Review

Cheap Trick Goes Grunge?

On Woke Up with a Monster, Cheap Trick finally say goodbye to ’80s pop ballads. Hiring Van Halen producer Ted Templeman, the band even reinvented their image, giving the aged rockers an edgier look. Not even the band’s official logo was spared a makeover. Fortunately, the aesthetic changes were only temporary and dissipated after this album. Also fortunately, what did stay was the band’s sound. Cheap Trick sound heavier than they’ve ever been, even in the ’70s.

This is in competition for Special One (another oft-overlooked Cheap Trick record) for one of Cheap Trick’s darkest-sounding records (though their debut had the most pessimistic lyrics, the music sounded more upbeat). They’ve always had a pension for darker lyrics hidden underneath their facetious attitude and poppy guitar licks. Here, it’s apparent in the music as well, showing minor influences of both the ’80s heavy metal scene and the then-currently popular grunge movement.

Edginess a Small Price to Pay for Stronger Songs

The guitar riffs are catchy and the heaviest they’ve been in years. Robin Zander’s wailing vocals are back at full force. Most importantly, the music has gotten back its rock and roll punch. This was something lost with the more ballad-focused mainstream albums, Lap of Luxury and Busted.

This is Cheap Trick doing what they do best—good ol’ pop rock and roll—and they succeed for it. There’s still a handful of slower, pop-ballad songs Cheap Trick has loved ever since Lap of Luxury. Thankfully, they’re still solid tracks. At the very least, they avoid the ’80s over-production pomp that plagued Cheap Trick over the decade.

All in all, Woke Up with a Monster is certainly a return to form for Cheap Trick, who have desperately needed one after meandering their style and quality through most of the ’80s. Ted Templeman does a great job of making the band rock hard like their glory days, emphasizing the band’s powerful hooks. Although, he has a tendency to make them rock a little bit too hard.

Identity Crisis

At times, much of the band’s music sounds derivative of ’80s heavy metal and hard rock. Opening track “My Gang” sounds like it could have been a Loverboy single. The title track wouldn’t have sounded too out of place on Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction. The lyrics aren’t as party-hard as the ’80s at least, being darker and having more in common with the pessimism of grunge.

It’s possible the band may never sound just like they did in their early heyday, but after nearly 2 decades, most bands don’t. At the very least, Woke Up with a Monster is the first album in a long while that emphasizes the skills that made Cheap Trick such a consistent band in the first place. Namely, catchy hooks, fantastic melodic vocal delivery, and a rhythm section that never misses a beat. This is certainly a step in the right direction for the band and enjoyable on its own merits. The follow-up self-titled 1997 album would mostly repeat this album’s sound, for better and worse.

If you’re a Cheap Trick fan who enjoys their first four albums and is looking for where to progress next, this is a solid follow-up point in their large discography. After this, make sure to check out Special One and Rockford. Emphasis on Rockford, by the way.