concept record Spiritual Machines, I've done my homework.

OLP has taken on many guises in the last decade, and I've welcomed each. They've evolved from a gritty grunge band to an alternative sensation, with the records Naveed and Clumsy, and then redefined themselves completely with the brilliantly challenging Happiness . . . Is Not A Fish That You Can Catch.

I consider those records a trilogy. There are somewhat trivial reasons . . . each has Sol Fox on the cover, the first single and lead-off track has the word "man" in the title -- but they also map a clear creative trajectory. You can see, or rather hear, the band striving to become itself. And with Happiness, they did: any trace of their grunge and alternative roots was shed, and what remained was a coherent, complete, and stimulating album which contained the music of a band working passionately, feverishly, and as a whole.

Predictably, the record sold a fraction of the more accessible Clumsy.

Happiness was followed by a good, but fractured disc exporing the concept of machines who become, intellectually and emotionally, human. Coming scarcely a year after Happiness, I really didn't care for an album that seemed a sudden step backward; the band spoke openly about simplifying their sound, getting back to basics, and so on, and the results were uneven.

But all the albums were held together by each member's quirky talents: Raine Maida's unique voice, Jeremy Taggart's innovative drumming, and so forth. From phase to phase, the albums were always recognizable as Our Lady Peace.

Under their contract with Sony, the band had complete creative control, which they've now signed away for a new contract with Metallica producer Bob Rock.

Under this new contract Rock reigns. He cut two songs from Gravity because he didn't care for them. He told Taggart -- arguably the band's most talented member -- to be "less busy" on the drums, and he directed Raine Maida to tone down his distinctive vocal quirks.

It was in this atmosphere of simplification and mediocrity that founding guitarist Mike Turner left the band. I can't say I blame him. I don't blame Rock either; the remaining three members willingly signed the new contract, and should shoulder significant responsibility for the band's descent into easily-swallowed arena-rock-pop.

New guitarist Steve Mazur was not recruited from thousands of fans worldwide. Such a contest was conducted but Mazur was only taken on after filling in for Turner as a session guitarist, even as the contest took place.

The record itself is a mess of meaningless lyrics, tedious power-chords and thin, forumalaic song structure. Maida, who has written with intelligence and passion, tosses off such gems as "I can be anything you want me to be/A punching bag/A piece of string, oh/That reminds you not to think."

Taggart's distinct jazz-style percussion has been watered down so as to be indistinguishable from the time-keeping of Nickelback, Default, Creed, and the like.

Under Rock's direction, the band no longer plays to its strengths. It plays to the demands of the marketplace -- and if the above mentioned bands are selling, this is the type of music OLP must make.

Teeny-boppers will enjoy the record and the accompanying video because "RAIN IZ SUCH A HOTTIEE!!!!!" and because of the pop sensibilities of the record. Fans of music, fans of Our Lady Peace's sonically diverse but always impressive past efforts, will find Gravity tiresome, cold, and temporary.

My feelings about this album... well it is poor because Our Lady Peace always had a unique sound and now quite frankly now they sound like everyone else out there. I'm going to agree with the others who have reviewed this album that Bob Rock is no Arnold Lanni this is a luke warm album. They produced the whole thing in ten weeks and believe me you can tell the whole thing feels rushed, I mean even the cover look at it, grey yeah it is quite fitting. Some think this is a return to OLP's roots I disagree I've been a fan of there's eight years If there going to make more albums like this they should change there name I don't want the words Our Lady Peace on this material. Thank you Mr Bob Rock.

Well, its been said numerous times in the previous reviews and by now, I'm sure no one is even reading these but I wanted to write this anyway. I love Our Lady Peace and although it is tempting to use love in the past tense I won't yet. I still hold out hope for the future. Naveed is a great album that managed to stand out in the grunge era when everything was starting to sound the same. Clumsy was the crossover into more commercial territory in that in included some songs ready for rock radio but at the same time the album was not selling out at all with all of its non-mainstream experimental flourishes. Happiness... is their finest album to date, with Raine coming into his own as one of the best lyricists aand songwriters around. The songs were marvels of soundscape and melody. Raine toned down his nasal voice from Clumsy to a perfect balance. Spiritual Machines is a very worthy follow-up, coming close to its predecessor but honestly, it did not have to be a concept album. Still, it has some of their best work to date.

