Cheap Trick's 'In Another World' - Album Review

Illinois' Cheap Trick have always been something of a phenomenon. Arguably the best known exponent of the hard to define power pop genre, and sometimes referred to as America's answer to The Beatles, the four-piece have been a hugely successful act since releasing their self-titled debut album in 1977. While the band have always had their fans here in the UK, I am not sure that those of us who live here truly appreciate how big Cheap Trick have been at points in the career. They have always been very popular in America, but it is perhaps in Japan where the band have found the most success - as 1978's legendary Cheap Trick at Budokan attests to. Cheap Trick's popularity in the UK has always been somewhat muted, but they still enjoy a healthy relationship with the UK rock scene. They received a hearty reception when I saw the band open for Def Leppard in 2018, which to date is the only time that I have seen the band live, and they fairly regularly visit the UK for four of five club shows across the country. Despite this, it is only really over the past few years that I have been anything other than a casual fan of the band. I still have a lot to discover about Cheap Trick, as the band have released so many albums over the years and I have only heard a handful of them, but I certainly appreciate them more now than I used to. I used to struggle a bit with the band's relatively light sound for a supposed classic rock act, but I think I now get what the band are about. Having detached the band from that, in my view, incorrect tag - I now see Cheap Trick as just a good-time pop rock band, and I am sure the band would be happy with that description. They have never been a band for complex arrangements or hard-hitting riffs; but instead operate in the realm of 1960s pop, played through the filter of whichever decade they are in at the time. The band's sound has rarely diverted from this throughout their lengthy career either, and it is clear that they love what they do - and know exactly what their fans want to hear. The band are a little heavier on stage, but on the whole Cheap Trick in general are a carefree experience. That brings me to the subject of this review, the band's twentieth studio album In Another World. It is the band's first album of original material since 2017's We're All Alright! but sound-wise In Another World picks up where the band left off four years ago. Featuring the same line-up as We're All Alright!; with drummer Daxx Nielson joining original members Robin Zander, Rick Nielson, and Tom Petersson; as well as the same producer (Julian Raymond), In Another World is another classic-sounding Cheap Trick album. It is packed with all of the hooks, melody, and quirkiness that one would expect from the band at this point and, with the summer around the corner, this is the perfect time to get versed in the latest from the band.

In my opinion, the album kicks off with two of its strongest cuts. The Summer Looks Good On You is, in many ways, a perfect Cheap Trick number. While its a cappella intro might not be typical for the band, or a common way to open an album, the song it segues into is. Rick Nielson's opening riff perfectly captures the Cheap Trick sound, its simple hooks laid bare for all to see, while frontman Zander showcases why he ought to be considered one of the most well-preserved singers of his generation. His voice sounds as good now as it did back in the 1970s, despite possessing a touch more grit these days, and those pop melodies that he has become known for are all over the song. A Beatles-esque chorus is full of carefree melodies, with the band harmonising nicely with Zander to bring that 1960s pop vibe into the modern day. There are hints of Cheap Trick's past here too, with dramatic strings akin to 1979's Dream Police briefly joining the fray - before Rick Nielson launches into a raunchy guitar solo. Quit Waking Me Up is possibly my favourite song here, as the grooves and the hooks throughout are so memorable. The song's intro, and chorus, feature what sounds like a horn section (but it is probably courtesy of a keyboard rather than actual horns); while other moments feature more of a guitar presence from Rick Nielson. Throughout his career, Rick Nielson has been recognised as a great guitarist - but he always plays for the song so usually operates in quite a restrained manner. There are a few moments throughout Quit Waking Me Up however where he adopts a dirtier tone and goes for a bluesy approach - which contrasts nicely with the song's overt pop melodies. Following this upbeat opening, the album takes a slower approach with Another World - a ballad-esque song with a slow groove and a more exposed Zander vocal. Another World will be reprised later on, and made into a harder rocking piece, but the first iteration of the song is atmospheric and melodic. Daxx Nielson's simple drum beat really keeps the song grounded, while swirling keyboards create much of the overall atmosphere. Cheap Trick have often written songs like this in the past, and this is another excellent example of their more mellow side. The song is a great contrast to the opening two cuts here, and the keyboard-drenched sound really helps to keep the band's trademark carefree approach - while still indulging in a more atmospheric feel. Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll is a spiky track that gets back to the upbeat nature of the album's opening moments, but is also a real look to the past. Those first few Cheap Trick albums had something of a punk vibe at times, which is unsurprising given the years that they were released in, and Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll recaptures that sound somewhat. The big production of the album's opening numbers is largely absent here, with Rick Nielson's guitar leading the way throughout. His spiky riffs drive the song, but Zander's vocals ensure that the pop hooks are still present - and the chorus is another winner due to his melodies.

