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HEALTHY IN PARANOID TIMES
COLUMBIA
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Raine Maida, the singer/guitarist who fronts this Canadian alt-rock band, has busied himself lately with songwriting and producing jobs for a number of teen-rock starlets (often alongside his wife, fellow Canuck Chantal Kreviazuk). Like Ashlee Simpson knob twirler John Shanks, Maida’s become a go-to guy for young women looking to add some live-band grit to their prefab pop; his excellent work on the most recent Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson albums makes for a much better résumé than the last couple of Our Lady Peace discs. Healthy in Paranoid Times, OLP’s sixth studio album, illustrates why: in handsome, smartly assembled tunes like " Don’t Stop " and " Will the Future Blame Us, " Maida sings his sturdy melodies over his band mates’ dynamic arena-pop arrangements, which are slick with the residue of a million forgotten guitar parts by the Edge. But that’s all that happens. Maida, a sensitive guy who could’ve fronted an emo band if he’d been born a decade later, just can’t sell the material with any of the drama Clarkson or Lavigne delivers. Maybe he needs some paranoia in healthy times. Our Lady Peace + Danko Jones + Pedestrian | Roxy, 279 Tremont St, Boston | Sept 26 | 617.931.2000.
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