A Slight fall form Graces for our lady (Gravity - Our Lady Peace)

Member Name: iamasadlittleboy

Product:	Gravity - Our Lady Peace
Date:	21/05/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: OLP do commecrial rock

Disadvantages: Not a turn on for OLP fans

The first song on this fifth studio album by our lady peace is entitles "All for you" and has the kinda sound associated with moodern Canadian rock (such as Finger 11), the heavy guitar sounds and strong vocals... hang on a minuite there...Our lady peace and "strong vocals", Raine (OLP's lead singer) has an amazing voice, but never would you usually describe it as strong, "Paranoid" and uniquie maybe but not strong. Thats the first thing that hits you about this album, it sounds like OLP whilst at the same time not soundinglike them.
Sorry for that little rant, the lyrics although also sounding like OLP again sound different, too much form and too much commeercial appeal perhaps, as this for one seems to have a chorusey part thats very evidentally a chorus. Maybe I'm being harsh on one of my favourite bands because the song isn't bad, it's just not what I've come to expect from the group. Perhaps this is the problem. Still a good song in it's own right. 8/10

The second song "Do you like it", this is a bit more like it Raine's vocals have the paranoid feel to them, and sound worried and edgy brilliant, the though lyrics again have a commercial feel to them they still sound really well put together, this is a far better song than the previous one. I may have been harsh with the review of the opener, or maybe they wanted people to go "What the...this is olp's new release?" before bursting out a typical OLP song. Everything you'd expect fromthe band, brilliant lyrics and vocals with a wonderful electric guitar backing sound. 10/10
"Somewhere out there" follow's Raine's voice this time feels between the two, starting off kinda paranoid, with good lyrical images, although the songs not one of my favourites, it's still a song that gets me nodding my head to it. Despite this i feel theres something missing from the song that "Do you like it" had, maybe it's the slower tempo, or the softer guitar feel, I'm not sure. My girlfriends a big fan of the song, which is odd as I can't personally see the appeal of the song compared to the rest of OLP's stuff, though again maybe it's the fact it was one of the first songs by the band that she heard, where as I've been a fan for a few years. 6/10

"Innocent" This is arguably my favourite track off the album, despite again not sounding particularly like their previous tracks, it has a really good sound to it, and Raine does do a lot with his voice. The backing music sits well with the singing and the lyrics, the catchy feel to the chorus hits home and the verses are sublime. The only bad thing is it seems 30 seconds too long, which is a shame as it's a great track. 9/10
"Made of steel" Another great track with a great opening riff that gets you in there to rock out then Raine's vocals hit you and you start tapping your toes to the music. The lyrics are again fantastic, with several references to superman (the man of steel...), I'm not too sure what the real meaning is to this song despite some feelings about it being about depression. A song that gets you thinking what the lyrics really mean. 9/10

"Not enough" Almost a throw back to the previous album, the easy guitar intro, the soft drums then the awakening of the sad vocals, the song opening up with deep thoughtful lyrics. Again perhaps mising a vital ingredient, much like a cup of tea needs a sugar, but you can't quite see whats missing. I'm presuming it's a heavier guitar rock sound personally, as opposed to Raine's vocals which are as always fantastic. However the bridge sounds so much better than the rest of the track if the track was done like the bridge, the track would be a 10/10 though as it is, it's an 8/10.
"Sell my soul" A nice opening guitar peice, with a kinda vocal display that has Raine going from paranoid to confident and back several times in the opening verse, the vocals here seem a bit more simple to most of OLP's song's which is a shame really. Though the song is good it's nothing fantastic, not terrible just not amazing, another song that feels like it's missing that something that was seen in "Do you like it". 8/10

"Sorry" is the 8th track on the album and if your a real OLP fan you're kinda feeling a lil disappointed by now and wondering if the last 3 songs are any better. Well "Sorry" sounds a lil livelier and happy, with great imagery and a faster tempo, not quite upto their high standards from previous albums but a good song all the same. Wonderfully captivating lyrics, that force you to join in through the chorus. The bridge is also sublime and a wonderful way to lead to the outro. A very good song indeed, but not quite perfect. 9/10
If you've not thrown on "Happinness is not a fish you can catch" or "Spiritual machines" or "Clumsy" then you'll be listening to "Bring back the sun" next.

"Bring back the sun" Another soft intro to the song with maybe confusing lyrics and a paranoid but not quite there vocal performance by Raine. The soft vocal's are a nice change from the harder hitting singing from throughout the album, and the song does seem to have a happy undertone to it, but maybe not overly happy. I'm not sure, but I must admit I like it, would have worked very well as the last track on the album, due to it's softness, and maybe even the lyrics, could in a way be taken as meaning "bring back Mike Turner" (see the end of the review). 8/10
"A story about a girl" Another soft start, with very good lyrics and almost a change of direction to the album, better than almost every song on the disk by quite a distance, great vocals and lyrics with the background music actually being there or there abouts. A head nodding tempo that just feels right, not the song I'd have ended the album on personally ("Bring back the sun" would have been) but I guess it's worth listening through the album for this gem. 9/10


The missing link for those interested are two things, 1 is Mike Turner the former lead guitarist of the band having left before the album was recorded, the second was infact Raine Maida's falsetto being totally ousted for the clean cut vocals you here on the album.
Compared to other albums on the whole it's a great album (despite my cynical review) it's just not a great our lady peace album, so of course, to an our lady peace fan they will be disappointed, to people who like modern commercial soft rock, I'd stronly advise they pick this up.

Summary: OLPsell out but still turn out a good album