Rockford [Digipak]

Performer: Cheap Trick
Engineer: Linda Perry; Steve Albini; Christopher Shaw; Tommy Jamin; Jimmy Johnson; Jack Douglas; Roger Moutenot; Bryan Cook
Producer: Linda Perry; Steve Albini; Julian Raymond; Christopher Shaw; Jack Douglas; Cheap Trick; Jim "Pinky" Beeman; Linda Perry; Steve Albini; Julian Raymond
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Cheap Trick: Rick Neilsen (guitar, background vocals); Tom Petersson (bass guitar); Robin Zander, Bun E. Carlos. Personnel: Robin Zander (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Rick Nielsen (guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Tom Petersson (guitar, background vocals); Damon Fox, Kim Bullard (keyboards); Bun E. Carlos (drums, background vocals); Jack Douglas (shaker); Robin Taylor Zander (background vocals). Recording information: Bearsville Sound Studios, Bearsville, NY; Big3 Studio, St. Petersburg, FL; Electric Audio, Chicago, IL; Kung Fu Garden, Los Angeles, CA; Long View Farm Recording Studio, North Brookfield, MA; Noise Chamber, Rockford, IL; Studio 419, Nashville, TN; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA. Illustrator: John "Woog" Johnson. Largely rudderless and in label limbo since the early 1990s, Cheap Trick showed new signs of life on 2003's SPECIAL ONE, an album that found the long-running rock band signed to Big 3 Records. This relationship clearly served the group well, since '06's ROCKFORD, named after Cheap Trick's Illinois hometown, sees the band proudly returning to its power-pop roots. Tracks such as the hard-rocking "Welcome to the World," the Beatlesque "O Claire," and the jubilant "This Time You Got It" are (no kidding) in the same league as the quartet's classic late-'70s work, with frontman Robin Zander in fine voice, guitarist Rick Nielsen churning out huge riffs, and the rhythm section of bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Bun E. Carlos sounding as tight as ever. Those who had written off Cheap Trick as rock has-beens are proven resoundingly wrong with this delightful and wonderfully assured record.

Rolling Stone (p.100) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]heir ability to craft an instantly catchy power-pop tune remains strong."

Cheap Trick's first few albums are often cited as an influence on both '80s pop-metal and the pop-punk phenomenon of the '90s. Robin Zander's rock-star looks and powerful voice played perfectly off guitar hero Rick Neilsen's oddball image and onstage antics, and the band frequently subverted standard rock song structures with odd, ironic lyrics. In their late-'70s heyday, Cheap Trick's fusion of power-pop and hard rock won them credibility with rockers, new wave fans, and pure popsters. Their 1978 release AT BUDOKAN still stands as one of rock's finest concert albums.

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