The Party is similar, upping the rawer rock vibe of the previous song - but taking the band in more of a 1960s garage rock direction than a 1970s punk one. While the chorus again features plenty of pop hooks, the rest of the song is much more abrasive. Daxx Nielson's rolling drum grooves throughout really help the song to tick, while rougher guitar rhythms give the song a heavier edge. This is something that the band have been doing more of late, possibly to capitalise on Zander's grittier voice these days, and in many ways it acts as a good tribute to some of the band's influences - while still retaining enough of the band's core pop sound to sound like Cheap Trick. Final Days brings the band's trademark big production back, but the song remains in the somewhat tougher realms of the previous couple of tracks. Rick Nielson's riff here is surprisingly heavy, its lumbering pace setting the tone for the mid-paced rocker - while Petersson's bass growls along in the background. Despite this, there is still plenty of pop - largely courtesy of Zander and his hooks. The chorus is another strong moment, with plenty of vocal harmonies, plus there are more keyboards used here than in the previous couple of tracks - as well as some bluesy harmonica courtesy of Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie). The song is therefore a good mix of the band's pop sound and their heavier side. So It Goes really strips things back to a very sparse and simple framework. The song largely just features Zander's vocals and Rick Nielson's chiming acoustic guitars - but there are keyboards throughout that make use of Mellotron-esque sounds to ground the song in the late 1960s. As a ballad, the song is very effective, and it really shows what a great singer Zander still is. His voice manages to convey a lot of emotions throughout the simple song, and Rick Nielson's guitar is the perfect chiming compliment to these emotions. Light Up the Fire is another brasher single in the form of Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll. There are punky elements here too, but they are less prevalent this time - with a harder rock sound present throughout. The riffing throughout the track is about as hard-hitting as Cheap Trick ever get, but the arrangement has enough of the band's quirky pop to make it recognisable. The pre-choruses take a pleasing turn into atmospheric pop for a brief moment, while the choruses are as hooky as they are heavy. This is the sort of song that will slip seamlessly into the band's live sets, and I hope this is one that the band decide to play live when I hopefully see them live next year (COVID-19 permitting). Passing Through is similar in style to Another World, its slower paced, atmospheric sound a great showcase for Zander and his excellent voice. Despite the keyboard-heavy sound and the slower grooves, one of the stand-out performers here for me is Petersson. His bass is rarely a focal point of the band's sound, but his melodies here add a lot of depth to the song. With the guitars taking something of a backseat here, Petersson's bass often fills the gaps - and his sombre melodies are a great backing for Zander's emotionally-charged vocal performance.

Here's Looking at You is another real throwback to the band's early sound, with spiky guitar riffing mixed perfectly with a pop production. Rick Nielson's main guitar riff has a very 1960s approach to proto-rock about it, while the Dream Police-era strings once again return to help bulk out what is another excellent chorus. This is another highlight of the album for me, as it contains everything that makes Cheap Trick great. There is a brashness to the song, but it is fairly muted, as the bulk of the vibe here just comes from the good-time upbeat melodies featured throughout. A bluesy guitar solo is the icing on the cake, and the use of harmony vocals throughout adds a surprising amount of depth. It is another track that deserves to be played live, and I hope that the band choose to showcase a good chunk of this material live on their upcoming tours. The reprise of Another World follows, and the song is essentially a re-recorded version of the earlier ballad - but played in the band's trademark upbeat style. The song sounds so different that I do not mind hearing essentially the same song again so soon after hearing it for the first time - as the punky energy present throughout the reprise makes it feel like a totally different song. It makes me wonder if the band could not decide which arrangement of the song that they preferred - and just decided to include both. This, on the surface, seems like a strange thing to do - but the differences between the two versions are so great that, as I said, the two songs feel very different. I'll See You Again is almost the antithesis of the reprise of Another World, as it takes something of a psychedelic approach that harks right back to the mid 1960s. Swirling keyboards, a slow pace, and hypnotic vocals make listening to the song a very different experience from anything else on the album - and it is something a bit different for the band overall (at least in my fairly limited experience). It is a very short song however, so the strange sounds do not become overly dominant - and crucially do not outstay their welcome. I like the brief leftfield turn however, and it helps to add a little diversity to the album overall. Closing things out however is a cover of John Lennon's Gimme Some Truth. The song originally appeared on Lennon's 1971 album Imagine, and Cheap Trick's version has been toughened up by some additional guitar magic from Steve Jones (Sex Pistols; The Professionals; Neurotic Outsiders). It is no secret that Lennon is one of Cheap Trick's biggest influences, and the band have covered a number of his songs in the past. The band, of course, do the song justice and the raw production style really works well - with Zander pushing himself vocally with his grittiest display on the album. Despite being a cover, the song fits seamlessly within the overall sound of the album - and it closes things out nicely with its raw approach. It also makes you realise what another strong album Cheap Trick have put out with In Another World - with pretty much every song here being memorable and filled with hooks. I have heard a handful of the band's more recent albums, but this one has become my favourite of the lot - and the band have really crafted another strong statement here. It might be more of the same from Cheap Trick at this point, but the band sound so fresh and vibrant throughout In Another World that the familiarity, in my opinion, is not a bad thing.

The album was released on 9th April 2021 via BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. Below is the band's live rendition of Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll from a recent episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.