Krueger’s back

Nickelback returns with eighth album

I wonder how many people will stop reading after they find out this is an article about Nickelback.

No Fixed Address, the Alberta-bred band’s eighth studio album, was released last week, having received fairly average ratings from critics like Billboard, who gave the album 3/5 stars, to the less-than-average USA Today rating of only 2/4 stars. These mixed mediocre ratings reflect a handful of the band’s past albums, such as the ones associated with Dark Horse and Here and Now.

Now, I understand that some people don’t like their musical style, or their morals—or lack thereof. But saying “they smell funny” (I’m looking at you, Maria Cruz) or saying that “they suck because they’re Nickelback” isn’t a good enough reason to hate them. I’ve just about had it with these Nickelback haters who have zero substance to their argument.

In my opinion, Nickelback is not a bad band. Their songs are fun to listen to and they’re not meant to be taken seriously. Their music shouldn’t be analyzed under a microscope. The upbeat, amusing lyrics perfectly embody the Canadian band’s roots. And with No Fixed Address, lovers of the band will see that if you give the band a chance, their music can be enjoyed.

The first thing I noticed about the album was that its first song, “Million Miles an Hour”, was nostalgic because it brought back the gritty hard rock of Nickelback’s earlier days. The song jumped out at me and I was impressed and surprised by how good the song was. What I also liked is how the album didn’t contain sappy romantic songs like “Far Away”, but it stuck to its pure rock genre.

I’d be lying if I said all the songs on the album were great, but along with the first track, “The Hammer’s Coming Down” is one of the best songs of the album. With crisp lyrics and the sound of an acoustic guitar juxtaposed with the electric, the song represents what I see the band stand for: unique rock music that’s not heavy metal like Metallica or soft rock like Bon Jovi. Nickelback has a distinct sound, and that sound is emphasized and enhanced on this album.

The album has new songs that are similar to past albums, whereby familiar messages about togetherness, nostalgia, women, and good ol’ rock and roll are present. For those who are always willing to enjoy a great jam session, in the words of Here and Now’s second song, “Bottoms Up”!

MMMM½

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