WEBVTT 00:00:06.540 --> 00:00:09.679 Welcome to the Album Nerds Podcast with your 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:14.179 hosts, Andy, Don, and Dude. Let's get ready to 00:00:14.179 --> 00:00:18.260 record rumble. We're back. This is the Album 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:23.140 Nerds Podcast. I'm Dude. I got Don with me. Unfortunately, 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:26.859 Andy can't be with us this week. He's trying 00:00:26.859 --> 00:00:32.320 out for American Ninja Warrior. Yeah. Nice. So, 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:34.439 Don, guess what his ninja name is. You know, 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.500 all the contestants have ninja names. Hmm. I 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:40.240 don't know. He's the tea bag ninja. Oh, because 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:44.259 he drinks a lot of tea? No, but in the tea world, 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:46.880 he don't want no bags. He likes it loosely. There 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:49.799 he is. So, yeah, good luck to him there. I think 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.119 he'll destroy the competition. All right. So, 00:00:53.179 --> 00:00:55.759 this is the Elm Nerds Podcast. We love albums, 00:00:55.859 --> 00:00:58.240 the album format, and finding all kinds of stupid 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:00.820 ways to compare, contrast, and talk about them. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.939 And this week we're returning for another slugfest 00:01:03.939 --> 00:01:06.400 on our Record Rumbles series, where two albums 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:09.040 enter the ring to go head -to -head, track -to 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:11.909 -track, and toe -to -toe. As always, Don's going 00:01:11.909 --> 00:01:15.189 to be asking us a deep question. We'll have some 00:01:15.189 --> 00:01:17.849 shout -outs to some other albums and album -related 00:01:17.849 --> 00:01:19.909 items we're digging. Then, of course, we'll spin 00:01:19.909 --> 00:01:23.090 the legendary Wheel of Albumgeddon to learn the 00:01:23.090 --> 00:01:25.409 topic of our next record rumble. But for now, 00:01:25.469 --> 00:01:28.230 let's get it on! Well, prepare for a clash of 00:01:28.230 --> 00:01:31.150 post -grunge titans as two of the most polarizing, 00:01:31.170 --> 00:01:33.730 arena -filling albums from the heyday of radio 00:01:33.730 --> 00:01:36.450 -friendly butt rock go head -to -head in a battle 00:01:36.450 --> 00:01:39.510 of anthems, angst, and unapologetic power chords. 00:01:39.810 --> 00:01:43.109 So, Dom, we should probably dig into the butt 00:01:43.109 --> 00:01:46.590 rock. Yeah, so it refers to that period in the 00:01:46.590 --> 00:01:50.829 late 90s, early 2000s, where this kind of mainstream 00:01:50.829 --> 00:01:55.209 rock was played on. radio stations whose slogans 00:01:55.209 --> 00:01:58.750 were things like nothing but rock. Yeah. And 00:01:58.750 --> 00:02:01.049 so they used that. With one T. Right. But then 00:02:01.049 --> 00:02:04.049 the second T came in to make it extra insulting 00:02:04.049 --> 00:02:06.329 to the bands that were thrown into that category. 00:02:06.609 --> 00:02:09.650 Indeed. So that would include, of course, the 00:02:09.650 --> 00:02:11.330 artists we're talking about today, Creed and 00:02:11.330 --> 00:02:14.330 Nickelback, but also Stained. Three Doors Down. 00:02:15.210 --> 00:02:18.180 Shinedown. Theory of a dead man. Maybe, I don't 00:02:18.180 --> 00:02:21.000 know. Puddle of muds. Yeah. Puddle of mud. Definitely. 00:02:21.060 --> 00:02:23.620 So yeah, it's kind of a, it's a silly breaking 00:02:23.620 --> 00:02:27.759 Benjamin. Yeah. It's a silly genre name or the 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:30.039 fact that it's even a genre, but it exists and 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:31.840 we're taking advantage of it. That's what we 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:35.319 do. And now it is time for the battle of the 00:02:35.319 --> 00:02:46.030 butt rock behemoths. Choose your fighter. In 00:02:46.030 --> 00:02:48.650 this corner, with over 8 million records sold, 00:02:48.770 --> 00:02:51.870 packing platinum power from Canada, armed with 00:02:51.870 --> 00:02:54.069 chart -topping anthems, it's the heavyweights 00:02:54.069 --> 00:02:59.419 of Hook, Nickelback with Silver Side Up. Silver 00:02:59.419 --> 00:03:02.500 Side Up is their third studio album by the band 00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:06.699 formed in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. Features vocalist 00:03:06.699 --> 00:03:09.639 and guitarist and lyricist Chad Kroger, his brother 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:13.199 bassist Mike Kroger, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:16.479 Ryan Peek, and drummer Ryan Vledko. So wait, 00:03:16.539 --> 00:03:19.280 so we got two Krogers and two Ryans? Oh yeah, 00:03:19.379 --> 00:03:23.560 yes. Good observation. Thank you. That's what 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:27.080 they pay me for. So this was their breakthrough 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:30.319 album. This is the one that really, you know, 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:34.740 made them butt rock gods. I don't know. Butt 00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:37.900 rock legends. There you go. Butt rock behemoths. 00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:41.379 Yes. That's what we're calling this whole thing. 00:03:41.419 --> 00:03:44.419 So that works. All right. Who's our next behemoth? 00:03:45.539 --> 00:03:49.439 Choose your fighter. And in this corner, straight 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:51.840 out of Tallahassee, Florida, the post -grunt 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.159 preachers of pain and power chords, led by Scott 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:57.580 Stapp and guitar god Mark Tremonti. With over 00:03:57.580 --> 00:04:00.639 20 million copies sold worldwide and Grammy in 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.659 hand, this 1999 juggernaut took us higher, welcomed 00:04:04.659 --> 00:04:07.139 us with arms wide open, and rocked arenas with 00:04:07.139 --> 00:04:09.639 righteous fury. It's the spiritual sledgehammer 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:19.750 known as Human Clay. By Creed. Nice. So yeah, 00:04:19.790 --> 00:04:24.129 Creed was formed in 1994. Scott Stapp. I know 00:04:24.129 --> 00:04:27.269 you love people's names. It's actually Anthony 00:04:27.269 --> 00:04:31.689 Scott Flippin is his birth name. His stepdad 00:04:31.689 --> 00:04:34.470 adopted him and his stepdad brought the Stapp. 00:04:34.790 --> 00:04:37.889 Mark Tremonti on guitar, Brian Marshall on bass, 00:04:37.949 --> 00:04:40.529 and Scott Phillips on drums. They blended aggression 00:04:40.529 --> 00:04:42.670 with themes of inner struggle, faith, and redemption. 00:04:42.990 --> 00:04:47.250 Their debut album, which was successful, even 00:04:47.250 --> 00:04:48.730 though it was on a shoestring budget and they 00:04:48.730 --> 00:04:51.449 made it piece by piece, dollar by dollar. And 00:04:51.449 --> 00:04:54.069 despite critical panning, Creed sold over 28 00:04:54.069 --> 00:04:56.709 million records in the U .S. But this is the 00:04:56.709 --> 00:04:59.069 record that launched them into mainstream superstardom. 00:04:59.069 --> 00:05:02.050 Coming off the unexpected success of My Own Prison, 00:05:02.290 --> 00:05:05.730 they went more polished, more radio -ready, bigger 00:05:05.730 --> 00:05:08.670 hooks. more uplifting tracks, and a sense of 00:05:08.670 --> 00:05:11.149 spiritual searching that defined their identity. 00:05:11.370 --> 00:05:13.370 The title of the album you love this on comes 00:05:13.370 --> 00:05:16.589 from a lyric in the song Say I. The dust has 00:05:16.589 --> 00:05:18.670 finally settled on the field of human clay. I 00:05:18.670 --> 00:05:20.850 know you like it when they sneak in the title. 00:05:21.350 --> 00:05:23.449 So human clay captured the earnest emotional 00:05:23.449 --> 00:05:26.009 tone of a generation navigating the end of a 00:05:26.009 --> 00:05:28.529 millennium, spiritual without being preachy, 00:05:28.529 --> 00:05:31.430 aggressive without being alienating, and undeniably 00:05:31.430 --> 00:05:35.100 massive in sound. A lot to say there, but let's 00:05:35.100 --> 00:05:37.519 let the songs do the talking and get to round 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:41.819 one. And here we go! So this is opening cuts 00:05:41.819 --> 00:05:45.939 for round one. The first song of any album should 00:05:45.939 --> 00:05:48.319 immediately capture your attention, set a tone 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:52.079 for what's coming, set you up for success, right? 