THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: Cheap Trick (Page 2 of 2)

CHEAP TRICK – All Shook Up

December 8, 2021 /

I’m not a Cheap Trick collector by any stretch, but I’ve just noticed that I own 15 Cheap Trick albums. Out of those 15, there is only one of those that I would call sub standard, the rest are all great records. This is album number 6 which came after the awesome Dream Police. It’s full of Beatles nuances (as are all their releases) as all the band are big Beatles fans.

Not a bad moment on this album and the highlights are many. The opening one two of Stop This Game and Just Got Back are pop rock at its finest. Robin Zander has the ability of sounding like McCartney and Lennon at the same time which is uncanny. Love Comes A Tumblin’ is as rockin’ as this album gets with a stock almost NWOBHM riff. If I was to recommend just one Cheap Trick album for noobs it would be Standing On The Edge, but this is still a good record.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – Standing On The Edge

October 14, 2021 /

These guys a have been around since ’77 and have recorded about 2,000 records -and that’s not including live albums. I joke of course, but it sure feels that way as every Record Store Day that comes around they seem to release something. I’d like to say the quality is still there and they consistently put out great records, but unfortunately that’s not the case – they have put a few stinkers since their heyday.

This album of course is not one of those – imho this is as good as the band got. This record is superb and every song is an absolute belter of a power pop/rock masterpiece. Tonight It’s You has to be one of the best songs that the band have ever recorded, and every time I hear it I still get goosebumps. The band’s love of the Beatles is well documented, and the opening track, Little Sister, takes lots of inspiration from the Fab Four – especially the vocal. The title track and the opener of Side 2 is such a great song and the melody, hook, and chorus are just superb. Even when they drop the tempo down and the songs become more insightful, like on Love Comes, they hit it out of the park – this is another track that reminds me of John Lennon.

I can’t praise this album enough. Buy it or miss out on an a classic.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – Special One

February 4, 2021 /

Album Number 14 from the world’s best power-pop band, the first on their newly formed label Cheap Trick Unlimited, and their first studio album in six years.

Hand on heart here – it is not one of their best. Sure it has its moments, opening track Scent of a Woman is classic CT, but the next song Too Much seems like something they threw away years ago. The title track Special One is a straight Beatles lift. Pop Drone is ok, but it lacks that energy. Side 1 closer My Obsession feels like it was a reject from a Tom Petty album. See what I’m saying here??? It’s very disjointed to say the least.

Things don’t start much better over on Side 2. Words, is a really weak song until the chorus kicks in. Sorry Boy is slightly better as it does actually rock.Then we have, Best Friend, and that’s a weak song. If I Could, is quite interesting as it sees them exploring a funk groove to start before it goes down that Beatles rabbit hole. Low Life In High Heels is ok in a weird way – the vocals are very sparse to start and a very stripped down sound. Close out track Hummer is just so repetitive!!!

I expect way better from a band as good as this. Very disappointing.

4/10 the Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – Heaven Tonight

October 8, 2020 /

So these are my ramblings on the records in my collection. It won’t be in alphabetical order as I will be using a Discogs randomizer to determine what gets reviewed.
Here we go:

CHEAP TRICK- Heaven Tonight

So first up is this monster of a record. It’s what is now called a power pop masterpiece. Not sure who coined that phrase, but as Billy Joel will say “ It’s Still Rock n Roll to me”. There is really not a bad song on the album . From the opening of Surrender, to the close out of a How Are You, each one is a dose of Cheap Trick in their prime. Their love of all things Beatles is very evident on most tracks but that is not a bad thing. I was never sure how to take them when I first heard them as visually they come across as sort of having a split personality. As you have Team Weird (Rick and Bun E) and Team Normal (Robin and Tom). I was never sure if it was a gimmick or for real, but as long as the music’s good who cares?! The one thing that does stand out about Cheap Trick is they do come across as a band instead of group of individuals. Released in 1978, a hell of a year for great rock records. Produced by the excellent Tom Werman and recorded at the legendary Sound City, this has to be up there with the best of Cheap Trick’s very extensive catalogue. My personal stand out track is Auf Wiedersein.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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