Record Rumble: Butt Rock Behemoths (Nickelback – Silver Side Up Vs. Creed – Human Clay)

Welcome to the Album Nerds Podcast with your hosts, Andy, Don, and Dude. Let's get ready to record rumble. We're back. This is the Album Nerds Podcast. I'm Dude. I got Don with me. Unfortunately, Andy can't be with us this week. He's trying out for American Ninja Warrior. Yeah. Nice. So, Don, guess what his ninja name is. You know, all the contestants have ninja names. Hmm. I don't know. He's the tea bag ninja. Oh, because he drinks a lot of tea? No, but in the tea world,

he don't want no bags. He likes it loosely. There he is. So, yeah, good luck to him there. I think he'll destroy the competition. All right. So, this is the Elm Nerds Podcast. We love albums, the album format, and finding all kinds of stupid ways to compare, contrast, and talk about them. And this week we're returning for another slugfest on our Record Rumbles series, where two albums enter the ring to go head -to -head, track -to -track, and toe -to -toe. As always, Don's going

to be asking us a deep question. We'll have some shout -outs to some other albums and album -related items we're digging. Then, of course, we'll spin the legendary Wheel of Albumgeddon to learn the topic of our next record rumble. But for now, let's get it on! Well, prepare for a clash of post -grunge titans as two of the most polarizing, arena -filling albums from the heyday of radio -friendly butt rock go head -to -head in a battle of anthems, angst, and unapologetic power chords.

So, Dom, we should probably dig into the butt rock. Yeah, so it refers to that period in the late 90s, early 2000s, where this kind of mainstream rock was played on. radio stations whose slogans were things like nothing but rock. Yeah. And so they used that. With one T. Right. But then the second T came in to make it extra insulting to the bands that were thrown into that category. Indeed. So that would include, of course, the artists we're talking about today, Creed and

Nickelback, but also Stained. Three Doors Down. Shinedown. Theory of a dead man. Maybe, I don't know. Puddle of muds. Yeah. Puddle of mud. Definitely. So yeah, it's kind of a, it's a silly breaking Benjamin. Yeah. It's a silly genre name or the fact that it's even a genre, but it exists and we're taking advantage of it. That's what we do. And now it is time for the battle of the

butt rock behemoths. Choose your fighter. In this corner, with over 8 million records sold, packing platinum power from Canada, armed with chart -topping anthems, it's the heavyweights of Hook, Nickelback with Silver Side Up. Silver Side Up is their third studio album by the band formed in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. Features vocalist and guitarist and lyricist Chad Kroger, his brother bassist Mike Kroger, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Ryan Peek, and drummer Ryan Vledko. So wait,

so we got two Krogers and two Ryans? Oh yeah, yes. Good observation. Thank you. That's what they pay me for. So this was their breakthrough album. This is the one that really, you know, made them butt rock gods. I don't know. Butt rock legends. There you go. Butt rock behemoths. Yes. That's what we're calling this whole thing. So that works. All right. Who's our next behemoth?

Choose your fighter. And in this corner, straight out of Tallahassee, Florida, the post -grunt preachers of pain and power chords, led by Scott Stapp and guitar god Mark Tremonti. With over 20 million copies sold worldwide and Grammy in hand, this 1999 juggernaut took us higher, welcomed us with arms wide open, and rocked arenas with righteous fury. It's the spiritual sledgehammer known as Human Clay. By Creed. Nice. So yeah, Creed was formed in 1994. Scott Stapp. I know

you love people's names. It's actually Anthony Scott Flippin is his birth name. His stepdad adopted him and his stepdad brought the Stapp. Mark Tremonti on guitar, Brian Marshall on bass, and Scott Phillips on drums. They blended aggression with themes of inner struggle, faith, and redemption. Their debut album, which was successful, even though it was on a shoestring budget and they made it piece by piece, dollar by dollar. And despite critical panning, Creed sold over 28

million records in the U .S. But this is the record that launched them into mainstream superstardom. Coming off the unexpected success of My Own Prison, they went more polished, more radio -ready, bigger hooks. more uplifting tracks, and a sense of spiritual searching that defined their identity. The title of the album you love this on comes from a lyric in the song Say I. The dust has finally settled on the field of human clay. I know you like it when they sneak in the title.