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:56.740 You want to take this journey. So Don, what are 00:05:56.740 --> 00:06:00.540 we listening to here? It's time for Nickelback 00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:03.959 to step up. Well, the opening cut for Nickelback's 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:13.860 Silver Side Up is never again. You should have 00:06:13.860 --> 00:06:15.620 gone with the first few words when he's like, 00:06:15.699 --> 00:06:19.139 it's a boxing ring in the living room. That's 00:06:19.139 --> 00:06:23.060 right. Yeah, so that song, you know, is pretty 00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:28.100 powerful. Nice driving rhythm behind it. So, 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.540 Never Again, if you couldn't tell, lyrically, 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:33.699 it adopts a child's perspective to narrate a 00:06:33.699 --> 00:06:37.220 domestic violence scenario. I think he says clenching 00:06:37.220 --> 00:06:40.319 his fists. It's not like he says clinking. I 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:41.379 don't know if that, is that how they pronounce 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:46.019 it in Alberta? It might've just been, sometimes 00:06:46.019 --> 00:06:49.779 words get said weird because it sounds better 00:06:49.779 --> 00:06:53.180 to the artist or producer. Yeah. So yeah, a pretty 00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:57.139 raw sounding song with, I don't know, pretty 00:06:57.139 --> 00:07:00.699 direct lyrics, you know, not the most imaginative 00:07:00.699 --> 00:07:02.860 metaphors. You know, like you said, the living 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:06.550 room becomes a boxing ring. Yeah. It's. It's 00:07:06.550 --> 00:07:08.529 kind of corny, but I don't want to say it's corny 00:07:08.529 --> 00:07:11.189 because it's such an awful situation that they're 00:07:11.189 --> 00:07:13.529 depicting. And it's gutsy to take that on. You 00:07:13.529 --> 00:07:16.050 know, you may or may not remember this. We were 00:07:16.050 --> 00:07:18.649 both working at a record store together at the 00:07:18.649 --> 00:07:21.129 time, and we were roommates. And one of the other 00:07:21.129 --> 00:07:23.529 songs on this album that we'll maybe get to later, 00:07:23.750 --> 00:07:26.790 How You Remind Me. Both really liked it. I got 00:07:26.790 --> 00:07:29.110 the promo copy, the free copy of the album, brought 00:07:29.110 --> 00:07:31.250 it home, like, all right, this is on Roadrunner 00:07:31.250 --> 00:07:33.769 Records. That's like a metal label. Let's listen 00:07:33.769 --> 00:07:36.250 to this thing. And this was the first song, and 00:07:36.250 --> 00:07:39.529 we both were kind of laughing at the lyrics. 00:07:39.589 --> 00:07:42.870 Now, I don't see it that way anymore. I don't 00:07:42.870 --> 00:07:45.970 think it's as cringy as I did then. Unlike the 00:07:45.970 --> 00:07:48.209 introspective, metaphor -heavy approach favored 00:07:48.209 --> 00:07:50.589 by earlier grunge acts, the bands that inspired 00:07:50.589 --> 00:07:53.449 these bands, like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, the 00:07:53.449 --> 00:07:56.110 storytelling here is... unambiguous and literal 00:07:56.110 --> 00:07:59.670 right which lands more like headlines and poetry 00:07:59.670 --> 00:08:02.490 so that's yeah that took i think that was the 00:08:02.490 --> 00:08:05.110 adjustment i was trying to make their influences 00:08:05.110 --> 00:08:07.610 were the bands that i wanted them to sound like 00:08:07.610 --> 00:08:09.970 but they had to do it their own way right that's 00:08:09.970 --> 00:08:13.730 true kicking your ass would be a pleasure yeah 00:08:13.730 --> 00:08:18.269 well that's a i mean from little kids perspective 00:08:18.269 --> 00:08:20.990 that's quite an advanced way to word things so 00:08:20.990 --> 00:08:24.269 sure all right well how does creed start off 00:08:24.620 --> 00:08:27.199 Well, I'll just ask a simple question, Don. Are 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:39.340 you ready? I'd say that Are You Ready serves 00:08:39.340 --> 00:08:43.519 as a spiritual overture for the album. Slow building 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.220 intro blooms into a thick chugging riff from 00:08:46.220 --> 00:08:49.679 Mr. Tremonti. It kind of sets a tone. for the 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:52.700 record's blend of introspection with the muscular 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:56.440 guitar work, quasi -religious overtones. It alternates 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:59.639 between heavy palm -muted verses, soaring anthemic 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:02.559 choruses, structure that Creed would refine across 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:05.559 the entire album, which I think is why this works 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:08.460 well as an opening track. Stapp delivers his 00:09:08.460 --> 00:09:10.820 typical sort of mix of challenge and invitation. 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:13.059 Are you ready for what's to come? It's like a 00:09:13.059 --> 00:09:16.539 call to awaken, maybe look back, reflect and 00:09:16.539 --> 00:09:19.889 confront personal change. And maybe can you smell 00:09:19.889 --> 00:09:23.649 what Creed is cooking a little bit? This band, 00:09:25.009 --> 00:09:28.110 at this point, they had some success. Are you 00:09:28.110 --> 00:09:30.490 ready for what we're about to kick your ass with 00:09:30.490 --> 00:09:34.730 on this record? So as an opener, I think it functions 00:09:34.730 --> 00:09:37.490 as a mission statement that this is a band that's 00:09:37.490 --> 00:09:40.490 going big, both sonically and thematically, from 00:09:40.490 --> 00:09:43.950 the very first note. After listening to the Nickelback 00:09:43.950 --> 00:09:47.370 album all the way through, you know, then I put 00:09:47.370 --> 00:09:50.490 on Creed and I kind of just expected more of 00:09:50.490 --> 00:09:53.690 the same. But it's really, they are pretty different, 00:09:53.809 --> 00:09:57.669 these two bands. Yes, more different than I thought. 00:09:57.870 --> 00:10:02.110 This first song, it starts off with kind of atmospheric 00:10:02.110 --> 00:10:06.149 guitar. You know, there's a lot of little lead 00:10:06.149 --> 00:10:09.809 guitar parts that you just don't get with Nickelback. 00:10:09.970 --> 00:10:11.909 You know, they're relying almost entirely on 00:10:11.909 --> 00:10:14.490 the power chords. And, you know, Tremonti really, 00:10:14.690 --> 00:10:18.100 you know. add some, some melody with the guitar. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:20.320 Uh, and then when you get into the choruses, 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:22.440 that's when you get the, the heavy power chords. 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:24.799 Uh, but it's definitely different. If he had 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:26.759 been born a decade earlier, he would have been 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:29.600 in anthrax or something, you know, like, I think 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:33.539 he, that's where his heart lies. And this was 00:10:33.539 --> 00:10:35.539 a period of music where that wasn't going to 00:10:35.539 --> 00:10:37.919 work. So yeah. And same with Scott, Scott step. 00:10:38.059 --> 00:10:41.200 I think he was more of a classic rock sort of 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:44.809 style. So they had to meet in the middle, which 00:10:44.809 --> 00:10:46.610 is what I think they did here. Yeah, this one 00:10:46.610 --> 00:10:48.850 actually gave me kind of a Soundgarden vibe at 00:10:48.850 --> 00:10:51.210 the beginning. When he comes in, I mean, obviously 00:10:51.210 --> 00:10:54.649 he doesn't have the range of Chris Cornell, but 00:10:54.649 --> 00:10:57.250 he does, you know, kind of attack you with that 00:10:57.250 --> 00:11:01.009 aggressive growl or something. Yeah. So, yeah, 00:11:01.070 --> 00:11:08.539 pretty intense intro. Super intense. That was 00:11:08.539 --> 00:11:10.899 a lot to take in. Those are two pretty hefty 00:11:10.899 --> 00:11:13.820 songs, especially Nickelback literally bringing 00:11:13.820 --> 00:11:16.100 it into a boxing ring. So why don't we take a 00:11:16.100 --> 00:11:17.759 little breather, hear a little something something 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:20.039 from our friends over at Getting Down and Wordy. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:24.659 Riz. Greetings. Gendered language. Onomatopoeias. 