5 comments about Basher: The Best of Nick Lowe.

1. This is a nice introduction to Nick Lowe, one of the underrated singer songwriter/producers of the English Pub Rock circuit. Nick played with and/or produced Rockpile, Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds, The Pretenders, and left a legacy of catchy pop tunes that survive the test of age. "So It Goes", "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass", "Heart of the City", "Cruel To Be Kind", "Maureen", "Raging Eyes", etc. are all included here. My only complaint is that the version of "I Knew the Bride" is the rather tepid re-release off the "Rose of England", where Nick is backed by Huey Lewis and the News. Although this was released as a single in the US, it lacks the fire of other versions. There are newer, more comprehensive Nick Lowe greatest hits in box sets, etc., but this is a nice introduction to one of the overlooked artists.



2. This was a CD purchased for my husband. As he already has it in a cassette and wanted to get a CD of it, I would assume that it is a favorite of his and that he would recommend it highly.



3. Anyone delving into the evolution of power pop in the 70s, should do themselves a favor and grab this album. I ran into Nick as I was checking out the early, arguably best, Costello albums. Yeah as a child of the 70s, I was familiar with the cryptic yet smart hit Cruel To Be Kind but never followed up. I think one of the reasons that Nick has fallen under the radar is that he has always been a musician/songwriter over being a star. Rather than get hung up on image, as it seems from this best of collection, he has consistently focused on craft. Consistently over this album, he is not looking to impress but on offering good compositions with enough lyrical turns and musicianship to keep you coming back. And that is impressive enough for me! The first fourteen tracks are the highlight of the record, focusing on his first two records with Rockpile (Gotta get Minutes of Pleasure). After that things get a bit spotty. Things rise and fall on the characteristics of his collaborators. The low point for me is his slower material and the stuff which sounds way too 80s. "I Knew The Bride" has way too much Huey Lewis feel for my liking. Then again "Half a Boy" runs "? and The Mysterians" through new wave production to produce a catchy little number. So when I look back at it, two-thirds is a damn good hits to miss ratio. Atop of the 14(!) song winning streak, you get little gems like "7 Nights to Rock" and "Raging Eyes". Pretty good deal. Since I've bought this disc, I have come back numerous times. It totally offsets the lesser lights. So if you want, pop craft with hooks and smarts, come and get this!



4. Really good compilation of his better songs. A few were omitted,but those are for others to find.Really good quality too,which is nice.worth owning.some awesome songs that i remember wondering who in heck sang that



5. One of music's little indignities is that your greatest achievements wind up disappearing if the curators don't give a damn. Such is the case with Nick Lowe, a criminally underrated artist who helped shape the sound of the 80's. His production work with the likes of Elvis Costello and Graham Parker all but defined New Wave, his work with Rockpile is perfect and his solo albums always had reasons to actively listen.
   
   Alas, from that classic period, this is all that remains domestically available. "Basher" (a nickname he earned for his production methods, famously described by Elvis Costello as "a fader in one hand and a vodka bottle in the other") is 25 songs from 8 albums, the first 14 from "Jesus of Cool/Pure Pop For Now People" and "Labour Of Lust." His best known song, "Cruel to be Kind" is here in all its pure pop glory, along with such proto-punk material like "I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass" from the Stiff record days. There's the perversely witty "Marie Provost" ("she was a winner that became the doggie's dinner") and "Cracking Up" as well.
   
   After that, each album gets a slim pick or two (The Rose of England manages four) and only one solitary track from Rockpile's "Seconds of Pleasure" (and not even "Teacher Teacher!"). There's some cool pubrock/rockabilly like "Half a Boy and Half a Man" (should have been a hit!) and "7 Nights to Rock" which belies the depth of later albums. This leaves off a great deal of interesting songs ("Stick it Where The Sun Don't Shine" and "The Beast in Me" would have made my list) and stops when Lowe left Columbia for "Party of One." Lowe is one of those heritage artists who deserves a double "Essentials" collection, and his golden albums should be available to all.
   
   Which leads to my final comments: Why is Lowe yet to be even nominated for The Rock and Roll Hall of fame? He is the architect of a lot of the sound we came to identify as a decade, even to where Huey Lewis is a producer on "I Knew The Bride" (and once covered it) and such luminaries as John Hiatt and Paul Carrack make appearances. The other is that this album is a 1989 master of songs that you can't get anywhere else. Lowe deserves better.

