NICKELBACK
All the Right Reasons
Roadrunner Records 2005
www.nickelback.com

Sample it here

What’s the 4-1-1?
Nickelback have returned for…er…All the Right Reasons.

Genre
Hard rock / modern rock

The Good
Chad Kroeger walks a fine line between love and obsession on hard-riffing “Follow You Home”. He also challenges his voice to the limit on the chorus. ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons lays down some great runs throughout this track. The acoustic power ballad “Photograph” is about recalling your childhood and how simple and easy things were back then. It’s sure to elicit an emotional memory from your youth. “Animals” is another attempt by the group to shed their innocent looking image and establish them as sexually driven beings. This one is a lot heavier and faster than their last attempt, “Figured You Out”.

If the band chooses to release it as a single, mark my word, “Far Away” will be a huge hit for them. It’s a moving ballad with lots of sensitivity for the ladies and plenty of great guitar playing for the guys. Kroeger is at his best vocally as he pledges his undying love. An effects laden riff runs rampant on “Next Contestant” as the group describes the hardships of having a stripper for a girlfriend. “Someone That You’re With” has the potential to be a commercial crossover rock hit with its galloping riffage and harmonized chorus. “Side of a Bullet” recalls the events that led to the murder of Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell. The riffs are very Pantera-esque, and the solo is actually one of Dimebag’s last.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
Consistency is what Nickelback is all about, and they’ve done it once again with All the Right Reasons. Another album of heavy riffs, catchy lyrics, and powerful ballads.

Did You Know?
Nickelback started off as a cover band in Canada.

Rating: out of 5

--George Dionne