•
Rating:
A few weeks after the release of "Dark Horse," the latest pop-rock endeavor by Nickelback, I am about to talk to you about "Curb," an album released in 1996 and the band's first official work from Vancouver after the "Husher" EP.
The reason for my foray into the past is that we absolutely need to draw a clear dividing line between the band's early works and their recent 'creations,' in short, to be clear, songs like "Photograph," "Someday," "Gotta Be Somebody" are just one side of the coin, the more visible one (unfortunately) for some time now; the past of the quartet, however, nods to grunge.
After a first listen, the first thing that is apparent is Chad Kroeger's surprising vocal prowess, more intense compared to now, often reminiscent of Cobain and Staley (Nirvana and Alice In Chains) and not only that, while still embracing the melodic and cool approach, a characteristic always present in the sound of the Canadians.
The album starts very well with "Little Friend" and "Pusher," energetic and engaging tracks that pave the way for the first great song of the album, namely "Detangler," an excellent alternative foundation and a chorus that gets memorized in two or three listens. After the dark and arrhythmic title track "Curb," we find "Where?," another great track, the first in line not to show any grunge frays but a great old-school rock. As previously mentioned, Kroeger's tone and melodies recall icons of the past; indeed, the first and only single "Fly" is proof of that. After making due safeguards and comparisons, the distorted sound heavily hints at Nirvana; only two years have passed since Cobain's death, and the influences can be felt after just a few seconds of listening. Delving into the details, even the lyrics are less predictable than present ones; in the same "Fly," Kroeger is struck by the answer his mother gives him to the question: "Where does a man go when he dies?" The answer is that after death, by flying, he can go to heaven or hell. So he chooses to kill himself with a gun (any reference is purely coincidental) to see where he flies, if he flies (wait to fly). Of course, I've allowed myself to give a personal interpretation of the text, but the lyrics and the music video (though obviously more implicitly and hidden) seem to suggest the same. Returning to the album, in "Just Four," the drums and guitar chords are almost identical to those of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and this is a downside; however, the singing is sharp and convincing, so much so that the track will be revisited in 2001, reproduced in a softer form, and will be part of the band's most successful album, namely "Silver Side Up."
There are good performances also in the final tracks like "Left" and "I Don't Have," the latter being one of the most substantial tracks on the album and probably in the band's career.
Although at times the samples seem all too obvious, "Curb" offers excellent insights; perhaps I dare to say it falls within the best alternative rock CDs of recent years, definitely making it into my personal top ten. I must emphasize, trying not to be repetitive, that the album reflects the true Nickelback, who will gradually set aside their musical preferences and ideas over the years to make way for a pop-rock that smacks too much of commercial and predictable.
Listen to "Curb", you will not necessarily be satisfied, but you will certainly be surprised.
NB: The cover is not the original one from 1996; due to the poor success it had initially, the CD was republished in 2002, riding the wave of "Silver Side Up," released the previous year.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Little Friend (03:48)
Manhunt to find your daughter
Buried underneath the water
Now they consult a psychic
Find how much I like it
And now I've found a little friend
And now it's just you and me
Borrow one and we will make three
I say we steal one more
Just like we did once before
And now I've found a little friend
It's too fast
This won't last
And to touch
Hurts too much
And now I've found a little friend
And now I thought I told her
That she won't get much older
And now I've found a little friend
And now it makes no difference
Cause I am not quite in yet
And now its on the table
Cause she's perfectly able
And now I've found a little friend
02 Pusher (04:00)
And some say
Why you follow some things so long
So I asked him
And he convinced me before long
Now its over
And I've seen him, don't come back anymore
And he said...
I need
I don't ask much anymore
I found
I found something
Throw a stone into the water
The ripple is broke
Burn the baby
Just for holding the candle too close
Take it all back
Search for justice, don't live there anymore
And he said
I need
I don't ask much anymore
I found
I found something
And why do you see me in this way?
The way that I did
I gave him the means to the end
Yes I did
I bothered not to believe in this way
The way that I did
I made him just to see in this way
The way that I did
I need
I don't ask much anymore
I found
I found something
03 Detangler (03:41)
I asked you to stay
But you said there's no way
I begged-- you to call
And you leave me after all
I know I'm not to blame
I know you don't feel the same
Didn't even tell me why
You just left me here to die
I stand, I fall, I bounce off these 4 walls
You laugh, you leave
And you leave me here alone
I'm guilty too
for giving all to you
Well, that's my one sin
Sorry for giving in
Didn't mean to waste your time
Thanks for wasting mine
Could have to tried to let me be
Would you just set me free?
I stand, I fall, I bounce off these 4 walls
You laugh, you leave
And you leave me here alone,
Is this how its gonna be
It's fine for you and not for me
Did you even care at all
You stand, I fall
Could I pay you not to...
04 Curb (04:51)
Have I gone all too far?
Have I been here before?
If I have let me know
How it goes
Take her place
And I will
See her face
No reason
Let it slide
And I will
Watch her die...
To run through fields
To find, and I will
Hold, then lead, then lie
And I will... no I won't
Is it now really time?