4 comments about The Definitive Pop Collection.

1. One of these days, Mr. Crenshaw will get the recognition he's due. Till then, check this out - and check out his live performances on You Tube.



2. It is a fairly priced double-cd, although so much of this repeats what's on the one-disc Greatest Hits that those who have that might not need this -- that had more detailed liner notes and personal quotes from Crenshaw on each tune, so, honestly, if you're just dabbling, I would likely steer you in that direction.
   
   That being said, this is the most comprehensive G.H., in that it has material from the two albums not represented on the previous, so if you want a complete-career retrospective this is it, at least until the next album comes out. Certainly nothing wrong with the quality of the new tunes; he's been a remarkably consistent performer, never putting out an album until it was safely on the side of "Damn Good."
   
   Track selection? Crenshaw OK'd it, so for many, the artist's wishes reign supreme. Nevertheless, it always can be argued, although as this was the "Definitive Pop" collection I might've liked him to go a little more pop in the choices.
   
   "TMD", for example, is a brilliant pop song from #447, but he instead chose an instrumental track. Good tune, but TMD is a shoulda-been-a-number-one-hit-single track. Also, he chose "Alone in a Room" from the most recent album when "Where Home Used to Be" was a tune that got a bit more public radio play. So for the non-obsessive they may have been better choices. This often happens when artists make their own track choices -- they are drawn to tracks where they stretch their wings or show of certain chops over sticking to the basics, which is fine, to an extent. So we get "Like a Vague Memory" a country tune from DOWNTOWN which is fine, but no "Some Hearts", which was the leadoff single from GOOD EVENING. Crenshaw disowns this tune (as non-cool Diane Warren wrote it), but it sounds pretty damn good to me (he eccentrified it into a very Crenshaw-ish tune).TCarrie Underwood from AMERICAN IDOL has recently had a huge hit with this Diane Warren tune for her first single. The curiosity factor, along with the fact it's an excellent version and WAS the only single from the record, makes me feel it should arguably be here. But we get a replay of the two tunes, both excellent, that were already represented on the first Greatest Hits.
   
   So he doesn't stick to the "singles" (few, alas, were hits) and throws in a few curveballs that I wouldn't have. But the sound is fine, pretty much each track is indeed excellent, and certainly it works as an intro. Does it work better than the one-disc option? Not necessarily.



3. As a long-time and very devoted fan of this artist, I'm one of those who will buy just about anything with his name on it. Thus, I was thrilled to hear he was getting a long-overdue career retrospective "Greatest Hits" set. While I generally agree with the majority of songs selected by whomever was responsible here (and I get the feeling from reading the liner notes that Mr. Crenshaw was not involved in compiling this release), I have a couple of complaints, as follows.
   1) It's simply way too short! For example, CD 1 clocks in at under 50 minutes, while CD 2 clocks in at under 60. In other words, why only give us 15 songs per disc when they could have filled them to at least 20 or so? (If you want a great and recent example of getting one's money's worth, please buy the new R.E.M. compilation "And I Feel Fine: Best of the IRS Years 1982-1987," which offers a full 21 songs per disc!).
   2) In that same vain, why did they choose only one song from the artist's brilliant 1991 release "Life's Too Short," while including two from the mediocre "What's In the Bag?" from 2003? I would have definitely also included "Stop Doing That" or "Fantastic Planet of Love" as well, if it had been up to me.
   3) I don't get why they included the original and very roughly-produced versions of his (apparent) first singles "Something's Gonna Happen" and "You're My Favorite Waste of Time," which are seemingly directly lifted from "The 9 Volt Years: Battery Powered Demos & Curios." In other words, why couldn't we at least have gotten the actual single version of YMFWOT, however rare?
   4) I would have loved for them to have included the much cleaner sounding 1984 U.S. Remix of "Our Town" (from the UK 12" single) with the bells, instead of the original version from Field Day (even though both are outstanding).
   5) A few fully-produced "B sides" or outtakes (e.g., "You Belong to Me" from the soundtrack to "Peggy Sue Got Married") would have cool too to flesh out the collection, especially for those of us who already own all of his LPs/CDs.
   Anyway...if you don't already have any of his stuff, go ahead and buy this career retrospective or the single disc "This is Easy!" compilation from 2000, which, ironically, includes almost the exact same songs, albeit only up to 1989's "Good Evening." Or, I'd recommend any of the recently re-issued stuff on Wounded Bird records. In closing, for what it's worth my three favorite albums/CDs of his are (in chronological order): Field Day, Life's Too Short, and Miracle of Science, so take it from there and definitely enjoy...!



