Tag: Cheap Trick (Page 1 of 2)

Did power pop exist before Cheap Trick? All I know is every band that came after with a similar vibe was compared to them. Released back in ’77, this is album number two and I’ve always thought the cover for this record was awesome. Not sure who came up with the idea of Team Normal in colour and Team Weird in black and white, but it was a stroke of genius.

I’m sure everyone has heard I Want You To Want Me as that was the biggest selling single they had. Well, the original version appears on this album and the live version is so ingrained in your brain that this version sounds like an interloper. There are some killer songs herein: Hello There, which the band used to open up their live show with; Clock Strikes Ten, which is such a great track; and You’re All Talk, which gets my vote as favourite tune on the album.

There is an underlying Beatles vibe about a lot of the tracks and I do know the band all name check them as an influence, if you listen to Oh Caroline it’s front and centre. A fun band and a fun listen. Everyone should own at least one Cheap Trick album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

I think everyone has a favourite Cheap Trick album, don’t they? Everyone in my circle of friends does anyway. I think the point I’m trying to make is the huge crossover appeal of the band. Mainly due to the fact that they know how to write a good and catchy pop song.

My favourite track on this album wasn’t a single, just an amazing album track: I Don’t Love Her Anymore. It has a superb and infectious guitar hook, a groove and beat with a great swing, and the chorus is earworm central. Simple! Younger Girls has that Stones riff that sits underneath the vocals, it’s just genius songwriting. It’s hard to believe that Invaders Of The Heart wasn’t even considered for a single. In ’83 this type of song was all over MTV.  

A great and very underrated band.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This my favourite early album by Cheap Trick. The musical landscape was changing at the time, and rock music was becoming heavier with bands like Van Halen and AC/DC having a big influence.

Rick Neilson seems to play way more guitar on this than usual, especially on tracks like Gonna Raise Hell (which is epic), Need Your Love, and the wonderful The House Is Rockin’ (which is my favourite on the album and Rick is really showing his chops). Of course there is their usual patented brand of power pop with tracks like Dream Police and I’ll be With You Tonight, with the infectious hooks and grooves. Voices sounds like something from the George Harrison song book, and the sleeper track that no one mentions is I Know What I Want. Cheap Trick are one of America’s greatest exports and they have this knack of writing amazing catchy pop/rock songs, and long may they continue. Would you say they are America’s Beatles?

9/10 from The Grooveman.

Album number 12 sees the US power pop kings in fine form, and let’s be honest they nearly always deliver great tunes. This was the first album for Warners, having been dropped by Epic after previous album Busted. Warners brought in the big guns with Ted Templeman producing.

This album came out in ’94; the supposed lean years for rock bands after the great grunge unpleasantness, but for Cheap Trick they put out one of their best ever albums. My Gang kicks things off with a great power pop groover and trademark sing along chorus. The title track is next, a slow brooding groover with a killer riff and hook very reminiscent in feel to Gonna Raise Hell from the Dream Police album. That jingle jangle Beatles vibe which Cheap Trick do a lot is up next with Your All I Wanna Do. Never Run Out Of Love was the big single from the album, and we have entered ballad city. Didn’t Know I Had It is Cheap Trick 101, they write tunes like this in their sleep and I’m sure the Wilburys stole this one. Great riff and groove to Ride The Pony, which closes out Side 1 – a great little stomper. Girlfriends’ riff is the exact same as Bad Boy Boogie by AC/DC. Let Her Go is as close as the band get to the Stones, especially at the intro. Tell Me Everything sees Robin Zander channeling his inner Roy Orbison, and it’s back to power ballad. Cry Baby is a dirty sleazy blues which I really like. Love Me For A Minute closes out the album and it’s my favourite track. Love the swing and groove to the main riff a killer ending to the album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.