This came out in 2001 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
In the bipolar world of pop music, every trend eventually produces an equal and opposite trend.
So, after a few years of pierced, tattooed rap-metal mooks yelling about nookie, we now have the antithesis — a whole swarm of mature, serious alt-rockers with names like Train and Staind and Creed and 3 Doors Down. Canada’s contribution to this boomlet is Alberta’s Nickelback, a band whose new CD Silver Side Up will go just fine next to Pearl Jam in your CD changer. Dour singer-guitarist Chad Kroeger writes earnest lyrics about abusive men and deadbeat dads, which he sings in an angst-filled, big-lunged Eddie Vedder bellow while your basic guitar-rock trio dishes up brawny post-grunge brood music straight from the Seattle slush pile. Admittedly, they’re no worse (and may even be better) than all the other blue-collar outfits around this year. Even so, I won’t be sad to see the next rebound come around.