4. My first cd was "Mary Jean and 9 Others" - great hook laden pop. Maybe too hooky - like eating candy.
   
   Then I went to his classic first album - I liked it.
   
   Now a two cd greatest! Yay!
   
   His other collection is the one cd "This is Easy" which is also good, but this one sounds better I think.

1 comments about Illegal, Immoral and Fattening/Moving Targets.

1. The Two Albums Here Are The Third And Fourth Albums From Ex-Turtles Members Howard Kaylan And Mark Volman Aka Flo And Eddie.
   
   Illegal, Immoral and Fattening Is A Nice Mix Of Studio And Live Recordings Mostly Written By The Duo With A Couple Of Cover Songs Thrown In.They Also Do A Fine Rendition Of Eddie Are You Kidding A Song From When They Performed With Frank Zappa And The Mothers.
   
   Moving Targets Was Written Entirely By The Duo With The Exception Of Guns Which Jim Pons Also Wrote And Elenore Which Is An Old Turtles Song.Highlights Include Keep It Warm And Elenore.
   
   This Collection Was Remastered By Bill Inglot
   
   Highly Recommended For Fans Of "Alternative/Non-Mainstream" Music.

5 comments about The Alternative to Love.

1. Brendan Benson's "Alternative to Love" can simply be summed up as brilliant. I am, admittedly, fairly new to Benson's work, but had a surprisingly lovely introduction to it the first time that I listened to The Raconteur's "Consolers of the Lonely." As a recently converted member of the International Church for the Reverence of the White Stripes, but nevertheless, hopelessly devoted to the great Jack White, I had bought COL looking to satisfy my ever-growing thirst for more White material. However, I emerged from the experience more intrigued by the other leading man, Benson, than solidified in my love for Jack White. Benson's music has been called "power pop" and has most often been compared to that of the Beatles. The mood of Benson's music is most certainly Beatlesesque, however his melodies soar higher and what they lack in a certain tonal edge that the Beatles' music encompassed, they make up for in biting lyrical wit. That is not to say that Bensons' music is not catchy; it certainly is, but it also has a wistfulness to it. For it is not simply Benson's infectious melodies that make his music pleasing and lasting, but more so, it is his ability to deliver a stinging punch of a wide number of multifarious emotions while maintaining a fairly mellow musical facade that makes it so uniquely powerful, and even haunting. A brilliant bard whose voice seems to have been stifled by bigger names in the industry that have reached their ascension more quickly (and perhaps more cheaply) Benson truly is an unsung hero (no pun intended). The certain sense of longing that is intertwined in the threads of his melodies make the songs in which they are found bittersweet in nature, yet that much more heartbreakingly passionate, and (for that matter) that much more endearing. Bravo, Mr. Benson.



2. This disc came up in the best of 2006. Certainly it is in my top five. Always wanted to have a listen but had no access to the net. This album features a smooth, seamless and loveable singer songwriter in the peak of his talents. it really is a four and a half star CD and will be worn paper thin before too long!



3. This CD is one of the few that my husband and I both love. Highly recommended!



4. This stuff isn't that good. There are a couple Cars-eque rockers that are cool but other than that I don't see what the big fuss is about? At the end of the day Benson's work is all mediocre. This is another case of "famous friends" association and hype. Save your money and pick up some classic power pop.



5. The main reason i bought this cd was because i had read that it was co-produced by Jack White of the White Stripes, and that Benson would soon be starting a side-band with White. Also because Benson had fans of the likes of Beck and Jack White. I was shocked to find out that Jack had nothing to do with this cd, but pleases altogether with what i was listening to.
   'Spit It Out' is definately the catchiest song but seems unlike anything else on the album. Other excellent accoustic offerings include 'Feel Like Myself' and the title track 'The Alternative To Love'.
   This cd does move into territory of power-pop status and for this reason is much more listenable. The lyrics are good, and clever on certain songs, and the instrumentation compliments the overall effect of the cd.
   Give it a go, you'll enjoy it.

