NICKELBACK's DARK HORSE

[DOUGIEFRESH66]

I find this new and refreshing from Nickelback , I liked them before now they have the genius of Mutt Lange he is a record producer and songwriter, usually known by his nickname "Mutt" Lange. He is one of the most successful producers in rock history.
He has produced albums for artists such as Def Leppard, AC/DC, Foreigner, The Cars, Bryan Adams, Savoy Brown and The Corrs.
His past projects include producing for and writing songs with his estranged wife, country singer Shania Twain. Her 1997 album, Come on Over, which he produced, is the best selling record by any female artist of all time.Lange's latest project is Nickelback's sixth studio album, Dark Horse,and believe it to be strange but true he is currently working on Twain's sixth studio album, hmmmm wonder if she has to pay HIM now ....anyway I really like the new recording , anyone else care to chime in?

[Metaltyme]

I love thir new album. I've always liked Nickelback's music, but this album, and their last, has kicked way more ass then the ones before IMHO. I love the style of the guitars; chunky riffs with serious attitude and groove. Their drummer is amazing as well. I read somewhere in an interview that most of the guys of Nickelback are actually metalheads at heart. The singer admits to being able to play two-hand-tapping solos incorparating every finger of both hands simultaneously, but, he says that "that shit don't sell." He openly admits to being a sell-out. It's all about the money. Good for them...cause they are excellent song writers. If I had the means, I'd do the same thing without any reserve. Beats the hell out of a traditional job or career!

[YAZAM68]

I got the album last week.

Nice guitar riff....nice song.... nice vocal.... but I dont like the drum sound.... kinda def leppard drum sound.

[rpwillnealy]

as much shit as they get because of what gets put out on the radio, they have got it figured out.

Every album they've got the 3 or 4 songs obviously written for the radio but the rest of the songs on the album are done there way.

[DolphinFace]

I honestly find it shocking that there are musicians/songwriters/producers that actually listen to Nickelback. I always assumed that only people who have no real appreciation of music could like a band like that.

[TD5_23]

Originally Posted by DolphinFace

I honestly find it shocking that there are musicians/songwriters/producers that actually listen to Nickelback. I always assumed that only people who have no real appreciation of music could like a band like that.

I try to keep an open mind. I don't particularly enjoy listening to Nickelback's music, and I wholeheartedly agree that they are complete sellouts, however anyone who considers themselves a musician, songwriter or producer should realize that this music is popular for a reason, and try to find the good. From a recording perspective, there is a lot to analyze on any pop recording. No matter how crappy the music, you can definitely learn a lot from listening to the style in which the songs are recorded and produced. From a songwriter perspective, it never hurts to learn what it takes to please a crowd and try to incorporate that into your style. No, I'm not saying sell out, I'm just saying that intentionally ignoring any type of music, never helped anyone.

[irawan gani]

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

I love thir new album. I've always liked Nickelback's music, but this album, and their last, has kicked way more ass then the ones before IMHO. I love the style of the guitars; chunky riffs with serious attitude and groove. Their drummer is amazing as well. I read somewhere in an interview that most of the guys of Nickelback are actually metalheads at heart. The singer admits to being able to play two-hand-tapping solos incorparating every finger of both hands simultaneously, but, he says that "that shit don't sell." He openly admits to being a sell-out. It's all about the money. Good for them...cause they are excellent song writers. If I had the means, I'd do the same thing without any reserve. Beats the hell out of a traditional job or career!

i absolutely do not like listetning to nickelback because they arent original. they're a formulaic 80s hair metal band with updated looks. however, i have to salute their business sense, consistency and commitment to their cause.

i dont really care about sellouts. people who scream sell outs are usually a bunch of hypocrites and the ignorant. (oh no i am gonna get bashed for this one! ahahah). i agree with the fact that they are excellent musicians. only extremely good ones can produce a simple catchy music.

[irawan gani]

Originally Posted by DolphinFace

I honestly find it shocking that there are musicians/songwriters/producers that actually listen to Nickelback. I always assumed that only people who have no real appreciation of music could like a band like that.

musicians, songwriters, producers listen to everything. good and bad. thats why they are successful. they dont discriminate.

if johnny cash was amazed by Bohemian Rhapsody. johnny cash man... a legend on his own, playing a different kind of genre, listens to stuffs put out by other artist, no matter what the quality is, then i suppose we should do the same.

besides if you know what's bad, you will avoid making those.

