Cheap Trick - In Color (Steve Albini mix) (1997)

Cheap Trick's 1977 album 'In Color' is widely regarded as one of the best power-pop albums ever. Steve Albini  is a fan, and in 1997 he invited the band to his Electrical Audio studios in Chicago, and asked them to re-record the entire album. General opinion was that the production of the original album was a bit saccharine, and Albini wanted to give the songs a raw edge, more in line with the band's live performances of the time. The band were apparently pleased with the results, and even recorded five extra songs, but they mainly treated the experience as a bit of a laugh, and there were no plans to commercially release the recordings. It's a shame, as this would appeal to both fans of Cheap Trick and Steve Albini, and might even get the band a whole new younger fanbase.

Track listing

01 Hello There
02 Big Eyes
03 Downed
04 I Want You To Want Me
05 You're All Talk
06 Oh Caroline
07 Clock Strikes Ten
08 Southern Girls
09 Come On, Come On
10 So Good To See You

Bonus recordings
11 Fan Club (rework of unreleased demo  from 'Sex, America, Cheap Trick')
12 I Want To Want Me (Alternate)
13 Can't Hold On (rework of track from 'Found All The Parts' EP)
14 I'm Losing You (John Lennon cover)
15 Oh Caroline (Alternate)