Kneel Down and Obey
by: bill aicher

"Do you worry that you're not liked?"  These are the words Our Lady Peace's latest effort, Clumsy, begins with in "Superman's Dead".  If you are a looking for a great alternative rock album, get this one.  Many people complain about his voice, however I personally like it.  If you have heard any of their music you will know Raine Maida's whiny type voice.  However, this voice is one of the things that makes this band unique. 

Unlike many of the alternative rock bands, one can tell that Maida is no idiot.  His lyrics do tell a story and hold meaning.  Which is another reason why this album scores so highly.   Even the titles of songs such as "Automatic Flowers" is actually quite compelling.  The song is basically about flowers flowers in a pop-up book.  The chorus includes a line "These automatic flowers won't do."   So you can tell somewhat what the song is referring to.  Another song, "4 AM" tells quite a sad tale. Including one of my personal favorite all-time lines.

This new album showcases the band's musical talents more than the last release.  The song "Carnival" has a guitar playing style that is quite reminiscent of the up and down circus style music of a a carnival.  You can almost picture clowns walking about to the music.

All in all this is a great album.  I don't really know what else to say.  If you liked their first effort you should love their sophomore one.  They have improved much over their last album, and I consider that one great as well.  The album has plenty of mood and tempo changes, as you can tell just by listening to their two singles - "Superman's Dead" and "Clumsy".  They are also a great band to see live, one of the best small shows I have seen.  If you see it for sale and you have to cash, get it.