Posted by 21 albums in and 48 years past their debut, the American classic rockers Cheap Trick still sound vital and full of life. The 21st album in question is All Washed Up and the title track starts it with a bang, a lively number with a rumbling riff and priapic cries from Robin Zander to “go ahead and touch me!”.
They may be over 50 years in the business but the flame is burning bright, and their preoccupations of sex, women and rock and roll are just the same as well. The latter pops up in the irresistible ‘Riff That Won’t Quit’, a foot tapper whose barnstormer of a riff lives up to the claim. The stomping ‘Dancing With The Band’ is an ode to the joy of rock and roll and is a rollicking, Stones like number. Relationships gone sour is the topic of ‘Bad Blood’, a lush pop rocker ballad with sweet harmonies.
Nothing here is new, by now that is not what anyone is after, what it is is accomplished classic rock from the evergreen power pop trio. From the dirty, blues infused groove of ‘Bet It All’ and the slick ‘The Best Thing’ – which is a sweet, loved up ballad with Beatles style harmonies. To the slow burning ‘A Long Way to Worcester’ with its well crafted and moreish melodies, they know their way around this genre well. Despite being in his 70s Robin Zander’s vocals are still as sharp as a tack, and his and Rick Nielsen‘s fretwork is effervescent – the solo in the mid paced rocker ‘All Wrong Long Gone’ goes off like a rocket.
The quaint, left field ditty ‘Wham Boom Bang’ closes the curtains on yet another mighty fine display of rock and roll meets power pop. Reinvention it aint, but hey if it worked for AC/DC and Motorhead.
7.5/10
Lofty Music and Film 