ARTIST: Nickelback
TITLE: “Gotta Be Somebody”
WEB DEBUT: Sept. 29, 2008
ONE-LISTEN VERDICT: When I started listening to the song that was claiming to be the first single from Nickelback’s forthcoming Dark Horse–which is being given out as a free download today only–I was greeted by synth intro that sounds like it was leftover from a Killers recording session, and became pretty convinced that the band was punking any longtime listeners who dared think of not paying for the track. But then Chad Kroeger’s nu-hesher yelp came in, and all was right (?) with the world. “Gotta Be Somebody” represents something of a lighter direction for the band (there will be no “OMG, it’s the same song!!” mash-ups with this song and other pieces of the Nickelback catalog), and I credit that to the production work of one Robert John “Mutt” Lange, who probably saw the rock-radio success of pop-friendly fare like Carolina Liar and figured that the time was right for Canada’s Great Rock Hope to at least add a synthesizer to their sound. Time will tell whether or not listeners will embrace this change in artistic direction, but hey, at least Lange taught the guys some new chords.
WHERE TO FIND IT: It’s available until 6 a.m. Tuesday at Roadrunner Records’ site, so get it now! Or, you know, wait for it to show up on one of those shady MP3 blogs.
Not great, but then, I didn’t really like any of Nickelback’s other songs, either.
Haven’t heard it Maura and I won’t be able to until later, but is this (like all their other lead-off singles) the track that’s going to easily cross over to CHR/Hot AC stations (Z100, PLJ here in NYC)? Usually, they do this and then, while the song is climbing the pop charts, the more “Rawkin” song bats clean-up on the Active Rock stations.
Most long-time NB fans will recognize the intro synth (and background
electric vibrato) on this release as a echoing nod to ‘Where?’ from
their debut album, Curb.