NEW OLP SONGS!!!!!!!!
hmm so i'm thinking there MUST be a secret track in Healthy cause look what i found just now on olp myspace:
The 13 songs OLP eventually assembled for the album are some of their strongest, most infectious and most poignant to date.
turn your head
come back again
to here knows when
last.fm
come back again
to here knows when
last.fm
- He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
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Hope wrote:hmm so i'm thinking there MUST be a secret track in Healthy cause look what i found just now on olp myspace:The 13 songs OLP eventually assembled for the album are some of their strongest, most infectious and most poignant to date.
The article also mentions that "Will the Future Blame Us?" is the opening track. It's not. "Angels Losing Sleep" is. My guess (and I'm hope I'm wrong... as I'd love a hidden song) is that the article was written before "Vampires" was cut from the album.
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Robbo's official first-few-listens review (hush Jen, you know you care!)
Be warned though, that these ratings will definately change over time. Hell, I liked Gravity at first.
Angels Losing Sleep -
/ 5
I really love this song. The calm intro/verse leading into the heavier riff, which fades seamlessly into the high-end falsetto chorus. I'm impressed by the use of mulitple guitar tracks. It's done very well, to the point where at times I forget that there are actually two guitars playing completely different parts. They sound very sybiotic, each pulling on eachother's parts (though I imagine they're both Steve in the studio). It's great to finally see what Steve can do, and he's doing a great job. I was expecting to only hear a couple of riffs in each song, repeated. But he's actually taken it upon himself to do some ambient work too. Nothing to compare to Emtee (no point comparing the styles since they were going for completely different sounds), but some very impressive work nonetheless. The lyrics are ambiguous without losing their meaning, which is a skill Raine seemed to leave on the shelf for Gravity.
Will The Future Blame Us -
/ 5
I enjoy the intro on this track, but the verse is a little too Gravity-esque for my liking. Catchy without a lot of meaning (although I like the "what the hell are we fighting for in the second verse). Again, the guitar is well done, coming in and out of riffs while still taking the opportunity to solo around with some picking formations and palm muting. The chorus is neat. Catchy without being annoying (yet, anyways). This track is what Gravity should have been. It seems like, with the band splitting up, they never really had the chance to complete Gravity, and this is what they would have come up with had they completed it. It's not a great song, but it has enough redeeming qualities to make it a fun, though flawed, rock song.
Picture -
/ 5
"Waiting by the telephone, breathing through a giant rubber hose" ... what the hell is Raine talking about? "God only knows" Ah. heh
A pretty song all around. Quite impressive, actually. I love the background sounds used to enhance the song (around 1:30 and 1:45, for example). The chorus lyrics are somewhat hackneyed, but the little guitar effect leading out of the chorus makes up for that. A song in which the music definately makes up for the somewhat lackluster lyrics.
Where Are You -
/ 5
I'm not a big fan of this track. Again, nice use of multiple guitar tracks (one in the right speaker, one in the left), but neither one is doing much of anything. The "this could be the best day of my life" comes rather suddenly at the end of the chorus, and doesn't really seem to fit. In the second verse, one guitar starts doing more, which is nice to hear, but it's pretty drowned out. I actually do enjoy the bridge (sons and daughters...). One guitar starts to solo around a bit, while the choir of voices kicks in to add a powerful yet soothing element to the bridge. I have no idea what's going on in the last chorus. There's a couple of guitars, one sounding slightly off-key, both soloing around. I can almost hear what they're going for with the last chorus, but they don't seem to quite make it there. All in all, the song sounds like it was slapped together from a few separate clips, and only a couple of these parts are any good.
Wipe That Smile Off Your Face -
/ 5
