Disco de Nickelback: “State [Japan Bonus Tracks]”

With 3 Doors Down's "Kryptonite" and Nickelback's "Leader of Men", there are finally two great rock songs on the chart for the first time since about 1994.

Leader of Men is just classic driving hard rock. It's about getting high, but its also about making choices. When Nickelback says, "I'm not a leader of men since I prefer to follow", it's obvious the group fears peer pressure driving a person to drugs.

The opening song on the CD really clicked for me. Lead singer Chad Kroeger says half the song is about Stalin and Churchill walking together and the other half is about a deteriorating relationship. The question why he would mix those topics together comes up to the listener. After a few listens though, it starts to fit together. The song rocks too hard to bother with the lyrics anyway. Most of the album is like that. From the opening Breathe to the closing songs, Not Leavin' Yet and Hold Out Your Hand, Nickelback pumps adrenaline back into music.

While not quite Springsteen or even Ozzy Osborne lyrically, Chad Kroeger does offer some insights into The State- of everything that goes on in the listener's life. As I leave for college, the lyric from Breathe, "If I could pack my life, I wanna know do you want me to go?" is one that really touches me. The opening line of "Leader of Men" also touches me, "Tell your friends not to think out loud until they swallow."

In all Nickelback created a canvass with this album that contains so many images from all people's lives. It's for you to discover, buy this album.

Before the whole rock sound of the 2000's that includes loud crunching guitars, mindless drum beating, and a lead singer screaming off the top of his lungs for long notes a la Defaut, Theory of a Deadman, Seether, Shinedown, Avenged Sevenfold, and countless others came the Canadian band Nickelback (who I consider the father of our new rock sound).

With grunge dying off in about 1995 led to a 4 year period of great alternative rock, which soon let to this crisp, somewhat over produced sound we have now. The State features some great songs, but some fillers as well, thus the following review:

By far the best song is "Breathe" at the #1 spot. Thankfully it was a single and continues to be a great singalong.

"Leader of Men" the 1st single by the band ever is jsut a step down. The slow beginning eventually picks up into a ruckus chorus. Good lyrics.

I would have to classify "Old Enough" into that filler status. As a radio single, I'd have picked something else because the song seems to be a repetive echo of itself and the lyrics aren't too great.

A bumpy ride with "Worthy to Say" ocillates w/ Chad's voice up and down throughout the song making it a rather nice roller coaster with a few intermissions here and there.

Nothing to special with "Diggin' This" either. Just another song to fit the bill.

"Deep" is rather deep with a Creedesque crunch w/ Chad's voice.

Thankfully "One Last Ride" shows up and you start to really rock to. An instant classic I'd have easily made into a single. It has an uptempo beat to it which lets you just jam out to any time. The drumming is what actually makes this a great song, with a nice solo along w/ some layered guitars.

I could have swear I was hearing a song by Silverchair (particulary "Freaks") with "Not Leavin' Yet". The song is eerily similar to the sound. I wonder if they sampled...hmmm...still since I like Silverchair, this is a good song.

Now "Hold Out Your Hand" might just be a filler if they didn't include that great repeating guitar crunch.

Finishing off is an acoustic version of "Leader of Men" which personally isn't as good as the other regular version, but since I guess they needed to plug that song in your skulls they included it here.

Not as over produced as their later albums, but still a great follow up to Curb (which actually was made in 96). Officially their first major release, State provides some of Nickelback's rawest and finest songs, but still some mindless fillers.

I don't know what's with all the 1 star reviews saying they're copying other rockers. That's ridiculous. All rock sounds about the same just like all pop sounds alike. Nickelback is a rock group. They might have similar voices as other bands, they use guitars (yeah if they didnt it wouldnt be rock), and awesome background vocals & cool melodies. Yes they happen to sound a little like Bush, but i cannot stand Bush mainly because of Gaven's voice. Don't say they are copying other bands when there really is no such thing. Rock is rock, pop is pop, rap is rap, its all practically the same thing. Nickelback has good music, a fine voice, & reasonable lyrics. If you don't want a rock album go buy Britney Spears. Anyways, this cd is awesome. Everyone has their own taste in music artists so i can't guarantee you would like it....but you should definitely give it a listen. Rock is rock...and this ROCKS

I have Ownewd this cd for a month or so now and i was recently reading through the reveiws on this great site and i was happy to see how 99% of the people felt. They all loved this cd. Then there was 1% of the people who said they hated it. And saying things like "are we all listening to the same cd." I didnt understand that and that is why im writing this review. I will addmit that when my friend first told me of this group Nickelback I went home from school and downloaded some of there music and HATED it. I almost agreed with the one star people. Just for fun I downloaded more and more songs from them. I stared to like them ALOT more. Well ill get to the point. I went to my local music store and i bought the cd. At the time i bought it i was a big fan. I listend through the cd and i thought it was good. I listened to it again and again and everytime i hear something new that i really like and it makes me want to listen to it again. Somedays i listen to this cd 2-4 times. This normally isnt my kind of music. Yeah i like creed and some rock bands but im a bigger fan of music such as godsmack, system of a down and that type. But i have to say that Nickelback is eithier my first or second favorie band of all time.

You want this cd it is GREAT..BUY BUY BUY....Im sure you wont regret it. It if you read my entire reveiw thank you. I know i drug it out and its kinda long. Please make sure you say if it was helpful or not. Id like to see if people agree with me.

This CD is awesome! It gets the most play of all my CD's and is great for driving. If you like the sounds of Creed, Incubus, Pearl Jam, this is totally in your genre of music. I have their newest album "silver side up" and its not quite as good as this one but worth a listen. (So if you bought the new one and didnt like it as much, buy this one, you will be hooked!!)