A Looking In View

It's Here! The world finally has brand new music from Alice in Chains!

A Looking In View

This song is great! Pure hard rock, baby! It's a great taste of what is to come with the release of "Black Gives Way To Blue" on September 29th! New singer, William sounds awesome.

Rainy Monday

It's been a really crappy day - a rainy monday, to be exact...

iTunes Update

Top Ten Songs on iTunes

1. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
2. Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
3. I Know You Want Me - Pitbul
4. Fire Burning - Sean Kingston
5. Black Or White - Michael Jackson
6. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
7. Don't Trust Me - 30H!3 (who?)
8. The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
9. Thriller - Michael Jackson
10. Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson

Top Ten Albums on iTunes

1. Number Ones - Michael Jackson
2. The Essential Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson
3. Thriller - Michael Jackson
4. The E.N.D. - Black Eyed Peas
5. Old Crows / Young Cardinals - Alexisonfire
6. Michael Jackson Greatest Hits - Michael Jackson
7. Far - Regina Spektor
8. Off The Wall - Michael Jackson
9. The Fame - Lady GaGa
10. Bad - Michael Jackson

Blog Renovation

Hello Everyone,

I hope you have been enjoying my blog so far. It has been 8 great months since I began "Let's Hear It For Rock Bottom" and it has become a delightful hobby of mine to blog about music.

On July 1st, this blog will be under a new name, address and theme. I will provide the reasons on that day. All of the entries will still be here and I will continue to blog about music. Blogcatalogue will also be updated. Think of this as the next step...

Rock on,

Greg

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson: August 28, 1958 - June 25, 2009

Michael Jackson, also known as the King of Pop, passed away at the age of 50 on Thursday, June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles, CA home. His death came just before what was to be his "comeback" tour with 50 sold out shows at London’s O2 Arena that were set to begin on July 13 and end on March 6, 2009.

It is difficult to write this entry because of the many emotions running through my head. The music industry/world has lost an icon, a figure that will never EVER be matched again. No artist will ever come close to MJ's success, influence, and records. He was truly one for the ages and an artist who defined an era and a way of feeling the "beat."

Michael Jackson's remarkable career spanned over 35 years, from the Jackson 5 to his solo efforts. Honestly..."Thriller", "Off The Wall", "Bad", "HIStory." Those records, to this day, are a few of the worlds BEST selling albums of all-time. He has sold over 750 MILLION RECORDS, released 13 number 1 singles and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time.

The remaining - let's say - 15 years of his life was unfortunately invaded by allegations, surgeries, charges and parody. I will admit that I am as guilty as any of YOU for saying MJ jokes and criticizing him for any of his actions. Everybody has their own opinions of MJ, but the bottom line is that Michael Jackson was a legend and his music will never die. His memory will live forever through his music, inspirations and collaborations with countless artists.

Please read this comment:
Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers:
"Sitting in a dressing room in Calgary, Canada I am more saddened than I can remember in maybe the last five years. Call the guy whatever you want... judge his actions, judge his judgments, and judge the man any way in any language you want. But Michael Jackson was the best. There was no one better. There never will be anyone better. People don’t try anymore. You can take any pretty loser who can't sing who has a good smile and sells records and make him a star. Just look at Anyone on the charts today. Today we lost a part of music history, a legend, and the greatest pop music artist there ever will be. The things Michael created on 'Thriller', 'Off The Wall' and 'Bad' will never be matched. By anyone ever. Michael Jackson was the best. People believed in Michael Jackson who didn't believe in Jesus. And that, my friends, is a legend. God bless Michael Jackson's music, his soul, and his legend. That can never be replaced. Rest in peace, sir. God bless your soul."

Absolutely. I love every word of this paragraph. MJ's creations will never be matched. You can watch all of your Justin Timberlake's, Rihanna's, Pink's and even your Lady GaGa's (dear God...) but they will never amount to Michael Jackson. Don't get me wrong, I think those artists are tremendous performers, but you get my point.

