Nickelback Rediscovers Its Edge

Is it possible to accuse Nickelback of going steadily soft since they broke onto the scene in 2001 with "How You Remind Me"? Although the Canadians rock purists love to hate did leave us with "Photograph", a wistful effort surprisingly lodged in that vein for an act not exactly pushing over the hill gang status. Sounds like the time Chad Kroeger has been putting in as Mr. Avril Lavigne has rubbed off on him appreciably. He and his band sprouted a pair. Let me clarify that I'm not a dyed in the wool Nickelback hater. "Photograph" was too precious for my liking but "Savin' Me" carried with it enough of an intriguing sound to leave me hungry for what territory they wanted to mine around the next bend. "Edge of a Revolution" could easily have spouted from lovely Lavigne's lips. The lyrics carry the impatience of a young person, which Avril definitely is, the hunger to steer things in the right direction. Change needs to be in the air, the mutually beneficial kind, the kind where all boats in this country rise as opposed to the rich get richer, poor stay poor, and the middle class paddle like mad to avoid being part of the poor. The fist raising "What do we want?" repeat battle cries would not be out of place in Avril's mouth. You'd only need to toss in some teen scream brashness and provide a feminine perspective and you'd get Avril leading the Occupy Wall Street era protest multitudes. Don't forget she is the one who raised a toast to never growing up. It bears noting that Chad's a Canadian and I've held the notion, misguided or not that Canadian daily lives aren't as harrowing as those unfolding over here. Nice of Chad and friends to step outside of the neighbors to the North box to touch a common stateside nerve. Chad's guitar execution at the bridge is something divine to behold. You can hear him throw his back into this aspect of the recording 100 percent. Daniel Adair has seldom sounded as rough edged on drums as is revealed here. Chad's sib Mike lays down bass harmonies that succeed in upping the socio-political urgency that crackles repeatedly. Before 2014 is out "No Fixed Address" will be available for mouth watering mass consumption. Even the title carries this air of desperation straddling most portions of the American landscape. Ferocity is the unbending tool of the trade on display. You would be hard pressed to find a single note where they decide it's time to take their feet off the gas, that they have already succeeded in making their presence felt. As a music fanatic it's gratifying to see a band throw themselves into a project. That by necessity calls for focus beyond what most mortals can fathom in an age of shrinking attention spans. "Edge of a Revolution" is worthy of going down in the music annals as a Nickelback team effort instead of Chad doing his catnip for the ladies thing which would drown out the other members' contributions. It takes one steadfast voice to kick off a revolution. Thanks to these Canadian craftsmen who, of their own admittance, are veering into departure territory with a political song, we've got four. The edge Nickelback is walking in this case is well-honed, sharp, and capable of raising your dander to fever pitch.