Cheap Trick – Dream Police
When Cheap Trick released Dream Police in 1979, they had just broken into international stardom thanks to a massively (and surprisingly) successful live album. That album, Live at Budokan, did a better job of capturing the energy of these Illinois boys than their previous studio albums did. (Compare the live and album versions of “I Want You to Want Me” and you’ll see what I mean.) They changed that with Dream Police. This album brings the energy of their live shows and expands their sound, emphasising the “power” in “power pop.” It’s heavy AND catchy and definitely takes some inspiration from the hard rock and metal scenes, with killer hooks expanding into nine plus minute hard rock anthems. It’s an album by a band that has figured out their sound and learned how to kick butt.
Being from Illinois myself, Cheap Trick was textbook listening growing up. They are one of those “hometown heroes” bands EVERYONE from that area knows. Every big city has them (yes, even in Iowa) and it’s always an event when they play their home town. Cheap Trick is a legendary band with an iconic sound and a lead guitarist who asks “How many necks CAN I fit onto a guitar?” They’re a band that when their song comes on the radio, you have no choice but to crank up the volume, because music this good needs to be played LOUD.
