New Release: Cheap Trick –Rockford

Cheap Trick –Rockford –Big 3 Records 804983678825 (2006 US)

After their atrocious Special One album from 3 years ago, it’s an astonishing surprise to find The Trick so reinvigorated with this, probably their most consistently great album since their 70’s heyday. At least 8 of the tracks sit nicely next to some their best output in any case. Opening with the wake up call of Welcome To My World followed by Perfect Stranger the album just keeps racing along at an amazing speed. The first breather is on track 5, but O Claire is a wonderfully catchy ELO affair and is a pure delight. And then we’re back aboard the hurtling Pop express. You just keep getting hook after hook and the album ends sounding like a virtual greatest hits package Perhaps the real star of the show is Robin Zander; his range, inflections and delivery shine throughout the album. My favourite track is perhaps the rocking Give It Away and the result, as with the rest of the album, is pure Cheap Trick as we knew them and the way we always wanted them to be. Magic...