And Now It's Time For Our Long Distance Dedication
Victor from Iowa wants to hear something by our neighbors north of the border, Our Lady Peace. Something? Anything! Right now it sounds like a bunch of owls are talking to each other. "Who?" I've come to the conclusion long ago, that if I polled 10 people on the street, and asked who OLP (Our Lady Peace) were, maybe two would know. And that's probably on a good day. (This may not be true for everywhere in the States, but definately in midwest.)
It's probably a fluke that I even like them in the first place. I heard them once on the radio (more on that below) in 2002, and didn't give it much thought. Later that year I was watching Monday Night Raw and a tribute "Desire" video came on for my favorite wrestler at the time Jeff Hardy. The moment it says "there's nothing I won't do" with the image of Jeff standing on top of the steel cage, I became absolutely enthralled with what I was watching. Very few times have I been touched like that by a song, and combine it with the fact that it had Jeff doing his thing, as only he can, I instantly had a new favorite song. Not just of the moment, but of all-time, and it still is today nearly a decade later.
I downloaded that song, which was entitled Not Enough, and played it over and over. I couldn't get "enough" of it. I loved the lyrics, I loved the guitar solo, and I loved the raw passion that the song conveys. So I bought that CD hoping they would have more songs like that one. (If not at that level, at least songs that I would enjoy.) That CD was entitled Gravity and pretty much never left my CD player. I figured if they were this good, I may as well check out their old stuff too, and the rest as they say, is history.
OLP is virtually unknown in the States, having only one major Top 40 hit. You may know that song. It's called "Somewhere Out There," and did receive some decent airplay in 2002. I used to think their lack of success in the US was some giant crime against music, but the reality is that they haven't been the most radio-friendly of bands throughout their career. And that's not because of lack of talent.
If you had to classify them, it would be as "alternative." Truly to classify them though, you would need to take on a song by song basis. They can range from alternative, to pop, to rock, to experimental, to what the hell am I listening to? (And I mean that in a good way.) Here are some examples: alternative pop rock experimental what the hell?
It's probably a fluke that I even like them in the first place. I heard them once on the radio (more on that below) in 2002, and didn't give it much thought. Later that year I was watching Monday Night Raw and a tribute "Desire" video came on for my favorite wrestler at the time Jeff Hardy. The moment it says "there's nothing I won't do" with the image of Jeff standing on top of the steel cage, I became absolutely enthralled with what I was watching. Very few times have I been touched like that by a song, and combine it with the fact that it had Jeff doing his thing, as only he can, I instantly had a new favorite song. Not just of the moment, but of all-time, and it still is today nearly a decade later.
I downloaded that song, which was entitled Not Enough, and played it over and over. I couldn't get "enough" of it. I loved the lyrics, I loved the guitar solo, and I loved the raw passion that the song conveys. So I bought that CD hoping they would have more songs like that one. (If not at that level, at least songs that I would enjoy.) That CD was entitled Gravity and pretty much never left my CD player. I figured if they were this good, I may as well check out their old stuff too, and the rest as they say, is history.
OLP is virtually unknown in the States, having only one major Top 40 hit. You may know that song. It's called "Somewhere Out There," and did receive some decent airplay in 2002. I used to think their lack of success in the US was some giant crime against music, but the reality is that they haven't been the most radio-friendly of bands throughout their career. And that's not because of lack of talent.
If you had to classify them, it would be as "alternative." Truly to classify them though, you would need to take on a song by song basis. They can range from alternative, to pop, to rock, to experimental, to what the hell am I listening to? (And I mean that in a good way.) Here are some examples: alternative pop rock experimental what the hell?
OLP fans are divided into two groups. Naveed (first album) through Spiritual Machines (fourth album) fans, and everyone else. This really isn't that important to someone who knows the band, but for someone trying to learn about the band, it could be. After Spiritual Machines they dumped their lead guitarist, dropped the nasally whine, and cut back on the falsettos. Basically they became a little less weird. And those early fans, hate them for it. As I'm sure you noticed if you watched some of the videos, their lead singer Raine Maida has some nasally vocals on certain tracks. When I first heard "Superman's Dead" I couldn't believe how weird it sounded. However, it grew on me and I like it a lot. So that could sum up the band really too, OLP could very well be an acquired taste.
I consider myself one of the people who like their whole catalog, and don't consider them sellouts with "Gravity" and every record following it. They're definitely unique, no doubt about that, but Raine's lyrics are phenomenal. That aspect hasn't change through the years, no matter what the sound is like. Here are some of my favorite OLP songs with some of the best lyrics from the song afterward:
In Repair And it's good to know that you'll drive away-from this car crash nightmare
Middle of Yesterday Apparently I'm to blame, well apparently I've been framed
Paper Moon You quit your job and sell your car, you burn your clothes and pray to the stars cause you swore to God that you'd never end up this way
Thief I can't see that thief that lives inside of your head, but I can be some courage at the side of your bed
4AM If I don't make it, know that I loved you all along
Not Enough There's nothing left to prove, there's nothing I won't do, there's nothing like the pain- I feel for you
Some people genuinely hate this band. Some because of the falsettos and such, which I can understand that. This band isn't for everyone, like I said some of their older stuff could definitely be on the weirder side. Others, because they are somewhat political, maybe not to the extent of Green Day, but enough to get people all worked up. And finally because some people think Raine is too much of a pretty boy. I'm guessing that is probably true, since my wife says that he is very attractive. Either way, it doesn't matter to me. They are my favorite band, and I enjoy spreading the word. Some people have found that they really enjoy them, and I take pride in that. But, if they just stay my little secret here in the United States, then I'm cool with that too.
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