So human clay captured the earnest emotional tone of a generation navigating the end of a millennium, spiritual without being preachy, aggressive without being alienating, and undeniably massive in sound. A lot to say there, but let's let the songs do the talking and get to round one. And here we go! So this is opening cuts for round one. The first song of any album should immediately capture your attention, set a tone for what's coming, set you up for success, right?

You want to take this journey. So Don, what are we listening to here? It's time for Nickelback to step up. Well, the opening cut for Nickelback's Silver Side Up is never again. You should have gone with the first few words when he's like, it's a boxing ring in the living room. That's right. Yeah, so that song, you know, is pretty powerful. Nice driving rhythm behind it. So, Never Again, if you couldn't tell, lyrically, it adopts a child's perspective to narrate a

domestic violence scenario. I think he says clenching his fists. It's not like he says clinking. I don't know if that, is that how they pronounce it in Alberta? It might've just been, sometimes words get said weird because it sounds better to the artist or producer. Yeah. So yeah, a pretty raw sounding song with, I don't know, pretty direct lyrics, you know, not the most imaginative metaphors. You know, like you said, the living

room becomes a boxing ring. Yeah. It's. It's kind of corny, but I don't want to say it's corny because it's such an awful situation that they're depicting. And it's gutsy to take that on. You know, you may or may not remember this. We were both working at a record store together at the time, and we were roommates. And one of the other songs on this album that we'll maybe get to later,

How You Remind Me. Both really liked it. I got the promo copy, the free copy of the album, brought it home, like, all right, this is on Roadrunner Records. That's like a metal label. Let's listen to this thing. And this was the first song, and we both were kind of laughing at the lyrics. Now, I don't see it that way anymore. I don't

think it's as cringy as I did then. Unlike the introspective, metaphor -heavy approach favored by earlier grunge acts, the bands that inspired these bands, like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, the storytelling here is... unambiguous and literal right which lands more like headlines and poetry so that's yeah that took i think that was the adjustment i was trying to make their influences were the bands that i wanted them to sound like but they had to do it their own way right that's

true kicking your ass would be a pleasure yeah well that's a i mean from little kids perspective that's quite an advanced way to word things so sure all right well how does creed start off Well, I'll just ask a simple question, Don. Are you ready? I'd say that Are You Ready serves as a spiritual overture for the album. Slow building intro blooms into a thick chugging riff from Mr. Tremonti. It kind of sets a tone. for the record's blend of introspection with the muscular

guitar work, quasi -religious overtones. It alternates between heavy palm -muted verses, soaring anthemic choruses, structure that Creed would refine across the entire album, which I think is why this works well as an opening track. Stapp delivers his typical sort of mix of challenge and invitation. Are you ready for what's to come? It's like a call to awaken, maybe look back, reflect and confront personal change. And maybe can you smell what Creed is cooking a little bit? This band,

at this point, they had some success. Are you ready for what we're about to kick your ass with on this record? So as an opener, I think it functions as a mission statement that this is a band that's going big, both sonically and thematically, from the very first note. After listening to the Nickelback album all the way through, you know, then I put on Creed and I kind of just expected more of the same. But it's really, they are pretty different,

these two bands. Yes, more different than I thought. This first song, it starts off with kind of atmospheric guitar. You know, there's a lot of little lead guitar parts that you just don't get with Nickelback. You know, they're relying almost entirely on the power chords. And, you know, Tremonti really, you know. add some, some melody with the guitar. Uh, and then when you get into the choruses, that's when you get the, the heavy power chords.

