Re-discover
Cheap Trick remastered
By
Jon Matsumoto
Online Forty Niner
Contributing Writer
Comprised of two pretty boys and two nerds, Cheap Trick probably didn’t
look like a band destined for stardom when it first kicked up its collective
heels 30 something years ago. But back in the late ’70s and early ’80s,
the quartet did indeed become stars while delivering some of the most infectious
rock ‘n’ roll since the form was invented in the 1950s.
Recently released in remastered form with bonus tracks, Cheap Trick’s
1979 “Dream Police” and 1980
“All Shook Up” albums are all about (to quote the Beach Boys) “fun,
fun, fun ‘til daddy takes the T-bird away.” While newfangled punk
bands were ranting and raving about authority and oppression, these Rockford,
Ill., revelers specialized in songs about romance, sex and partying on a Saturday
night.
“
Dream Police” is the better of the two discs. The first three tracks
are true Cheap Trick classics. The opening title cut is a melodic rocker highlighted
by Rick Nielsen’s power guitar chords and Robin Zander’s insistent
vocals. The song also includes a swirling orchestral arrangement, which is
fitting for a band capable of merging the artsy tunefulness of the Beatles
with the raw energy of the Who. “Way of the World” follows this
opening salvo in a similar stylistic vein, which is not at all a bad thing.
Batting third is the full tilt barnburner “The House is Rockin’ (With
Domestic Problems),” which features some of Nielsen’s hottest guitar
licks. With his upturned baseball cap and goofy persona, Nielsen may have been
rock’s most unlikely guitar hero.
The rest of “Dream Police” is a bit erratic. But the high points
are very worthwhile, especially the nearly eight-minute epic “Need Your
Love.” The bonus tracks include a scorching hot live version of “The
House is Rockin’ (With Domestic Problems)” and a no-strings studio
version of “Dream Police.”
“
All Shook Up” is considered by some to be Cheap Trick’s last album
of significance. The hammering guitar chords to’“Baby Loves to
Rock” alone may make this album a keeper. There are also some compelling
musical ideas behind tracks like “Stop This Game,” though there’s
also a sense that some of these tracks fall short of fulfilling their potential.
Notably, the ambitiously arranged “All Shook Up” was produced by
George Martin, the vaunted producer behind the classic Beatles’ albums.
For Cheap Trick aficionados, “All Shook Up” is particularly valuable
because it includes the band’s “Found All the Parts” EP for
the first time on CD.
For those just discovering the Tricksters, start with the indispensable “At
Budokan” album before proceeding to “Dream Police” and “All
Shook Up.”
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