Review Summary: "What if Nickelback's decision to let the music speak for itself is, ironically, their biggest selling point of all?" - EW
When I say the word metal what band immediately stimulates your brain cells? Probably
Earshot, but I really need the focus here to be on Nickelback and their eponymous release
All the Right Reasons – here, use this if you will http://tinyurl.com/3sdx23z. An album devoid of vocal fans it has been regarded as the epitome of radio rock. A fitting and well deserved title as; incidentally, seven of its eleven rip-roaring tracks were featured as singles at one point or another. I’d like to take a moment and direct your attention to that feat. Name the last band who had over ¾ of their album play worldwide for them, for free might I add, every hour of everyday? How could anyone escape? In turn, how could you not fall in love with the sensation; everyone else is, albeit, nobody is admitting it. In gaining support for my defense of
All the Right Reasons I was directed towards sites such as “homohelp.net” and “ebaumsworld.com” thus, admittedly, the task has proved to be a rather difficult affair. It would appear everyone has become a critic these days going so far as to parallel the band to the likes of Osama Bin Laden and even worse O.J.! Discouraging to say the least, but hardly influential as I could take solace in the fact that this album solidified the band within Billboard200’s #13 of the decade, and Wikipedia.org states the band is breaching the forty-million dollar mark in sales – coincidence? I think not.
“Follow You Home” – I dare say, there are few better openers for a metal album then the energetic “Follow You Home”; just listen to those drums kick start what’s already a wild ride – the album cover is no lie. This album is about fast straight forward rock that cuts no corners in reaching its objective. Chad Kroeger gives a dazzling vocal performance that has been gratified from years of cigarettes and booze as it’s unabashedly stringed and wisely sticks inside a range it can handle. That’s right Kroeger’s voice is essentially its own entity on
All the Right Reasons marking one of the many right reasons to cherish this within your collection. Even Billy Gibbons agrees!
“Fight For All the Wrong Reasons” – Who says this band has no creativity? Look at that play on words. Just in case you didn’t catch that the album is called
All the Right Reasons and the name of this song is “Fight For All the Wrong Reasons”. It opens with a top heavy riff that feels like it could have also been the album opener, but that just goes to show how versatile this band is. The chorus, which saddles itself upon finger lickin’ good riffs and drums that dance about rhythmically in sterile 4/4 timing, is to say the least one of the best featured here. Chad gives it his all even going so far as to churn a quip yell towards the bridge which sexily flaunts echoes and a lil’ distortion.
“Photograph” – After Hurricane Katrina there were few things in life that helped put us back on our feet. Needless to say “Photograph” was the soundtrack to watching our woes walk right out the bedroom door. We collected what was left of our lives, photos and memories, and headed back into life rejuvenated. Chad was able to emulate our pain with an empathy that was agitatedly missed around the nation. How gracious of him to deliver a soothing song; there was almost nothing more we could ask from a millionaire with nothing but time on his hands.
“Animals” – When I want sex and metal at the same time I look no further. You see, I’m sterile so I live vicariously through the life of Chad Kroeger and his unending sexcapades. Everything about this song is absolutely astonishing from its pedal to the metal opening riff to those lyrics which raise more than an eyebrow. Who is this woman and why is the sex with her so dangerous? Is Chad fornicating with minors? If not, why is the father the climactic moment of the story translating this to an O.C. episode of sorts? These questions and more are vapid and unimportant. What’s most important is that Chad get’s off so that I get off which – spoiler alert! – He does not.
“Savin’ Me” (without the G)– I love artists that stylize their titles to fit phonetically which is why “Savin’ Me” is one of my favorite tracks. In moments leading up to the release of
All the Right Reasons Chad stated they would incorporating more instruments with this release. He initially stated he was turned off by the use of a piano as that wasn’t what metal bands did, but hearing its use within this amazing power ballad immediately changed his mind. Bopping from acoustic centerfold to mainly driven power chords this song switches more than Nicki Minaj’s as
s reminiscent of the
Tool influence Nickelback so often cite.
“Far Away” – It really doesn’t get much better than this track. Firstly the bass, which is careful to hit no more than two notes within a measure, is truly the standout instrument here. Well, second of course to Chad’s voice. The band feels in perfect stride here ooo-ing and ahh-ing their way through three minutes of balladry bliss. The sentimental aspect of this song really elevates the lyrics so when he sings “I luuuuve you / I luuuuved you all along / And I forgiiive you” you really believe that he’s having the harder time in his ongoing long distance relationship with the specific woman this songs directed toward.
“Next Contestant” – It’s been a while since we’ve rocked our f
ucking cock out I usually think to myself around track seven. Thankfully “Next Contestant” rears its heavily reverbed riff and Chad starts getting feisty. With a drum beat that’s almost non-existent and a chorus that erupts into start-stop chugging the band create their most ambitious track to date as Chad yells “I wish you’d do it again / This time somebody’s getting hurt”.
“Side of A Bullet” – You’ve probably heard much talk about the ruthless homage to Dimebag Darell, which even goes so far as to include one of his sexiest solos within the songs bridge. When I say this bad boy right here is heavy I’m not talking
Powerglove Total Pwnage heavy, no, no;
13 Ways To Bleed On Stage heavy. Predominantly driven by a bass/guitar marriage of a riff the song capsizes its nu-metal feel for straight alt. metal once the chorus hits.
Sevendust get some.
“If Everyone Cared” – I used to attend a church in my hometown every Sunday morning at 9am for the morning service and the confusingly titled afternoon service at 10:45am. I remembered when I first heard this song in the shower and immediately cut my morning session short to hurry to my chapel and play this song for the congregation to hear. There was rejoicing when they realized Chad had the answer to the world’s problems. All we had to do was
care while a piano achingly stroked four keys of genius. It was astounding to think nobody had grasped this concept before. I believe I was partly the reason for the album selling close to an astounding (!) eight million copies and am hereby demanding my share.
“Someone That You’re With” – I like to think NASCAR when hearing this jam. Maybe because Chad uses cryptic words like “Well I’d rather start off slow / This whole things like some sort of race”, or because the song is fast, like Jeff Gordon, deeming it an automatic winner. It’s not the most metal riff around which ashamedly makes me label this more of a pop rock of sorts, but the songs progression reminds me of the likes of
Spock's Beard ; horribly overblown with drumming that is far from stable switching between 3/4 and 4/4 on the drop of a dime, “Someone That You’re With” is a loose step that often feels jaded by its own ambitions.
“Rockstar” – Here is the reason we listen to Nickelback. They are enviable. I come to a record like
All the Right Reasons because I don’t have any cool bars to drink at, or any of Marilyn Manson’s cool groupies to snort coke off of. But with Chad Kroeger’s elegant descriptions of the life I’ll never have I don’t have to. I just pop this bad boy in my 1969 Dodge Dart, open a can of PBR, and stare at my garage door while I vicariously live the life of a rock star.
