Dark Horse by Nickelback

Nickelback’s new album, “Dark Horse,” is a hard case for music fans and critics alike to decipher - their slow ballad-type songs shouldn’t even be allowed onto the worst adult contemporary stations out there, but the actual rock songs have super-hot electric guitar and sexy lyrics blasting forth, making them impossible to turn off at first listen.

Unfortunately, if you were to listen to more than one of these energetic tunes, it becomes apparent that all this album is about is sex and women. While that may be an attractive topic to many of the band’s listeners, it also goes far to alienate a lot of possible audience members. Literally half the album is on this topic, with “Next Go Round,” “Shakin’ Hands” and “S.E.X” leading this race.

In the style of Bon Jovi’s “New Jersey,” they end the album with “This Afternoon,” a lazy, laid-back tune about having crazy, impromptu parties with all your friends in the middle of the day.

The songs that shouldn’t see the light of day on any radio stations include “I’d Come For You” and “Never Gonna Be Alone.”

“Burn It To The Ground” and “Just To Get High” then join the frivolous-lifestyle-of-a-rockstar race and make the general gist of the CD is one of contrived flippancy, which is too much to handle in album form. The songs, like the first hit, “Gotta Be Somebody”, should be great to appreciate in the form of slowly-released singles, though.

It’s disappointing that this album starts to grate on the ears after a few listens, because it was really impressive the first time round, and I thought it had restored my lost hope in a once-unique band, but the fact is it’s overdone, overplayed and underwritten. Wait to hear the songs repeatedly in clubs and bars all over instead of buying the CD.

Comments

There are no comments.

To comment on this article login or register.

More Reviews

The Sparrow by Lawrence Arabia

08/09/2012
Oceania by The Smashing Pumpkins

06/25/2012
What We Saw From the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor

06/14/2012
Born and Raised by John Mayer

06/10/2012
Bloom by Beach House

05/29/2012
Early Takes Volume 1 by George Harrison

05/27/2012

CelebSelect

Danielle Panabaker's Top Pop Picks
- Favorite Band: The Avett Brothers
  
  "I'm really into the Avett Brothers as of late."
- Favorite Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  
  "My girlfriends are I - we are very nerdy. We started a book club and the first book we read was Gone Girl."
- Favorite New Movie: Silver Linings Playbook
  
  "I thought it was a great film and I thought Jennifer Lawrence was incredible, you know those angry tears, I've certainly experienced that."
Paul Van Dyk: Current Favorites
- School of the Seven Bells
  
  The New York-based band unites Benjamin Curtis of "Secret Machines" and Alejandra Deheza. Formed in 2007, the duo is named after a mythical South American pickpocket training academy of the same name.
- Linkin Park
  
  The Californian rock veterans have come a long way since 'Hybrid Theory.' Back now with their fifth studio album in over a decade, 'Living Things' is one of Paul Van Dyck's favorite albums this year.
- Jupiter Jones
  
  The German punk rock band formed in 2002, but has already released several LPs, including an eponymously-named album in 2011.
- Depeche Mode
  
  The legendary Essex electronic band from the 80s remains a classic for Van Dyk. It was also recently among 'Q' magazine's "50 Bands That Changed The World!".
Cody Simpson
- Favorite Movie
  I'm still really into the Ocean's series. I got into them recently. I was always too young to watch them.
- Favorite Book
  This book called Contest by Matthew Reilly, he's an Australian author.
- Favorite Album
  Drake's Take Care — big fan of that
- Favorite TV Show
  The Mentalist
Styx's Lawrence Gowan
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
  
  "That’s got me laughing hysterically on airplanes."
- Making Mirrors by Goyte
  
  "I thought that was a tremendous record."
- The Artist
  
  "It really impressed me."
- Keane
  
  "They’re really strong."
90210's Michael Steger: My Favorite Stuff
- Favorite TV Show: Rome
  
  HBO's series starring Cirian Hinds
- Favorite Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  
  "Either that or The Gypsy Kings."
- Favorite Book: The Fountainhead
  
  "Probably my favorite book of all time."
- Favorite New Movie: Attack The Block
  
  “It reminded me of The Goonies.”