mls@husky.uucp (Mark Stevans) (10/21/85)
Warning: the following review was written by a major Cheap Trick fan. Cheap Trick: Standing on the Edge Cheap Trick's latest album got a rave review in Rolling Stone, and, for once, I agree with them. If there was ever anything you liked about anything Cheap Trick ever did, it's here and better than ever. This is their most musically and lyrically sophisticated album ever. This is their cleverest and most intelligent album ever. This might just be their best album ever. You may have already heard and seen the pseudo-live video for "Tonight It's You" on your MTV. This is just one of several excellent songs on the album, including "Little Sister", "How About You", and the title track. Even the worst song, the album closer "Wild, Wild Women", is still quite listenable. Guitarist Rick Neilsen has never sounded as good, or played in as many styles, such as his Eddie Van Halen-inspired mini-solos on "Rock All Night". Drummer Bun E. Carlos maintains his majestic cool even while thrashing at top speed. Lead singer Robin Zanders is at or near the peak of his ability. Current bassist Jon Brant has developed a distinctive style that complements the music, though he has none of the insane and dangerous genius of original bassist Tom Peterson (alias Tom Peterssen). The record is produced by Jack Douglas, who produced both their debut album and their live classic "Cheap Trick at Budokan". Douglas has done an extremely thorough production job on this album, giving it a stunning cinematic intensity, but with a slick finish. For Cheap Trick fans, this is also Cheap Trick's most humorously suggestive work to date, full of Neilsen's permanently adolescent innuendoes. For a final subtle touch, examine the back cover closely. Cheap Trick has always remained officially neutral concerning the 1980 departure of Tom Peterson, ascribing the parting to "musical differences". On the back cover of this album, Neilsen is photographed tossing their first album in the air. On the cover group portrait of that album, Peterson's picture has been edited out, and Jon Brant's face inserted in its stead, in a deliberately obvious manner. If I were Peterson, I would not be amused, but I am not, and I am. Good work, Rick!
todd@scirtp.UUCP (Todd Jones) (10/26/85)
> Cheap Trick's latest album got a rave review in Rolling Stone, and, > for once, I agree with them. If there was ever anything you liked > about anything Cheap Trick ever did, it's here and better than ever. Yeah but, it's not a "The dreaming" or anything.
mls@husky.uucp (Mark Stevans) (10/30/85)
> > Cheap Trick's latest album got a rave review in Rolling Stone, and, > > for once, I agree with them. If there was ever anything you liked > > about anything Cheap Trick ever did, it's here and better than ever. > > Yeah but, it's not a "The dreaming" or anything. Now cut that out, you rascule! Mark Stevans