Nickelback - Here And Now
With all the criticism sent their way, it's hard to believe (and impressive) that Nickelback have released their seventh studio album this week.
Here And Now is a record that will please fans, whilst still failing to win over the band's critics.
The Nickelback standards (lyrically and musically) are present throughout on a slightly predictable record, albeit one with an impressive amount of energy.
It's radio-friendly, as we've come to expect from Chad Kroeger and the band, but it's a scene they've cemented themselves in.
The album manages a little diversity, but as a whole still remains largely formulaic.
Occasionally, the familiarity works, particularly on lead single 'When We Stand Together', a clean-cut, radio-rock track carried by an acoustic guitar.
It seems to loosely be Here And Now's answer to the likes of 'Photograph', at least musically.
Inoffensive, it was a great choice for a single, but some of the cliched lyrics are certainly cringe worthy.
For all their shortcomings, Nickelback have proven that they have a knack for writing a heavy riff or two, and they blast them out throughout Here And Now.
Songs like 'Gotta Get Me Some' and 'Bottoms Up' are carried by their riffs, although the latter is particularly uninspired lyrically.
Unfortunately, Nickelback have a tend to needlessly over-do things with production and instrumentation, and it can sometimes ruin a genuinely great song.
There's a case of this with the beautiful 'Lullaby' - at its roots, this is a nice tribute to their babysitter's boyfriend passing away.
However, the huge instrumentation, including strings, a piano break-down and other cliches, just feels too contrived - this would have worked much better as a stripped-down piano or acoustic ballad.
When it comes down to it, Here And Now (and Nickelback as a whole) will remain divisive.
Fans will thoroughly enjoy the likes of 'Trying Not To Love' and 'Everything I Wanna Do', whilst critics with bemoan the band's lack of imagination.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge (Follow me on Twitter @AlistairMcG)
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