If you listen to modern-rock radio, then you’ve heard Nickelback. This Canadian quartet’s second album, Silver Side Up, sounds powered by Fuel, motivated by Creed and stained by, uh, Staind. Nearly every song seems trapped in the amber of early-Nineties Seattle aesthetics, the sonic equivalent of too many unfortunate goatees. It’s all here: loud-soft dynamics, a lighter-waving power ballad, aggro lyrics that touch on all the expected trauma topics (abuse, depression, golddiggin’ women) and those slightly discordant yet catchy chord progressions. The band delivers its sound professionally, but if you’re looking for originality, you might want a full refund instead of a Nickelback.
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in September 2001.
From Rolling Stone US
