Nickelback - The Long Road

It's never easy following up a multi-platinum success, but Canada's Nickelback's latest seem sure to match the sales of the many-million-selling Silver Side Up. The formula remains pretty much the same--nothing fancy, just radio-friendly grunge that lends an appropriately dramatic backing to the powerful and increasingly confident voice of Chad Kroeger. Aside from the fast and punchy opener "Flat on the Floor," the tough, staccato "Because of You," and the Oasis-like "Figured You Out," the band deal exclusively in soft-rock anthems (soft, that is, by 2003’s pulverizing standards). The only real change here lies is in Kroeger's lyrical concerns. Where 2000's The State found him suffering the frustrations of small-town life, now he's tortured by a heavy touring schedule that promotes destructive drug abuse and strains relationships to breaking point. That said, you can't help feeling the ruthlessly analytical Kroeger would turn a visit to the supermarket into a riot of hatred and self-recrimination. For fans of Silver Side Up, Nickelback have delivered the goods once more. --Dominic Wills Amazon.com

Rocks

Nickelback's 2003 The Long Road rocks. I liked Silver Side Up (2001), but LR rocks, rocks, rocks. Big guitar sound, ballsy vocals, big bass, rocking drums...all of it. Based on their radio hits, one would not guess how much this album rocks. I only wish that there were more guitar solos. That's the 80s metal in me I guess. I also appreciate Kroeger's relational lyrics, uncommon for harder music stereotypically. July 31, 2005

Good album, but may not be what you expect......

I was taken a little aback by the head-banging intro to the first song - just wasn't expecting it. I tend to feel they have tried to rip off Metallica somewhat on a few of their songs. And, I think the arrangement of songs is a little off - there are two songs back-to-back that have exactly the same beat count, and it's a little distracting.

BUT this is, overall, a good CD. I was pleasantly surprised by their version of Elton John's "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," and have a couple un-released songs I enjoy listening to over and over. I don't regret the purchase, and will look for new releases in the future. June 21, 2005

Nickelback: The personification of formulaic rock

I'm sure most of you have heard the infamous mp3 that was floating around titled "How You Remind Me of Someday". Well, i was the creator of that, and i'll tell you why i put those songs together like that. A year or 2 ago my girlfriend was a Nickelback fan. Now that sort of bothers me (i'll get to why later) but it's ok until i have to hear it as well. I began to explain to her why it's difficult for me to enjoy music which follows so rigidly to a formula to pump out songs for their albums, because it's just no FUN when you can tell that's exactly what they are doing, and by the end of the song you've got the whole thing memorized. Most of Nickelbacks songs are 90% the same thing, with the only variance being the vocal melodies (which all STILL stick to the same 4 or 5 notes anyway, just a slightly different arrangement) and a bar or 2 of the "clean section" added occasionally or something like that. I made that pairing of the songs because apparently people can't hear all of that on their own. I made it so my girlfriend could hear VERY clearly what i was talking about, and just how similar they really are.

Don't get me wrong, Nickelback is probably the catchiest rock band out there right now... but is that enough? I answer with a resounding NO! The thing is, mass media expects only the catchiest of songs and treats that as about the only aspect of music worth airing. It's not even their fault though, who could blame them? It's how they are going to generate revenue. The average person (and even those who pretend they are more into music than they really are) only listens to something because it makes them a bit giddy when the chorus of the song comes on. Now, if you're doing anything REMOTELY harmonically adventurous, it's TOO MUCH for a casual listener of the radio to grasp, and they won't be able to get into it. This is WHY you don't hear any songs that are truly "different" on the radio. Ever wonder why all songs are about 3-4 minutes, get to the chorus in 30 seconds or less, and repeat it 5-10 times a song? hardly seems interesting to me. But the point is that when the song ends, you'll have that "catch" in your head and want to buy the album. Unfortunately with that kind of easy consumption, almost inevitably comes a quick and painful downfall. Songs that simple are just too hard to be interesting for a long time.

What am i getting at you ask? well, i'm getting at the fact that music has so much more to offer than what most people are typically exposed to, and it's really a shame that something like Nickelback gets touted as the greatest rock band of our time. Do some of you know that not every band has an album of 12 songs at 3-4 minutes long? did you know some bands release songs upwards of 20 minutes? sounds boring huh? well, it would be if they tried to just repeat the chorus and use the kind of structure Nickelback does. My point is, Nickelback songs go nowhere. They start somewhere nice and simple, go into a chorus which is just stepping on the distortion pedal (don't forget their lame "chug chug chug chug" that they do going into every chorus), and then they do that a few times and end. It's not entertaining to me.

Imagine a song which represents an entire emotional experience, running through the gamut of feelings one can get through the music, and leaving you sitting there when it is all over wondering how that just happened to you. When this happens, you'll realize the power of music doesn't come in small 3 minute chunks of the same thing over and over, it comes from transitions between emotions, a "journey", if you will. The whole is infinitely greater than the sum of it's parts.

People can be changed through music... the sheer power of what some people have created is overwhelming, and it's extremely unfortunate that such a small number of people will ever come to realize this. My girlfriend despises Nickelback now, once i explained what it was that makes them unworthy of the praise they get. Let me say though, they are not without talent. I do think Chad has got an excellent ear for melody, and has a unique and fairly pleasing vocal tone. Lucky for him, that's EXACTLY all you need to make it in the pop world, so that's the end of that. Superstardom. I urge you, however, to try to seek more out of your music than just a catchy voice. If you just spend a little time looking (the radio won't help you here), you just may find something that will change your outlook on music, and bands like Nickelback will no longer cut it. Sorry, Nickelback, you're forever pegged to be attacked for what you do musically, but i guess SOMEONE'S gotta be the simplest and catchiest rock band on the radio. After all, most people love that. April 6, 2005

TOTALLY AWESOME

Nickelback is a totally awesome band. I saw them in concert with Finger Eleven and Puddle of Mudd and they rocked. I have every nickelback cd relased and I have to say there is not one song on any cd that i do not like.Nickelback is one totally kick a** band November 2, 2004

Nickelback Does It Again

Overall, i am not a big fan of the modern rock coming out these days. However, after hearing "How You Remind Me" on the radio,i really liked it and went out and puchased Silver Side Up. I enjoyed pretty much the entire album so when i saw that The Long Road was being released, I decided to give it a shot. I was not the slightest bit dissapointed. The album is filled with a whole bunch of rockin songs with good meledies that you can help but crank up and sing along to. My personal favorite from the album is "Do This Anymore", a rocking song where chad Kroger really shows off his awesome voice with his combination of singing softly and his ability to belt out lyrics with power while not making it seem like he is just straight out screaming. Other favorites on the album include "Someday", yes its overplayed but still good, "Feeling Way Too Damn Good", and of coarse "Figured You Out" (how can anybody not like that song). so if you liked Silver Side Up than i strongly recemend going out and buying this album August 22, 2004

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