Uh, but it's definitely different. If he had been born a decade earlier, he would have been in anthrax or something, you know, like, I think he, that's where his heart lies. And this was a period of music where that wasn't going to work. So yeah. And same with Scott, Scott step. I think he was more of a classic rock sort of style. So they had to meet in the middle, which is what I think they did here. Yeah, this one actually gave me kind of a Soundgarden vibe at

the beginning. When he comes in, I mean, obviously he doesn't have the range of Chris Cornell, but he does, you know, kind of attack you with that aggressive growl or something. Yeah. So, yeah, pretty intense intro. Super intense. That was a lot to take in. Those are two pretty hefty songs, especially Nickelback literally bringing it into a boxing ring. So why don't we take a little breather, hear a little something something from our friends over at Getting Down and Wordy.

Riz. Greetings. Gendered language. Onomatopoeias. The ick. What makes some words sound funny. Why just listen to music when you can overanalyze the words in the songs? Music, language, and Eurovision all crammed into one podcast. Find us anywhere you listen to podcasts. Well, maybe at some point they could have their own rumble. Russell V. Hanna. Nouns versus verbs. There you go. That's the fight of the century right there. Back to the action. In round two, we're going

to select a standout cut from each album. attempting to knock the other dude out with a wicked haymaker. Don, what you bringing? I'm ready to take it. Well, as dude mentioned earlier, this song actually, I think, got both of our attention and we were both excited about it at the time. A song called How You Remind Me. I still love it, man. It's a great song. It is a good song. I mean, when we listened to that record that day I brought it home, we turned it off after the first track,

so we didn't even get to the song we like. She had to listen to the whole thing. That was dumb. Yeah. We were jerks back then. Yeah, we were. So the lyrics of How You Remind Me supposedly stem from an argument Chad Kroger had with his girlfriend at the time. Supposedly, he went down in the basement, turned on his microphone, and just started, I guess, singing into the microphone down there. And he came up with these lyrics.

He was, I think, deliberately singing them loud so she could hear them, hoping to... you know, get some sort of response from her. Uh, and she's was like, Ooh, that sounds good. You know, that's a true mark of a good song. It's like, you know, even though you're insulting me, I recognize that this is quality stuff. Yeah. That's, that's, I gotta give that lady credit. She should, she deserves some piece of the. piece of the action

there. True. I mean, it's a pretty straightforward rock song, but there's something about it that sounds a little different. You know, it's not a typical chorus. The rhythm of it is kind of unique. I don't know. It just really stands out. Just, you know, I think a powerful, you know,

rock single. As stupid as it is, one thing that I remember... being impressed by at the time and still kind of like is the these five words in my head scream are we having fun yet and they like remember counting them out yeah the five like you know what i like that and i really do like that i mean it's not complex but it really works yeah i don't love the lyrics for lots of the songs on this album but i do like them on this one Well, it avoids the overly simplistic,

cringy tropes often associated with this post -grunge era. It's heartfelt without feeling forced. And the combination of the gritty guitar, the vulnerable but strong vocals, there's a lot of confidence there. I mean, these guys were a hardworking band. This is their third album. I mean, their first one was independently recorded and released. They weren't just handed this like a lot of those Seattle bands after grunge broke where it was just record labels scooping up anything they

could. Both Creed and Nickelback had to claw their way into the music industry. And I feel that here. I like it. Good energy. Well, I can picture a shirtless Scott Stapp winding up to throw a big punch. So what do you got? Another question. What if? I mean, I thought Creed sucked at the time, largely probably because of With Arms Wide Open being so huge and just being a record store snob guy. But I always liked that song. I love Stone Temple Pilots. It had a very

STP sound. And I remember thinking STP had been sanding it down. And I was like, why can't they do stuff like this? This band is able to do this. And I feel like it's Tremonti's metal moment on the album where he really gets to bash you with his guitar. The song isn't about regret. It's about vengeance and distrust of society and the media and personal betrayals. And it's one of the rare moments where they really sound angry. And I like anger in my rock music, at

least in moments. And it works really well. It proves Creed wasn't just about ballads and uplift. They could bring weight, menace, and edge when they wanted to. Haymaker! So even this one, even though it's kind of a harder track, it still has kind of a quiet intro, which was supposedly inspired by the Rolling Stones' Painted Black. Cool. Yeah. It's kind of funny. I feel like all the grunge bands had kind of moved on and were exploring other sounds, but the post -grunge

