It's never easy following up a multi-platinum success, but Canada's Nickelback's latest seem sure to match the sales of the many-million-selling Silver Side Up. The formula remains pretty much the same--nothing fancy, just radio-friendly grunge that lends an appropriately dramatic backing to the powerful and increasingly confident voice of Chad Kroeger. Aside from the fast and punchy opener "Flat on the Floor," the tough, staccato "Because of You," and the Oasis-like "Figured You Out," the band deal exclusively in soft-rock anthems (soft, that is, by 2003's pulverizing standards). The only real change here lies is in Kroeger's lyrical concerns. Where 2000's The State found him suffering the frustrations of small-town life, now he's tortured by a heavy touring schedule that promotes destructive drug abuse and strains relationships to breaking point. That said, you can't help feeling the ruthlessly analytical Kroeger would turn a visit to the supermarket into a riot of hatred and self-recrimination. For fans of Silver Side Up, Nickelback have delivered the goods once more. --Dominic Wills

Having heard the two most popular albums by Nickelback, SILVER SIDE UP and ALL THE RIGHT REASONS, I decided to buy this one as well because I knew a few of the songs on it and remembered that I didn't have this one yet. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but after listening to it a few times I decided this is their best album of the three that I've heard. It's the closest to perfect I've ever heard on a post-grunge album.

I thought SILVER SIDE UP was too heavy on the guitars and all of the songs sounded too similar, and I thought ALL THE RIGHT REASONS was a better album but sounded too forced for the mainstream. This album has the perfect balance of metal-influenced heavy rock and hook-filled choruses that would sound great on rock radio (a few of them proved they do). The reader is probably familiar with at least the song "Someday". That song and "Do This Anymore" are probably the most ballad-like, with lyrics focusing on broken relationships over soaring harmonies and great hooks in the chorus. Other songs are heavier, such as the barn-burning opener "Flat on the Floor", "Because of You", and the merciless guitar-riffer "Throw Yourself Away". What makes this album stand out from the aforementioned others is the consistency of this album; the band knows what they're doing and sounds like they're having fun doing it. Even on tracks like the acoustic-based "Should've Listened", which is a step in a different direction for the band, the quartet pulls it off perfectly.

Buy this album if you're a casual Nickelback fan like myself, and get a taste of this popular group at their best.

Note that in my introduction I've pointed out that this album has increased the number of options the band has for it's live set. What it doesn't do is expand the Nickelback sound beyond some slight alterations to the production qualities from their previous album. What it does do however is to expand their catalogue with more of the same accomplished and very rock radio friendly hard rock. And there is nothing wrong with that.

What your unlikely to get from this band are departures like their heroes Metallica did with their Load and Reload, this is a band that seems very focussed on what they want to achieve and they go after their targets and it's a form of professionalism that can stunt creativity a bit but it also produces consistent results.

Listening to this album while writing this review it becomes apparent that the bands love of musuclar riffing that bludgens their audience has not diminished. Opener Flat On The Floor is a perfect example of the sort of post grunge hard rock rifferama your going to get with this. Second cut Do This Anymore is more of the same with it's Chad Kroeger vocal lead laid over the top of unspectacular yet insistent guitar blasts.

This consistency means Nickelback are a very safe bet for punter, their fans know just what they are getting in the same way that AC/DC fans or Yngwie Malmsteen fans know what they are in for before the disc even hits their stereo. That could be construed as a bad thing but I'm willing to forgive Nickelback their familiarity, their lack of real departure from their norm, in order to get an album I know I can throw on and listen from beginning to end.

That's not to say that there are no variations from the opening note to the closing one. There are rockers such as the first two cuts mentioned earlier. There are songs that are ballads and there are songs with a sense of humour, all tied neatly together with that feeling you get when one of your mates starts telling you a story you've heard a dozen times before. And there are a number of songs that fall somewhere between rocker and ballad, a sort of rock radio staple sound and I find it impossible to hate Nickelback for their discovery of a successful formula.

With musicianship that's of a decent standard yet never ego driven, good production qualities that retain a human feeling and a feeling of familiarity in almost every sound bite this album is more of the same in the best way.

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this album as I do "For all the right reasons" I can't imagine anyone not liking it. They are my favorite band ever (and I'm almost 50) and I never get sick of listening to them EVER!
Keep up the GREAT work CHAD and band!! LOVE LOVE LOVE you all~!!!
xoxoxox
Judie
FAN 4 LIFE!!!!

I bought this CD shortly after I bought my Father the limited edition version , my advice is , if you don't own the Punisher , Daredevil or three sided coin CDS , buy the limited edition version , otherwise this CD is a must have.

I just heard the song "Figured you out" last week - June of 07'. I was flipping around on my car radio, and stopped on this song cause it totally rocked! But, once I payed attention to the lyrics, I was appalled they were playiing this song at 1pm in the afternoon! This song is degrading to women - it promotes sexual violence and applauds a female who is submissive and has low self esteem. How can we as a society say it's okay for radio stations to play a song like this, especially during hours most children could be listening. Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed in Nickelback for writing this song - as well as the new song "Rockstar". Shame on you guys. You may not have asked to be role models, but you are now. Show some integrity and live up to it.