00:11:24.980 --> 00:11:28.379 The ick. What makes some words sound funny. Why 00:11:28.379 --> 00:11:30.700 just listen to music when you can overanalyze 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:33.419 the words in the songs? Music, language, and 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:45.330 Eurovision all crammed into one podcast. Find 00:11:45.330 --> 00:11:47.929 us anywhere you listen to podcasts. Well, maybe 00:11:47.929 --> 00:11:50.909 at some point they could have their own rumble. 00:11:51.990 --> 00:11:56.129 Russell V. Hanna. Nouns versus verbs. There you 00:11:56.129 --> 00:11:59.509 go. That's the fight of the century right there. 00:11:59.649 --> 00:12:04.470 Back to the action. In round two, we're going 00:12:04.470 --> 00:12:08.639 to select a standout cut from each album. attempting 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:11.860 to knock the other dude out with a wicked haymaker. 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:15.179 Don, what you bringing? I'm ready to take it. 00:12:15.980 --> 00:12:23.120 Well, as dude mentioned earlier, this song actually, 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:26.080 I think, got both of our attention and we were 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:28.720 both excited about it at the time. A song called 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:41.179 How You Remind Me. I still love it, man. It's 00:12:41.179 --> 00:12:43.759 a great song. It is a good song. I mean, when 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:45.440 we listened to that record that day I brought 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.419 it home, we turned it off after the first track, 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:50.840 so we didn't even get to the song we like. She 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:52.700 had to listen to the whole thing. That was dumb. 00:12:53.019 --> 00:12:55.759 Yeah. We were jerks back then. Yeah, we were. 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:59.620 So the lyrics of How You Remind Me supposedly 00:12:59.620 --> 00:13:03.379 stem from an argument Chad Kroger had with his 00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:06.580 girlfriend at the time. Supposedly, he went down 00:13:06.580 --> 00:13:08.980 in the basement, turned on his microphone, and 00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:11.340 just started, I guess, singing into the microphone 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:14.259 down there. And he came up with these lyrics. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:16.559 He was, I think, deliberately singing them loud 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:19.399 so she could hear them, hoping to... you know, 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:22.240 get some sort of response from her. Uh, and she's 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:25.559 was like, Ooh, that sounds good. You know, that's 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:28.039 a true mark of a good song. It's like, you know, 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.320 even though you're insulting me, I recognize 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:34.879 that this is quality stuff. Yeah. That's, that's, 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:37.220 I gotta give that lady credit. She should, she 00:13:37.220 --> 00:13:39.490 deserves some piece of the. piece of the action 00:13:39.490 --> 00:13:42.289 there. True. I mean, it's a pretty straightforward 00:13:42.289 --> 00:13:44.570 rock song, but there's something about it that 00:13:44.570 --> 00:13:46.110 sounds a little different. You know, it's not 00:13:46.110 --> 00:13:50.230 a typical chorus. The rhythm of it is kind of 00:13:50.230 --> 00:13:52.649 unique. I don't know. It just really stands out. 00:13:53.070 --> 00:13:55.769 Just, you know, I think a powerful, you know, 00:13:55.769 --> 00:13:59.710 rock single. As stupid as it is, one thing that 00:13:59.710 --> 00:14:02.210 I remember... being impressed by at the time 00:14:02.210 --> 00:14:05.950 and still kind of like is the these five words 00:14:05.950 --> 00:14:08.830 in my head scream are we having fun yet and they 00:14:08.830 --> 00:14:11.409 like remember counting them out yeah the five 00:14:11.409 --> 00:14:14.629 like you know what i like that and i really do 00:14:14.629 --> 00:14:17.389 like that i mean it's not complex but it really 00:14:17.389 --> 00:14:20.850 works yeah i don't love the lyrics for lots of 00:14:20.850 --> 00:14:23.850 the songs on this album but i do like them on 00:14:23.850 --> 00:14:27.480 this one Well, it avoids the overly simplistic, 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:30.559 cringy tropes often associated with this post 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:33.480 -grunge era. It's heartfelt without feeling forced. 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:36.840 And the combination of the gritty guitar, the 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.860 vulnerable but strong vocals, there's a lot of 00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:43.759 confidence there. I mean, these guys were a hardworking 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:47.080 band. This is their third album. I mean, their 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:49.919 first one was independently recorded and released. 00:14:50.909 --> 00:14:53.129 They weren't just handed this like a lot of those 00:14:53.129 --> 00:14:55.490 Seattle bands after grunge broke where it was 00:14:55.490 --> 00:14:57.309 just record labels scooping up anything they 00:14:57.309 --> 00:15:01.730 could. Both Creed and Nickelback had to claw 00:15:01.730 --> 00:15:05.950 their way into the music industry. And I feel 00:15:05.950 --> 00:15:08.950 that here. I like it. Good energy. Well, I can 00:15:08.950 --> 00:15:13.029 picture a shirtless Scott Stapp winding up to 00:15:13.029 --> 00:15:15.970 throw a big punch. So what do you got? Another 00:15:15.970 --> 00:15:29.009 question. What if? I mean, I thought Creed sucked 00:15:29.009 --> 00:15:32.149 at the time, largely probably because of With 00:15:32.149 --> 00:15:36.350 Arms Wide Open being so huge and just being a 00:15:36.350 --> 00:15:39.169 record store snob guy. But I always liked that 00:15:39.169 --> 00:15:43.059 song. I love Stone Temple Pilots. It had a very 00:15:43.059 --> 00:15:46.759 STP sound. And I remember thinking STP had been 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:49.360 sanding it down. And I was like, why can't they 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:52.240 do stuff like this? This band is able to do this. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.779 And I feel like it's Tremonti's metal moment 00:15:54.779 --> 00:15:57.480 on the album where he really gets to bash you 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:59.840 with his guitar. The song isn't about regret. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.059 It's about vengeance and distrust of society 00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:06.860 and the media and personal betrayals. And it's 00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:09.220 one of the rare moments where they really sound 00:16:09.220 --> 00:16:14.620 angry. And I like anger in my rock music, at 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:18.679 least in moments. And it works really well. It 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:20.940 proves Creed wasn't just about ballads and uplift. 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:23.700 They could bring weight, menace, and edge when 00:16:23.700 --> 00:16:27.740 they wanted to. Haymaker! So even this one, even 00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:30.700 though it's kind of a harder track, it still 00:16:30.700 --> 00:16:33.440 has kind of a quiet intro, which was supposedly 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.919 inspired by the Rolling Stones' Painted Black. 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:40.960 Cool. Yeah. It's kind of funny. I feel like all 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:43.360 the grunge bands had kind of moved on and were 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.919 exploring other sounds, but the post -grunge 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:48.919 is kind of throwing back. I know. I should have 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:51.200 embraced it. I should have just. Gone along for 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:55.440 the ride. I hated my bands fading away, my Pearl 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.659 Jams and whatever, and Binaural was the Pearl 00:16:58.659 --> 00:17:02.220 Jam album in 2000. This one's more fun to listen 00:17:02.220 --> 00:17:04.380 to than Binaural. Binaural's all artistic and 00:17:04.380 --> 00:17:07.279 cool and whatever, and it's Pearl Jam and poetic, 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:10.400 but if I could go back and do it all over again, 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:12.539 I would have embraced these records and just 00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:14.140 enjoyed them for what they were instead of being 00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:17.819 such a douchey snob. So yeah, I think we both 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:24.529 took it pretty hard. To the face. I'm seeing 00:17:24.529 --> 00:17:31.970 stars. It's pandemonium. That was a very successful 00:17:31.970 --> 00:17:37.930 and action -packed round two. All right, round 00:17:37.930 --> 00:17:41.009 three, opponent cuts. So in this round, we each 00:17:41.009 --> 00:17:44.430 try to land a critical blow by spotlighting one 00:17:44.430 --> 00:17:46.809 of the weaker tracks in our opponent's album. 