5 comments about Teenage Symphonies to God.

1. What can I say about "Teenage Symphonies To God" that has not been said in previous reviews here? When they write the list of the Top 100 pop/rock albums of all time...this one needs to be there!!! Absolutely!! This is one of the greatest albums of all time in my humble opinion. No, it's not Pet Sounds, or Rubber Soul, or Blonde On Blonde...but it ain't that far behind those classic albums...if you love great rock and roll, classic power pop....BUY THIS ASAP!!!!! Man I wish this band would tour again....I miss 'em.......Dave in Mass



2. One of the truly perfect albums of the 90s, this is the blissed-out blender where classicist Beatlesesque pop, amped-up 90s alt-rock and country-tinged harmonies mixed together to form a happy (yet often slightly melancholy) slurpie. Not one note out of place, not one second wasted from beginning to end. Yummy.
   
   So why is it no longer in print? There is so much awful stuff out there these days that passes for pop, it's time for some Teenage Symphonies to come back and save the world again. Maybe a deluxe edition? Think about it, record execs. Think about it...



3. Only reason I am writing this is to disagree with a previous reviewer, penalty(Ca. I guess that is california), on one point. Huge agreement, this is an overlooked classic. Huge agreement, this album could do with a small amount of trimming. However, I believe the trimming should be aimed at one of the slow-mid tempo tracks, one too many I think. 'Something's gotta give' is the hidden pearl in an album of gems, and as for trimming the guitar outro.???????? Nooooooooooo! that guitar outro. turns a great song into a truly special one. That is it. I feel better for getting that off my chest.
   Anyway, if you do not know this band and you are a fan of big star, teenage fanclub, the byrds etc. buy this album now, you will love it.



4. This record should have been huge. Great songs, amazing production by Mitch Easter, some of the best musicianship in town--to put it plainly, a masterpiece. The pop renaissance starts HERE.



5. This is an overlooked gem of an album. It is more than just power pop, and it is more than just a tribute to the great music of the '60s. Yes, there are the Byrds and Brian Wilson touchstones, but Velvet Crush takes their influences and creates something new, fresh and timeless with them. Track by track:

   1. Hold Me Up -- just a great, melodic power-pop song. Rocks with the best of 'em.

   2. My Blank Pages -- The title is, of course, a Dylan/Byrds takeoff on "My Back Pages," and the tune rocks in similar fashion to "Hold Me Up." Another rocking power-pop song with a great melody.

   3. Why Not Your Baby -- VC turns up the twang and does this old Gene Clark song in style. The slide guitar solo at the end is killer.

   4. Time Wraps Around You -- Wow...gorgeous, melodic, wonderful harmonies, a classic all the way.

   5. Atmosphere -- I'm not too crazy about the melody on this one. One of the lesser songs in my opinion, though it still rocks pretty well. Sounds like it could've been a cutout from Big Star's #1 Record, which is not really a bad thing.

   6. #10 -- VC slows things down here with a tender acoustic guitar-based ballad. Very nice.

   7. Faster Days -- a wistful medium-tempo song. One of my faves.

   8. Something's Gotta Give -- a song by their buddy Matthew Sweet. It sounds just like something that could've been on 100% Fun. Goes on a little too long, with an extended guitar jam at the end.

   9. This Life Is Killing Me -- This one just doesn't do much for me. I think it is a little annoying, actually, with a mediocre melody and the "ba ba ba" backing vocals. Thankfully, it's short.

   10. Weird Summer -- One of the best songs on the album. Great melody and a jangly feel.

   11. Star Trip -- This one could've been a Teenage Fanclub song off their Grand Prix album. Another favorite.

   12. Keep On Lingerin' -- The twang returns on this country song. A great ending to a great album.

   I knocked off one star for tracks 5 and 9 (especially 9), which I feel are not up to the level of the rest of the songs. But there are no really "bad" tracks on this album. I keep coming back to it over and over. You will too.

3 comments about Strictly Personal/In Heat.

