Our Lady Peace Naveed

Who could have predicted the electricity of Starseed and the anthemic, yet authentic wonder that was Naveed? One of the best albums of 1994, Naveed was enough to keep Our Lady Peace in the spotlight for years.

Updated Oct 28 2022

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Our Lady Peace Naveed album cover — Naveed

Naveed Track Listing

The Birdman
Supersatellite
Starseed
Hope
Naveed
Dirty Walls
Denied
Is It Safe
Julia
Under Zenith
Neon Crossing

Our Lady Peace's debut album is built on the massive strength of its two biggest singles, Starseed and Naveed.

80s & 90s Swag

Starseed is basically a battle hymn. For twenty something years, I've wanted to kick literal ass upon hearing this song. Beyond Naveed, Neon Crossing and Julia add some serious weight to the album. I come back to these 11 early 90s songs often. But, I've moved on from my Blaupunkt tape deck.

But not Our Lady Peace.

Naveed notes

The Birdman

Love the hot opening. Whole band just gets going, no time to wait. Total Mike Turner riff in the verse and the pre-chorus breakdown.

The Birdman is one of the most equally represented songs, talent-wise, that OLP offers across its entire discography. All four bandmates showcase their signature talents.

After 25+ years, I still love The Birdman.

There is a crisp sound to this album that I've always appreciated, and it's here from the get go.

The first of the, "how do they do this on the first track all of the time" super kick ass songs that OLP always started albums with.

Birdman (Naveed)
Superman's Dead (Clumsy)
One Man Army (Happiness ... Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch)
Right Behind You (Mafia) (Spiritual Machines)
All For You (Gravity)
Angels/Losing/Sleep (Healthy in Paranoid Times)

Supersatellite

A big bass groove with some rotary guitar effects is a nice blend.

Supersatellite possesses a great breakdown.

Starseed

If you can't get up for Starseed, you stand for nothing. Starseed is a rock song through and through. From the opening solo acoustic riff, to the escalating feedback, to the bass and drum groove, to Raine's YEAH YEAH YEAHHHHHH!

This ... THIS ... is how you write a rock tune. Absolutely huge riff. Defiant vocals. POWER rock.

And not power rock in the Clownish, DudeBro rock way. Power rock that makes you want throw your fist high, a fist that absorbs the energy of the band. Starseed was club-shaking in May of 1998 at Boston's Avalon, a medium sized rock club down on Lansdowne Street, where OLP headlined their first American tour.

Hope

Naveed, the album, was nothing if not poetic. Hope is the type of song where the singer holds the mic in one hand, reaches the other to the crowd, and pulls the crowd's attention back to him (or her). The entrancing riff and meandering lyrics aid the singer in his/her quest to let you feel the conjured emotion.

Lots of rock drum and bass grooves here on track 4.

Naveed

If Starseed is the raw force of rock, Naveed is the anthem. I've always felt that Naveed is the strongest song on the entire album. It's the most complete, from start to finish. It has a powerful chorus. It's the most accessible to connect with on an emotional level.

Naveed is the reason I stayed with OLP for their entire discography. This song is the reason I purchased Burn Burn, Curve, and Somethingness. Sure, they had some good songs, but I stuck it out like an old prize fighter holding out for one more title-fight worthy song from the songs of Ontario.

The "is gone" is part is one of the best written parts in any alternative/post-grunge song in the mid 90s. The music underlaying the epic and declarative chorus of "I can't live here anymore" is complementary without overburdening the song.

The outro isn't boring. Normally, when bands try to slow fade the anthem into oblivion, they strip the essence of the song. Not so with Naveed.

Dirty Walls

Canadian alt-blues?

Like, what is Dirty Walls as a song? It possess all of the standard Canadian rock guitar chords that are ever so slightly different than American rock guitar chords. You know the type, bands like OLP and I Mother Earth use them exclusively on Naveed and Scenery and Fish.

Denied

Tremolo!

Somewhere! Somehow! We've been denied!

Hey kids, it's Phil X on the guitar solo!

Is It Safe

When you hear Is It Safe's intro, do you hear Live? Like, if Raine and Mike Turner weren't playing on this track, it would be a song on Throwing Copper.

Is It Safe is formulaic in how the song is put together. Not that that is a bad thing, it's just noticeable is all.

Julia

Julia brings a bit more pop sensibility to the latter half of Naveed. It isn't watered down, it's just less ... experimental.

Singer-songwriter Sarah Slean inspired an amazing version of this song on piano.

Offered is advice to you ...

Who builds a chorus with those lyrics? That's the way it's done.

Sweet sweet Julia!

Under Zenith

Jazz rock here. Under Zenith has some interesting vocal work from Raine.

Interesting guitar solo.

Neon Crossing

OLP deserves a slow golf clap for ending their debut album with a press fast forward rock tune like Neon Crossing. It's so entertaining and so wonderful.

Neon Crossing is a powerful way to end an album.