00:17:47.009 --> 00:17:51.640 This is a fun one. I totally biffed it last week, 00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:53.640 so hopefully this time I'll do a better job. 00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:57.480 All right. Well, what's the weak underbelly of 00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:01.140 Silverside Up? It's actually a very painful thing 00:18:01.140 --> 00:18:03.519 that can happen on your finger. It's a hangnail. 00:18:05.420 --> 00:18:17.480 Yeah. There are moments where it's okay. It tries 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:19.839 to be edgy and confrontational, but sort of ends 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:23.519 up incoherent and forgettable, but the memories 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:26.859 of it are of the bad parts. It's kind of awkward. 00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:29.920 There's aggression, but not much artistry here. 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:32.039 It's a swing and a miss as far as I'm concerned. 00:18:32.619 --> 00:18:34.880 Lyrics like, my hopes just fell and I can't see 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.839 the reason why, why there is blood on my sleeve. 00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:41.579 Is that from having a fight? And then this life 00:18:41.579 --> 00:18:44.019 you lead, like us living in a shiny ballroom, 00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:46.440 next time you bleed, better ask before you borrow. 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:50.680 It just feels like chunks of stuff, but it's 00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:55.279 like a breakup voicemail. screamed into a distortion 00:18:55.279 --> 00:19:00.599 pedal. That distorted vocal layering, that weird 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:03.599 effects that they were putting on, it just didn't 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:06.339 fit the rest. It felt like they were trying too 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:08.940 hard to make an uninteresting song interesting. 00:19:09.319 --> 00:19:11.839 It might be emotionally honest, but it's sonically 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:14.420 abrasive, lyrically jumbled, and structurally 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:17.259 weak. In a battle of haymakers, this is just 00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:22.559 the glass jaw on Silver Side Up. Ooh. Yeah, lyrically, 00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:26.799 it's certainly weak. I guess the only aspect 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:30.720 of it I appreciate is that it does break up the 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:32.759 album a little bit. As you're listening through, 00:19:32.859 --> 00:19:36.140 it is kind of one note. And this one changes 00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:40.119 up the tempo a little bit. Isn't it like the 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:42.900 second to last song? Maybe, second or third. 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:46.460 Yeah, I can't remember. Yeah, so it changes the 00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:51.180 tone right before the last track. Come on. True 00:19:51.180 --> 00:19:54.660 lose. Well, let me strike back. Come on. Stop 00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:57.559 trying to hit me and hit me. All right. So the 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:00.380 weakness on human clay, I'll say, is with arms 00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:04.400 wide open. I think it's wide open. Wide open. 00:20:13.869 --> 00:20:16.269 So I am in danger of falling into the trap that 00:20:16.269 --> 00:20:18.970 you did last week, going with the Cure's Love 00:20:18.970 --> 00:20:22.430 Song. So I chose with arms wide open because 00:20:22.430 --> 00:20:26.049 it is an interruption, I think, to the flow of 00:20:26.049 --> 00:20:29.549 the album. At least musically, it's a pretty 00:20:29.549 --> 00:20:32.710 dark album and a very heavy album, and this one 00:20:32.710 --> 00:20:36.089 feels a bit out of place, which was also typical 00:20:36.089 --> 00:20:39.130 in the 80s with your metal bands when they would 00:20:39.130 --> 00:20:41.970 have that power ballad thrown into an album. 00:20:42.369 --> 00:20:44.769 This kind of feels like that. But on the other 00:20:44.769 --> 00:20:47.650 hand, I mean, I can't argue about it being a 00:20:47.650 --> 00:20:52.589 good song and a huge hit. I mean, it is sappy 00:20:52.589 --> 00:20:55.789 and sentimental, but I mean, there's many sappy 00:20:55.789 --> 00:20:58.250 and sentimental songs like Lionel Richie's Hello 00:20:58.250 --> 00:21:00.170 or something. If I can appreciate a song like 00:21:00.170 --> 00:21:04.269 that, I should be able to appreciate this. Yeah, 00:21:04.289 --> 00:21:07.269 it was huge. And it was the reason I didn't want 00:21:07.269 --> 00:21:09.430 to listen to them because it was sappy. And it 00:21:09.430 --> 00:21:11.849 was also something I didn't understand, having 00:21:11.849 --> 00:21:15.579 a kid and how that makes you feel. But there's 00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:19.099 an overwrought delivery, Hallmark -style lyrics. 00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:21.859 It aims to be heartfelt, and I'm sure it is. 00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:24.940 It totally is, and I think it's probably inspired 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:27.380 a lot of people. I mean, I watch on YouTube now 00:21:27.380 --> 00:21:29.619 these younger people from younger generations 00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:32.339 doing these reaction videos to songs they haven't 00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:34.680 heard, albums they haven't heard, and the reactions 00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:38.750 from people across the board. playing this song 00:21:38.750 --> 00:21:41.930 is just that he's got this what a beautiful voice 00:21:41.930 --> 00:21:45.329 what a powerful message like i think without 00:21:45.329 --> 00:21:49.269 the uh the glasses we were wearing in 1990 you 00:21:49.269 --> 00:21:52.809 know 99 2000 of the way we saw the world i think 00:21:52.809 --> 00:21:55.210 this is this song can just be seen for what it 00:21:55.210 --> 00:21:58.720 is When it's not in the context of the grunge 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:00.359 scene and all that other stuff that was going 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:03.440 on. I do think the vocals are a bit of a distraction. 00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:08.680 Just his affect on it. I think it works better 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:10.920 with heavier tracks. I think because it's a quieter 00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:16.680 song. It's easy to make fun of. Yeah. So you 00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:18.819 have to draw words out when you're singing. So 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:23.819 with arms wide open. carry the emotion right 00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:26.299 and i'm sure the producer probably pointed out 00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:29.279 i mean it's like uh in sync it's it's gonna be 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:34.480 me no it's gonna be may yes see you tried to 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:37.099 cut me but i'd say creed still standing tall 00:22:37.099 --> 00:22:40.920 arms wide open and middle finger raised don you 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:47.019 failed still probably my most skippable track 00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:49.460 on the album so you still get that going for 00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:54.019 you All right, so three rounds down. I think 00:22:54.019 --> 00:22:55.480 it's time to take a break and then we'll get 00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:58.200 back to the action. It's time. It's time to get 00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:05.200 deep. Excuse me. I'd like to ask you a few questions. 