 CHEAP
TRICK
Rockford
Cheap Trick Unlimited 2006
www.cheaptrick.com
What’s the 4-1-1?
The veteran rockers return with yet another dose of their brand of
hard rock/ power pop songs with their trademark harmonies and ripping
guitar riffs.
Genre
Rock / hard rock / power pop / classic rock
The Good
The album kicks off with a 2 minute lively rocker “Welcome To The World.” It’s
a really in your face song that does it’s job and gets on out of there.
This is a theme to the songs throughout the CD. The longest song is just over
4 minutes long. Cheap Trick says what they have to/want to say, and then they
move along to the next idea rather than boring you to death with endless instrumentals.
The first single off the album “Perfect Stranger” is definitely the
most commercially oriented song on the album but it accomplishes this without
crossing over the crassness line.
11 out of the 12 songs on Rockford fall into the up-tempo rocker category,
and this is definitely where the band shines most brightly. “Every Night And
Every Day,” “Give It Away,” “Decaf,” and “This
Time You Got It” are full of rip roaring guitar riffs from the clown prince
of rock and roll, guitarist Rick Nielsen. While singer Robin Zander tends to
stay in the more high pitched area of his vocal register, I love it when he lets
that grittier or raspier side of his voice shine through as he does on “One
More.”
By the way, the CD packaging is the best I’ve seen so far
this year. Whoever came up with the concept behind the artwork and everything
else deserves big
kudos.
The best track on the CD is “Come On Come On Come On.” This highly
energetic rocker is simply marvelous. It’s perfect symmetry between Zander,
Nielsen and the rhythm section of bassist Tom Petersson and still powerhouse
drummer, Bun E. Carlos.
The Bad
When Cheap Trick is on, they are one of the greatest bands in the known universe.
Sadly, when they are off, it’s usually kind of ugly. The one real ballad
on Rockford, “O Claire” is just BAD. “If It Takes A Lifetime” is
a mid tempo rock track that just sort of sits there in the air as you listen
to it.
The Verdict
I’m a gigantic fan of Cheap Trick. Some of my online friends as well
as other reviews have referred to Rockford as the best thing they’ve
done since Dream Police. Okay sure, both are great albums, but Cheap Trick
has had some other great albums since the release of Dream Police. In the
interest of what I say is a more accurate description, Rockford is the
best CD they’ve done since my own personal favorite album Standing
On The Edge.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my fellow Cheap Trick Fanatic Dave
Blackwell for getting Rockford into my hands so I could listen to it. It’s
due to his graciousness that I’ll be spinning this album for the rest of
time.
The best way to sum up Cheap Trick and this new CD is to say this: After
30 years in the music business, Cheap Trick falls into a variety of musical
categories.
However, they aren’t a nostalgia act, and they aren’t some new group
hacking away to be the flavor of the month. What they are is simply a great ROCK
and ROLL band. They have fun doing what it is they do, and Rockford is the latest
demonstration of that fact. Pay attention people, if you miss out on Rockford and Cheap Trick, there’s just no hope for you as a music fan.
Did You Know?
Linda Perry, who co-wrote and produced the song “Perfect Stranger” on
Rockford, co-wrote the song “Voice In My Head” for the
2006 Dixie Chicks album Taking The Long Way.
Tom Petersson and Rick Nielsen released a pre-Cheap Trick album in 1969 as the
band Fuse.
Cheap Trick vocalist Robin Zander released a self-titled solo album in 1992 that
featured an appearance by singer Maria McKee on the track “Show Me Heaven.” An
all female tribute band called Cheap Chick can be checked out HERE
Rating:  out
of 5
-- Jay Roberts
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