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| Cheap Trick - Busted Band: Cheap Trick Tracks: - Back N' Blue - I Can't Understand It - Wherever Would I Be - If You Need Me - Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love - Busted - Walk Away - You Drive, I'll Steer - When You Need Someone - Had To Make You Mine - Rock N' Roll Tonight Busted But Not Beaten So much Outside influence had been exerted on "Lap Of Luxury," that you can almost hear the clashing of swords on "Busted." Cheap Trick wanted more control over the sound, Epic Records wanted another "Flame." Between the marketers and the musicians, some sort of balanced was reached. The end result is a album that is good but not inspired, and manages not to become a total Bow Wow ala "The Doctor." "Back'N'Blue" is the closest thing to a Stones knock off that Cheap Trick has ever attempted. It totally out rocks anything else on the CD. Almost as if to balance that kind of power, the title track sounds like a piece of modern rock radio piffle. "Can't Stop Falling Into Love" was the band's attempt at writing a hit ballad (it made the top twenty), the label honchos served up another Diane Warren contender with "When You Need Someone." What all parties seemed to miss (or at least until the "Authorized Greatest Hits" was released) was that the best song here was "Walk Away." This was the kind of song I longed to hear on my radio during those times, a near perfect power-pop-rock confection featuring the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde. Although you can do better in your Cheap Trick CD collection, "Busted" is worth having on that single song alone. Does its Best to Make Up For "Lap of Luxury"'s Flaws Cheap Trick's previous record, 1988's "Lap of Luxury" sure brought them out of an eight-year commercial slump, but its reliance on session writers was disappointing. But thankfully in 1990, Cheap Trick released "Busted." The album scaled the similar platinum status as its predecessor, but more importantly, it re-introduced the band's fans to Cheap Trick's innovative originality. <BR>Though their label, Epic, had it in their heads to control track selection, The Band does their best with an otherwise bleak situation, by pouring their unique musical combination of cynycial glam, pop, heavy blistering rock, and emotionally vivid tunes. "Busted" is (so far) the best example of Cheap Trick keeping in step with the times (while avoiding conformity) without completely losing their uncompromising flare. In some places, such as 'Walk Away' and 'Had to Make You Mine,' fans are reminded of the pop loved by screaming teenage girls, as reflected in 70's albums "Heaven Tonight" and "Live at Budokan." The hit 'Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love' is one of the few good early 90's pop-rock songs, while excellent tunes such as 'Back 'N Blue,' 'Busted,' 'You Drive I'll Steer' and a version of Roy Wood's 'Rock and Roll Tonight' re-confirm Cheap Trick's hard rocking talent and witty humor.<BR>While "Busted" was a disappointment to the fans who were stuck in the 70's, it still proves their broad range of musical territory and rock-n-roll progression. Could Have, Should Have Been A little disclaimer. I am a Cheap Trick fan, but I am not a blind Cheap Trick fan. If they make a mis-step, I will be honest with my opinion. First, Cheap Trick is a modern rock Band that hit the scene 20 years to early. Now if being contemporary in the late 80's early 90's meant sounding cookie cutter, bland and boring like Styx who have and will always be a joke, then no thanks. I hold Cheap Trick to a higher standard, and this sound was not a good fit for Cheap Trick. But, for Styx it is a good fit for their music has no soul. Their sound is based upon sounding like showtunes, but that is a whole other story, now on with the review. Busted could have been the cd to Blast off the door that Lap of Luxury opened. Common Sense says let these guys do their thing, you know, crisp and crunchy guitars, witty sarcastic lyrics (See Modern Rock). Instead, Epic brought in Richie Zito to take out anything edgy or anything with a creative spark and replace it with safe, bland synths, and horrible production. Epic wanted more bland power ballads, like the Flame clone "When You Need Someone. Then there is "Can't Stop Falling Into Love," the nadir of Cheap Trick. This is hands down the worst song they have ever done (actually it is tied with Rock All Night from Standing on the Edge). Rumor had it that Rod Stewart wanted this song, and they were going to let him have it,(please take it Rod) but Epic nixed the deal. Those execs at Epic were visionaries. The only slow song that is worth anything is "Walk Away," with Chrissy Hyndes singing backup. "Back n Blue," could have been a cool Stones/Keith Richards solo type of romp (See keefs first solo album for the song take it so hard), instead we get a glazed over song with no energy, and once again cheesy synths instead of maybe a cool Hammond b3. "Can't Understand It," shines through the wickedly horrible production. One can only imagine what this song could sound like if say Rick Rubin produced it, or Brendan O'Brian. The Diane Warren song is a sad sad affair. At the time all I could think was, "Is this the same Band that did 'Downed?'" What this album needed was a good producer, and a record label that knew what they were doing. On the whole the majority of the songs here that The Band wrote were good if not great songs,(except Can't Stop, and If You Need Me, When You Need Someone,) suffering from lousy production. You could almost feel the bands hand's being tied on each song. The guitars were turned down low, and the synths on high. Busted (the album, and title track) should have just crackled with energy, instead it just plods, same with "You Drive I'll Steer, which is killed with synths. "Had to Make You Mine," is a great Beatlesque (Think Hard Days Night era)song, and Roy Wood's "Rock and Roll Tonight," is also v Buy Cheap Trick Busted at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.comJamster - the latest ringtones for your phone! |