I was really surprised when I heard the keys/guitar intro/verse. It's very different, and I like the effect. It's hard to have a fresh take on the song, since we heard it so long ago in live bootlegs. They did a good job of capturing the song, losing some of the live energy (but that's inevitable). I love the second guitar that comes in at around 1:20. Again, Steve seems to like playing around with chord combinations rather than just playing one set pattern over and over. Definately nice to hear. The solo/bridge comes in very loud very suddenly. I'm not sure if I like this or not. But the background vocals in this part definately make up for it. Is that a falsetto I hear? Also, I like the sampling voice-over on the next part. I wonder what he's saying. It's almost SM-like in it's placement. The next verse is very cool, with the more raw vocals. "I'm gonna wipe that smile off your f.f...FACE!" The anger comes across without being too obscene. Of course, I treasure the falsetto "face" at the end.
, plus the "ohh aah oooh aahhh aiiiiii!" at the end. A very pleasing track all around.
Love & Trust -
/ 5
Finally, I get to hear the track everyone's raving about. I'm impressed to hear something completely different from the band. The first verse is so beat-oriented that it's hard to notice anything else, but it comes across well. That seems to be the point, after all. The starts chorus a little darker than I expected, but it picks up near the end. I also enjoy the additional clapping in the second verse, again obviously a beat-oriented track. I think the chorus comes across dark because there's such high/light guitar leading up to it, and it just suddenly stops when the chorus beings (although it does come in a little later). The solo/bridge, while simple, contributes continuity to the song without adding much else. All around though, I really enjoy the track. It's different, which I think is something important about this album. With a couple of more listens, once I'm used to the style, I'm sure I'll like it even more.
Boy -
Another track that everyone has praised. But I wonder if it's a little too much like U2? The guitar, bass, drums and vocals are all different from the rest of the album, and are all very U2-esque. I wouldn't have been surprised if someone had said this was a cover. It's not too surprising, since Raine constantly praises Bono and U2. It's a pretty good song, but I can't get past the fact that it's so similar to U2. Really, I could just pop in a U2 album and hear the same thing. It just doesn't seem to contribute anything new to U2's sound (which is, I know, a strange comparison since it's not actually a U2 song). Having said that, it is still a good track. I just find it difficult to say anything about, for example, the guitar, because the best way to describe it is to say it's very much like The Edge's style. I wish OLP had put more of their own twist on U2's style. Oh well.
Apology -
/ 5
Wow. This is the first time we've really heard a pure and unadulterated love song. Sure, the lyrics have hinted towards this topic before, but have never so bluntly come out to state something like "you are my life", and go on to describe one's love. I'm almost not sure what to think about this track. It's pretty, for sure. And I like how Raine is taking some time on this album to sing what he feels without trying to make it a riddle. I loved when he did that in the past, but variety is the spice of life. The key is that on Gravity he sang about nothing in particular, while here he's singing about things that are important to him. He's saying it bluntly without adding any twists or ambiguity, yet (unlike Gravity), the lyrics are still poetic.
The World On A String -
/ 5
A fun light song, that's obvious from the first chord. It's a song you want to bounce to. I love how Steve comes into the chorus with a heavier lick, only to finish each line with a spirit-lifting bend. It's a song that's supposed to make you feel good, and it does that very well. "Sometimes you want to scream out, and sometimes you just can't, 'cause your lips feel like they're glued together, and no one gives a damn!" Such a fun song. That's really the best way to describe it. You can tell that they actually put some effort into this one. I love the back-up vocals in the bridge "oohh oohh oh oh". The whole song flows well, and is just such an upbeat happy tune (but without sinking to the point of being a plain little pop song). How can you not enjoy it?
Don't Stop -
/ 5
