Former Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida steps out on his own with debut solo album "The Hunters Lullaby," exploring modern folk terrain that remains introspective even when he charges it with uptempo beats. Such is the case with Beck-like spoken-word rumination "Yellow Brick Road." Maida reminiscences here about a simpler time when people "kissed the sky, expanded our minds, thought we could fly/We were dreamers and we'd never die," with a faintly hip-hop attitude. He upholds the organic vibe with a dutiful piano and skipping drum beats that lead the way; an unsentimental violin thread nevertheless conjures nostalgia as it weaves along the bridges. Although Maida asks people to "wise up" and dump the quest for materialism, he can cheerfully snap his fingers as he raises consciousness. —Christa L. Titus