Michael Jackson, you were one of a kind and will remain in the hearts of your fans forever. Rest in peace.

Soundgarden: Reunion?

In an interview with England's Kerrang! Magazine, Shinedown frontman, Brent Smith, there is talk of a potential Soundgarden reunion. Smith said, "There's talk of a reuniting of Soundgarden in the States soon. I know actually someone specific who told me that, who is actually specifically in their organization. Kinda told me that they're talking about it."

Other sources state that a Soundgarden reunion tour was in the works for the summer of 2010, and that all four members of the band were tentatively interested. Really? Even Cornell?

Soundgarden broke up in 1997 after releasing five studio albums over a twelve year career. The group sold millions of records and was one of the key acts of the Seattle "grunge" scene, joining the ranks of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains.

Frontman Chris Cornell recorded three albums with Audioslave after Soundgarden's demise and has also embarked on a checkered solo career (Ahh! "Scream"). Drummer Matt Cameron plays in Pearl Jam, while guitarist Kim Thayil and bass player Ben Shepherd have kept lower profiles.

SPOONMAN!!!!!!!

Stargazer

Well it's another night under the stars and I have the PERFECT song to coincide with my mood.

Classic Album Review: "Healthy In Paranoid Times" by Our Lady Peace

Release Date: August 2005
Producer: Bob Rock

According to Raine Maida, it took OLP 1145 days to write, record, mix and master “Healthy In Paranoid Times.” The final CD version contains 12 songs, but 45 were written and recorded.

There was so much shit that went into the making of this album. It was the band’s sixth studio album and second with producer, Bob Rock. Right off the bat, you know it’s a different sound then the Mike Turner/Arnold Lanni OLP. Put it this way, Gravity and H.I.P.T are the second era of OLP. There was so much creative tension during the making this record that it was almost unbearable for all parties. According to the band, Our Lady Peace came dangerously close to breaking up during the making of the record. Producer Bob Rock and each member of the band walked away or was fired from the project least once but always came back to finish the album.

Healthy in Paranoid Times is another different album for the band. Singles “Where Are You”, “Angels Losing Sleep” and “Will The Future Blame Us” are faster numbers and are some of the few heavier songs on the album. Beyond that, the overall resulting sound was more commercial rock – with less hard rock and more light tones, mid-tempo and pop-rock numbers. Raine Maida’s lyrics once again grace heavy world issues and personal anguishes. In the song “Picture”, he sings "I'm waiting by the telephone, breathing through a giant rubber hose, God only knows / Photographs of you and me, pictures of the friends you used to know / Where did they go?" That is some pretty heavy stuff.

The bands musical abilities once again shine to their fullest on this record. On a personal note, I was impressed with what guitarist Steve Mazur brought to OLP. Both he and Duncan showcase some catchy riffs and polished melodies.

The concluding track, “Al Genina (Leave The Light On) is beautifully written, acoustic rock ballad that describes Raine’s experience in the middle east. Raine Maida is a member of War Child Canada, an organization that aids families in third world countries.

Overall, it’s a good record. It was a challenging record the band, and its outcome was exceptional. Our Lady Peace has always been a great band, creating many classics and making great records. However, did this album really need to take 1145 days to make? I don’t think so.

Rating: 4/5

Track-listing

01. Angels Losing Sleep *
02. Will The Future Blame Us? *
03. Picture ***
04. Where Are You?
05. Wipe That Smile Off Your Face
06. Love And Trust **
07. Boy *
08. Apology
09. The World On A String
10. Don`t Stop
11. Walking In Circles
12. Al Genina (Leave A Light On)

Offspring 2010

According to billboard.com, The Offspring are already planning the follow-up to 2008'a critically acclaimed "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace."

Guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman tells Billboard.com that frontman Dexter Holland recently sat down with producer Bob Rock -- who produced 2008's "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" -- to start plotting the follow-up. "They kinda went over a couple of things that were left off the last record," he reports, "and songs that were even left off 'Splinter' or maybe even 'Conspiracy of One' and kind of looked at some things with free eyes and see if there was anything there that can be worked on."

Wasserman says the group would "like to have a new record out next year for sure" but isn't likely to hit the studio until January, after it finishes the touring cycle for "Rise and Fall..." And he doesn't expect the group to come up with new material on the road. "It's really hard to do that," Noodles notes. "It almost never happens."

The new album will be be the first to include the recordings of drummer, Pete Parada.

The Offspring are touring North America into mid-July, then head to Europe for the balance of the summer.

Oh, by the way, I'm seeing them on July 2nd in Toronto! Wooooo!

Album Review: "Only Through The Pain..." by Trapt

Release Date: August 5th, 2008
Producer: Garth Richardson

Trapt has been well-established for a few years now and their third record, "Only Through The Pain..." is another good addition to their catalogue. The album debuted at #18 on the Billboard 200 Chart and #4 on the Rock Album Chart. It moved 25,000 copies its first week.

If you listen to Trapt's entire library of songs, you will always find different elements of rock. New songs such as "Who's Going Home with You Tonight?", "Contagious" and "Cover Up" play very well to the genre and are great tracks. Tracks like "Ready When You Are" and "Black Rose" are produced very well and deserve to be radio hits. "Black Rose" features a phenomenal overdubbed, layered vocal bridge that will impress any listener. Chris Taylor Brown's lyrics reflect life's thoughts, curiosities and troubles and mix well with the hard-driven, funky and clever guitar riffs. What more can you ask for?

When a band incorporates many sounds of rock into an album, they can only climb higher up the ladder. Trapt is a great example of that. They do it very well and their future releases will show that. People should look past "Headstrong" and actually listen to what these guys have to offer. It's great modern rock and their albums are all thoroughly produced and striking.

Rating: 4/5

Track-listing

1. Wasteland
2. Who's Going Home with You Tonight? *
3. Contagious*
4. Black Rose***
5. Ready When You Are*
6. Forget About the Rain
7. Cover Up*
8. Only One in Color
9. Wherever She Goes
10. Curiosity Kills
11. The Last Tear

Got'chu

Another forgotten classic...

Default Update

Remember the band Default? If not, does the song "Wasting My Time", "Deny" or "Count On Me" ring a bell? I'm sure if you heard, you'd recognize it. If you're wondering where they've been, here's an update...

Default's absence from the music scene has become well known, including their forever forthcoming CD that has been in the works for two years now. In 2005, Default released their third studio album entitled, "One Thing Remains" and was led by first single, "Count On Me." It was well received by many critics and fans but was poorly marketed and didn't generate many sales. This was because of their label, TVT Records. This label basically screwed Default's career. Singer Dallas Smith recalled their label "not investing time and money on the right bands." The metal band, Sevendust, was an example he mentioned.

In the Fall of 2007, Default began recording the follow-up to "One Thing Remains." The record was complete in December of 2007, but as Default was preparing to release the first single, take photo shoots and finalize the cover art, TVT Records filed for bankruptcy in February 2008, causing the record to come to a halt. What was next for Default? Barely anything! It was a very slow time in the career of Default. The band played very few shows and kept fans waiting with very little updates.

The majority of 2008 was spent in search of a new label and distribution company. If TVT records went under, who owns the master tapes now? In Spring 2008, Default signed a deal with The Orchard, an online music distribution company that owns the digital masters of numerous well-known artists. In a sense, this was good for Default because fans can still purchase Default records online. Drummer, Danny Craig reassured fans in June 2008 that their album, then titled "Still Standing" would be released in March 2009. That release date was never met.