is kind of throwing back. I know. I should have embraced it. I should have just. Gone along for the ride. I hated my bands fading away, my Pearl Jams and whatever, and Binaural was the Pearl Jam album in 2000. This one's more fun to listen to than Binaural. Binaural's all artistic and cool and whatever, and it's Pearl Jam and poetic, but if I could go back and do it all over again, I would have embraced these records and just enjoyed them for what they were instead of being

such a douchey snob. So yeah, I think we both took it pretty hard. To the face. I'm seeing stars. It's pandemonium. That was a very successful and action -packed round two. All right, round three, opponent cuts. So in this round, we each try to land a critical blow by spotlighting one of the weaker tracks in our opponent's album. This is a fun one. I totally biffed it last week, so hopefully this time I'll do a better job. All right. Well, what's the weak underbelly of

Silverside Up? It's actually a very painful thing that can happen on your finger. It's a hangnail. Yeah. There are moments where it's okay. It tries to be edgy and confrontational, but sort of ends up incoherent and forgettable, but the memories of it are of the bad parts. It's kind of awkward. There's aggression, but not much artistry here. It's a swing and a miss as far as I'm concerned. Lyrics like, my hopes just fell and I can't see the reason why, why there is blood on my sleeve.

Is that from having a fight? And then this life you lead, like us living in a shiny ballroom, next time you bleed, better ask before you borrow. It just feels like chunks of stuff, but it's like a breakup voicemail. screamed into a distortion pedal. That distorted vocal layering, that weird effects that they were putting on, it just didn't fit the rest. It felt like they were trying too hard to make an uninteresting song interesting.

It might be emotionally honest, but it's sonically abrasive, lyrically jumbled, and structurally weak. In a battle of haymakers, this is just the glass jaw on Silver Side Up. Ooh. Yeah, lyrically, it's certainly weak. I guess the only aspect of it I appreciate is that it does break up the album a little bit. As you're listening through, it is kind of one note. And this one changes up the tempo a little bit. Isn't it like the second to last song? Maybe, second or third.

Yeah, I can't remember. Yeah, so it changes the tone right before the last track. Come on. True lose. Well, let me strike back. Come on. Stop trying to hit me and hit me. All right. So the weakness on human clay, I'll say, is with arms wide open. I think it's wide open. Wide open. So I am in danger of falling into the trap that you did last week, going with the Cure's Love Song. So I chose with arms wide open because it is an interruption, I think, to the flow of

the album. At least musically, it's a pretty dark album and a very heavy album, and this one feels a bit out of place, which was also typical in the 80s with your metal bands when they would have that power ballad thrown into an album. This kind of feels like that. But on the other hand, I mean, I can't argue about it being a good song and a huge hit. I mean, it is sappy and sentimental, but I mean, there's many sappy and sentimental songs like Lionel Richie's Hello

or something. If I can appreciate a song like that, I should be able to appreciate this. Yeah, it was huge. And it was the reason I didn't want to listen to them because it was sappy. And it was also something I didn't understand, having a kid and how that makes you feel. But there's an overwrought delivery, Hallmark -style lyrics. It aims to be heartfelt, and I'm sure it is. It totally is, and I think it's probably inspired

a lot of people. I mean, I watch on YouTube now these younger people from younger generations doing these reaction videos to songs they haven't heard, albums they haven't heard, and the reactions

from people across the board. playing this song is just that he's got this what a beautiful voice what a powerful message like i think without the uh the glasses we were wearing in 1990 you know 99 2000 of the way we saw the world i think this is this song can just be seen for what it is When it's not in the context of the grunge scene and all that other stuff that was going on. I do think the vocals are a bit of a distraction. Just his affect on it. I think it works better

with heavier tracks. I think because it's a quieter song. It's easy to make fun of. Yeah. So you have to draw words out when you're singing. So

with arms wide open. carry the emotion right and i'm sure the producer probably pointed out i mean it's like uh in sync it's it's gonna be me no it's gonna be may yes see you tried to cut me but i'd say creed still standing tall arms wide open and middle finger raised don you failed still probably my most skippable track on the album so you still get that going for you All right, so three rounds down. I think it's time to take a break and then we'll get

