Cheap Trick The Essential Cheap Trick
Released: March 2, 2004 Origination Year: 2004 Time: 146:51 Tracks: 36 Produced by: Bruce Dickenson Style: Studio Format: CD Enhancement: None Website:

The blue collar/ pretty boy combination of Cheap Trick provided not only the squeal for the girls but also the pure power pop/rock that was part and parcel of the late 70s.  This Northern Illinois quartet initiated a bold and unique look as different from the standard flashiness of rock bands of their time than any since.  But you need no primer on this band who crafted a string of hits after a stay in Japan ’s Budokan that explosively put the band into the higher echelon of Rock giants.  As an aside, when this writer promoted concerts, we nearly had a show with a then rising Cheap Trick only to be frustrated by a thieving venue agent.

With Cheap Trick’s pervasive Beatlesque style and their emerging 80s style that not only stretched their career but also set the stage for that era’s hair bands.  Listen to “Tonight It’s You” and “I Can’t Understand It” to check the validity of that but listen to “Can’t Stop Falling in Love” and you can see where Bon Jovi and others got their sound; the cycle of rock in motion.  That’s a good thing.  Cheap Trick borrowed, formed, and passed the torch to help usher in new generations.  The unfortunate thing here is where many bands gave up, Cheap Trick persevered despite their decreasing fan base.  As a result, when classic bands reappeared to satisfy a demand for another go-‘round from aging fans and hit the cash cows, Cheap Trick was relegated back to the clubs because they never really left.  Case in point, instead of hanging in there, close the show down and come back some years later to finish the job.

But one thing Cheap Trick can hang onto is the fact that they are one of the best, if not the best, power pop rock bands in rock history.  They certainly have a string of hits to attest to that.  One listen to any of these songs will entice you further.

Legacy's Essential Cheap Trick pieces together 36 tracks over 2CDs with hits that start at the beginning of Cheap Trick's career and expand into the last label release by the band. This set is sprinkled with live renditions of hits, a practice I'm not fond of although the tracks chosen for this set is perhaps the best culled. Rather, I would prefer to have the original recordings of the hits and then add bonus cuts of live recordings of some of those songs.

Left from the collection are rare cuts from their rarer Found All The Parts EP (which can be had as a pricey import). The live cut of Beatles' tune, "Day Tripper", is pretty damn good and shoould have been included. Regardless, this chronologically sequenced 2CD set contains most of what endeared fans to the band over the years.

This set adds a single version of "ELO Kiddies", "Southern Girls", and an alternate track of "If You Want My Love" along with an unreleased "Walk Away". There are 5 live cuts, ("Mandocello"; "I Want You To Want Me"; "Ain't That a Shame"; "Gonna Raise Hell"; and "Hard to Tell". It's all iced with the finest of Cheap Trick's career, and you know 'em all. The set is digitally remastered and sounds great. There is a nice booklet with photos and an essay included.

You'll not be disappointed by this set as the genius of Cheap Trick splashes like a tsunami from your speakers. Indispensable!      

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