In March of 2009, Default posted an update on their Facebook page stating "Still Standing" would be released in July with a first single hitting Canadian airwaves in May. What happened? You guessed it; it's June 15th and we haven't heard anything. However, it wasn't until a few days ago that I heard an interview on Alternative Addiction Radio with Dallas Smith. Default is now releasing their new album in September 2009 via EMI Canada Records. The album title is no longer "Still Standing" and has yet to be given a new title. Yeah, Default! Hopefully the date is met because Default needs to be back in the spotlight. They're such a great band, with tremendous potential and it's a shame TVT never put the spotlight on them. Cheers to a Default comeback. Be patient, my friends.

Check out the interview at Alternative Addiction! Default interview

This picture was taken in October 2008 at a Default show in Oshawa. Jeremy and Danny were cool guys and it was a great show!

New A.I.C.

Legendary rockers, Alice In Chains, will release "Black Gives Way To Blue", their first studio album in 14 years on September 29th, 2009 via EMI/Virgin Records.. It will also the mark the first recording with new vocalist, William DuVall. The album was also produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters). "It's been a meaningful journey and a hell of a story," says Cantrell.

"We're very excited to have a home at Virgin/EMI and are looking forward to writing new chapters in the book of Alice."

"We're in a good place," adds Kinney. "We've made a record that we're really proud of, we've got a team in place that's passionate about the music and we're excited for the fans to hear the new songs."

"Alice In Chains has had a big hand in the evolution of music and I still can't believe we get to work with them," says Rob Stevenson, President of Virgin Records. "This music is going to remind people what we've all been missing."

"There is a tremendous sense of excitement and dedication within EMI around the world as we head into this album release," added Jeff Kempler, EMI's COO of New Music for North America and the U.K. "Alice In Chains' place in rock history is undeniable and when people hear this remarkable new work it will be clear how timeless, potent and visionary this band is."

Alice In Chains were among the headliners at the recent Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, OH. Next up is a July 18 show with Kid Rock at Comerica Park in Detroit, to be followed by festival shows with Metallica overseas, including an August 1 date at Marlay Park in Dublin and an August 2 show at the Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth. Earlier this year, the quartet took a break from recording to perform a string of shows in Australia with Nine Inch Nails.

Throughout their career, Alice In Chains has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 17 million albums worldwide and achieved 11 top 10 hit singles.

Thanks for the report to ultimate-guitar.com

Bass Gear

This upcoming July will mark my seventh year as a bass player.

Throughout the past six years, I have purchased three bass guitars; a Squier P-Bass, an Ibanez RD300 and a Schecter Model-T Bass. There's really no need to have more then one, but at the same time, it's good to collect them. Hey, I have one bass for every tuning! Yeahhhh.

My most recent bass has been my main weapon of choice. The Schecter Model-T Bass is absolutely incredible and is the official bass of STP bassist, Robert Deleo.

This Schecter bass has a bolt-on Maple neck and an Alder body. The neck is a medium 34" scale with 22 medium frets and dot inlays on a Rosewood fingerboard. Also has heavy duty Grover chrome tuners and chrome hardware, Seymour Duncan Basslines P/J pickups and Diamond vintage bridge. What blew me away was the sound of this bass! It has a big crunching sound that'll blow you away!

I plan on purchasing another Schecter within the next year or so. It's a totally reliable and will offer you the playing satisfaction you deserve. Here's a picture of me rockin' out with my Schecter...

Treble Charger

Hailing from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Treble Charger was an indie-rock turned pop-rock band that consisted of Greig Nori, Bill Priddle, Rosie Martin and Trevor McGregor.

In 1994, TC released their first record, nc17, independently and was a hit on campus radio, MuchMusic, and CFNY. It was later re-issued on Sonic Unyon Records in 1997. Also, in 1997, TC released their sophomore album and major label debut, Maybe It's Me. This album was more commercial rock, led by single "Friend of Mine."