Not one of my favourites. The guitar in the intro is kind of fun, and Steve once again has taken it upon himself to be a little atmospheric in the verses. But the song as a whole seems like it's just a catchy pop-rock track without a lot to offer. It'll probably be the next single, because it could be popular and I don't like it (that's the way these things seem to work ... look at the first single). For what should be an exciting song, it's boring and rather predictable.
Walking In Cirlces -
/ 5
I LOVE the verse on this track. The guitar work is very well done in the intro, and flows well into the verse. It's once again hard to judge the song, since I'm used to the old live version. The chorus is much more calm, where I'm used to the yelling version "walking in CIRCAAAAAAAAAA_ALS". It'll take a while to get used to the song this way, but it does seem like the changes are well done. I like the calm bass section after "more and more and more". I just wish he'd go back to the more energetic "more and more and more". Although, I do really enjoy the "and more and MORE and MORE and more" in the background (you know what I mean). And the last section of the song definately picks up on that energy, and finishes the track off with a bang.
Al Genina (Leave A Light On) -
/ 5 (plus a
bonus!)
I was talking to a friend of mine when I first heard this song. She's also been an OLP fan for years (though not from the board), and she was also disappointed with Gravity, and had pretty much given up when she heard Where Are You. I was telling her about my thoughts on the album so far when this track came on. I wish I had logged the conversation, because my reaction was something like this...
Axetch: WOAH
Krista: What?
Axtech: HOLY SHIT!
Axtech: This is amazing.
Axtech: I didn't think they could do it. I didn't think they could make a song this good again.
Krista: ?
Axtech: Al Genina is absolutely amazing. I can't believe it.
Krista: ooh *listens* <---- [she had just started listening to the album after getting it from me, but she skipped ahead]
Axtech: I'm actually astounded at how good this song is.
Axtech: It's amazing. Too short though. lol
Krista: Wow, it is good!
That pretty much sums up my thoughts on this song. I still can't believe how much I love this song. At first I was tempted to say that they should have made it longer, even with just an instrumental section after the vocals ended. But I think it works just the way it is. It doesn't need to be longer, it makes it's impact with just 2:15. Quality, not quantity and all that jazz. This song easily makes up for all the flaws on the album (although, as my friend Krista put it, "Where Are You isn't forgivable...).
Overall -
/ 5
Overall, it's a good album. It's got some tragic flaws, but these are (for the time being, anyways), outweighed by a few spectacular moments. As for comparing it to their other albums... There are actually a couple of tracks that are arguably among their best. However, the difference is that on the first 4 albums, there wasn't a bad song among them. Some were better than others, but there isn't a song that I can honestly say I don't like. On this album, however, the band produced a couple of tracks that just don't have a leg to stand on.
The important thing about this album is that OLP has a chance of proving to their old school fans that they can still make good music. Don't come in expecting to hear Happiness... or SM. Those days are long over. But they have (to me, at least) proved that they can still produce impressive, meaningful and even beautiful work, which I had long ago admitted we might never see again. The next step will be to perfect their new sound and come up with something truely amazing, because they still aren't there yet. I still believe that Rock is holding them back. I'd love to see them find a new producer for their next album (which, after the tribulations of making HIPT, I wouldn't be surprised to see), just to see what a new producer could helpt them create. For the time being though, I'm content to enjoy this record, along with the first four albums.
Needless to say, my playlist will make the jump from The Wonderful Future to Angels Losing Sleep.
And now you can all catch up on the sleep you missed waiting for my review. I didn't really mean for it to be this long, but I just typed while I listened to each song, and this is what came out.
- Robbo
Be warned though, that these ratings will definately change over time. Hell, I liked Gravity at first.

