Canada is becoming increasingly known for its musical exports. The latest band to make a serious foray across the border is Our Lady Peace, a Toronto quartet that bears definite musical resemblances to its grunge cousins in the Pacific Northwest. Signed to Sony Canada on its home turf and distributed through Relativity in the United States, the band's single "Starseed" off the debut CD "Naveed" has made it onto Billboard's Modern Rock chart.

Against the alternately heavy and stinging attack of guitarist Mike Turner and muscular rhythm provided by drummer Jeremy Taggart and bassist Chris Eacrett, lead singer and lyricist Raine Maida emotes like a fairly angst-driven young man. But calling from a tour stop in Rhode Island, the 24-year-old Maida is soft-spoken and easygoing. He's also a former criminology student two credits shy of a degree and saving up for a laptop computer so he can take some courses on the road.

"I listen to a lot of Middle Eastern stuff, and a lot of female singers like Tori Amos, Sinead O'Connor, Bjork," he says when asked about his own influences. "Any of the ones that tend to be acrobatic. And honest, which is another quality they all possess as well. They're very passionate."

Formed only two years ago, Our Lady Peace quickly became a hot property after Maida and a friend passed the band's demo tape around to several labels at New York's CMJ music conference in 1993. "Geffen got back to us, and Interscope," recalls Maida. "I think the rest of the industry just kind of heard word of mouth about the band, and we got a bunch of calls from different labels."

Without a lot of live-gig or touring experience behind them, the fledgling band was determined to find a label that would let it develop at its own pace. "We ended p going with Sony Canada," says Maida. "We didn't want to rush things, and we needed to play live a lot. They allowed us to do that. Relativity down in the U.S. has been exactly the same. They're very much into letting us forge our own way and helping us, rather than being a big dictator label that has this machine they just throw you into."

As for Maida's hometown, he definitely sees a music scene on the rise. but he's also quick to point out that Toronto shouldn't be pegged as the next Seattle. "I get asked if there's a definite scene," he says. "I wouldn't say that Toronto has its own sound, because it's very diverse. Just in the last two years I think it's become really healthy. There are probably between 15 and 20 clubs where an independent act can play, even if you don't have a CD to sell. So original music is thriving there."

Our Lady Peace plays the Double Door on Friday, and will open for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant at the Horizon, April 28 and 29.