back to the action. It's time. It's time to get deep. Excuse me. I'd like to ask you a few questions. It is time again for Deep Questions by Don. Oh, yeah. Butt Rock took over the airwaves in the late 90s and early 2000s, just as reality TV was also. Destroying television. Yes. Dominating screens. Did you have any favorite reality shows at that time? Yeah. I mean, I bought in at first. I mean, the very first reality show I remember seeing was Cops. Oh, yeah. Even before like the

real world and stuff. But I watched the first season of Survivor, never went back. I figured. The formula is going to be the same every time. I watched the first season of American Idol. And then a few years later, I saw a couple of seasons here and there. But in 2005, my very favorite, probably the contender, it was a boxing. Oh, yeah. Contest. It was hosted that first season by Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard.

And it was independent boxers that hadn't made it to the big time yet competing to, I think if they had a championship, they would get representation and get up into the ranks to - Fight the big fight. Fight the big fights, yeah. Also Rockstar in excess. Oh, yeah. It was one of my favorites where the members of NXS and Dave Navarro, all these contestants sang NXS songs and stuff to prove they could be the next singer for the band after Michael Hudgens passed away. So it was

usually music things that I was most into. Yeah, speaking of music ones, I remembered one that you and I used to watch together, Bands on the Run on VH1. Yeah, that was awesome. It started with four groups who had to compete, and I think ultimately the winner got a record deal. Yeah, that was so fun. I remember the first couple episodes, the band that we supported, Flickr Stick, we thought they were lazy and didn't, but then their music like won out, won us out.

And I ordered their independent CD before, then we went and saw them live. I mean, that was as far of a journey you could take with a reality show as possible where you go and meet the band, you know, it was cool. Well, what were your favorite reality shows? Let us know on Instagram and Facebook or leave a comment on our website, albumnerds .com. Back to the action. Finish them! So here

we are in round four. Now we're coming around to those closing tracks, those final songs that should wrap things up in a way that feels satisfying, leaving the listener thinking about the music long after it ends, potentially songs stuck in head, play it again, Sam, all that stuff. A little post -coital cigarette. I think they do vapes now, Don. That's right. All right. Well, Nickelback ended Silver Side Up with a song called Good Times Gone. Good times were just starting for

these guys. They just didn't know it. Yeah. Yeah, I should mention that this isn't even their best -selling album. No. That came a few years later in 2005. But, you know, Good Times Gone is another, I think, kind of change of pace on the album. It's just sonically different for the most part. It has a more bluesy rock treatment. You've got some harmonica in there, some slide. And it's one of the moments where you actually have... Some, I think, interesting guitar, some melodic

guitar. You don't really get a lot of that on this album. So I really enjoyed this as the closer for the album. I mean, I think we can all relate to the idea of nostalgia and things not being as good as they used to be. I mean, even when you were 24 or something, you still feel like things suck now compared to how they used to be. That's stupid. Such a waste of time. We waste so much time looking back, you know? Yeah. It's kind of a weird end, especially given how aggressive

and riff -heavy most of the record is. So I appreciate that. Odd placement of taking a stylistic departure. It's either bold or baffling. I still haven't figured that out. Were they going for like bluesy or were they shooting for more of a Bon Jovi dead or alive moment? Because I kind of heard like a cowboyish kind of like Western thing going on. There's definitely some of that. Yeah. It felt like probably they did some experimenting in the studio and took a chance on this one.

