“If Today Was Your Last Day” encourages people to forgive others and live unselfishly. Lead singer Chad Kroeger is hopeful about romance (“Gotta Be Somebody”) and pledges support to a woman (“I’d Come for You,” “Never Gonna Be Alone”). Teens tempted to try drugs may think twice after hearing “Just to Get High,” a harrowing tale of one man’s addiction.
Unfortunately, “Just to Get High” implies that suicide solves dependency (“A gun would do the trick to get it over with”). “This Afternoon” glorifies a lazy day of drinking beer and “hittin’ from the bong,” while “Burn It to the Ground” looks forward to a riotous night of alcohol and vandalism. Foul language sullies both of those tracks. Sexual themes range from a tribute to a high-priced call girl (“Shakin’ Hands”) to a brazen salute to unconventional, possibly violent intercourse (“Next Go Round”). “S.E.X.” gives a nod to promiscuity and threesomes. Kroeger propositions a dirty dancer by using descriptive language and innuendo (“Something in Your Mouth”).
“We’re at a point now where we have to grab people’s attention,” Kroeger told MTV News. Mission accomplished. But Dark Horse gallops down the low road with lewd anthems about hard living and cheap sex.
Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.
