Cheap Trick's 'All Washed Up' - Album Review

In some ways, it seems strange that Illinois' Cheap Trick are not more well known. Clearly the band remain popular in their native America, and they have always been massive in Japan, as the seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan from 1978 can attest, whereas elsewhere they are known but never seem to be world beaters. Not everything in the band's lengthy catalogue is top-drawer, admittedly, but their classic era singles remain as hooky as everything - and given their love and, at times, similarity to The Beatles, it is strange that they did not achieve more fame elsewhere, especially here in the UK. In fairness, their peak years coincided with the explosive UK punk scene - whereas rockers were soon to be tempted down heavier paths with the NWOBHM taking things to the next level only a couple of years later. Perhaps Cheap Trick's sleek, well-crafted pop rock was just not what the British public wanted at the time. After all, The Beatles had been and gone by this point - and bands like The Clash were now doing the business, whilst some of the 1970s hard rock acts, such as UFO and Thin Lizzy, peaked around the same time. I Want You to Want Me is the band's only single to crack the Top 40 here, and that was back in 1979, whereas the aforementioned Cheap Trick at Budokan also made it into the Top 40 of the album charts in the same year. Other singles and albums charted, but little else came close to the fabled Top 40 - and the opportunity to appear on Top of the Pops or chart rundowns on the radio. The band had their brief moment in the sun here, then, but their success was largely elsewhere - and the only time I have seen them live was when they opened for Def Leppard back in 2018. A brief headline tour which was scheduled more recently initially fell foul of the pandemic before then being cancelled for other reasons - as was another lengthy tour with Journey which was supposed to take place last year. It seems, too, that the band are slowly winding things down - so I would imagine that the UK has seen the last of the band in terms of live shows. This is a shame, as I have slowly worked my way through the band's catalogue over the past couple of years and found plenty to like. Their early work remains their best - but a lot of their poppier 1980s material is still very enjoyable, and many of their newer albums also contain plenty to recommend. They have remained relatively prolific, generally releasing something new every four or five years. The band's last album, In Another World (which I reviewed here) came back in 2021 - a couple of months before lockdown restrictions here in the UK started to lift. A positive and summery album, In Another World felt quite apt at the time. For those of us who were keen for the pandemic to end, which sadly was fewer than I would have liked it to be, even in April 2021 when the album dropped there seemed to be better days on the horizon - and, indeed, that summer saw the country essentially return to normal, despite a few subsequent scares. I listened to In Another World quite a lot around that time, then, and it very much felt apt given the situation. Four year on, though, and Cheap Trick have returned with their latest album All Washed Up - which may well end up being their last if they are indeed winding down. In contrast to the pop hooks of the previous album, All Washed Up feels a bit heavier overall. It is a bit riffier and there is a tougher, punk edge at times - whilst the band's core pop hooks and garage rock vibes remain. Cheap Trick have made albums like this before, including many of their more recent efforts - with the heavier sound suiting the aged voice of frontman Robin Zander. He still sounds great, but his voice is certainly grittier now than it used to be.

The band's core trio of founding members: Robin, guitarist Rick Nielsen, and bassist Tom Petersson; returns here as always - with two of their sons: guitarist Robin Taylor Zander and drummer Daxx Nielsen; rounding out the line-up. There are 11 songs here and the whole thing is done and dusted in under 40 minutes - making the album a bite-size and enjoyable listen, in-keeping with many of the band's other releases. The up-tempo title track kicks things off, which opens with a slashing riff from Rick - and the trademark Cheap Trick sound is evident from the off. The riff, which resurfaces throughout the song, is hooky and full of energy - whilst the guitar tone is suitably gritty to allow that garage rock feel to shine through. The verses are a bit more laid back, with chiming clean guitar melodies and Petersson's propelling bass playing - with the heavier guitars cutting in occasionally. They back the sing-a-long chorus, though, which features plenty of hooky vocals from Robin - his melodies as melodic as ever despite the tougher backing. There is a good mix of hard rock and melodic pop here, with the hypnotic riff and the repetitive vocal melodies during the chorus in particular likely to stick in the brain for a long period of time. All Wrong Long Gone is less aggressive, with the band pulling the pace back to something more mid-paced - and Rick's guitars taking on less of a gritty tone. A fairly slow-burning, yet melodic, guitar riff drives this one - whilst Daxx lays down a subtle groove on the drums. The song has a bit more space to breathe as a result - and Robin's vocals very much shine through. During the verses in particular his voice cuts through the slow moving riff - his mix of grit and melody a big draw. The chorus feels a bit more full-on, though, following a bass-led pre-chorus section, with a bigger guitar presence, making use of both Rick and Robin Taylor's playing for layering, whilst subtle synths and vocal harmonies add some extra melodies. A bluesy guitar solo later adds further interest. The Riff That Won't Quit returns to the harder rock sound of the opening track, with a jovial kick-off riff that sets the tone for the rest of the song. This song, like many on this album, is a short track - and it very much gets in and gets out. It is a punchy, poppy rocker with the great opening riff repeating regularly throughout - whilst Robin's somewhat punky vocal delivery ensures an in-your-face attitude, particularly during the snappy chorus. Given the short length of the song, the later guitar solo is surprisingly lengthy - with Rick going for a noisier approach to contrast with the snappier riffing elsewhere. Bet It All slows the pace, going for a bluesier groove from the off. Rick's main riff has a slightly doomy vibe, which feels heavier than is typical for the band, but this just showcases that the blues can be heavy - it is how Black Sabbath started out after all. This riff and the shuffle from the rhythm section grounds the whole song, whilst Robin sings in a slower and deeper manner than usual - with shriller harmony vocals adding some additional layers. A brief chorus showcases those typical Cheap Trick hooks, where pop meets rock, whilst the instrumental section mixes bluesy guitar soloing with a more riff-led moment. The heavier vibe is welcome, as the heaviness is more from a classic rock and blues perspective than the punkier vibes heard elsewhere.