00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:12.799 It is time again for Deep Questions by Don. Oh, 00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:15.940 yeah. Butt Rock took over the airwaves in the 00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:19.799 late 90s and early 2000s, just as reality TV 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:24.720 was also. Destroying television. Yes. Dominating 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:28.480 screens. Did you have any favorite reality shows 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:32.160 at that time? Yeah. I mean, I bought in at first. 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:34.619 I mean, the very first reality show I remember 00:23:34.619 --> 00:23:37.880 seeing was Cops. Oh, yeah. Even before like the 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:40.140 real world and stuff. But I watched the first 00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:42.579 season of Survivor, never went back. I figured. 00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:44.759 The formula is going to be the same every time. 00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:46.960 I watched the first season of American Idol. 00:23:47.099 --> 00:23:49.099 And then a few years later, I saw a couple of 00:23:49.099 --> 00:23:52.980 seasons here and there. But in 2005, my very 00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:56.839 favorite, probably the contender, it was a boxing. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:00.819 Oh, yeah. Contest. It was hosted that first season 00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:03.319 by Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard. 00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:07.519 And it was independent boxers that hadn't made 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:11.539 it to the big time yet competing to, I think 00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:14.740 if they had a championship, they would get representation 00:24:14.740 --> 00:24:18.220 and get up into the ranks to - Fight the big 00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:21.220 fight. Fight the big fights, yeah. Also Rockstar 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:24.009 in excess. Oh, yeah. It was one of my favorites 00:24:24.009 --> 00:24:27.970 where the members of NXS and Dave Navarro, all 00:24:27.970 --> 00:24:30.710 these contestants sang NXS songs and stuff to 00:24:30.710 --> 00:24:33.029 prove they could be the next singer for the band 00:24:33.029 --> 00:24:35.190 after Michael Hudgens passed away. So it was 00:24:35.190 --> 00:24:37.849 usually music things that I was most into. Yeah, 00:24:37.869 --> 00:24:40.809 speaking of music ones, I remembered one that 00:24:40.809 --> 00:24:43.150 you and I used to watch together, Bands on the 00:24:43.150 --> 00:24:46.549 Run on VH1. Yeah, that was awesome. It started 00:24:46.549 --> 00:24:48.849 with four groups who had to compete, and I think 00:24:48.849 --> 00:24:52.130 ultimately the winner got a record deal. Yeah, 00:24:52.130 --> 00:24:56.819 that was so fun. I remember the first couple 00:24:56.819 --> 00:24:59.480 episodes, the band that we supported, Flickr 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:01.420 Stick, we thought they were lazy and didn't, 00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:03.859 but then their music like won out, won us out. 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:08.500 And I ordered their independent CD before, then 00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:11.259 we went and saw them live. I mean, that was as 00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:13.720 far of a journey you could take with a reality 00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:16.680 show as possible where you go and meet the band, 00:25:16.819 --> 00:25:19.789 you know, it was cool. Well, what were your favorite 00:25:19.789 --> 00:25:22.289 reality shows? Let us know on Instagram and Facebook 00:25:22.289 --> 00:25:24.549 or leave a comment on our website, albumnerds 00:25:24.549 --> 00:25:29.789 .com. Back to the action. Finish them! So here 00:25:29.789 --> 00:25:32.049 we are in round four. Now we're coming around 00:25:32.049 --> 00:25:35.250 to those closing tracks, those final songs that 00:25:35.250 --> 00:25:37.369 should wrap things up in a way that feels satisfying, 00:25:37.710 --> 00:25:40.089 leaving the listener thinking about the music 00:25:40.089 --> 00:25:43.410 long after it ends, potentially songs stuck in 00:25:43.410 --> 00:25:46.369 head, play it again, Sam, all that stuff. A little 00:25:46.369 --> 00:25:52.349 post -coital cigarette. I think they do vapes 00:25:52.349 --> 00:25:55.769 now, Don. That's right. All right. Well, Nickelback 00:25:55.769 --> 00:25:58.630 ended Silver Side Up with a song called Good 00:25:58.630 --> 00:26:11.490 Times Gone. Good times were just starting for 00:26:11.490 --> 00:26:14.059 these guys. They just didn't know it. Yeah. Yeah, 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.859 I should mention that this isn't even their best 00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:18.420 -selling album. No. That came a few years later 00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:22.200 in 2005. But, you know, Good Times Gone is another, 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:24.940 I think, kind of change of pace on the album. 00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:28.240 It's just sonically different for the most part. 00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:31.900 It has a more bluesy rock treatment. You've got 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:35.579 some harmonica in there, some slide. And it's 00:26:35.579 --> 00:26:38.519 one of the moments where you actually have... 00:26:38.970 --> 00:26:42.329 Some, I think, interesting guitar, some melodic 00:26:42.329 --> 00:26:44.529 guitar. You don't really get a lot of that on 00:26:44.529 --> 00:26:50.009 this album. So I really enjoyed this as the closer 00:26:50.009 --> 00:26:52.829 for the album. I mean, I think we can all relate 00:26:52.829 --> 00:26:58.089 to the idea of nostalgia and things not being 00:26:58.089 --> 00:27:00.269 as good as they used to be. I mean, even when 00:27:00.269 --> 00:27:02.509 you were 24 or something, you still feel like 00:27:02.509 --> 00:27:04.930 things suck now compared to how they used to 00:27:04.930 --> 00:27:10.009 be. That's stupid. Such a waste of time. We waste 00:27:10.009 --> 00:27:14.269 so much time looking back, you know? Yeah. It's 00:27:14.269 --> 00:27:17.109 kind of a weird end, especially given how aggressive 00:27:17.109 --> 00:27:20.329 and riff -heavy most of the record is. So I appreciate 00:27:20.329 --> 00:27:24.250 that. Odd placement of taking a stylistic departure. 00:27:24.690 --> 00:27:26.829 It's either bold or baffling. I still haven't 00:27:26.829 --> 00:27:30.059 figured that out. Were they going for like bluesy 00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:32.140 or were they shooting for more of a Bon Jovi 00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:34.460 dead or alive moment? Because I kind of heard 00:27:34.460 --> 00:27:38.259 like a cowboyish kind of like Western thing going 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:40.900 on. There's definitely some of that. Yeah. It 00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:44.440 felt like probably they did some experimenting 00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:47.240 in the studio and took a chance on this one. 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:49.839 So I'll give them credit for giving it a shot. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:52.920 I think it's probably just easier sometimes to. 00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:55.900 put the interesting track at the end rather than 00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:58.720 trying to sandwich it between. If you're not 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:01.299 expecting it to be a single, then yeah. All right. 