Three years later, TC released their infamous third album, Wide Awake Bored, which spawned three massive hits; "American Psycho", "Brand New Low" and "Business." You gotta love "American Psycho", it's a classic.
This album was the first Treble Charger album to have success in the United States and was nominated for an award at the 2001 Juno Awards. Following Maybe It's Me, this album is Treble Charger's second most successful album to date.

Finally in 2002, their fourth and final album was released. Detox was another album to spotlight their evolution to a pop-punk band. It featured singles "Hundred Million" and "Don't Believe It All". The video for "Hundred Million" is awesome and features Sum 41, Avril Lavigne and Gob. Detox was also certified Gold of 50,000+ copies sold in Canada.

Guitarist Bill Priddle left the band in 2003, citing creative differences. Priddle's work with the band was widely acclaimed and praised for their indy rock style. According to sources, Priddle wasn't comfortable with the bands new image and sound. In 2006, singer/guitarist official disbanded Treble Charger.

You know, it's actually sad how this band ended. Treble Charger was a band that became popular after tensions in the band hit an all-time low. It's a real shame because the band always had potential of being a well established Can-rock act but never got the respect or attention they deserved.

Not much has serviced from the band since. Greig Nori is the host of the show "Disband" on MuchMusic but that's all I know. Go listen to some Treble Charger!

Treble Charger Discography
nc17 (1994)
Maybe It's Me (1997)
Wide Awake Bored (2000)
Detox (2002)

Ian's Big Wreck

After spending a few days listening to Ian Thornley's "Big Wreck" and "Thornley", I have come to the conclusion that Ian should have kept the name Big Wreck. Think about it...

1997: Big Wreck's debut album "In Loving Memory Of..." is a huge success in Canada, spawning #1 hits "The Oaf", and "That Song", not to mention other radio singles "Blown Wide Open" and "Under The Lighthouse." The album went 2x Platinum (200,000+ sold) and put Big Wreck on the map. Well done, great album. I would also like to mention the fine production by producer Matt DeMatteo.

2001: Big Wreck returned with their sophomore and FINAL album "The Pleasure and the Greed." This album barely crossed the "heavy metal" line and offered heavier riffs but didn't live up to its predecessor. It was a commercial failure, probably due to poor marketing. Perhaps, the four year gap in-between albums caused this turn off? It's really 50/50, bands have to keep in the publics eye, especially after a breakthrough debut album. In 2002, the band called it quits. Why? Who knows.

2004: Ian Thornley returns with his new band, Thornley. Their debut album, "Come Again", is another success in Canada, with #1 hits "So Far So Good" and "Come Again." This album went Gold in Canada (50,000+ sold) and Thornley was nominated for two Juno Awards in the wake of Come Again: New Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year.." Some thanks goes out to Chad Kroeger, who signed Thornley to 604 Records. It's a heavy but great album! WHAT IF BIG WRECK NEVER BROKE UP? This album would have solidified the band in Can-Rock music as a headliner.

2009: Five...years...later. Thornley releases "Tiny Pictures." It's a solid album but why the five year gap? Ian explains the troubles of being with a record label as the issue. Fair enough, it is hard to get an album out nowadays. Lead single "Make Believe" is another radio hit, however, didn't reach the magnitude of prior singles. It also was produced by Grammy Award winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, Rush). Nevertheless, this could have been Big Wreck's fourth studio album.

Now, I'm not knockin' Ian Thornley for branching off from BW and creating Thornley. There are probably SO many reasons as to why BW didn't work but in a dream world, Canada would have benefited from Big Wreck. They would've been another band to join the likes of Tragically Hip, Sloan, Rush, I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, Matthew Good Band, Nickelback and Three Days Grace. We should, however, be thankful for the music Ian Thornley has provided us. Cheers to future releases.

STP 2010

In a recent interview, STP vocalist, Scott Weiland has told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that STP is working on material for a new album, tentatively due in 2010. Sweet!

"We've already got 18 songs written. We'll probably whittle it down to the best 12," he said. "But then there'll be a lot of other songs ready for the next record."

