Nickelback, “San Quentin” | Track Review 🎵

Ultra-polarizing, veteran Canadian band Nickelback return with the heavy song, “San Quentin,” the promo single for their 10^th studio album, Get Rollin’. 

“Let the record show I did it all for rock and roll…” Um, K, 🎙 Nickelback. The once extremely popular Canadian rock band has returned, releasing their 10^th studio album, 💿 Get Rollin’, in November 2022.  But prior to the release of their first album in five years, they unveiled the ‘heavy’ promo single, 🎵 “San Quentin”.  I can’t speak about Nickelback without characterizing them as polarizing – you either love them or you hate them.  Taking my bias as a non-Nickelback fan out of the equation is arduous.  But, I can still evaluate “San Quentin” impartially… to some extent.

The heavy nature of “San Quentin” is a positive.  The energy is clearly in play for 🎙 Chad Kroeger and company.  Energy, particularly in a rock song, can atone for other improprieties and shortcomings.  Here, Nickelback starts things off at or near ‘10,’ and keep on rocking, like their lives depended on it.  Maybe it does considering the chorus lyric, “So somebody please keep me the hell out of San Quentin.”  Naturally, the chorus marks the biggest, heaviest moments.  Still, the verses build up the case for imprisonment, which seems to be living the fast life, essentially.  And the evidence is stacked against these partying, aging rockers, judging by the bridge:

“Tough to find, a goddamn alibi

Wrong or right, it’s tough to justify

Can’t dismiss, too many witnesses

When insanity’s the pattern, it don’t matter what it is.”

OK… The lyrics aren’t life-changing or transcendent though.  As far as Kroeger’s vocals, well, they’re aggressive, gritty, and honestly, true to self.  Again, you either love it or hate it.

Final Thoughts 💭 

So, how does 🎵 “San Quentin” stack up? Fans of Nickelback will eat it up. Non-fans can acknowledge the energy and intensity but still scrutinize the veteran band.  Personally, the song is okay – respectable, I suppose – but doesn’t move the needle.

🎙 Nickelback • 💿 Get Rollin’ • 🏷 Nickelback II Productions, Inc. / BMG Rights Management LLC • 🗓 11.18.22

[📷: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, Nickelback II Productions, Inc. / BMG Rights Management LLC, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]