The Best Thing shakes things up somewhat, going for a much more shimmering pop vibe. The band's love of The Beatles is very much on show here - with Robin's vocals much cleaner and more overtly melodic, whilst airy synths are utilised in the background to add depth. There is no real riffing here, with the guitar playing this time much more atmospheric in nature. Layers of clean guitar melodies and the occasional tougher chord form the backing for Robin's vocals, alongside the synths, whilst the main punch comes from the rhythm section. Cheap Trick will often ensure that there are a few songs like this on each album, and they always do this slightly more rocked up take on dreamy Beatles-esque pop well. The song is also one of the longer cuts here, so the atmospheric sound is allowed to stretch out a bit more. Twelve Gates is somewhat similar, but with more of a hard rock injection. A similar pace is retained from the previous song, with similar synths in the background, but this time the guitars feel a little more intense. The backing guitars feel a little tougher, despite the patterns being somewhat similar, whilst the drums are much more percussive to allow for a punchier feel - with plenty of tom work during the main verses. Robin still sings in his more melodic manner, though, despite the slight increase in toughness - which means that more big Beatles-esque melodies are present throughout. As such, the song is very easy on the ear. The melodies are sweet and airy throughout - whilst even the later guitar solo, which is quite effects-heavy in sound, has something of a strange floaty feel; despite the tougher grounding of the rhythm section this time. Throw in the synths taking more of a leading role at times, with some pulsing melodies, and the song continues the more atmospheric shake-up started with the previous one. Bad Blood ups the pace somewhat again, but there are still moments of atmosphere that creep through. The toughness has slowly crept up during the past few songs - and this track feels like the best representative of the band's two sides in one. The guitars are crunchy at times, but generally the scope is poppy and cinematic - with a swing from the rhythm section expanding the overall scope and plenty more synths. Occasional more knotty guitar riffs do add some moments of harder rock, and these allow Robin to add a grittier edge to his vocals, but largely this another quite mid-paced and poppy number - with a easy on the ear chorus and more atmospherics. A very melodic guitar solo is also included. It is no surprise that this run of songs in the middle of the album are some of the longer cuts here - and they allow the band to stretch out somewhat and really present this poppy and atmospheric sound as a contrast to their punchier, rockier songs elsewhere. Dancin' with the Band returns to the harder rock sound of the early part of the album. The guitars immediately feel tougher here, and there is a strong groove throughout which is much more hard rock in nature than the songs which immediately preceded it. The atmospheric synths which came before are largely absent this time, with the weight of the guitars, bass, and drums carrying everything - whilst Robin's vocals feel grittier and more hard rocking this time, despite the chorus still being pretty poppy overall. It feels like an old-school Cheap Trick classic from the 1970s - with a good mix of punk grit and pop rock melody nicely bringing everything to life.

Love Gone slows the pace down again somewhat, although the overall arrangement is not as floaty as some of the poppy songs which came before. The mix of vibes is similar to Bad Blood overall, with some toughness coming from the chugging guitars throughout, alongside some percussive drumming, whilst atmosphere is once again provided by some synths - and Robin's vocals feel much poppier overall and less gritty. There are strong Beatles vibes throughout the track again as a result, whilst a slide guitar solo is included - which is something a bit different for the band. The slow-burning slide solo helps to add to the song's somewhat melancholic vibe, despite the melodies being very hooky, and the song is another which mixes the band's core sides and sounds together nicely. A Long Way to Worcester opens with some chiming guitar melodies, almost country-esque in tone, and percussive drumming - over which Robin starts to sing. Washes of keyboards and some well-placed wordless vocal harmonies add depth, but the song does not feel especially poppy or floaty compared to the songs in the album's middle. There is less of a Beatles feel this time, with the guitars overall feeling decidedly more American thanks to the country twang and there is a darker overall tone thanks to the bass, which is high in the mix, and Robin's more emotive vocals. There is little of the band's carefree side here, and this track feels quite a bit more serious overall - with a much more layered sound and plenty of atmospheric depth. The guitar solo is busier and more hard rock in nature, too. Rick's tone during it is cutting and slashing, meaning that the punky, bluesy melodies cut through the dense piece nicely - and the song overall has a strong cinematic feel thanks to the overall arrangement, Robin's wistful vocal delivery, and these more slashing harder rock moments which cut through on occasion. Following this lengthier, more serious piece; the album then comes to a close with the short burst of energy that is Wham Boom Bang. It opens with some jaunty acoustic guitar melodies over which Robin sings some very affected 1960s-esque melodies - whilst the song grows in stature around this beat combo-esque vibe. Drums and bass are added to the mix as the track progresses, whilst the later chorus is percussive and memorable thanks to some call-and-response melodies between Robin's voice and Rick's guitar. The song feels like a deliberate throwback to the 1960s, with later keyboard melodies joining in which feel very dated, but this works in the context of the album - with the song feeling like a fun closing number in the context of an album which has moved back and forth between tougher and more atmospheric sounds. Overall, for me, All Washed Up is another strong modern album from Cheap Trick. It does not really do anything new that we have not heard from the band at this point, but the overall vibe is positive despite some more melancholic moments - and I like the good mix of heavier moments and poppier tunes which allow for quite a bit of variety despite the album being quite short. Nothing ever outstays its welcome, and the band show here that they remain masters of their craft when it comes to garage rock and pop songwriting. Washed up Cheap Trick certainly are not, and if they are to wind up soon then they will have gone out on a high with this album.

The album was released on 14th November 2025 via BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. Below is the band's promotional video for The Riff That Won't Quit.