song-by-song:
Angels Losing Sleep- The opening guitar riff is an accessible little melody, not over-driving, not anthemic but simple and mildly captivating. The chorus of the song kind of creeps up on you without much warning, at least, for the first time. After the first run-through, the song steadies.
”Looks like the holy ghost is gone” is a neat lyric to hear and I like it as a repeatable middle until the song breaks out into the chorus again. It COULD be a single but I would wait to pass judgement until the album is finished playing.
Will The Future Blame Us- Distorted, noisy opening catches my attention but it’s not until Raine starts singing about the “long and winding road” in the first verse that my ears perk up. That being said, this song is much like an extension of the first offering on the album. This track reminds me of a very tame ‘Starseed’ mixed with an ‘Innocent’ type chorus. It’s reaching for that kind of sing-along, large choral build-up atmosphere. It’s a pretty good attempt at it too. Very clean recording, a lot like the songs from Gravity. Compressed OLP rock breaking no boundaries.
We’ll see if that’s a limiter or not by the end of this record.
Picture- Here we are, the first ballad and it’s a slow to mid tempo waltz. Kudos for the time signature; it’s not used enough! I’m not a big fan of the chorus though it may grow on me. It’s one of those songs that might get better after more listens. The marching drumbeat in the ‘middle-eight’ is a nice touch and the mantra “please pick up the phone, I wanted you to know” is killer. Probably the best part of the tune. Nothing out of the ordinary thus far with the first 3 songs but the next one shall change that.
Where Are You- The first single from the new album definitely stands out. It’s an active, bass-pounding, beat-furious tune with a crescendo chorus. The verses are edgy with a solid vocal delivery from Raine and I will admit it’s pretty catchy in general. The tempo switch for the middle fits the song well, allowing for a massive sing-along with the band and a choir in the background.
”you’re not listening” is a pretty convincing line alongside “this could be the best day”.
Good lyrics that stand out mostly because of the pumping music behind them. Stand-out effort so far, pop-wise.
Wipe That Smile Off Your Face- Alright, so if this was 1997 and Clumsy was just released, this song would probably knock my socks off x5. Seriously. As it is, just x2. The guitar work (and organ as it turns out) by Mr. Mazur is killer. Great tone on the electric and, as for the Rhodes organ, a subtle yet huge difference maker with adding to the dynamics of the song. This track is dripping with angst, hints of Raine’s falsetto whines and aggressive vocal delivery and a sense of real emotion. Finally, we’re getting somewhere on the record. The heat’s turned up and we’ll see how raw and passionate the music’s going to get.
Love and Trust- Here we are, the first track where the lyrics stand out immediately to me above anything else. A statement’s being made here- the 21st century is a mess and we’re trying to make it right for you, for us. The overall feel of the song is uplifting and it’s got a good beat driving it forward. In fact, it’s one of the shortest songs, coming in at 3:21 so it packs a punch amidst the 4 minute efforts. Nothing to complain about with this song. It’s solid.
Boy- A lot like a slower “Where Are You” without the tension or the energy. It plods along effectively, featuring the archetypal boy I guess and Raine pleading not to “carry the weight of the world”. It’s a needy song as in it needs something to make it stand out. As it stands now, it’s very much a filler track. Raine and crew will save the day and pick up the boy from the dirt when he falls and that’s great. A swell thing to do. Again, some great guitar work is hiding out in this tune but only if you’re listening for it, otherwise, this is a little bland. Or a lot bland if you’re jaded and your expectations are misplaced for the type of album you thought this would be.
Apology- Hey, it’s a chorus full of you-oo-oos and my-ii-mys. Actually, it’s a nice touch. The chorus is the centerpiece, the main focal point of the song and its simplicity is quite effective. Minimal lyrics in this tune as the instrumentation is dominant in this one, which is actually a great idea and a welcome switch from the album hereto now. One of the best songs for that reason.
The World On A String- Oh man. OLP’s getting out of their alternative rockmobile and jumping into some kind of pop/rock hatchback. This is one of those happy-go-lucky, I wanna dance in my room type songs. Definitely in consideration for the next single. That’s my belief. Raine’s quick vocal lines are delivered with energy and conviction whilst either band backing vocals echo behind him or Raine’s own harmonies compliment the main melody. And, before you know it, the song is over and I’m wondering where it went. That’s a good thing, it leaves you wanting to hear it again. Yay.
Don’t Stop- Logical extension of the last song which finds the album slipping back into a comfortable gear of arpeggio guitar lines, pre-chorus build-ups and a mid-tempo, crash cymbal chorus. Again, I’m a big fan of their middle-eight with the quick lyrical delivery and a sweet guitar solo to finish it up and bring it back to the chorus (which is decent at best). It fits in well on the album and I probably wouldn’t take it out of the tracklisting if I was in such an authoritative position. But, then again, I haven’t heard the songs that didn’t make the cut.
Walking In Circles- Bright drumbeat (don’t ask, you’ll understand when you hear it). This ALMOST sounds like Hilary Duff could sing the chorus…or maybe it’s just the incredibly clean, compressed production on the overall sound of this track. And, for that reason, it could probably do pretty well on the charts for the pre-teen market. Then again, it’s NOT a teen idol singing. It’s freakin’ Our Lady Peace and I’m waiting for something to catch me off guard and get me excited about the song. Consistently rocking right along the median, no high points or low points. A lot like average. And this is the 2nd last song so what are they waiting for? The last chorus brings the energy up a notch but it’s not enough to make it great.
Al Genina (Leave The Light On)- Here we have an acoustic-centered effort with a killer musical atmosphere built by ethereal, reverberating organ, spacey/repeating electric guitar and a taste of haunting chorus vocals. A pleading vocal from Raine is very effective in drawing the listener into feeling a very personal connection with the song. The mix is great, nothing overpowers or undersells. It’s a pretty album closer and provides a super glimpse at the kind of direction the band could’ve taken on the rest of the album. It’s unique, it has character and it has passion- qualities that weren’t significant enough on many of the preceding tracks.
summary:
Healthy In Paranoid Times is 12 tracks, 45 minutes and 48 seconds long. There are a lot of neat statistics written down in the cd cover insert about the world at large, topics like entertainment, nature, war, government, society, etc. Novel idea. It’s like Our Lady Peace is trying to make a statement about the current state of the world. Most of the songs dwell not on the conflicts and struggles on a societal level but on interpersonal relationships, which is fair as this is a rock band after all. Rock bands don’t save people but they do help people get by a little easier. This album sticks with that aspiration for the most part and I’m certain it will grow on me with a few more listens. Is it their best effort? No.
Is it a carefully calculated, refined, super-produced effort? Yes, definitely. But it won’t outdo Gravity nor will it quite reach the fervour and the raw, fresh song structures of songs like Naveed or Superman’s Dead. Our Lady Peace is past those days and they’ve successfully transitioned into being a pretty together, mature, take no big chances, stick to the program rock group. And it sounds pretty healthy to me.
HOME RUNS:
Wipe That Smile Off Your Face
Apology
The World On A String
Al Genina (Leave The Light On)
HITS: Angels Losing Sleep, Where Are You, Love and Trust
FOULS: Will The Future Blame Us, Don't Stop
OUTS: Picture, Boy, Walking In Circles
By: Cousy