Angels Losing Sleep -





I really love this song. The calm intro/verse leading into the heavier riff, which fades seamlessly into the high-end falsetto chorus. I'm impressed by the use of mulitple guitar tracks. It's done very well, to the point where at times I forget that there are actually two guitars playing completely different parts. They sound very sybiotic, each pulling on eachother's parts (though I imagine they're both Steve in the studio). It's great to finally see what Steve can do, and he's doing a great job. I was expecting to only hear a couple of riffs in each song, repeated. But he's actually taken it upon himself to do some ambient work too. Nothing to compare to Emtee (no point comparing the styles since they were going for completely different sounds), but some very impressive work nonetheless. The lyrics are ambiguous without losing their meaning, which is a skill Raine seemed to leave on the shelf for Gravity.
Will The Future Blame Us -



I enjoy the intro on this track, but the verse is a little too Gravity-esque for my liking. Catchy without a lot of meaning (although I like the "what the hell are we fighting for in the second verse). Again, the guitar is well done, coming in and out of riffs while still taking the opportunity to solo around with some picking formations and palm muting. The chorus is neat. Catchy without being annoying (yet, anyways). This track is what Gravity should have been. It seems like, with the band splitting up, they never really had the chance to complete Gravity, and this is what they would have come up with had they completed it. It's not a great song, but it has enough redeeming qualities to make it a fun, though flawed, rock song.
Picture -




"Waiting by the telephone, breathing through a giant rubber hose" ... what the hell is Raine talking about? "God only knows" Ah. heh
A pretty song all around. Quite impressive, actually. I love the background sounds used to enhance the song (around 1:30 and 1:45, for example). The chorus lyrics are somewhat hackneyed, but the little guitar effect leading out of the chorus makes up for that. A song in which the music definately makes up for the somewhat lackluster lyrics.
Where Are You -

I'm not a big fan of this track. Again, nice use of multiple guitar tracks (one in the right speaker, one in the left), but neither one is doing much of anything. The "this could be the best day of my life" comes rather suddenly at the end of the chorus, and doesn't really seem to fit. In the second verse, one guitar starts doing more, which is nice to hear, but it's pretty drowned out. I actually do enjoy the bridge (sons and daughters...). One guitar starts to solo around a bit, while the choir of voices kicks in to add a powerful yet soothing element to the bridge. I have no idea what's going on in the last chorus. There's a couple of guitars, one sounding slightly off-key, both soloing around. I can almost hear what they're going for with the last chorus, but they don't seem to quite make it there. All in all, the song sounds like it was slapped together from a few separate clips, and only a couple of these parts are any good.
Wipe That Smile Off Your Face -




I was really surprised when I heard the keys/guitar intro/verse. It's very different, and I like the effect. It's hard to have a fresh take on the song, since we heard it so long ago in live bootlegs. They did a good job of capturing the song, losing some of the live energy (but that's inevitable). I love the second guitar that comes in at around 1:20. Again, Steve seems to like playing around with chord combinations rather than just playing one set pattern over and over. Definately nice to hear. The solo/bridge comes in very loud very suddenly. I'm not sure if I like this or not. But the background vocals in this part definately make up for it. Is that a falsetto I hear? Also, I like the sampling voice-over on the next part. I wonder what he's saying. It's almost SM-like in it's placement. The next verse is very cool, with the more raw vocals. "I'm gonna wipe that smile off your f.f...FACE!" The anger comes across without being too obscene. Of course, I treasure the falsetto "face" at the end.

Love & Trust -




Finally, I get to hear the track everyone's raving about. I'm impressed to hear something completely different from the band. The first verse is so beat-oriented that it's hard to notice anything else, but it comes across well. That seems to be the point, after all. The starts chorus a little darker than I expected, but it picks up near the end. I also enjoy the additional clapping in the second verse, again obviously a beat-oriented track. I think the chorus comes across dark because there's such high/light guitar leading up to it, and it just suddenly stops when the chorus beings (although it does come in a little later). The solo/bridge, while simple, contributes continuity to the song without adding much else. All around though, I really enjoy the track. It's different, which I think is something important about this album. With a couple of more listens, once I'm used to the style, I'm sure I'll like it even more.
Boy -



