Album review: CHEAP TRICK – Boom Zoom Crazy…Hello

[Release date 01.14.16]

Cheap Trick are back with their first album in a little while, ‘The Latest’ came out back in 2009. They have had a good year to date being inducted to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame and now releasing this rather good album. Like ‘The Latest’ Julian Raymond produced the album along with the band and Rick’s son Drazz takes over the drum stool, as Bun E. Carlos no longer tours or records due to health issues, but after a recent legal case is still a member of the band.

This is possibly the band’s best since ‘Rockford’ and ‘Busted’ before that. They have songs like ‘Heart On The Line’ that sound like the band in their late 70′s/early 80′s prime – top notch pop rock with a hook other band’s would love to have written. ‘When I Wake Up Tomorrow’ would be all over the airwaves, if not for the fact good songs don’t make the mainstream radio anymore.

‘Blood Red Lips’ bounces along and listening to it you can’t help but smile. Not so sure the cover of Roxy Music’s ‘The In Crowd’ was needed, but hey Robin Zander puts in a good vocal (he still sounds in fine vocal form). ‘The Sun Never Sets’ has a Beatles/ELO chorus and those harmonies are spot on – one to play loud on a summer’s day.

I am a biased fan but this is one of their finest albums, no mean feat as they have only released one clunker for me ‘Woke Up With A Monster’. This is pop rock; this is quality music; this is Cheap Trick still at the top of their game. ****1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 7 April 2025

SEVEN BLOOD To The Unknown (indie)
FROM FALL TO SPRING Incomplete (Arising Empire)
POP EVIL Side Effects (MNRK Heavy)
ERJA LYYTINEN Abyss (Tuohi Records)
SKY VALLEY MISTRESS Too Many Ghosts (New Heavy Sounds)
RED GIANT Free Me (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 7 April 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Singer Songwriter)

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