2016 CD Reviews - Cheap Trick - Bang Zoom Crazy...Hello

[TageRyche]

Cheap Trick

Bang Zoom Crazy...Hello

Big Machine Records - 2016

http://www.cheaptrick.com

With the band now an official member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we can now focus strictly on their music again without the sideshow distraction of if or when they'd get in to the Hall.

With their Big Machines Record release of the new album, Cheap Trick once again finds their way to blending their various talents into a cohesive whole that focuses on the sometimes manic but always ingeniously electric guitar playing of Rick Nielsen and the seemingly ageless vocal performance from Robin Zander.

The band opens the disc up with two fast paced catchy rockers that set the tone for the entire album. There's barely a slow down as Cheap Trick finds their speedy groove quickly and stays there most of the way through the track listing.

There's an undeniably catchy vibe to the first single "No Direction Home" and the album's opening song, "Heart on the Line" finds the band immersed in a ballsy in your face relentless musical course. The song was co-written with Greg Giuffria and Julian Raymond. In fact, Raymond co-wrote every song on the disc except the cover song as well as co-producing with Cheap Trick. It seems like he was an unofficial 5th member of the band.

Speaking of the cover song, this time around Cheap Trick picked "The In Crowd" to give their own special take. Unfortunately, while I've liked a number of their cover songs in the past, this one was one of the more painfully dragged out affairs I can remember listening to in a while. Usually, when I don't like a song I say it left me cold. But there's no sugarcoating this one, it's just bad. I wasn't particularly enamored with "Roll Me" or "All Strung Out" but those two cuts were just laying flat on my ears I suppose.

Nielsen's guitar work on "Do You Believe Me?" is exceptionally frantic. The vocals help seal the deal on tracks like "Blood Red Lips" and "Long Time No See Ya".

My favorite song on Bang Zoom Crazy...Hello has to be "Sing My Blues Away". Everything about this song blends together perfectly and the storytelling aspect of the lyrics really sold this song for me.

I had a friend, another Cheap Trick fanatic, tell me that he thought the album's sound was similar in part to the band's Standing on the Edge disc. There are some similarities, which is never a bad thing in my book consider SOTE is my favorite CT album, but given the presence of a few songs that never did quite hit the highest bench mark of quality in my mind, the album isn't perfect.

Still, this is one of the band's better releases in recent years and 40 plus years into their career, the energy and vibrancy is still there and make each successive release, regardless of any flaws, a musical experience well worth engaging yourself in.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

[Scott]

One thing that I am grateful for is the production on this is far superior to SOTE.  Its fantastic on this one and not-so-good on SOTE.  For a band that has a ton of hit or miss albums in their catalog, this was a great reminder of how good they truly are!  Nide read Tage...

[TageRyche]

It's funny to me how we have a wide difference of opinion about SOTE. Thanks for the feedback!

[Niels (Mod)]

Good review! It's been a while since I last heard this album, but this review makes me wanna hear it again.

It's certainly better than their output from the 90's, imo.

SOTE the song, is one of CT's best. The rest of the album....not so much, except for Tonight It's You.

[TageRyche]

Niels, I'm glad my review made you want to listen to the album again.

Though I am sorry we have such a different take on the SOTE album as a whole.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Good review TR.  I like this one.  It's been running as my number one of the year since it came out, but it's getting some "stiff competition" of late from a recent pick up of mine.  I didn't care for Roll Me at first, but it has totally grown on me. Now I dig it and All Strung Out.  Another one that took some time with me was Blood Red Lips, but it's a classic sounding CT song and it's standing has greatly improved with repeated listens.

[TageRyche]

RJhog,

I've listened to the album a lot and despite that fact, "Roll Me" and "All Strung Out" never grew on me.

Liked your pun.

I don't have this as my top album, but it is definitely in contention for the year end top 10. That may change as I get more reviews done but one never knows.

Thanks for the feedback.