Another track that everyone has praised. But I wonder if it's a little too much like U2? The guitar, bass, drums and vocals are all different from the rest of the album, and are all very U2-esque. I wouldn't have been surprised if someone had said this was a cover. It's not too surprising, since Raine constantly praises Bono and U2. It's a pretty good song, but I can't get past the fact that it's so similar to U2. Really, I could just pop in a U2 album and hear the same thing. It just doesn't seem to contribute anything new to U2's sound (which is, I know, a strange comparison since it's not actually a U2 song). Having said that, it is still a good track. I just find it difficult to say anything about, for example, the guitar, because the best way to describe it is to say it's very much like The Edge's style. I wish OLP had put more of their own twist on U2's style. Oh well.
Apology -



Wow. This is the first time we've really heard a pure and unadulterated love song. Sure, the lyrics have hinted towards this topic before, but have never so bluntly come out to state something like "you are my life", and go on to describe one's love. I'm almost not sure what to think about this track. It's pretty, for sure. And I like how Raine is taking some time on this album to sing what he feels without trying to make it a riddle. I loved when he did that in the past, but variety is the spice of life. The key is that on Gravity he sang about nothing in particular, while here he's singing about things that are important to him. He's saying it bluntly without adding any twists or ambiguity, yet (unlike Gravity), the lyrics are still poetic.
The World On A String -




A fun light song, that's obvious from the first chord. It's a song you want to bounce to. I love how Steve comes into the chorus with a heavier lick, only to finish each line with a spirit-lifting bend. It's a song that's supposed to make you feel good, and it does that very well. "Sometimes you want to scream out, and sometimes you just can't, 'cause your lips feel like they're glued together, and no one gives a damn!" Such a fun song. That's really the best way to describe it. You can tell that they actually put some effort into this one. I love the back-up vocals in the bridge "oohh oohh oh oh". The whole song flows well, and is just such an upbeat happy tune (but without sinking to the point of being a plain little pop song). How can you not enjoy it?
Don't Stop -


Not one of my favourites. The guitar in the intro is kind of fun, and Steve once again has taken it upon himself to be a little atmospheric in the verses. But the song as a whole seems like it's just a catchy pop-rock track without a lot to offer. It'll probably be the next single, because it could be popular and I don't like it (that's the way these things seem to work ... look at the first single). For what should be an exciting song, it's boring and rather predictable.
Walking In Cirlces -




I LOVE the verse on this track. The guitar work is very well done in the intro, and flows well into the verse. It's once again hard to judge the song, since I'm used to the old live version. The chorus is much more calm, where I'm used to the yelling version "walking in CIRCAAAAAAAAAA_ALS". It'll take a while to get used to the song this way, but it does seem like the changes are well done. I like the calm bass section after "more and more and more". I just wish he'd go back to the more energetic "more and more and more". Although, I do really enjoy the "and more and MORE and MORE and more" in the background (you know what I mean). And the last section of the song definately picks up on that energy, and finishes the track off with a bang.
Al Genina (Leave A Light On) -






I was talking to a friend of mine when I first heard this song. She's also been an OLP fan for years (though not from the board), and she was also disappointed with Gravity, and had pretty much given up when she heard Where Are You. I was telling her about my thoughts on the album so far when this track came on. I wish I had logged the conversation, because my reaction was something like this...
Axetch: WOAH
Krista: What?
Axtech: HOLY SHIT!
Axtech: This is amazing.
Axtech: I didn't think they could do it. I didn't think they could make a song this good again.
Krista: ?
Axtech: Al Genina is absolutely amazing. I can't believe it.
Krista: ooh *listens* <---- [she had just started listening to the album after getting it from me, but she skipped ahead]
Axtech: I'm actually astounded at how good this song is.
Axtech: It's amazing. Too short though. lol
Krista: Wow, it is good!
That pretty much sums up my thoughts on this song. I still can't believe how much I love this song. At first I was tempted to say that they should have made it longer, even with just an instrumental section after the vocals ended. But I think it works just the way it is. It doesn't need to be longer, it makes it's impact with just 2:15. Quality, not quantity and all that jazz. This song easily makes up for all the flaws on the album (although, as my friend Krista put it, "Where Are You isn't forgivable...).
Overall -