So I'll give them credit for giving it a shot. I think it's probably just easier sometimes to. put the interesting track at the end rather than trying to sandwich it between. If you're not expecting it to be a single, then yeah. All right. Well, how does Creed attempt the final round knockout blow? Well, they go with a reflective spiritual track, kind of a sequel to the themes explored in my own prison. Why don't we check

out a little bit of inside us all. i picked the part of the song that saves it you know it's because it's kind of like a mellow mellow track you know that there's a piece inside us i'll let it be your friend you know find find happiness in life uh don't sweat the small stuff that's kind of the the feeling i got from it but also as with everything scott stapp's childhood upbringing in the born -again church world, which I do have

experience with myself. So I do understand where he's coming from spiritually, where there's still this part of you tied to that world, but you're also living in the regular world and trying to have those two things fit together somehow. Stapp holds back on the theatrics a little bit here, a little more restrained. Feels like an epilogue. It's not a hit single, but a meditative closer that does invite introspection over chest thumping.

So I think it's a fairly strong close. I really like the initial sound of the song, the verses. I like that quiet, moody vibe. And then I feel like the chorus doesn't really deliver. And that's

actually my criticism of kind of this. period in rock anyway there there really wasn't a lot of melody going on in choruses a lot of time it was just all of a sudden you shift into like a louder riff or something and the vocals remain kind of monotone and maybe sung a little louder and that's what creed does a lot on this album and you know i wish they you know tried to to be a little bit more melodic but i i know that's not what they were what they were going for well

i mean they're way more melodic than their contemporaries Yeah. At this time. Yeah. I mean, particularly musically, the guitar parts are very melodic, which I think is their best feature. I agree. Okay. Well, that wraps up the standard sort of portion of this fight. It's time for the final round, round five, X -Factors. X -Factor KO. All right. So here we are, the final round, round five, X -Factors. We look at these five key metrics.

that we think help define great albums, and that way we can get away from just the songs and look deeper. Those factors are the digging factor, like is it an enjoyable listening experience? The killer to filler ratio, are all the songs strong? Which ones are, you know, how many a week? The production, which album hits the hardest hits and delivers the true heavyweight listening experience based on making the songs the best they can be? The rematch. You said there wasn't

going to be no rematch. Do you want to listen again? Will you return to this record? And then the legacy, like what's its importance in music and history and culture? Does it stand the test of time? So Don, throw these together and what do you get? What's your result? Where do you land on round five, X -Factors? Yeah, now that I'm less of an asshole, I think I can actually appreciate both of these albums. Yeah, we're not assholes, we're just butts, and it's butt

rock time. Right, buttholes. Well, I feel like a lot of these are pretty even. I think overall, I think the... Better listening experience, surprisingly ended up being Nickelback, even though I was partial to Creed initially. I think it's maybe just a bit more consistent. I think with arms wide open kind of kills the flow of the Creed album. It plays very long. It kind of trudges along in the middle. I feel like it loses some momentum, even though I feel like it's a. The

Creed is kind of a bigger sounding album. The production, I think, is basically even. I think the legacy is about the same. Both of these kind of represent kind of the death of rock. And it's not the fault of these bands or the albums. It's just they came at the end. Yeah. As far as re -listenability, I think. Nickelback has an advantage just because it's shorter, but it's a brighter sounding album, and I think it maintains momentum, whereas Creed kind of slows down at points. I'll

go with Nickelback there. Overall, I think I'm leaning Nickelback for X -Factors. How about you? Yeah, so for the dig in, I give it to Creed. It was more emotionally resonant. Soaring moments, better dynamics, I think, throughout. Just the sound is bigger and more enjoyable to me. And the musicianship, I think, is definitely better than Nickelback's work on that album anyway. Killer to filler ratio, again, that's Creed for

me. The killer tracks, Higher, which we didn't get a chance to talk about, that's such an iconic song. What If, Are You Ready, Say I, Faceless Man, Inside Us All. I mean, there's just very strong songs. Nickelback has How You Remind Me, Never Again, and Too Bad, which was a radio hit as well and a song I enjoy. But it's just kind of those three and the rest of it, I just kind of, I found myself being like, is it Creed time yet? So production wise, I'm giving it to Nickelback.

