So I was driving to last night’s Chad VanGaalen show, when suddenly I realized that I had forgotten my iPod AND my CDs that I usually listen to in the car. I was already halfway to San Francisco when I discovered this. No listening to the awesome mix that I had made for myself for driving in this beautiful weather we’ve been having lately. Nope, it was just me and my dreaded enemy, the FM radio. I figured, “Hey! This is California! There has got to be some sort of indie college radio station that I can listen to while I cruise over the Golden Gate Bridge.” I remained optimistic and figured I’d fair pretty well against the evils of FM Radio. So I turned it on and the first thing I hear is some kind of Spanish hip-hop with that auto-tune thing. It didn’t take long for me to say, “GAA!” and change the station. The next station was a classic rock radio station; the song was Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers‘ Refugee. A song I’ve heard more than I’d care to share with you. So I naturally I changed it again. After a few stations with bad receptions and listening to someone on a talk radio station talk about how awesome AIG is, I stumbled on 107.7 The Bone. The Bone, as it turns out, is THE Bay Area’s rock station (if you follow me). Kind of like CNN is THE most trusted name in news, The Bone is THE rock station of the Bay. I was skeptical about this claim. Were they going to play some new Yeah Yeah Yeah’s? That sounds very rockish and upbeat. Would they play …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead’s new material? That is very rock I must say.
Nope.
The first song I got the privilege to hear was Gotta Be Somebody by the alternative rock band, Nickelback. Now those who know me well, know my thoughts on the current state of radio rock music. But I was feeling particularly openminded today. I felt compelled to hear them out. I wanted to know what they had to say. The outcome of my listen surprised me.
I dug it.
Not only did I dig it, but I drove my ass to the local Amoeba records and bought their latest CD, Dark Horse. I was shocked that for all these years the band has been refered as the kind of act that is bad enough to make any music fan begin to hate music. I wholeheartedly disagree with this unfair accusation. Nickelback make the personal public and vent a history of frustration and resentment to melodic hard rock. The band’s sixth album, Dark Horse, is their most accessible, least self-conscious album to date. The record starts with Something In Your Mouth, a sexy and straightforward song with rock ‘n roll the way it was meant to be rocked and rolled. The album’s catchy radio hit Gotta Be Somebody and the song Never Gonna Be Alone tell of relationships, while other tracks touch on damaged hope and lost dreams. The post-grunge, alt-metal combo backing these songs packs as strong a punch as the lyrical material, going hard with lots of hooks. The sludgy, alt-metal riffs on Next Go Round, S.E.X., and Burn It to the Ground add a little meat to the alt-rock bones on Dark Horse, elevating Nickelback above the heap of copycat rockers clogging the airwaves. The last song, This Afternoon, is a major tribute to Credence Clearwater Revival with it’s country and rockabilly aspects. The band even talks about them being their biggest influence in this informative interview about their favorite bands. The exclusive Wal-Mart edition of Dark Horse comes with a link to download an MP3 from their performance of This Afternoon on Walmart Soundcheck. A song I’d really like to hear but I can’t seem to find it on Hype Machine.
I know this may be surprising to you and believe me, it was to me too, but this is one very promising band. Even if Portugal doesn’t seem to agree…
Nevertheless, when and if you become a parent, buy two of copies of Dark Horse–one for yourself, and one to hand down to your kids. In this age of manufactured pop-punk and tepid indie pop, parents should show their children how true rock ‘n’ roll is done. This is the perfect start to their library.
You can purchase Dark Horse here.
Nickelback – Something In Your Mouth
note: AWESOME video right here.