I'm neutral as regards these Cannucks, but the comparison with Journey is far-fetched, Dave! To me, Nickelback are - to coin a phrase - stadium rock with a grunge streak (sort of a one night stand bastard out of Bon Jovi and the Foo Fighters plus bit of Metallica thrown in), only their mass appeal fits the Journey comparison. To me, Nickelback are more like Grand Funk (Railroad) were in the 70ies, crowd pleasers and hard-working, but not really a rock band you can "take serious". For whatever reason. I always thought that Grand Funk was a fine band back then, they had their own groove and I liked Farner's and Brewer's vocals (not everyone did!) but they had zero recognition in the press.
With Nickelback, I give them credit that they have forged a sound that is not just Chad Kroeger's acquired taste-vocals, but also the general "monolithicness" (the Metallica ingredient) of their sound. They come on the radio and after a few seconds you know it is them, that forward-marching slight stiffness in their playing. I wonder whether - like Grand Funk - Nickelback will one day see a reappreciation?
When they first made waves in Germany with this here
in 2001 it was still cool to like them: All the guys into Pearl Jam and Soundgarden with - sigh! - drop-D-tuned guitars heralded them as this amazing new little band (I believe they already had three albums out by then), but somewhere along the way they fell out of favor. Kroeger's lyrics are idiotic sexist/misogynist, but since when has that ever hampered anybody's recognition? I mean even Avril didn't mind (though - if the magazines are to be believed - she now finds poor Chad failing in the "sustained satisfying marital sex"-department)!
Dave mentioned Journey.
He really did, read his post again if you don't believe me. That warrants celebration in no uncertain terms: What a kick-ass uplifting song that was (and is!) and sans dropped-D-tuning too, but you're right Dave
soaring vocals to boot ...