Cleaner mix, more polished vocals, tighter overall sound, very echoey for Creed, but that's part of their whole spiritual big sound. They're more of an arena rock and Nickelback's more of a, garage rock type vibe or basement rock. As far as re -listenability goes, it's got to be Creed. I just think it holds up more cohesively over time, more lasting appeal. You know, once the sort of irony and memeness and all that fades and the whole... anti -Creed, the butt rock that

these bands get. Once I got through all of that, I just sat back and enjoyed the albums. So I will go back to it, surprisingly. If it's a choice between I'm going to listen to Pearl Jam verses or Creed, Human Clay, it's probably going to be Pearl Jam. But there are going to be moments where I want to make a Jesus Christ pose and throw my head back and listen to some Creed. And with Nickelback, you can cherry pick the hits, but as an album as a whole, it doesn't

invite a lot of full replays for me. Legacy wise, I think Creed, it went diamond. It spawned Grammy wins. There's praise, there's parody, but I think they're just a more powerful band. I know that Nickelback lived on and continued to record albums and have even bigger hits than they did on this record. So yeah, I'm giving the X Factor round five to Creed, four to one. Let's send it back to the center of the ring and hear tonight's results. Well, I guess I'll go to my scorecard.

So I gave round one to Creed. I thought the Are You Ready was a stronger opener. I thought How You Remind Me was, I mean, it's just such a great song. I had to give it to Nickelback. Round three. I went with with arms wide open just because it's such a strong song, even though it doesn't really fit the record. Round four, the closer I gave to Nickelback. It was, you know, it's one of my favorite songs on the album. So they get it. Round five was kind of all over the place.

I had a few wins for Nickelback and two draws. But Nickelback takes round five. And so they take my scorecard three to two. How about you, dude? Round one, I'm giving that to Creed. I think Are You Ready is just a much more grandiose and less depressing entry, although I appreciate what Nickelback was doing, setting a tone where they were a different band than some of these other behemoths at the time. Round two, that

Haymaker, I'm giving to Nickelback. I think How You Remind Me is kind of their definitive song and one of my favorites. I will never turn that off if I happen upon it on the radio. Round three for the opponent cuts. Creed's the winner. Just

Hangnail is just so yucky to me. And nice try, because With Arms Wide Open is the song that I have found the most eye -rolly, even though it's a quality... track and it's a big one for them but yeah i gotta pick that overhang now round four for the closing cuts giving it to creed they close with dramatic and emotional track it fits the tone of the whole album doesn't stray and good times gone experiments with that other sound and it just doesn't quite land and

feels a little disconnected but i appreciate the gust going for the gusto there And then, yeah, going through my score for the X factors, that's going to create, I think, overall, it's just a better listing experience, even though it's a little longer, Don. All right. Well, so that's one to one. Let's go to the audience scorecard. Yeah. We do a poll. Yeah. So we did post the poll on our social media. Keep an eye out for that before next week's show. So the audience

scorecard reads. creed human clay with 65 of the vote and nickelback silverside up with 35 wow split decision well thank you uh listeners for knowing what's up and giving creed the win we have a new champion of the world i'm okay with that decision so congratulations to creed this record rumble coming to a close with creed squeaking out The win for the Battle of the Butt Rock Behemoths. And we'll never use that term again, we promise. Can you dig it? Can you dig

it? Can you dig it? Well, we've been scratching our butt rock itch all week. Gross. Did you have time to dig anything else? I'll give you a pass. We weren't going to say it again, but I'll give you a pass on that one. I did, even though I did listen to both of those records many, many times. I considered going Miles Kennedy, who's a member of Alter Bridge, because he put out a solo album at the end of 2024 that I missed.

But I figured, enough. Enough's enough. So I went with a newer band that I've been enjoying sort of in that blues rock vein, Rival Sons type of thing. You know, I love that stuff. So the band Feel, that's the name of the band, Into the Sun is the EP. And let's listen to a little bit of Hands in My Pocket. They come from St. Louis, formed in the 2020s. Blending classic and modern rock, getting some acclaim, touring with Cheap Trick, Blackberry Smoke, and Rival

Sons. Yeah. It's funny how that sound just pops after a week of Nickelback and Creed. Yeah, I listen to this a lot. It's kind of a chaser, if you will. All right, and then as tradition seems to state, I will go with something from my vinyl collection from my second album I'm digging. Just added this one. It's... one that Andy actually turned me on to that I wouldn't have had any interest in without him. It's D 'Angelo, and the album is Black Messiah from

