Review / 200 Words Or Less
Cheap Trick
The Latest

Cheap Trick (2009) Sean K.

Cheap Trick – The Latest cover artwork
Cheap Trick – The Latest — Cheap Trick, 2009

New release from Rockford IL's finest shows that these guys have not lost a step, and in fact, continue to reach new heights as songwriters. Will this end up on the radio? Probably not, but it certainly should. One song-"When The Lights Are Out" is a previously unreleased song from back in the day. But everything else is fresh off the grill and ready for mass consumption. "Alive" is not a cover but features some tasty leads from Rick Nielsen just the same. Robin Zander's vocals soar on memorable songs here like "Sick Man Of Europe" and "These Days." The backbeat continues to be held down with precision by bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Rick Nielsen. If you had not had a chance to see Cheap Trick live I would advise you do so and grab this disc on the way out.

7.0 / 10Sean K. • September 13, 2010

Cheap Trick – The Latest cover artwork
Cheap Trick – The Latest — Cheap Trick, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

1186

Histeria
Drunken Sailor (2025)

If you read enough press releases, you start questioning if you even know what genre names mean. Post-punk has been one of the most abused terms of the past 2-3 years and it seems to mean wildly different things to different people. To me, it’s always meant an ear for angular guitars and noise atop more traditional song concepts. 1186 … Read more

Li Jianhong

Shuttle Raven of the Dream
Utech (2025)

Li Jianhong's philosophy surpasses the direct relationship of a musician with their instrument of choice. Instead, Li has advocated for Environment Improvisation, where the urge to create and improvise is established by the artist's surroundings. Looking at Li's website you can find numerous instances that inspired him to settle down and start improvising, drawing energy from the surroundings. The music … Read more

Deseos Primitivos

Lineas de Muerte
Shadowplay Records (2025)

Some reviews are written after years of listening to a band and knowing nearly everything about them. Sometimes I listen to a record on repeat for weeks before I even look up the correct song titles – Deseos Primitivos (Primitive Desires) is the latter. This promo came to SPB as literally a one sentence quote about the band and its … Read more