Ruined by a record label

O.A.R. fans: Prepare for a great divide. Stories of a Stranger, the 7th album from the band known for its college-heavy following, creates exactly the stir it was supposed to. For good or bad: that's up for debate. Initially I sided with the latter. \nThe CD signifies a growing move for the band, now under Atlantic Records, and showcases an attempt to prove they are more than a band that can come into college towns and get undergrads to rock out in their apartments. \nAt first, I was completely confused. Surely, the guy at Best Buy marked the CD wrong. It took about three songs to find the band I used to know and love and to feel the true island vibe that got me hooked in the beginning.\nIt's obvious. With a new record label, the album was made to power O.A.R out of the college circuit and into the mainstream world of music. Unfortunately, some of the songs detour the group from a respectable attempt at new rock melodies straight to cookie-cutter radio hits. \nFor me, O.A.R. was always a simple CD buy -- I could throw any of their past albums on, and never have to touch the radio again. That's what this album is missing -- "entire play through" quality. I can't help but skip through "Love and Memories," the band's first single, every time I turn the CD on. Add female vocals, and it sounds like Ashlee Simpson to me. If you close your eyes for a good 2/3 of the CD and throw back a couple of beers, you could even mistake the album for a Goo Goo Dolls-meets-Switchfoot-meets-Matchbox 20 production. \nThat said -- I'm not knocking the album completely. Each time I listen to it, I can accept one or two more songs at a time. It's not that I don't want O.A.R. to join the ranks of great bands, but I almost feel like they're selling out. There are plenty of alternative bands that sound the same on the radio -- there's no need for another.\nIt's the bands uniqueness that attracts listeners to them in the first place. And while the CD is certainly lacking that unique sound, O.A.R. hasn't entirely left their popular jam music behind. With the familiar reggae undertones of the band in "Program Director" and "Wonderful Day," the true spirit of lead singer Marc Roberge comes through.\nIt's not that I don't respect the band for trying new things, and they don't do a terrible job with their new sound either. Still, you can feel in the CD how hard the band is trying to hold back their natural sound -- I know it's there; it's just being held back by a record label. \nSo, O.A.R. fans, you can still expect a couple of songs to turn up and chill to. But I think, like me, you'll wait anxiously for the next CD hoping when you pop it in you'll hear the blaring vocals and beats the band is known for instead of a mix of B97 regulars.