So I bought the album a couple of weeks ago and I've held off writing a review because I wanted to listen to it through several times and get a real feel for the album before judging it.
Our Lady Peace has always been one of my favorite bands. So it was really tough for me seeing their last studio album ("Healthy in Paranoid Times") take such a toll on them. Without going into too much detail on why that album was so bad, let's just say that "Burn, Burn" is a step up.
In the months leading up to the album release, the band kept insisting that this album was their return to the "Clumsy" and "Naveed" days:
"We've come full circle and the music is just stripped down, full of raw energy. It feels like a proper rock record again" -Raine Maida (source)
...Ah, those were the days. The album, however, is no "Clumsy". When the band compares it to their previous albums, I feel like they are making reference to the way it was made: just five guys in a room playing music. It was self produced (Producing credits went to "Raine Maida and Our Lady Peace") and was completely recorded and mixed in Raine's personal studio in his home. Their last two albums, the most mainstream and shallow of all seven, were produced by rock producer Bob Rock who helped OLP reach mainstream status with their hit "Somewhere Out There" off of their album "Gravity". I have to say, ditching the big time producer was a good move on the band's part.
The album kicks off with the first single and the somewhat poppy "All You Did Was Save My Life". This song is not a song that would have found itself on "Clumsy". It reminds me more of their later days stuff. But even though it seems like a simple song about a relationship, something tells me there is more to it than that. It's packed full of symbolism and is actually pretty catchy. To be honest, the whole album is packed full of symbolism.
The profound "Dreamland" and the paranoid "Monkey Brains" are heavier and more OLP-ish than their last album ever was. The bass line and lyrics in "Money Brains" give the listener a tingle down their spine as the song creates an uncomfortable atmosphere. "The End is Where We Begin" and "White Flags" are upbeat, catchy, and seemingly more optimistic.
The anchor of the album, however, is the final song "Paper Moon". This is the song that reminds me the most of the "Clumsy" days. It is without a doubt my favourite song on the album, with a simple guitar riff (but complex solo), heavy drumbeat, captivating lyrics, and Raine's amazing vocals.
Overall, I like the album. I've been reading a lot of bad reviews and people calling it "mediocre". It will not be in the mainstream but when was Our Lady Peace ever in the mainstream? Especially in the new millenium? Their golden era was in the 90s when "Superman's Dead" and "Clumsy" were circulating on the airwaves.
I give it 3 out of 4 stars. The band has changed since "Clumsy". The music has changed with them. There are still hints of the old Our Lady Peace in the new music which is nice to see but I don't think we'll ever have another album out of them like "Clumsy". I'm satisfied with this though, as long as we don't get another "Healthy in Paranoid Times"!
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