He added, "We're working with [producer] Don Was. And if he could make records with the [Rolling] Stones and all their shenanigans ... then he can handle STP."

This will mark the group's first studio album since 2001's "Shangri-La-Dee-Da" and the sixth STP album overall. However, the recording process has been complicated due to contractual disputes from Scott and Weiland, drummer, Eric Kretz and Atlantic Records. Oh boy, enough of this record label bullshit. Why is it so hard to record an album these days? I can't believe I'm saying this but go INDIE. You'll have more creative and business control.

In 2008, as an act of divine intervention, STP reunited and completed a successful 65-date tour across North America. On July 11th, I'm seeing them (2nd time) at Sarnia Bayfest with Our Lady Peace. Dear God...what a combo!

Source: Alternative Addiction

Classic Album Review: "Dr. Feelgood" by Motley Crue

Release Date: September 1st, 1989
Producer: Bob Rock

What a great album. This 1989 classic offering from L.A. headbangers, Motley Crue, will always be regarded by music critics and fans as being Mötley Crüe's strongest and bestselling album. Not only did this album debut at #1 on the Billboard charts, but it was the first album to be recorded in a sober state.

In 2009, after celebrating it's 20th Anniversary of release, Dr. Feelgood has sold over 6 million copies in the U.S. alone. Mind you, the album was also reissued and mastered in May. The album sure had a run for its money; "Dr. Feelgood" and "Kickstart My Heart" were both nominated for Grammy awards for Best Hard Rock Performance and the song "Dr. Feelgood" was ranked #15 on VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs and #41 on VH1's 100 Greatest '80s Songs. Oh yeah!

Also, let's bring our most discussed producer, Bob Rock! Wow, he pops up everywhere. Bob did a great production job on this record, providing the album with a shiny and vibrant sound which were obsolete from the band's previous albums. The instrumentation on this album is fantastic. Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx are great song-writers and it shows through unforgettable riffs like "Kickstart My Heart", "Dr. Feelgood", and "Rattlesnake Shake." Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee's rhythm section is tight and perfect, Mick's solos are rockin' and Vince's vocals are epic.

The lyrics in this album seem to fall into various categories;
Sex ("Sticky Sweet", "She Goes Down", "Rattlesnake Shake")
Relationships/Love ("Without You", "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)")
Drugs ("Dr. Feelgood", "Kickstart My Heart") Plus, we all know the story behind "Kickstart My Heart" right? Well, if you don't, Nikki Sixx died from a drug overdose and was luckily revived by two adrenaline shots to the heart.

Your speakers will thank you for putting on this record. Make sure to pick up a copy of the digitally re-mastered version of "Dr. Feelgood." Grab a few drinks, call some friends and blare this record. Rock and f*ckin' roll baby!

Rating: 4/5

Track-listing:

1. T'N'T
2. Dr. Feelgood ***
3. Slice Of Your Pie
4. Rattlesnake Shake ***
5. Kickstart My Heart ***
6. Without You
7. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.) ***
8. Sticky Sweet
9. She Goes Down
10. Don't Go Away (Just Go Away) ***
11. Time For Change

Crash Karma

Get ready Can-Rock fans, there's a new supergroup in town! Woo! Please welcome to the stage, Crash Karma, featuring members of I Mother Earth, OLP, Tea Party and Zygote. Rumour has it that they plan on releasing their debut LP on July 1st, 2009. Well, guess what? That won't happen because a single should have been released by now.

Once again, Crash Karma are the following:

Vocals: Edwin (I Mother Earth/Edwin Solo), Drums: Jeff Burrows (The Tea Party), Guitarist: Mike Turner (Our Lady Peace) and Bassist: Amir Epstein (Zygote)

Classic Album Review: "Gravity" by Our Lady Peace

Release Date: June 18th, 2002
Producer: Bob Rock

I like to write album reviews. It's fun, challenging and it's something I enjoy tremendously because of my passion for music. When I choose the albums that I'd like to review, it's always good to have them one or two years past their release date. Why you ask? It's a way to stay current and talk about what's popular or worth mentioning. However, this review will be different. I'm going to start posting reviews of older albums. Why not? Let's dust off this album and give it a try.