00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:03.359 Well, how does Creed attempt the final round 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:06.880 knockout blow? Well, they go with a reflective 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:10.700 spiritual track, kind of a sequel to the themes 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:12.920 explored in my own prison. Why don't we check 00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:25.140 out a little bit of inside us all. i picked the 00:28:25.140 --> 00:28:28.140 part of the song that saves it you know it's 00:28:28.140 --> 00:28:30.500 because it's kind of like a mellow mellow track 00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:32.799 you know that there's a piece inside us i'll 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:35.839 let it be your friend you know find find happiness 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:39.140 in life uh don't sweat the small stuff that's 00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:42.180 kind of the the feeling i got from it but also 00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:46.380 as with everything scott stapp's childhood upbringing 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:50.380 in the born -again church world, which I do have 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:53.259 experience with myself. So I do understand where 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:56.119 he's coming from spiritually, where there's still 00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:58.819 this part of you tied to that world, but you're 00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:01.740 also living in the regular world and trying to 00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:07.240 have those two things fit together somehow. Stapp 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:09.180 holds back on the theatrics a little bit here, 00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:11.920 a little more restrained. Feels like an epilogue. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:14.380 It's not a hit single, but a meditative closer 00:29:14.380 --> 00:29:17.420 that does invite introspection over chest thumping. 00:29:17.700 --> 00:29:21.920 So I think it's a fairly strong close. I really 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:26.539 like the initial sound of the song, the verses. 00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:31.059 I like that quiet, moody vibe. And then I feel 00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:34.900 like the chorus doesn't really deliver. And that's 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:37.369 actually my criticism of kind of this. period 00:29:37.369 --> 00:29:39.990 in rock anyway there there really wasn't a lot 00:29:39.990 --> 00:29:42.250 of melody going on in choruses a lot of time 00:29:42.250 --> 00:29:44.390 it was just all of a sudden you shift into like 00:29:44.390 --> 00:29:47.109 a louder riff or something and the vocals remain 00:29:47.109 --> 00:29:50.269 kind of monotone and maybe sung a little louder 00:29:50.269 --> 00:29:53.049 and that's what creed does a lot on this album 00:29:53.049 --> 00:29:55.630 and you know i wish they you know tried to to 00:29:55.630 --> 00:29:57.730 be a little bit more melodic but i i know that's 00:29:57.730 --> 00:30:00.029 not what they were what they were going for well 00:30:00.029 --> 00:30:02.930 i mean they're way more melodic than their contemporaries 00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:05.440 Yeah. At this time. Yeah. I mean, particularly 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:09.839 musically, the guitar parts are very melodic, 00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:12.599 which I think is their best feature. I agree. 00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:16.839 Okay. Well, that wraps up the standard sort of 00:30:16.839 --> 00:30:20.099 portion of this fight. It's time for the final 00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:25.000 round, round five, X -Factors. X -Factor KO. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:28.359 All right. So here we are, the final round, round 00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:31.920 five, X -Factors. We look at these five key metrics. 00:30:32.440 --> 00:30:35.299 that we think help define great albums, and that 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:38.039 way we can get away from just the songs and look 00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:40.839 deeper. Those factors are the digging factor, 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.720 like is it an enjoyable listening experience? 00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:46.859 The killer to filler ratio, are all the songs 00:30:46.859 --> 00:30:48.619 strong? Which ones are, you know, how many a 00:30:48.619 --> 00:30:51.920 week? The production, which album hits the hardest 00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:53.920 hits and delivers the true heavyweight listening 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:57.059 experience based on making the songs the best 00:30:57.059 --> 00:31:00.670 they can be? The rematch. You said there wasn't 00:31:00.670 --> 00:31:02.329 going to be no rematch. Do you want to listen 00:31:02.329 --> 00:31:05.569 again? Will you return to this record? And then 00:31:05.569 --> 00:31:10.109 the legacy, like what's its importance in music 00:31:10.109 --> 00:31:13.809 and history and culture? Does it stand the test 00:31:13.809 --> 00:31:17.170 of time? So Don, throw these together and what 00:31:17.170 --> 00:31:19.609 do you get? What's your result? Where do you 00:31:19.609 --> 00:31:22.789 land on round five, X -Factors? Yeah, now that 00:31:22.789 --> 00:31:26.549 I'm less of an asshole, I think I can actually 00:31:26.549 --> 00:31:29.509 appreciate both of these albums. Yeah, we're 00:31:29.509 --> 00:31:32.170 not assholes, we're just butts, and it's butt 00:31:32.170 --> 00:31:36.230 rock time. Right, buttholes. Well, I feel like 00:31:36.230 --> 00:31:39.769 a lot of these are pretty even. I think overall, 00:31:40.009 --> 00:31:42.940 I think the... Better listening experience, surprisingly 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:45.039 ended up being Nickelback, even though I was 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:48.380 partial to Creed initially. I think it's maybe 00:31:48.380 --> 00:31:50.460 just a bit more consistent. I think with arms 00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:54.559 wide open kind of kills the flow of the Creed 00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:57.480 album. It plays very long. It kind of trudges 00:31:57.480 --> 00:32:00.339 along in the middle. I feel like it loses some 00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:03.480 momentum, even though I feel like it's a. The 00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:06.420 Creed is kind of a bigger sounding album. The 00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:09.079 production, I think, is basically even. I think 00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:11.539 the legacy is about the same. Both of these kind 00:32:11.539 --> 00:32:15.660 of represent kind of the death of rock. And it's 00:32:15.660 --> 00:32:18.299 not the fault of these bands or the albums. It's 00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:22.539 just they came at the end. Yeah. As far as re 00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:25.619 -listenability, I think. Nickelback has an advantage 00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:28.460 just because it's shorter, but it's a brighter 00:32:28.460 --> 00:32:32.240 sounding album, and I think it maintains momentum, 00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:36.880 whereas Creed kind of slows down at points. I'll 00:32:36.880 --> 00:32:39.700 go with Nickelback there. Overall, I think I'm 00:32:39.700 --> 00:32:43.279 leaning Nickelback for X -Factors. How about 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:46.980 you? Yeah, so for the dig in, I give it to Creed. 00:32:47.140 --> 00:32:49.839 It was more emotionally resonant. Soaring moments, 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:52.559 better dynamics, I think, throughout. Just the 00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:55.539 sound is bigger and more enjoyable to me. And 00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:58.720 the musicianship, I think, is definitely better 00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:01.640 than Nickelback's work on that album anyway. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:04.819 Killer to filler ratio, again, that's Creed for 00:33:04.819 --> 00:33:07.660 me. The killer tracks, Higher, which we didn't 00:33:07.660 --> 00:33:10.440 get a chance to talk about, that's such an iconic 00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:14.079 song. What If, Are You Ready, Say I, Faceless 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:16.740 Man, Inside Us All. I mean, there's just very 00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:21.130 strong songs. Nickelback has How You Remind Me, 00:33:21.329 --> 00:33:24.829 Never Again, and Too Bad, which was a radio hit 00:33:24.829 --> 00:33:27.950 as well and a song I enjoy. But it's just kind 00:33:27.950 --> 00:33:29.650 of those three and the rest of it, I just kind 00:33:29.650 --> 00:33:32.970 of, I found myself being like, is it Creed time 00:33:32.970 --> 00:33:36.210 yet? So production wise, I'm giving it to Nickelback. 