2014. Let's listen to a little bit of Ain't That Easy. So D 'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, renowned American singer -songwriter, known for his pioneering work in Neo -Soul and had the big hits in... 95 with Brown Sugar and 2000 with Voodoo. After 14 years, he came out with Black Messiah. And it blends funk, soul, and rock. And lyrics addressing political unrest, social injustice. And, you know, it's some deep stuff, but it's also funky and fun. And I'm proud to

have it in my collection. Just remember his lower abs. Yeah, that was from 2000. I don't know what the abs are like in 2014 or now, but if he's still rocking... That 12 -pack, then congratulations, D 'Angelo. So what are you digging there, Donnie? Well, Alison Krauss and Union Station. I just like the album title, Arcadia. A little throwback. Of course. So Alison Krauss and Union Station, they're basically kind of a bluegrass group formed in Nashville in 1987. Here's a song called Richmond

on the James. Is James like a river or something? Yeah, I believe so. Which means like a train track or something? A road? Or a city? You'll have to listen to find out. Yeah, ever since Oh Brother Where Art Thou, I've just really had a thing for this kind of rootsy bluegrass sound. I think Alison Krauss in some form was on the soundtrack to Oh Brother Where Art Thou, right? I think so too, yeah. And another album. Kind of digging. Billy Idol is back. I like the kinda

that you threw in there. I've listened to this too. Yeah, I'm not sure if you missed him or not, but he has a new album called Dream Into It. And of course, Billy Idol is... You know, I mean, he's a famous English rocker from the 80s, the lead singer of Generation X before that. But I thought this album was at least interesting because it is a concept album that kind of follows his life. You know, so these early songs are about, you know, his career starting. And then,

you know, you get this final track. He's still dancing. Maybe not with himself, but. Right. I got everything I need. Yeah, so this does tie in with Nickelback. Did you know that, Don? No. Well, Avril Lavigne does vocals on one of the songs, and I believe she was married to Chad Kroger for a period, or at least dating him. That's right. She's on that track, 77. Yeah. Very cool. Well, what are you digging? Let us know. Join us on the socials, Facebook, Instagram,

and threads. Also on our website, albumnerds .com. You fight great, but I'm a great fighter. You ready? Well, it's about the time on the show when I'm reminded of the words of the great Sugar Ray Leonard. He said, we're all endowed with God -given talents. Mine happens to be hitting people in the head. With that in mind, let's bring out the wheel of album getting and see what types of albums will be featured in our next record rumble. When the lights go down and

the crowd roars, legends are made. Next time on Record Rumbles, it's the Battle of Legendary Live Albums. Two iconic performances go head -to -head, capturing the raw energy, epic moments, and pure magic of rock at its most electrifying. So, Battle of Legendary Live Albums. Oh, Andy. If he was dead, he'd be turning over in his grave. But he's not dead. No. No. Like we said, he's

going to be the next Ninja Warrior. So yeah, that should be interesting, trying to find some powerful live albums to... to compare, especially those that are career -making on those rare occasions. All right. So what albums should be in a record rumble? What else are you listening to? Email us at podcast at albumnerds .com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Blue Sky at Album Nerds. And keep an eye out on the socials so you can vote on the next record rumble and

be part of the audience scorecard. Visit albumnerds .com to suggest topics for the show, peruse the Hall of Fame, and listen to all 290 episodes. And the best way to... Support the show as the share it. Please subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast app. Thank you so much for joining us once again on the Elbnerd's podcast and another sweaty record rumble. We'll catch you next time with those legendary live albums.

Three Doors Down would like a word. Oh, no. If I go crazy, then will you still call me Superman? No, no, no. All the Superman songs at that time, it was just too much. Five for Fighting. Yeah. Yeah, that one, right? Was that it? Yep, that was it. He should have done with arms wide open. With arms wide open. With arms wide open. Sorry to everyone involved. Sorry, five. Sorry, step.