I would like to start this review by saying that I am unironically a fan of early 2000s NICKELBACK and I'm in my nostalgia phase. So I was looking forward to what they have been up to since they haven't had a full length album in over five years and I haven't listened to any of them past 2005. So if you're like me and hoping for some trashy but catchy love songs from our Canadian dad rock friends, buckle up and let's "Get Rollin'". I remember hearing just the 10 second intro to "San Quentin" online as a teaser before the single was released and thinking "wow they are actually doing something DIFFERENT". This theory ended as quick as the metalcore-sounding intro when Kroeger started singing. Things feel exactly the same- a catchy, you want to hate it party anthem you can't help but get stuck in your head without consent; especially him belting an over enunciated "SAN KAWENTON". Similarly, (but poorly titled)

"Skinny Little Missy" is another classic butt rock track you're likely to hear blasting at some dark, sticky bar with cheap beer. While NICKELBACK is known most for these kinds of tracks, they are also pretty recognized for their moments of country twang. The next two tracks "Those Days" and "High Time" check this box. While I have mad respect for any musician and always encourage people to love what they love, I can't listen to country music- so I made it about 20 seconds into each of these songs before having to move on. Coming back into drinking, dancing party anthems is "Vegas Bomb", because obviously. Literally it's just a jam about ladies waiting to order more Vegas Bomb shots. That's it, that's the song- oh and a very stereotypical guitar solo near the end.

"Tidal Wave" pulls us in (see what I did there?) for the ballad portion of the album. This track actually feels the most atmospheric and spacious instrumentally, and of course has an obviously catchy chorus. You already know by the titles that "Does Heaven Even Know You're Missing" and "Steel Still Rusts" are going to be ultra cheesy songs that are too on the nose and whiny. "Horizon" is their pop track of the album, lining up nearly perfectly with 2005 track "Far Away". Not much else to say, no changes through the end of the album- "Standing In The Dark" and "Just One More" don't stray from the path.

To close, it's definitely a NICKELBACK album- corny party anthems, cheesy love songs, and enough talk of alcohol you will probably leave feeling intoxicated. I didn't expect anything new or innovative, as that's just not who they are and they continue to thrive this way, but it just doesn't hit like the early 2000s era. So I likely won't be revisiting this album, just trying to get the songs out of my head.