Can I just give mind, if
I can simply trade
Deal Made
Take her place
And I will
See her face
No reason
Let it slide
And I will
Watch her die...
To run through fields
To find, and I will
Hold, then lead, then lie
And I will... no I won't
Run, hide away from me
Desouled, to seek, decide
And I will, no I won't
Run through fields to find
Hold then lead, then lie
And I will
Run, desouled, and
Hold, to heal, to find
And I can't
Where?
I was wrong to think that I could ever trust in you,
I was wrong to think that you might want to trust me, too.
Here I am, here I am,
Here I stand,
Here I am, here I am, here I am, here I stand.
I was wrong to think that I could ever love in you,
I was wrong to think that you might want to love me, too.
Here I am, here I am,
Here I stand,
Here I am, here I am, here I am, here I stand.
So where the hell are you?
So where the hell are you?
So where are you when I need someone, too?
I'm tired of needing you.
06 Falls Back On (02:57)
No, I don't guess
I don't sacrifice
And I know
I don't realize
Just how much
I can idolize ... and I know
And then I find it falls back on
On to me, to see, believe
And down onto you, We do, it's true
And I won't beg to stay, to leave, or to believe
A word you say, and then I guess
It all falls back on you
To find out (find out)
What's the deal
And I guess you don't
Simplify
It's just, you had to
Had to take, and I know
There's a fine line between right and wrong
And I know we knew all along
Just how much I can half belong ... and I know
And then I find out it all falls back on you
Cause I'm really up on this
Cause I've seen it before
Where the hell did I get through you?
07 Sea Groove (03:58)
Take away from me
That what you just gave
Nothing left to heal
Nothing left to save
Given half a chance
Given what we've spent
I will not repay
I will not repent
I don't wanna leave
I don't wanna stay
Get away from me
Stay the hell away
And I will give up my mind
And I will give my way
And I will pluck out my eyes
Yes I will feel my way
Yes I will
Is there something wrong
With the way I feel
I don't wanna beg
I don't have to steal
Let me prove myself
Let me earn your trust
Let me betray
The way that we discussed
I don't want to thieve
I don't want to snatch
Get away from me
Stay the hell away
And I will give up my mind
And I will give my way
And I will pluck out my eyes
Yes I will feel my way
Yes I will
In open hand, unopened gift
Her broken bones, her head won't lift
A decade since you've been gone
Mend the cracks and say so long
Say so long
08 Fly (02:53)
Father, tell me somethin'
Where do bad men go when they die?
And mother says you'll go there but
Wings for her and I and I don't mind
Cause I have always wanted to learn to...
Fly... learn to
Fly... learn to
Fly... learn to
Fly...
Brother, tell me somethin'
If I take this, am I going to die?
And he says no, so then I figure what the hell
I'll try cause it's my life
So light the match and you and I will...
Fly... learn to
Fly... learn to
Fly... learn to
Fly...
Cause I'm on my hands and knees I've crawled eternity to beg forgiveness
And someday I'll be there I swear to you, God, as my witness
For all the trusts I've broke and, let justice know, it's just that easy
Cause I'm a liar, I conspired, I'm a liar...
And father tell your son,
It's not your gun and bloody hands
Don't hide behind locked doors
In dresser drawers those bullets wait to fly...
Fly... wait to
Fly... wait to
Fly... wait to
Fly...
Cause I'm on my hands and knees I've crawled eternity to beg forgiveness
And someday I'll be there I swear to you, God, as my witness
For all the trusts I've broke and, let justice know, it's just that easy
Cause I'm a liar, I conspired, I'm a liar...
09 Just Four (03:54)
I want take his eyes out
Just for looking at you
Yes I do
I want to take his hands off
Just for touching you
Yes I do
And I want to rip his heart out
Just for hurting you
And I want to break his mind down
Yes I do
And I want to make him
Regret life since the day he met you
Yes I do
And I want to make him
Take back all that he took from you
Yes I do
And I want to rip his heart out
Just for hurting you
And I want to break his mind down
Yes I do
10 Left (04:03)
I saw the river, just pulled him down
I knew the man who hunted him down
We watched the river, take him away
Before he died, I could have sworn he said
I am the only one
I am the only one left
Tired and afraid lies a saddened man
Knelt beside him with head in hand
And escaped on a lonely breath
But before he died I could have sworn he said
I am the only one
I am the only one left
Who ever gave a damn about you
I am sorry
I am sorry
I was wrong
I was wrong
I've been wrong for way too long
I am sorry that you're gone
11 Window Shopper (03:42)
Forevers a lonely time and the dogs aren't always
Aren't always on my mind
Cause I didn't free them
The scenery is burning me cause I'm still in it
So why don't you free me
Cause its not my business
What he's done to me
Control is all you really need
And I guess I had it coming, my fault for not runnin
I just dressed too tempting cause your heads fuckin empty
And I can't believe it
I can't believe that you didn't see me
Passing glances fall on me
like screams on deaf ears
They're all laughing at me
with encouraging cheers.
Loading comments slowly
