CFNN Rock Correspondent Dana Murray

Cheap Trick is one of the most underrated bands of the 70s. Despite having some big hits, they aren’t talked about nearly enough. Whenever I mention them in a conversation about music, the most common responses are “who?” and, if I’m talking to someone who was alive in the 1970s, “I’m surprised you know who they are.” 

In Color is among their most well known studio albums. While it didn’t chart highly when it was released in the U.S, it’s become a cult classic. It’s an album for those in the know. You know someone is serious about rock ‘n’ roll  if they have In Color in their record collection. 

The first track, “Hello There,” serves as an overture for the album. It asks listeners if “they’re ready to rock,” but Rick Neilsen gives them no choice but to answer yes. The riff he opens it up with is stellar. It feels distinctly punk rock, but has better execution than the standard punk band. As far as intro songs go, you can’t get much better than this.

“Big Eyes” is a great example of the sense of humor Cheap Trick has. On the first listen, this track sounds like a classic love song about someone’s eyes. In reality, it’s a song about being fooled by someone’s looks. The song does the same thing to the listener. Musically, this song is par for Cheap Trick’s course: solid drum track, great bass line, and a guitar riff with some groove. This song is perfect for a crash course in the band.

“Downed” has more of a pop sound than the previous tracks. The use of keyboards is a nice touch. They don’t overpower the song and are used more to enhance it. There is a guitar riff throughout that sounds a bit like the intro to “Bed of Roses” by Warrant. I find this pretty cool since it shows the influence that this album had. One aspect about this song that I find interesting is the lyrics. The chorus mentions being “out of my head,” which mirrors the verses perfectly; I can’t figure out what it is they’re talking about! When I first started listening to Cheap Trick, I couldn’t understand this song for the life of me, but I quickly realized that was the entire point. “Downed” wasn’t meant to make sense. It’s more of an extended metaphor for losing your mind.

“I Want You to Want Me” is the song most people think of when they hear Cheap Trick and I am no exception. However, I feel like the studio version of this song is a little underwhelming after hearing the one from Live at Budokan my entire life. I expected it to have more of a guitar-driven sound instead of being a piano ditty. The piano is way more prominent on this song than on any other on this album. Lyrically, this song is very catchy. It’s a great example of a song not needing to be complex for it to work. For all my criticisms of the studio version of this song, it’s still enjoyable to listen to; I just liked the edge on Budokan more. 

“You’re All Talk” is a return to the hard rock sound from “Hello There” and “Big Eyes.” It’s a great way to pick the energy back up from “I Want You To Want Me.” The aspect of this song that stands out the most to me is the guitar. It has some serious swagger! I also noticed that the solo seems to lay some groundwork for the glam metal scene. It’s also interesting to note that Tom Werman, the man who produced this album, went on to produce many groundbreaking glam albums, such as Open Up and Say… Ahh! by Poison and Stay Hungry by Twisted Sister.

“Oh Caroline” is another example of curveball-throwing lyrics. At first, it’s a sweet love song about a girl named Caroline, but once you get to the bridge, you’re hit with the line “but you threw it all away.” The harmonies on the bridge are exceptional. I love when 1970s hard rock bands incorporate harmonies into their songs; it adds some dimension to the genre. It’s a great way to say “we know what we’re doing, even if you don’t think so” to the critics. 

The intro for “Clock Strikes Ten” is quite clever: Nielsen plays a church bell chime on his guitar. When I first heard this track, I thought that they took an electric doorbell and recorded it for the intro. This track is a great party song; it has a solid beat that is quite danceable. I feel that this song is a perfect example of how great of a drummer Bun E. Carlos is. The backbeat has a groove to it, but it’s not sloppy. Overall, it’s a solid song.

My favorite song on this album is, without a doubt, “Southern Girls.” It’s so catchy! The bare bones instrumentation on the verses highlight Robin Zander’s voice quite well. It’s smooth, but it has some grit to it. The chorus is a perfect mix of hard rock riffs and piano. It feels more distinctively Cheap Trick than the more strictly pop-sounding songs from earlier in the album. I also love how crisp the backing harmonies are. They make the song so interesting. 

“Come On, Come On” would have been more fitting earlier in the album, perhaps where “Downed” is. The chorus has a catchy sing-a-long vibe with some call and response aspects. I noticed that the harmonies on this song were definitely sung with this in mind since they sound more shouted than sung. I don’t mind it, but my inner chorus kid is cringing because I can hear the improper technique. This song seems more garage rock sounding than other songs on this album, which is a perfect callback to their debut album. 

“So Good to See You” has one of my favorite vocal performances from Robin Zander. He hits some impressive high notes that sound heavenly! I don’t think Zander gets enough credit for his vocals. Everyone was so focused on the great frontmen of the era that they often forgot that some singers just needed a great voice. I love that the guitar on this song sounds similar to one of my favorite glam rock songs, “Bang a Gong” by T. Rex. I feel like this song is so distinctly from the 1970s that it seems to get overlooked. I love it, but others may not like the dated sound. My only complaint about this song is that it always makes me forget that it’s the last song on the album. I’m always expecting another after it, but that’s the end of the album. It does exactly what a great ending track is supposed to do: make people want more. 

In Color is a classic. While it’s become obscure in today’s world, the musicianship still holds up. It may sound dated at moments, but it adds to the charm. I highly recommend checking out this album if you’ve never heard it before. If it’s been a while since you’ve heard it, maybe it’s time to revisit it. It’s a fun listening experience, no matter your genre preferences.