Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

New Music

Our Lady Peace / Burn Burn Burn (Coalition/Sony)

Our Lady Peace is still around?

You'd be forgiven for thinking they were done. Their last album, 2005's Healthy in Paranoid Times, was plagued by inner-band turmoil and a singles collection marked the end of their contract with Sony. In recent years frontman Raine Maida released a solo album and dabbled in songwriting for American Idol contestants. But here the band is with a new album that slams the lid on its 1990s status as alt-rock stars in favour of a shiny contemporary sound a la U2 and Coldplay, two obvious touchstones.

Things start off well with the album's first single, All You Did Was Save My Life, an anthemic rocker that ranks as one of the best songs the band has written in years. The power-ballad Dreamland takes things down a notch before another album highlight, Monkey Brains, uses the quiet loud quiet formula to perfection.

The initial promise of a return to Naveed-like greatness is halted with too much forgettable filler in the middle, with the exception of melodic ballads Never Get Over You and Paper Moon, which will stick in your head long after the disc ends.

When the smoke clears, there's a great EP on Burn Burn Burn. 'Ö'Ö1/2

-- Rob Williams

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 25, 2009 C4

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