First off, "Gravity" by Our Lady Peace is one of my favourite albums of all time and will probably remain that way for the rest of my life. Yes, bold statement, I know. This is one of those albums that you will never put away. It impressed me back in 2002 and it still impresses me to this day. In fact, it's been seven years this month since its' release. "Gravity" a special album by Our Lady Peace. It was their sixth studio album, the first with new producer, Bob Rock and was the final album to feature founding guitarist and main songwriter, Mike Turner. I should, however, mention that "Gravity" is NOT my favourite OLP record. Weird eh?

If you're a devotee of OLP, then you should already know that "Gravity" is a radical departure from its predecessors. There are a number of reasons for that and you can thank Bob Rock for the majority of it. Rock's touch is very apparent throughout the album. The difference between Bob Rock and former producer, Arnold Lanni is that Rock tends to pervade and get heavily involved with all aspects of the writing and recording. Nothing wrong with that right? Well not really, but Bob, this was a different case. Arnold Lanni existed only to allow the band to be creative and write their own music. Gone for the most part are the sumptuous harmonies and careful, expansive arrangements of their older material; in their place debuts repeated light verses/heavy distorted chorus dynamics.

As previously mentioned, guitarist Mike Turner and production keyboardist Jamie Edwards exited the group in 2001 citing "creative and personal differences." Both left three writing credits (All For You, Bring Back The Sun and Story of a Girl) leaving frontman Raine Maida to complete the songwriting himself. OLP then welcomed 24-year-old guitarist Steve Mazur to the band, replacing the irreplaceable Mike Turner. This was a difficult project for Mazur, simply because he walked into already written material and, because he was new, he was more inclined to follow Bob Rock's lead.

Under all of these sudden changes, a great rock record emerged. Give the band their dues, lead single "Somewhere Out There" was their first international hit and was huge in Canada and the US. This was an album where each musician had to step up and give it their all under new management, change and direction. Even Raine Maida's infamous falsetto took a back seat on this record. Some may say it's a simple, uninspired record but I disagree. It's a definitely a departure from their unique, rock sound to commercial rock, but Raine Maida and company have always silenced and divided themselves from critics. Each song segues its way from easy verses to beautiful choruses and offers violen riffs, great guitar hooks, stringed arrangments and soothing melodies slapped with impassioned vocal outcrys by Raine Maida.

"Innocent" displays powerful vocals from Maida, especially with the inclusion of a children's choir creating a more majestic final chorus. "Not Enough" is a moody song from start to finish. You really feel the dark instrumentation with lyrics such as "There's nothing left to prove/Nothing I won't do/Nothing like the pain I feel for you and laments/What you want/What you had/What is gone/It's over." The closing track, "Story Of A Girl" is phenomenal. Here is where Mike Turner kicks in with terrific guitar overdubs, an addicting chorus and Raine's lyrics about a troubled girl looking for love and assurance.

This album means a lot to me, and even my friends. "Gravity" still gets played year round and will always get credited as a "summer album." It was, however, difficult to learn about the departures and changes of this great band through this album, but it gave OLP a new vision and new challenge of testing themselves as a band. Perhaps I will discuss their 2005 "Healthy In Paranoid Times" soon. Try and look past the absence of classic OLP trademarks and give the Bob Rock stamped OLP a try.

Rating: 5/5

Track listing:

1. All For You
2. Do You Like It ***
3. Somewhere Out There
4. Innocent
5. Made of Steel ***
6. Not Enough ***
7. Sell My Soul
8. Sorry ***
9. Bring Back the Sun
10. A Story About a Girl ***