00:33:36.269 --> 00:33:38.730 Cleaner mix, more polished vocals, tighter overall 00:33:38.730 --> 00:33:41.769 sound, very echoey for Creed, but that's part 00:33:41.769 --> 00:33:44.609 of their whole spiritual big sound. They're more 00:33:44.609 --> 00:33:48.029 of an arena rock and Nickelback's more of a, 00:33:48.410 --> 00:33:53.509 garage rock type vibe or basement rock. As far 00:33:53.509 --> 00:33:55.910 as re -listenability goes, it's got to be Creed. 00:33:55.990 --> 00:33:58.309 I just think it holds up more cohesively over 00:33:58.309 --> 00:34:01.309 time, more lasting appeal. You know, once the 00:34:01.309 --> 00:34:06.369 sort of irony and memeness and all that fades 00:34:06.369 --> 00:34:11.900 and the whole... anti -Creed, the butt rock that 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:15.679 these bands get. Once I got through all of that, 00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:19.500 I just sat back and enjoyed the albums. So I 00:34:19.500 --> 00:34:24.599 will go back to it, surprisingly. If it's a choice 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:26.239 between I'm going to listen to Pearl Jam verses 00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:28.480 or Creed, Human Clay, it's probably going to 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:30.820 be Pearl Jam. But there are going to be moments 00:34:30.820 --> 00:34:34.079 where I want to make a Jesus Christ pose and 00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:35.800 throw my head back and listen to some Creed. 00:34:36.619 --> 00:34:39.219 And with Nickelback, you can cherry pick the 00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:42.159 hits, but as an album as a whole, it doesn't 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:45.199 invite a lot of full replays for me. Legacy wise, 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:48.900 I think Creed, it went diamond. It spawned Grammy 00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:52.199 wins. There's praise, there's parody, but I think 00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:54.599 they're just a more powerful band. I know that 00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:58.019 Nickelback lived on and continued to record albums 00:34:58.019 --> 00:35:00.420 and have even bigger hits than they did on this 00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:02.980 record. So yeah, I'm giving the X Factor round 00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:11.000 five to Creed, four to one. Let's send it back 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:12.880 to the center of the ring and hear tonight's 00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:16.239 results. Well, I guess I'll go to my scorecard. 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:21.639 So I gave round one to Creed. I thought the Are 00:35:21.639 --> 00:35:23.960 You Ready was a stronger opener. I thought How 00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:26.579 You Remind Me was, I mean, it's just such a great 00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:29.099 song. I had to give it to Nickelback. Round three. 00:35:30.590 --> 00:35:32.449 I went with with arms wide open just because 00:35:32.449 --> 00:35:34.869 it's such a strong song, even though it doesn't 00:35:34.869 --> 00:35:38.130 really fit the record. Round four, the closer 00:35:38.130 --> 00:35:41.150 I gave to Nickelback. It was, you know, it's 00:35:41.150 --> 00:35:44.070 one of my favorite songs on the album. So they 00:35:44.070 --> 00:35:47.289 get it. Round five was kind of all over the place. 00:35:47.769 --> 00:35:51.849 I had a few wins for Nickelback and two draws. 00:35:52.110 --> 00:35:55.369 But Nickelback takes round five. And so they 00:35:55.369 --> 00:35:58.510 take my scorecard three to two. How about you, 00:35:58.570 --> 00:36:01.630 dude? Round one, I'm giving that to Creed. I 00:36:01.630 --> 00:36:05.469 think Are You Ready is just a much more grandiose 00:36:05.469 --> 00:36:08.949 and less depressing entry, although I appreciate 00:36:08.949 --> 00:36:10.809 what Nickelback was doing, setting a tone where 00:36:10.809 --> 00:36:13.610 they were a different band than some of these 00:36:13.610 --> 00:36:17.550 other behemoths at the time. Round two, that 00:36:17.550 --> 00:36:21.440 Haymaker, I'm giving to Nickelback. I think How 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:24.559 You Remind Me is kind of their definitive song 00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:28.860 and one of my favorites. I will never turn that 00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:31.820 off if I happen upon it on the radio. Round three 00:36:31.820 --> 00:36:34.400 for the opponent cuts. Creed's the winner. Just 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:38.179 Hangnail is just so yucky to me. And nice try, 00:36:38.300 --> 00:36:40.900 because With Arms Wide Open is the song that 00:36:40.900 --> 00:36:43.039 I have found the most eye -rolly, even though 00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:46.809 it's a quality... track and it's a big one for 00:36:46.809 --> 00:36:49.789 them but yeah i gotta pick that overhang now 00:36:49.789 --> 00:36:52.489 round four for the closing cuts giving it to 00:36:52.489 --> 00:36:54.469 creed they close with dramatic and emotional 00:36:54.469 --> 00:36:57.670 track it fits the tone of the whole album doesn't 00:36:57.670 --> 00:37:00.469 stray and good times gone experiments with that 00:37:00.469 --> 00:37:03.849 other sound and it just doesn't quite land and 00:37:03.849 --> 00:37:05.489 feels a little disconnected but i appreciate 00:37:05.489 --> 00:37:08.530 the gust going for the gusto there And then, 00:37:08.530 --> 00:37:10.590 yeah, going through my score for the X factors, 00:37:10.769 --> 00:37:13.650 that's going to create, I think, overall, it's 00:37:13.650 --> 00:37:15.969 just a better listing experience, even though 00:37:15.969 --> 00:37:17.869 it's a little longer, Don. All right. Well, so 00:37:17.869 --> 00:37:21.050 that's one to one. Let's go to the audience scorecard. 00:37:21.210 --> 00:37:24.150 Yeah. We do a poll. Yeah. So we did post the 00:37:24.150 --> 00:37:27.590 poll on our social media. Keep an eye out for 00:37:27.590 --> 00:37:30.769 that before next week's show. So the audience 00:37:30.769 --> 00:37:35.699 scorecard reads. creed human clay with 65 of 00:37:35.699 --> 00:37:38.480 the vote and nickelback silverside up with 35 00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:42.019 wow split decision well thank you uh listeners 00:37:42.019 --> 00:37:45.980 for knowing what's up and giving creed the win 00:37:45.980 --> 00:37:50.599 we have a new champion of the world i'm okay 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:54.139 with that decision so congratulations to creed 00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:57.380 this record rumble coming to a close with creed 00:37:57.380 --> 00:38:00.960 squeaking out The win for the Battle of the Butt 00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:03.940 Rock Behemoths. And we'll never use that term 00:38:03.940 --> 00:38:08.340 again, we promise. Can you dig it? Can you dig 00:38:08.340 --> 00:38:16.139 it? Can you dig it? Well, we've been scratching 00:38:16.139 --> 00:38:21.599 our butt rock itch all week. Gross. Did you have 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:24.300 time to dig anything else? I'll give you a pass. 00:38:24.420 --> 00:38:25.719 We weren't going to say it again, but I'll give 00:38:25.719 --> 00:38:28.179 you a pass on that one. I did, even though I 00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:30.760 did listen to both of those records many, many 00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:34.659 times. I considered going Miles Kennedy, who's 00:38:34.659 --> 00:38:36.900 a member of Alter Bridge, because he put out 00:38:36.900 --> 00:38:39.000 a solo album at the end of 2024 that I missed. 