Then comes Gravity. I am too big of a fan to write off this album completely. I am not forgiving them for how they changed but I am an open-minded enough listener to give them credit where it is due. Unlike some posters, I don't believe there is anything inherently wrong with them wanting to be more MTV/Top 40 Radio mainstream. But I just wish they didn't have to become so GENERIC.

Gravity has a few Classic Our Lady Peace moments. It even has some good parts that don't sound like them but are good anyway. Bring Back The Sun is an amazing song that could have been on Happiness... or Spiritual Machines and fit in perfectly. I'm sure the fact that Mike Turner (their former guitarist) is credited as a songwriter is no coincidence. Sorry and Story About A Girl are packed full of hooks. They demonstrate Raine's pop songwriting sensibilities very well. In fact, Sorry holds a special place for me as it is the only song besides the aforementioned Bring Back The Sun where we get to hear Raine's unique falsetto. However, the lyrics for both are ridiculously dumb and shallow. Not Enough has a powerful breakdown part too.

The rest of the album is awful, musically and lyrically. It is generic rock at its worst. It feels like Raine bought a book about song structure and lyrics for modern rock radio and followed it to a tee. The dynamic in the songs is almost always the same. The solos are uninspired and lame. The production is soooo polished it makes me sick. These songs aren't just bad for OLP, they are bad for Linkin Park. Sell My Soul is unmemorable in every way with one of the worst choruses I have ever heard. Somewhere Out There is Raine's worst vocal performance ever. Made Of Steel sounds like a Matchbox 20 B side, or scratch that, a song Rob Thomas would have thrown away. How dare they even name a track that after their fantastic Superman's Dead. Innocent may be a little catchy but it is a carbon copy of Life from Spiritual Machines only with stupid rhyming dictionary lyrics.

Maybe their next album will return to form but I doubt it. There may be a decent track or two but I sense the OLP I knew and loved is gone. And now Raine is writing for Avril Lavigne. Whatever.

I have to say that I was greatly dissapointed...not with the album - but rather with the general response it received. This album defies any law of what "rock" should or shouldn't be; I admit, their sound HAS changed, but definitely NOT for the worst. Any true fan can't blame OLP for wanting to generate album sales and expand their fan base...I mean, a band that exudes such a talent as theirs need not hide in the shadows; they've been around for so long, it's time they received some recognition...this doesn't mean they've sold out. With "Gravity", they've merely touched upon a new formula of music-making. Raine still profoundly conveys himself through each lyrical expression; the songs are neither jaded nor blase, simply well-crafted. People are complaining there's no controversial ideas in the songs - well BIG deal!! There's so much other substance to propel this album. I find, that no matter what mood I'm in, as soon as the record starts playing, I'm caught in whatever emotion the song emits. It's an awesome album, and if you've already bought the first few, there's no point in leaving this on the shelves. I've been an OLP fan for years, and I'm not about to forsake my dedication simply because this album sounds "different" from the rest. Sometimes, things change for the better. This is absolutely one of those times.

I was lucky enough to hear Our Lady Peace on the Armageddon soundtrack, with the searing, fast, loud track "Starseed". This prompted me to buy OLP's record Clumsy, even though this osng wasn't on it. The first disc (and the best), Naveed, is a tricky CD to find down here, I had to get it online. Thank God I got into OLP then, and I knew what kind of stuff they can do. Me being a fan now established, I can begin my review.

Down here in the states, OLP got no radio play. None. That was, of course until the megahit "Somewhere Out There". OLP was finally getting the airplay they deserved. Only one problem. This isn't OLP! There is no searing "Starseed". There is no screeching "Superman's Dead". There is no hint of my favorite song, the deeply emotional "Naveed", on this CD. None. Instead, we have pop musicians that play their own instruments.

That being said, it's not a bad CD. "Somewhere Out There", All For You", and "Bring Back the Sun" are good songs, but, like the other seven songs, they repeat form. Verse. Chorus. Verse. Chorus. Bridge. Loud Chorus. End. Not what I expect from what I consider brilliant musicians (minus former guitarist Mike Turner, who left, much more disgusted with this album than I).

This is a good CD. It really is. But it is not Our Lady Peace. Their previous records, especially the orgasmic Naveed, provide a much more entertaining and satisfying experience. I expected better. Hopefully OLP can dump this sound now that they have broken mainstream and go back to being their rocking best.