[irawan gani]

Originally Posted by YAZAM68

I got the album last week.

Nice guitar riff....nice song.... nice vocal.... but I dont like the drum sound.... kinda def leppard drum sound.

but you have to admit, that drum sound works.

Mutt Lange produced albums are actually lessons for 'How to choose the right drum sample for your live drums 101' and 'how to choose the right drum sample for your live drums and make girls horny 102'. (how else do you think he got shania twain?)

i love it not because its the best sound ever, but it is so carefully crafted that it sounds great on the cheap/expensive speakers/monitors, earphones, headphones, etc etc. kinda like timbaland's kick drum in his music.

[mindundermatter]

I really like the new recording , anyone else care to chime in?

Yeah, I've got a few things to say about this. First off, I don't listen to the radio (unless I'm in someone else's car, or some other situation where it's out of my control). I haven't for several years. I can't stand Nickelback, or Daughtry, or any of the other sound-alikes out there. These are not bands; they are brands like Coca Cola or Pepsi. The songs are formulaic, generic, boring, and made to appeal to mass audiences so as to make money. From a business standpoint, that's great. More power to them.

I, on the other hand, don't compromise my values that easily. I like integrity in my music. I like emotion in my music. I want to feel what the singer is singing, the guitarist is playing. And dammit, sometimes you just can't squeeze all that into a 3:30 pop ballad. Sometimes it takes a 4:32 guitar solo to fully express these things.

That being said, I bought this album (because of another thread on this very forum) about two weeks ago. I've listened to it several times; sometimes critically on my Sennheiser HD650 hifi headphones, and other times just in passing while I'm at the computer, on the living room stereo, in the car, etc. The conclusion I have come to is that I love this album for the same reason I love Justin Timberlake's 'Future Sex Love Sounds'. The songs may not move me, but the production value is undeniably incredible and useful.

Right off the bat, the drums are reminiscent of 'Pyromania'. The electric guitars are THICK and HUGE without being overbearing or muddy and swallowing up the whole mix, not to mention they don't cover up the acoustic guitars in the songs that have them. Plus, the timbre variations not only from song to song, but from guitar part to guitar part, is great ear candy. The countless varying vocal techniques used (overdubbed moans and shouts, delays, unique panning for split second parts, distortion, swells, to name a few) keep things from becoming stale. Parts where the guitars drop out and the bass drives the song does the same thing. These are just a few things I can think of offhand that I really enjoy this album.

It definitely does sound like a Mutt Lange production. This is especially noticeable in the drums and the swells.

I dont like the drum sound.... kinda def leppard drum sound.

That's definitely a Mutt-ism, I think.

I honestly find it shocking that there are musicians/songwriters/producers that actually listen to Nickelback. I always assumed that only people who have no real appreciation of music could like a band like that.

That's a very closed-minded approach. The people who make these albums, the Mutt Langes, the Chris Lorde Alges, the Chad Kroegers (sp?), are the best at what they do. Maybe we don't like their music, but we can definitely learn a thing or two from them. I don't much care for Dream Theater, but I'd still take a guitar lesson from John Petrucci any day of the week.

I'm just saying that intentionally ignoring any type of music, never helped anyone.

+1 Amen.

they're a formulaic 80s hair metal band with updated looks. however, i have to salute their business sense, consistency and commitment to their cause.

I agree 100%. These guys work hard at what they do because it's their business. Would you start a business and try to sell a product that you half-ass built and generally don't believe in? I baked some brownies, but I didn't put any sugar in them (I forgot or I'm lazy or I just didn't bother to realize that's why brownies are sweet); they're unwrapped and they've been sitting on my counter for six weeks; I'll sell them for $2.00 each. Yeah, that's crazy. So is the notion that you can slap together an album in a week or two (or a month) and expect millions of people to buy it.

kinda like timbaland's kick drum in his music

I guess we think alike. He produced the Justin Timberlake album I mentioned, as I recall.