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 ***
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