Review Summary: Chapter V of VIII: Numbers Don't Lie
Let me just say one thing here;
All The Right Reasons, Nickelback's fifth record, as well as their most successful to date (11x platinum worldwide) is not bad in any way. However, it isn't good either. The best word I can use to describe it is simply average. About 90% of the material on this album could have easily been recorded by any of the other modern "co¢k rock" bands out today, such as Buckcherry or Hinder, without batting a single eye. The track "Animals" is a good example of this. The lyrics are downright mundane as they talk about having sex like (you guessed it) animals in an old rusty pickup truck. The song is excellent vocally and instrumentally, but the lyrics come off as downright immature and the song is cringeworthy overall. Then you have the acoustic ballads "Photograph" "Far Away" & "Savin Me" which, instrumentally at least, are pretty much all the same damn song. "Photograph" the lead single off this thing, has your average graduation ceremony lyrics and cheesy as all hell lines like "hard to say it, time to say it, goodbyyyyeee, goodbyeeeee". However, this is a fairly catchy tune and still remains in the "guilty pleasure" section of many people's music libraries. However, it can get annoying considering its played on the radio every 000.001 seconds.
Speaking of annoying, that's one of few words that can be used to describe frontman Kroeger's vocal performance. His tone on the songs range from douchey (Follow You Home, Animals) to dull as all hell (Far Away, If Everyone Cared). However, he can still bring it at the microphone when we really wants to. Check the Creed-ish "Savin' Me" or the tounge-in-cheek "Rockstar" for proof.
The production of the album can shine in spots as well. Producer Joey Moi gives his all on tracks like "Follow You Home" where the polishing is no too much or too less; Although on most other songs, such as "If Everyone Cared", he overdoes it to the point where it's almost as if machines are playing the instruments. The mixing on the album isn't done very well with some instruments, such as the bass, which in most spots you can barely hear. The guitars stand out though, as well as Kroeger's voice. The drums are well mixed too. Daniel Adair's excellent drumming is easily audible to the ear on all the songs, the most notable ones being "Animals" and "Someone That Your With" the latter song being the perfect example of a filler track, with the drumming as its only highlight.
In the end, All The Right Reasons is an average mainstream rock album by an average mainstream rock band. If you enjoy average rock of music, you'll certainly enjoy this album, but those who don't will be left in the dust. Although the hate for Nickelback may continue to flow, people will always find a reason to defend them. All The Right Reasons, however, is not a good defense.
