When you hear the name Our Lady Peace, a little bell probably goes off in your brain, right? Let me take you back to 2002 and a song called “Somewhere Out There.” Sound familiar? Of course it does.
Fast forward to 2009—July 21, 2009 to be exact—and band members Raine Maida (lead vocals), Duncan Coutts (bass), Jeremy Taggart (drums) and Steve Mazur (guitar) are celebrating the release of Burn Burn, the bands 7th studio album and 1st release since 2005.
With an eclectic mix of mellow, upbeat, and unusual, Burn Burn is a true “alternative” record. Starting with “All You Did Was Save My Life,” a sarcastic and catchy pop/rock tune, the album flows to “Dreamland,” which is reminiscent of their previous sound.
“Monkey Brains,” is undoubtedly the stand-out track on the album, if not by the name alone. The lyrics are fantastically disturbing, referring to “eating monkey brains.” Then the band throws in another surprise around the 3 minute mark when the song jolts to a halt and becomes a mellow acoustic ballad, before returning to the minor-key, oddly-arranged instrumental from the beginning of the song.
“Escape Artist” employs some nice choral effects on the vocals, giving it a great, full sound. “Refuge” verges on country with its arrangement, with a dash of new wave keyboard and rock guitar included.
“Never Get Over You” brings in the ballad portion of the program and is definitely the emotional heart of the album. The real, honest-to-goodness rock sound can be found on “White Flags” and “Paper Moon,” which is an angsty conclusion to the record.
Frontman Maida says Burn Burn is a new start to the familiar for the band. He says Our Lady Peace has “come full circle and the music is just stripped down, full of raw energy.”
Burn Burn may not be a completely 360 degree drastic change to Our Lady Peace’s sound but what they have done with perfection is take the raw energy, a great mix of songs and a hint of their former sound and combine it to make a diverse and listen-friendly album that just about any listener will enjoy.
