CD Review: OLP: Healthy In Paranoid Times
By: Jane Stevenson
August 30, 2005
Toronto Sun

Toronto rock act Our Lady Peace reunited with producer Bob Rock -- also behind the boards for their 2002 disc Gravity -- on their latest collection.

The main difference on this sixth studio effort, culled from 45 songs down to a dozen, was the creative tension involved.

According to their bio, every band member threatened to quit at some point, with Rock either being fired or walking out, too.

Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, the resulting sound is even more commercial -- with less shrieking rock and more polished pop -- than previous OLP efforts.

Healthy In Paranoid Times generally continues in the same mainstream direction that began with Gravity, although the lyrics continue to deal with some pretty weighty issues.

Singer Raine Maida, bassist Duncan Coutts, drummer Jeremy Taggart and guitarist Steve Mazur play a club show Monday night at the Mod Club Theatre as part of a cross-country mini-tour, but are expected to return to their hometown to play a much larger show.

Track-by-track look at Healthy In Paranoid Times:

Angels/Losing/Sleep
This tuneful mid-tempo rocker has its charms, with a hooky chorus, nice guitar work from Mazur and lyrics that have Maida examining someone's internal conflict. "Looks like the war was in your head, not your heart / Just when you think it's figured out, well, it all falls apart," he sings.

Will The Future Blame Us
The state of the world seems to be of major concern on this equally appealing mid-tempo rocker with a cool-sounding bridge as Maida sings: "Are you disappointed and have we destroyed it all / I've been stumbling down this long and winding road / These times are changing and it's complicated / Well I don't wanna know."

Picture
A more contemplative rocker that builds in intensity as it progresses with a disturbing underlying message. "I'm waiting by the telephone, breathing through a giant rubber hose, God only knows / Photographs of you and me, pictures of the friends you used to know / Where did they go?" Maida sings.

Where Are You
The first real rocker -- and the first single -- is fuelled by a driving guitar and pounding drums. Unfortunately, it falls apart during the bridge when a chorus of voices kick in during a moment that comes across as contrived. Up until that point, the song had me.

Wipe That Smile Off Your Face
A slinky rock ballad with compressed guitar and vocal distortion and more cutting lyrics than anything else on the record. Perhaps it's a slam against U.S. President George W. Bush and his foreign policy? "It's just the two of us, a silver cross, and some strength that you won't believe," sings Maida. "You see I'm not your friend, and I won't pretend, that I've come here for peace. Well, I'm not afraid, I'm going to make you pay, I'm gonna wipe that smile off your face."

Love And Trust
By far the most likeable cut on the album has a definite pop feel bolstered by nice drum work, hand claps and chimey guitar. But there's a much deeper message beyond the easy-to-swallow delivery.

Boy
Another mid-tempo, pop-leaning rock song with some nice atmospheric guitar work from Mazur and, ultimately, a hopeful message. "Just when you think you're done / War can never be won / I'll be there to pick you up and dust you off and bring you home / And make you feel love," sings Maida.

Apology
An acoustic pop song that remains low-key as Maida says he's sorry. "You, you're me, I'm a lock, you're the key / You're the air I breathe / But tonight I'm choking," he sings.

World On A String
The biggest risk-taker on the album is unlike anything OLP has recorded before. Ultimately, this bouncy, piano-driven epic pop song with soaring backup voices just doesn't work for them. "I see the world on a beach / It's sinking in the sand / It tries to suck you down with it / Better get out while you can," Maida sings.

Don't Stop
A mid-tempo rocker without much melody. However, it's where the album gets its title: "Everyone's losing their minds / Healthy in paranoid times."

Walking In Circles
A Hip-like rocker with driving guitar as Maida contemplates his musical evolution. "I used to want to run, I used to want to climb up to the sun / Ambition is killing me, the new trends and the money all feel so cheap," he sings.

Al Genina (Leave The Light On)
An acoustic rock ballad that details Maida's travels to Third World countries through his work with War Child Canada. "I fell asleep today, in North Ontario / Woke up far away, in a place I didn't know," he sings.

3/5