band sounds refreshed

Sometimes a band needs to stop listening to what their producers think fans want to hear and just be themselves.

On “Burn Burn,” the guys from Our Lady Peace sound like they’re writing the music they want to write for the first time in the seven-and-a-half years since the band’s critically successful “Spiritual Machines.”

Like with “Spiritual Machines” and “Happiness is Not a Fish,” the mainstream will probably ignore “Burn Burn” as it’s among the band’s best work.

Though the album lacks any smash hits like “Superman’s Dead” and “Somewhere Out There,” all 10 new songs feel like they bring something to the table.

The biggest improvement comes from lead guitarist Steve Mazur, who is at the top of his game and finally breaks out from under former OLP guitarist Mike Turner’s shadow.

Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Raine Maida brings a strong lyrical unity to the album this time around that channels lingering feeling of unease in today’s world. However, unlike an emo song, Maida’s lyrics are uplifting instead of depressing. Maida also deserves props for pulling off an instantaneous countertenor to falsetto pitch-shift in the song “Paper Moon.”

The lead single and opening track “All You Did Was Save My Life” is the closest the band gets to the “Gravity” sound. The track is catchy and fun, but it doesn’t pull any surprises.

The awkwardly titled “Monkey Brains” has a heavy-blues sound to it and pulls a surprise change to a melodic acoustic bridge before reprising the opening riff.

The song shouldn’t work, but it does and is one of the best tunes on “Burn Burn.” “Monkey Brains” channels that kind of creative songwriting present in the band’s ‘90s works.

Also, the song “Escape Artist” really doesn’t find its hook until the chorus, but the build up enhances the song instead of takes away. The “Escape Artist” backing-vocal focused chorus sounds a little awkward at first, but starts to make more sense the more times you listen to the track.

Though it’s too soon to call “Burn Burn” a comeback, the album shows great maturity on the side of the band and is a triumphant moment for the band members.

OLP is like an aged, mature boxer stepping back in the ring after taking years off to train. OLP may not be able to outshine all the new faces, but the band will still be on its feet at the end of the match.

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