When you know that Rockford is
Cheap Trick's home town, then the band's return to their roots is a message writ large all over this new release.
'Rockford' just resonates with kinetic energy and powerful tunes. Jack Douglas, Steve Albini and Linda (Concrete Blonde) Perry had a hand in the production, with Perry contributing one co-write. Maybe surprisingly, given the number of hands on the tiller, the result is a tightly structured, clearly focused melodic rock album, geared for maximum emotional impact. One that takes us back to the early years of the band.
Talent borrows, genius steals. A well thumbed copy of the Beatles' songbook and a dog-eared ELO reference manual may have been the band's constant companions down through the years. But the band's real genius has been to skilfully spike this slick, catchy poprock with a large shot of punk attitude. Consequently, the band's songs, passionate and articulate, match the infectious melodies with abrasive guitars and spirited, streetwise vocal performances.
The first five tracks on
'Rockford' are instantly appealing, seductive almost. Not that they're thrillingly original or epic Trick. It's just that the band have climbed out of any comfort zone they may have wanted to inhabit.
'Welcome to The World's beautifully descending melody line and
'Perfect Stranger's adrenaline rush of a chorus make these openers two of the best tracks the band have ever recorded. The performances are hi energy and a full on production hits the spot and then some. And then some more.
'
If It Takes a Lifetime' is
White Album-esque guitars married to a fabulous Jeff Lynne like hook. The deceptively simple '
Come On Come On' is primetime Trick - old fashioned rock'n'roll, raw, aggressive and instantly loveable. The Lennonish '
O Claire', a luxurious wallow in nostalgia, sighs sweetly for three minutes then fades like a dream.
Problem is, these five are so strong, they throw a shadow over the next seven tracks.
First impression then is five great songs and a bunch of fillers.
Gradually though, with each play, the remaining songs emerge from the shadows.
Crawling faster into the light are
'Every Night And Every Day', a neat combination of power pop and riffy arena rock, and the sixties Britpop homage
'Dream The Night Away'.
Last two tracks
'All Those Years' and
'Decaf' maybe don't cut it quite as sharply as the previous ten tracks, but this is unarguably the best
Cheap Trick album for a decade.
Written by
Brian Wednesday, August 9, 2006
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