Cheap Trick The Latest

Arena gods to toked up teens in the ‘70s and reluctant power-balladeers cum Elvis-revisionists in ‘80s, Cheap Trick underwent a critical reevaluation in the ‘90s when people rightly began to notice the band’s brilliant hooks showing up in an array of hipster product. Continuing to do what they into the 2000s, Cheap Trick self-released The Latest in summer 2009. Stuck in an odd purgatory that splits the difference between classic rock muscle, hair metal schlock, and power pop wit, Cheap Trick probably stopped searching for additional gold years ago. Yet in refusing to, ahem, surrender, they continue to come up with glittering nuggets from time to time, “Sick Man of Europe” a case in point.

Abstract by Dave Park