Overall, it's a good album. It's got some tragic flaws, but these are (for the time being, anyways), outweighed by a few spectacular moments. As for comparing it to their other albums... There are actually a couple of tracks that are arguably among their best. However, the difference is that on the first 4 albums, there wasn't a bad song among them. Some were better than others, but there isn't a song that I can honestly say I don't like. On this album, however, the band produced a couple of tracks that just don't have a leg to stand on.
The important thing about this album is that OLP has a chance of proving to their old school fans that they can still make good music. Don't come in expecting to hear Happiness... or SM. Those days are long over. But they have (to me, at least) proved that they can still produce impressive, meaningful and even beautiful work, which I had long ago admitted we might never see again. The next step will be to perfect their new sound and come up with something truely amazing, because they still aren't there yet. I still believe that Rock is holding them back. I'd love to see them find a new producer for their next album (which, after the tribulations of making HIPT, I wouldn't be surprised to see), just to see what a new producer could helpt them create. For the time being though, I'm content to enjoy this record, along with the first four albums.
Needless to say, my playlist will make the jump from The Wonderful Future to Angels Losing Sleep.

And now you can all catch up on the sleep you missed waiting for my review. I didn't really mean for it to be this long, but I just typed while I listened to each song, and this is what came out.
- Robbo
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Fabulous review, Rob.
I agree with many of your points. I think one thing you'll find with this album different than Gravity is that it seems to age well. I've been listening almost incessantly and it's growing on me as opposed to wearing on me.
Of course, small sample size, but I hope this continues.
I'm kind of with you in concern of "World On a String". By the overall sound of this song, it seems like I shouldn't like it... but it has something magical that makes me enjoy the song. I still have no idea what that is.
It's kind of eerie how we agree on "Boy". I love the song, but my favorites on the album presented something new to me in addition to be great songs. (Angels, Love & Trust, Apology, Al Genina).
I agree with many of your points. I think one thing you'll find with this album different than Gravity is that it seems to age well. I've been listening almost incessantly and it's growing on me as opposed to wearing on me.
Of course, small sample size, but I hope this continues.
I'm kind of with you in concern of "World On a String". By the overall sound of this song, it seems like I shouldn't like it... but it has something magical that makes me enjoy the song. I still have no idea what that is.
It's kind of eerie how we agree on "Boy". I love the song, but my favorites on the album presented something new to me in addition to be great songs. (Angels, Love & Trust, Apology, Al Genina).
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i agree most with Al Genina with the 5/5 +orgasm. cause thats how i felt when i first heard it.
-Liam
"Sometimes Nothin' Can Be a Real Cool Hand"
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"Sometimes Nothin' Can Be a Real Cool Hand"
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Axtech wrote:For anyone wondering, Al Genina is a village in the Darfur region of Sudan (where a horrific genocide is currently taking place).
what is even wors ein Sudan is all the women from Sri LAnka who get beat up or raped by their bosses.. When I read that aritcle I waas so angry that this was allowed to happen..
I havent' heard any of the songs. I really didn't read your review. I am curious though to see if in say 4-5 months you feel the same. Mark the date. Jan 1. 2006 I want to read another review from you.. Let's see if you feel the same?
I feel love, I feel a power. It comes to me in the darkest hour. And I want to feel it again
Teach the young people how to think, not what to think-Sidney Sugarman
http://www.warchild.ca http://www.one.org http://www.cityharvest.org/

Peace and Love
Gail E.
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Vertigo wrote:I havent' heard any of the songs. I really didn't read your review. I am curious though to see if in say 4-5 months you feel the same. Mark the date. Jan 1. 2006 I want to read another review from you.. Let's see if you feel the same?
Me too. I'll likely have a different opinion later on. That's what happened with Gravity. But I really believe that (aside from a few songs), this album will prove to last longer.