Nickelback & Halestorm: Music Disappointments

Music used to be a big thing to me.  I loved 80s metal and part of my life revolved around when the next concerts coming to town.  As with most people, as I got older, music changed while my tastes stayed the same and there were fewer and fewer bands I could choose from.  At the same time, the means at which I hear and obtain that music has changed.  I miss record stores.  But I love Pandora, at least so I can get a sampling of new hard music.  But Pandora only plays the hits and never a full album.  I like to hear those other songs they don’t play on the radio.

Both Nickelback and Halestorm released new albums.  I was really looking forward to both because the last albums from both bands rocked!!

I know Nickelback is much maligned and sometimes for good reason but I still enjoy some of their music.  I recently downloaded their older stuff from the 90s, and I totally get why they are maligned.  They first started out sounding like a cheap Nirvana knock-off and moved up to more pop-sounding rock (the stuff I like) with raunchy lyrics.  Now they have totally changed again.  Metallica is accused of doing similar changes in their style and I suppose that is a natural progression, however,  I am not a fan of this change.

No Fixed Address stylistically is more pop and less rock.  In fact, they either have horns or simulated horns in some songs, reminding me of old Chicago songs.  I really do not like that style of music and the only songs I like on this album are the songs that go back to their rocking metal-style roots.  Unfortunately, there are not enough of those.  I can not see myself listening to this much.  When I have it on shuffle, I skip many of the songs.  They are just not the style I come to expect from a band that put out Dark Horse (my favorite album by them).

Halestorm just rocks it out in every album they have, and their style is similar to Nickelback but the female vocalist they have is just awesome.  Lzzy Hale is plain awesome. However, it appear with Into the Wild Life, they are exploring her vocals a little more and put aside the rocking roots a little to widen her range.  I don’t blame them for it, but I can’t see myself listening to this album much either.  It is another change in style.  Not quite as drastic as Nickelback but still, a little less rocking than I have come to expect from Halestorm.

I guess  now-a-days people don’t want to get stuck in a category and are doing whatever kind of music makes them happy.  Look at my daughter’s favorite Taylor Swift.  Both Nickelback and Halestorm are obviously evolving and trying to stay out of a rut.  Heaven forbid they make the music that got them to where they are.  Maybe the sales will show them the change was a bad idea.  Or maybe it won’t.  I know I don’t like it.