Flashback CD Review #107 - Cheap Trick - Rockford

[TageRyche]

This review was written for the Rock Is Life.com website in 2006.

Cheap Trick
Rockford
Cheap Trick Unlimited - 2006
http://www.cheaptrick.com

What's the 4-1-1?

The veteran rockers return with yet another does 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 albums kicks off with a 2 minute lively rocker called "Welcome to the World". It's a really in your face song that does its job and gets on out of there. This is a theme to the songs throughout the disc. 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 CD, "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 the album fall into the up-tempo rocker category and this is where the band shines most brightly. Songs like "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 album is "Come On Come On Come On". This highly energetic rocker is simply marvelous and it is 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 is usually kind of ugly. The one real ballad on Rockford, "O Claire", is just BAD. The mid tempo rock track "If It Takes a Lifetime" 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 I've read 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 album 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 this album into my hands so I could listen to it. It is 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 album 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 & 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 this album and the band itself, 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 this album, also 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".

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

[RJhog (Admin)]

Nice pick.  Will read this a bit later and let you know what I think.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Well, I have to agree with the vast majority of everything you said here.  My two exceptions would be:

• I actually dig the song O Claire.  Don't know why, just do.
• I also claim that Standing On The Edge is overall the best album for the band since Dream Police.  I would also rank Cheap Trick 1997 a bit above this, though not by much.

Enjoyed the review TR.

[TageRyche]

The funny thing about me liking Standing on the Edge so much is that I think I read somewhere that the album is not a favorite of the band because it is too commercial. 

[RJhog (Admin)]

You know, the only CT album that I owned before SOTE was At Budokan.  I liked them, but not as much as I do now.  Fast forward to sometime after SOTE was released and I was in St. Simons Island doing some training work for Revco.  I didn't have a thought in my head about CT, but I was watching MTV in a hotel room and Tonight It's You came on.  It totally blew me away, so I immediately bought the album (cassette most likely) and played it to death.  That is probably why I like it so much.

[Jon]

It's amazing how reviatalized Cheap Trick are ever since those few albums in the latter 80's. With the slight exception of "Special One" everything from "Woke Up With A Monster" onwards has been really impressive. This is definitely a standout album, one that I actually revisit quite a bit. Nice review!