2008 Woodie Awards
Nickelback: All the Right Reasons to Continue
Christopher Erat
Issue date: 11/14/05 Section: Entertainment
- Page 1 of 1
Well, the guys in Nickelback never fail to come through. Reliability is a hard quality to find in the music industry anymore, but this is one band that keeps using what works. For example, take a look at one of the biggest bands in the world, AC/DC. They took a simple formula and made it work for them, and you can see where they are now; AC/DC remains at the top of their game even after thirty plus years. Nickelback has taken a page or two out of this history book, which ultimately has its good and bad sides.
Take All The Right Reasons, the newest release from the Canadian quartet, for instance. This album is, in its entirety, nothing new for the band and their fans, it's just better. The past five years on the road, doing just a bit of hardcore touring and pumping out an album every other year or so has been the best possible thing for this band, if not for every decent act. The time on the road and little experiences along the way have worked Nickelback into a quality product for the masses, one that emanates reliability and longevity.
While not so much of an evolution as it is a refinement, these slight changes in songwriting started with 2000's The State. Their major-label debut featured chunky distortion and rough vocals. But, by the time Silver Side Up came out in 2001, the progression within individual tracks was smoothed out a bit and Chad Kroeger's singing was maturing and gaining range. The next step was 2003's The Long Road, another successful album that had the same style and feel, but showcased a newer version of the band. Their third major album had a groove in the riffing that was the result of nothing but experience. Now, the most recent rendering of the band comes on the success of its first single "Photograph."
With two years of new experiences and stories to tell, Nickelback jumped back in the studio after getting off the tour bus in support of The Long Road. Having no pressure and no deadlines to deal with, the three axemen of the band sat down and started penning their next multi-platinum release. If you want to find noticeable differences with this album, there are two of them that stick right out, the first being the drumming. Before recording could really get underway, the band had to audition a new drummer, which they found in Daniel Adair. What really is clear about the skinsman change is the dynamics and style now, not simply the same snare-symbol-bass kick combination with every song. The other is the use of more acoustic guitars and vocal melody on this album than previous ones, harking back more to Kroeger's contribution to the Spiderman soundtrack with "Hero" than say "How You Remind Me" or "Throw Yourself Away." The song style is ultimately the same though, with Ryan Peake and Chad Kroeger throwing up their walls of pulsing guitar, laden heavily with bass lines supplied by the latter's brother, Mike Kroeger. Listening to "Fight for All the Wrong Reasons" or "Next Contestant," these songs would have easily fit onto any of the previous albums. But, it is the melody and sentiment in "If Everyone Cared" and "Far Away" that keeps the progression moving forwards. The best part of the album though is the tribute to the late Dimebag Darrell, "Side of A Bullet". This track was given the stamp of approval by the fallen soldier's brother Vinnie Paul and feature clips of previously unreleased Dimebag solos pieced together. And while it was mentioned that sticking with what works can also be bad, as in the music becoming stale and uninspired, look at Nickelback's success and see how they made it worked in their favor.
Take All The Right Reasons, the newest release from the Canadian quartet, for instance. This album is, in its entirety, nothing new for the band and their fans, it's just better. The past five years on the road, doing just a bit of hardcore touring and pumping out an album every other year or so has been the best possible thing for this band, if not for every decent act. The time on the road and little experiences along the way have worked Nickelback into a quality product for the masses, one that emanates reliability and longevity.
While not so much of an evolution as it is a refinement, these slight changes in songwriting started with 2000's The State. Their major-label debut featured chunky distortion and rough vocals. But, by the time Silver Side Up came out in 2001, the progression within individual tracks was smoothed out a bit and Chad Kroeger's singing was maturing and gaining range. The next step was 2003's The Long Road, another successful album that had the same style and feel, but showcased a newer version of the band. Their third major album had a groove in the riffing that was the result of nothing but experience. Now, the most recent rendering of the band comes on the success of its first single "Photograph."
With two years of new experiences and stories to tell, Nickelback jumped back in the studio after getting off the tour bus in support of The Long Road. Having no pressure and no deadlines to deal with, the three axemen of the band sat down and started penning their next multi-platinum release. If you want to find noticeable differences with this album, there are two of them that stick right out, the first being the drumming. Before recording could really get underway, the band had to audition a new drummer, which they found in Daniel Adair. What really is clear about the skinsman change is the dynamics and style now, not simply the same snare-symbol-bass kick combination with every song. The other is the use of more acoustic guitars and vocal melody on this album than previous ones, harking back more to Kroeger's contribution to the Spiderman soundtrack with "Hero" than say "How You Remind Me" or "Throw Yourself Away." The song style is ultimately the same though, with Ryan Peake and Chad Kroeger throwing up their walls of pulsing guitar, laden heavily with bass lines supplied by the latter's brother, Mike Kroeger. Listening to "Fight for All the Wrong Reasons" or "Next Contestant," these songs would have easily fit onto any of the previous albums. But, it is the melody and sentiment in "If Everyone Cared" and "Far Away" that keeps the progression moving forwards. The best part of the album though is the tribute to the late Dimebag Darrell, "Side of A Bullet". This track was given the stamp of approval by the fallen soldier's brother Vinnie Paul and feature clips of previously unreleased Dimebag solos pieced together. And while it was mentioned that sticking with what works can also be bad, as in the music becoming stale and uninspired, look at Nickelback's success and see how they made it worked in their favor.