00:38:39.260 --> 00:38:42.380 But I figured, enough. Enough's enough. So I 00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:44.860 went with a newer band that I've been enjoying 00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:49.679 sort of in that blues rock vein, Rival Sons type 00:38:49.679 --> 00:38:51.820 of thing. You know, I love that stuff. So the 00:38:51.820 --> 00:38:54.019 band Feel, that's the name of the band, Into 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:56.719 the Sun is the EP. And let's listen to a little 00:38:56.719 --> 00:39:05.599 bit of Hands in My Pocket. They come from St. 00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:09.940 Louis, formed in the 2020s. Blending classic 00:39:09.940 --> 00:39:12.519 and modern rock, getting some acclaim, touring 00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:15.739 with Cheap Trick, Blackberry Smoke, and Rival 00:39:15.739 --> 00:39:18.980 Sons. Yeah. It's funny how that sound just pops 00:39:18.980 --> 00:39:22.099 after a week of Nickelback and Creed. Yeah, I 00:39:22.099 --> 00:39:25.360 listen to this a lot. It's kind of a chaser, 00:39:25.400 --> 00:39:30.139 if you will. All right, and then as tradition 00:39:30.139 --> 00:39:33.219 seems to state, I will go with something from 00:39:33.219 --> 00:39:35.400 my vinyl collection from my second album I'm 00:39:35.400 --> 00:39:38.650 digging. Just added this one. It's... one that 00:39:38.650 --> 00:39:41.030 Andy actually turned me on to that I wouldn't 00:39:41.030 --> 00:39:44.489 have had any interest in without him. It's D 00:39:44.489 --> 00:39:47.090 'Angelo, and the album is Black Messiah from 00:39:47.090 --> 00:39:50.409 2014. Let's listen to a little bit of Ain't That 00:39:50.409 --> 00:39:58.489 Easy. So D 'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, 00:39:58.590 --> 00:40:00.849 renowned American singer -songwriter, known for 00:40:00.849 --> 00:40:03.389 his pioneering work in Neo -Soul and had the 00:40:03.389 --> 00:40:07.579 big hits in... 95 with Brown Sugar and 2000 with 00:40:07.579 --> 00:40:11.599 Voodoo. After 14 years, he came out with Black 00:40:11.599 --> 00:40:14.019 Messiah. And it blends funk, soul, and rock. 00:40:14.260 --> 00:40:16.639 And lyrics addressing political unrest, social 00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:19.099 injustice. And, you know, it's some deep stuff, 00:40:19.179 --> 00:40:21.480 but it's also funky and fun. And I'm proud to 00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:23.739 have it in my collection. Just remember his lower 00:40:23.739 --> 00:40:28.480 abs. Yeah, that was from 2000. I don't know what 00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:32.260 the abs are like in 2014 or now, but if he's 00:40:32.260 --> 00:40:35.480 still rocking... That 12 -pack, then congratulations, 00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:38.679 D 'Angelo. So what are you digging there, Donnie? 00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:43.039 Well, Alison Krauss and Union Station. I just 00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:45.380 like the album title, Arcadia. A little throwback. 00:40:45.380 --> 00:40:48.500 Of course. So Alison Krauss and Union Station, 00:40:48.699 --> 00:40:52.059 they're basically kind of a bluegrass group formed 00:40:52.059 --> 00:40:56.619 in Nashville in 1987. Here's a song called Richmond 00:40:56.619 --> 00:41:03.539 on the James. Is James like a river or something? 00:41:03.719 --> 00:41:05.860 Yeah, I believe so. Which means like a train 00:41:05.860 --> 00:41:11.400 track or something? A road? Or a city? You'll 00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:14.000 have to listen to find out. Yeah, ever since 00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:17.000 Oh Brother Where Art Thou, I've just really had 00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:20.239 a thing for this kind of rootsy bluegrass sound. 00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:24.079 I think Alison Krauss in some form was on the 00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:25.659 soundtrack to Oh Brother Where Art Thou, right? 00:41:25.760 --> 00:41:31.150 I think so too, yeah. And another album. Kind 00:41:31.150 --> 00:41:35.210 of digging. Billy Idol is back. I like the kinda 00:41:35.210 --> 00:41:38.449 that you threw in there. I've listened to this 00:41:38.449 --> 00:41:40.269 too. Yeah, I'm not sure if you missed him or 00:41:40.269 --> 00:41:43.110 not, but he has a new album called Dream Into 00:41:43.110 --> 00:41:45.860 It. And of course, Billy Idol is... You know, 00:41:45.880 --> 00:41:48.059 I mean, he's a famous English rocker from the 00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:51.039 80s, the lead singer of Generation X before that. 00:41:51.260 --> 00:41:53.980 But I thought this album was at least interesting 00:41:53.980 --> 00:41:57.300 because it is a concept album that kind of follows 00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:59.960 his life. You know, so these early songs are 00:41:59.960 --> 00:42:02.860 about, you know, his career starting. And then, 00:42:02.900 --> 00:42:05.880 you know, you get this final track. He's still 00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:08.539 dancing. Maybe not with himself, but. Right. 00:42:10.079 --> 00:42:16.800 I got everything I need. Yeah, so this does tie 00:42:16.800 --> 00:42:20.619 in with Nickelback. Did you know that, Don? No. 00:42:20.900 --> 00:42:25.039 Well, Avril Lavigne does vocals on one of the 00:42:25.039 --> 00:42:26.940 songs, and I believe she was married to Chad 00:42:26.940 --> 00:42:29.059 Kroger for a period, or at least dating him. 00:42:29.440 --> 00:42:31.659 That's right. She's on that track, 77. Yeah. 00:42:31.760 --> 00:42:33.840 Very cool. Well, what are you digging? Let us 00:42:33.840 --> 00:42:35.980 know. Join us on the socials, Facebook, Instagram, 00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:38.219 and threads. Also on our website, albumnerds 00:42:38.219 --> 00:42:44.539 .com. You fight great, but I'm a great fighter. 00:42:44.800 --> 00:42:50.980 You ready? Well, it's about the time on the show 00:42:50.980 --> 00:42:53.940 when I'm reminded of the words of the great Sugar 00:42:53.940 --> 00:42:56.960 Ray Leonard. He said, we're all endowed with 00:42:56.960 --> 00:43:00.199 God -given talents. Mine happens to be hitting 00:43:00.199 --> 00:43:03.659 people in the head. With that in mind, let's 00:43:03.659 --> 00:43:06.039 bring out the wheel of album getting and see 00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:09.019 what types of albums will be featured in our 00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:19.449 next record rumble. When the lights go down and 00:43:19.449 --> 00:43:22.710 the crowd roars, legends are made. Next time 00:43:22.710 --> 00:43:25.269 on Record Rumbles, it's the Battle of Legendary 00:43:25.269 --> 00:43:28.170 Live Albums. Two iconic performances go head 00:43:28.170 --> 00:43:31.150 -to -head, capturing the raw energy, epic moments, 00:43:31.349 --> 00:43:33.909 and pure magic of rock at its most electrifying. 00:43:34.230 --> 00:43:38.769 So, Battle of Legendary Live Albums. Oh, Andy. 00:43:39.329 --> 00:43:41.969 If he was dead, he'd be turning over in his grave. 00:43:42.190 --> 00:43:48.239 But he's not dead. No. No. Like we said, he's 00:43:48.239 --> 00:43:51.139 going to be the next Ninja Warrior. So yeah, 00:43:51.179 --> 00:43:53.300 that should be interesting, trying to find some 00:43:53.300 --> 00:43:57.039 powerful live albums to... to compare, especially 00:43:57.039 --> 00:44:01.539 those that are career -making on those rare occasions. 00:44:01.900 --> 00:44:04.139 All right. So what albums should be in a record 00:44:04.139 --> 00:44:05.739 rumble? What else are you listening to? Email 00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:08.719 us at podcast at albumnerds .com. Follow us on 00:44:08.719 --> 00:44:10.860 Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Blue Sky at 00:44:10.860 --> 00:44:13.739 Album Nerds. And keep an eye out on the socials 00:44:13.739 --> 00:44:16.480 so you can vote on the next record rumble and 00:44:16.480 --> 00:44:19.340 be part of the audience scorecard. Visit albumnerds 00:44:19.340 --> 00:44:21.460 .com to suggest topics for the show, peruse the 00:44:21.460 --> 00:44:24.119 Hall of Fame, and listen to all 290 episodes. 00:44:24.400 --> 00:44:26.059 And the best way to... Support the show as the 00:44:26.059 --> 00:44:27.980 share it. Please subscribe, rate, and review 00:44:27.980 --> 00:44:30.300 on your favorite podcast app. Thank you so much 00:44:30.300 --> 00:44:32.800 for joining us once again on the Elbnerd's podcast 00:44:32.800 --> 00:44:35.699 and another sweaty record rumble. We'll catch 00:44:35.699 --> 00:44:38.519 you next time with those legendary live albums. 00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:42.340 Three Doors Down would like a word. Oh, no. If 00:44:42.340 --> 00:44:46.559 I go crazy, then will you still call me Superman? 00:44:47.699 --> 00:44:50.559 No, no, no. All the Superman songs at that time, 00:44:50.559 --> 00:44:54.869 it was just too much. Five for Fighting. Yeah. 00:44:54.869 --> 00:44:58.250 Yeah, that one, right? Was that it? Yep, that 00:44:58.250 --> 00:45:00.289 was it. He should have done with arms wide open. 00:45:01.670 --> 00:45:07.349 With arms wide open. With arms wide open. Sorry 00:45:07.349 --> 00:45:10.050 to everyone involved. Sorry, five. Sorry, step.