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page! ,tdaily nebraskanWednesday, october 5, 1977artsCheap Ticks''In Color' oie of purest in y arsHH By Douglas R. WeilThe first thing one notices about rock band CheapTrick is their very eccentric appearance. Of course standing out in a business such as music is indeed an accomplishment. More important than their physical appearance is tlje fact that Cheap Trick’s new album. In Color is one of the purest and most vital rock ‘n’ roll albums in quite a few years.In 1977 pure rock ‘n’ roll is about as common as good will between countries in the Mideast. Bands like Jethro Tull, Yes, Pink Floyd and even the Eagles have stretched the boundaries of rock music to such extreme and dis-ate fashion that the term rock V roll has become use-Getting back to the band’s appearance, it is safe to say they won’t be confused with anyone else in music today. Lead vocalist Robin Zander and bass player TomPetersson are your typicaJ aspiring rock stars-to-be fromtheir Mick Jagger-style dress to their raw and punkish good looks. However, their drummer Bun E. Carlos (that’s right Bun E. Carlos) and lead guitarist Rick Neil-sen look like runaway characters from one of television’snewest situation comedies.Not at all ironically, it is largely Carlos and Nielsen that provide Cheap Trick with their unadorned feel for simple rock ‘n’ roll. The band’s influences are many, but their major inspiration seems to come from the Beatles at their most rock V rollish.Dancing bass lineFor instance “I Want You to Want Me” is typical of a late 1960s rock arrangements complete with a dancing bass line, chorus-line handclaps and shrill, powerful vocals utilizing echo box fadeaways.music reviewBun E. Carlos and Rick Nielsen provide Cheapn w,,h ,heir feeling for simple rock ‘n’ rollThe sassy “You’re All Talk” includes the incredible rhythm guitar of Zander intertwined with the lead picking of Nielsen to create the sensation of a single four-handed guitarist. The vocals are arrrogant and taunting.“Oh Caroline” is another song so typical of CheapTrick's sophisticated use of time-tested rock V roll. Zander’s vocals are a cross between an enraged Paul McCartney and a slightly subdued Robert Plant. Zander, though, is easily more melodic than either.The words to ('heap Trick’s music are unimportant in tehs same way that led Nugent’s are unimportant. Everthing here adds up to allow Cheap Trick to have as much fun with their music as possible.Perfect album Fun is in fact the watchword here. In Color wouldbe the perfect album to open up any party whether refreshments b$ organic or inorganic.Besides the forementioned, other highlights include -every other song on the album. That’s right there isn’t a klunker in this ten song bunch.Cheap Trick has managed to accomplish what several other bands (Boston and Foreigner, just to name two) have done, that is, combine flashy power chords with lots of melody and harmony. The difference between Cheap Trick and these other bands is that Cheap Trick understands exactly what rock ‘n’ roll is.In Color is this year’s most intelligent album by the future’s most intelligent band.Photos courtesy of Epic RacordsRobin Zander and Tom Petereson look like vour typical aspiring rock stars-to-be.
Newspaper Details
Lincoln Daily Nebraskan
Lincoln, Nebraska, US
Wed, Oct 05, 1977
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Sue K.
USA 31 Mar 2020
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