Nickelback - All the Right Reasons

Chad Kroeger- Vocals and Guitars
Mike Kroeger- Bass
Ryan Peake- Guitar and Vocals
Daniel Adair- Drums and vocals

The Canadian rockers' fifth studio album, "All the right reasons" oozes pure Nickelbackness. The alternative rock (and sometimes described as post-grunge) album was released in 2005 but was only discovered recently by yours truly.

I first discovered the wonderfulness of the band several years back, when they released their first major hit "How you remind me". Perhaps I wasn't quite old enough to appreciate the pure brilliance of this band back then. But over the past few months, their sound has been revived in this household, with me constantly blasting "Silver side up" and "The long road" on the kitchen stereo. Hungry for more, I sought out this album, and certainly wasn't disappointed.

The albun contains the perfect blend of songs, from the heavier "Next Contestant", to the slower "Far Away" and "Savin' Me."

The darker song "Side of a bullet" is a dedication to the late Dimebag Darrell and features a guitar solo from his band Pantera.

"If everyone cared" showed that the band were doing their bit for charity, with all proceeds from internet downloads going towards charities Amnesty International and International Children's Awareness Canada.

"Animals" was released as a radio-single, but a video was never made, due to the sexually explicit nature of the lyrics.

"Rockstar" was a humorous take on the rock lifestyle, referring to misconceptions and stereotypes... "the girls come easy and the drugs come cheap".

Nickelback are in a way I suppose one of a kind. Their music has become popular at a time when most rock music is darker and more depressing, or at the other end of the scale: more pop-like.

Perhaps if Nickelback had hit the big time 10 or 15 years earlier, they would have fitted in better due to the developing grunge scene. Perhaps not.

And yes, they may be criticised for "writing songs by numbers" but I personally can't see that. The band fulfill and need in the market right now... a need for rock music that is upbeat and not all about hell, death and the devil.

I would recommend the album to all people out there who crave variety in what they listen to, and who want to hear something new. The songs are not copies of one another, whatever people might say.

I am certainly looking forward to hearing the band's next offering, which is apparently due to be released in 2008.