By Artist Nickelback Silver Side Up
Silver Side Up
Thursday, 09 April 2009 07:52 | 
Author: The Grouch | 
Nickelback is a four piece out of Edmonton, Alberta (That's in Canada.) I don't know a lot about these guys. I saw them on TV a while ago and they rocked - that television program stuck in my mind long enough for me to pickup a couple of their albums when I had the chance. Recently I've been listening to Silver Side Up. This is a good album. Nickelback reminds me of MC5 - the brash in your face blast of noise definitely gets your attention. I actually find this LP refreshing. I mean that while it is Rock and Roll, its certainty not meant for people my age. Its not like Black Sabbath. Its not like The Damned. It's a bit like Fear, but much more polished. Its rock for the next generation and that strikes me as appropriate - while I dig it, I have the sneaking suspicion that I may not "get it" All I can say is Rock on guys.
Track 2 - How You Remind Me - Interesting drums and guitar. The vocals are haunting. The theme is a guy who self medicates while thinking back on the dysfunctional mess of his childhood. You can almost feel the pain as he sardonically asks Are we having fun yet?
Track 3 - Woke Up This Morning - More ripping guitar and pounding drums start this song. I can't quite make out what he is singing, but there is a kind of a flute sound that leads into the bridge that flows into the chorus. All of this All of this. The vocals sound like they come from an echo chamber.
Track 4 - Too Bad The echo vocals are back as Kroeger sings about how his father walked out of the family when he was a kid. Once again the tragic lyrics make this song even more intense than the grinding guitar. I really like this song - the slow thump thump thump drum fill that leads into a guitar solo works well with the slow melancholy lyrics of a kid who was abandoned and now has a venue to express his anger. Authenticity oozes out of this song. A+ musically and lyrically.
Track 5 - Just For Nice machine gun intro. I like the drummer's work on this song. I want to rip his heart out just for hurting you; I want to break his back now - yes I do. One thing I like about these guys is the anger that comes through - Silver Side Up is the antithesis of Green Thoughts by the Smithereens. Where Pat DiNizio is full of whiney self serving whoa is me crap - Kroeger's message is simple: Life can suck - I'm pissed and I'm here to F you up if I get the chance. Take a listen to the MC5's album Thunder Express.
Track 6 Hollywood - You got to dig the power riff at the beginning of the track. Gritty and grungy. Not a bad song although I have the feeling that the live version is better than the album version.
Track 7 Money Bought - OK I really do not understand what the lyrics are about. Having said that I like the song. The guitar is heavy and the drums funky. The chorus is actually catchy. He could be singing Blah Blah Boo Boo Blah and the song would still be pretty good. The screeching guitar is kind of cool.
Track 8 Where Do I Hide? - Nice riff at the beginning followed by a syncopated drum fill that leads into a staccato jam. I really like the music - these guys can play. The lyrics are the standard "bad dude on the run" however the music is good enough that this cliché doesn't get in the way of the song.
Track 9 Hangnail - Nice guitar - bass - drums work at the beginning. This song just doesn't grab me the way some of the others do. I can't put my finger on it, but this song almost seems as if they had a cool riff and needed a track to fill up album space. This song is probably better live when they can pull out a jam in between the verses. As for the song on the album - skip.
Track 10 Good Times Gone - Interesting intro with a feedback laden guitar. This song is actually pretty mellow. The bass and drums are heavy- the lyrics sad and the slide guitar sounds like an emotional powerhouse delivering a smack to the gut. I guess you could call this "Alternative Blues" I like it.
All in all these guys are good. I like the album and give them 3.5 out of 5 scowls. I've heard better, but I've heard A LOT worse. This is a solid album.