Cheap Trick (1997)
1.Anytime
2.Hard To Tell
3.Carnival Game
4.Shelter
5.You Let A Lotta People Down
6.Baby No More
7.Yeah Yeah
8.Say Goodbye
9.Wrong All Along
10.Eight Miles Low
11.It All Comes Back To You
Ever since the end of the seventies, Cheap Trick has been a bit lost. Although they had some success with some of their latter day efforts, they never managed to recapture the magic of their first three albums. They just came off a disastrous one album relationship with Warner Brother's records, after their whole career at Epic. This time, they wisely decided to ditch the big labels and handle everything themselves. The title of the album is the same as their first record and the cover looks remarkably similar with it's black and white photography and familiar band name logo.
Well, it was very easy for the consumer to be distrustful at this point. Why should this release be any different? One listen to this masterpiece puts all doubts to rest. The majority of this album is what made them great in the early days - a lot of powerful punchy, crunchy songs that delivered with catchy hooks and memorable melodies. They manage to push themselves a bit further with three very accessible songs that are radio friendly, yet don't compromise the band's trademark sound. Hard To Tell, Carnival Game and Say Goodbye are worthy of mainstream airplay, and all would probably have been hit singles if radio was still playing this kind of music.
They do a good job exposing their softer side as well. Shelter (about Nielsen's recently deceased father) and It All Comes Back To You are done extremely well and never feel sappy nor watered down. There aren't any bad tracks of the whole album. Bands that have been around for decades who may have "lost the magic" only need to listen to this one to have faith to keep trying and never give up. Great job guys!
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