The new year is almost here and with it comes a whole slew of new albums that will soon be occupying my CD player. I Mother Earth, The Tea Party, Live, Sarah Slean and even Radiohead are just a few of the many bands/artists working on new discs that I will go out and buy ASAP. Last but not least, anyone who is reading this certainly knows that OLP have been writing rehearsing and generally working their asses off for the past three months in preparation for their new album. In January, the band will be heading into the studio and start recording the new material.

With this comes some fears and some mighty high expectations from fans. Clumsy sold over 800 000 copies, going 8 times platinum in Canada and sold over 500 000 copies (Gold) in the US. Naveed is still selling strongly having achieved 4 times platinum status or 400 000 copies in Canada. Will the next album meet or exceed the standards these two set? What do the fans expect from the next album?

Most people I've talked to seem pretty confident in the bands ability to write something that will satisfy the rabid fans need for any new material that can be played memorized and enjoyed thoroughly without losing its luster. But it will also sate the casual fans need for a good album with songs that don't need to be skipped over. No one seems to be looking for a repeat of Clumsy and, if that's what they got, most would be somewhat surprised. Definite growth and experimentation is expected here. What seems to be solid in almost everyone I've talked to is the faith that they will produce a great album.

Then there's the concerns from some of the core fans that have latched onto their guys possessively that the new album will attract more of the type of fan that a lot of people turn red at: the highly shrilling Raine loving 12 year old (age used only as an example, please do not burn me at the stake) Teenie Bopper. Making their favourite band more inaccessible and propelling them to stardom in the US. There's a conflict between the desire to see OLP achieve the fame they so deserve and the selfish need to keep them our little secret.

If we go on the past at all, the new album will be very different. Our Lady Peace toured Clumsy for almost two years. If you stick that many people together for that long there's bound to be some growth and changes. The songs all changed in the live performance, tweaked and played with. New ideas and techniques have been formed and are just waiting to be heard. That same change was reflected from their debut to their sophomore album.....will that growth carry over to the next album?

My opinion on all of this? (It is MY view after all) Is that OLP seem to be taking their time with this and not rushing it. That would be my worst fear. That they rush it to get it out in time for SummerSault '99 and put out an inferior product. This isn't something I'm too worried about though. From everything I've read or know about these guys, they respect their art and would rather give it up entirely and release nothing than put out something that was below their standards.

In my humble opinion the next album will be nothing like anyone was expecting and it won't be much like Clumsy. Both are good things. Everything will move forward. Some fans are sure to not like the new product and more still are sure to pick it up and discover a 'new' favourite band. There will be media saturation and the word overplay will be shouted more times that you can count. People will bitch and whine about OLP going mainstream and 'selling out'. There will be a whole new league of 'biggest fans' that are NOT Teenie Boppers and do not love OLP just for their looks but boy that Raine guy is hot isn't he? But for every ten of them there will be another new fan that will genuinely find a new love of the music. They will still be listening to Clumsy, Naveed and the new one long after the hype has died down and the name Our Lady Peace is not the newest thing on everyone's lips anymore.

 
 
 

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