1. The fourth and third albums from the great Detroit powerpop punks The Romantics were made by a band in transition. For "Strictly Personal," it shows. Changing producers from Pete Solley to Mike Stone (of Queen fame), SP sounds rushed and noisy, songs looking for refinement and not getting any. Mike Skill was out over the usual artistic difs, and his songwriting is missed. That is not to say the songs aren't any good, both "In The Nighttime" and "She's Hot" display The Romantics' custom flair for Merseybeat meets Detroit rock, and follow in the footsteps of What I Like About You. Stone's production is still a mismatch, though. Making "No One Like You" sound like the band was copping from The Scorpions was just wrong.
   
   Everyone kissed and made up for the follow-up. Mike Skill rejoined the band for "In Heat," and Solley was called back to man the boards. The final result was the best album the band made since The Romantics and their greatest commercial success. Most of the credit there comes from "Talking In Your Sleep," one of the most perfect singles of the 80's. Combining a killer pop guitar riff with a Motown melody, "Talking In Your Sleep" hit number three on Billboard and ingrained itself visually as a video.
   
   Solley reined back SP's excesses to make the sound more punky than metal. "Rock You Up" is a piece of party nonsense that sounds a little too much like "What I Like About You 2" for its own good, but it's better than anything on its predecessor. The Anglo-Influence echoes on the Dave Clark 5 sound-alike "Do Me Anyway You Wanna." "One In a Million" is prime skinny-tie new wave, and the cover closer "Shake a Tail Feather" is brilliant.
   
   "In Heat" was the sound of a band that had hit its stride, even poking a little fun at it ("I'm Hip"). The Romantics pretty much derailed commercially after this (Rhythm Romance shed founding member Jimmy Marinos and much of the band's energy, then legal issues blocked The Romantics from doing anything for almost a decade). What holds my rating of this double set down is the sound quality, there's nothing to suggest that any kind of sonic upgrade has been made. Given that The Romantics are really due for a comprehensive Best Of, maybe someone will go in and give these tracks the respect they deserve.



2. "In Heat" is one of my favorite rock albums from my college days, when I was a college radio DJ at Kansas State, where I played it on the radio when first released. Even saw them live in the center of the 1st row of a show on the In Heat tour at The Uptown in Kansas City. Great ROCKING show with the band at the TOP of their game. Saw them October 2006 at the Double Door in Chicago, and they were pretty good and rocking then, too. Still a great band! Check them out if they play near you.
   
   Anyway, I waited until a modern remaster of this album to come out to buy it. I have never owned nor heard the album Strictly Personal, so I can't judge it as well for sound. I am familiar with a few cuts of it just from the compilation CD's that are out. Those compilations pretty much suck for sound quality in today's terms; at least they are lacking in dynamics and are compressed. Great tunes, but I feel none of the currently available compilations tell the whole story in the best way. yadayada
   
   I compared this version of this CD to my old well-played original vinyl LP of In Heat, and this CD is a disappointment. The vinyl actually sounds better. This CD is lacking in dynamics and sounds compressed. It seems this version has NOT been remastered, or at least with any surprises with sound. I used a good turntable and equipment to compare.
   
   That is not to say this is not great music; In Heat was one of the great pop-rock albums of the mid-1980's. Played on the radio and elsewhere in its day.
   
   If you want a BETTER representation of The Romantics, check out the live one from King Biscuit Flower Hour. NOW THAT ROCKS! Recorded just 2 weeks in San Antonio in 1983 before I saw them in KC, it presents the band at its peak and rocking hard!



3. The Romantics still to this day deliver the goods! Their third album kinda got lost! Strictly Personal is truly a Gem! Great songs,Loud drums and Nasty guitars fill up this first half of this disc.Almost their entry into heavy metal! Really!In Heat finishes off the second half with some of the best Pop Rock dance music song after song! This was (Drummer) Jimmy Marinos at his best,vocals and drumming! (He IS the voice behind their mega-hit "What I Like About You") Too bad that song isn't included here because that would have summed up all their hits! Trust me,this collection is AWESOME! Put on your dancin' shoes!

1 comments about Romantics/National Breakout.

1. the Romantics first and second cd's are both featured on one disc. this is some really good raw sounding rocknroll from 1979-1980 when their songs had a catchy 60's brit rock flair. The first cd features "what I like about you" a classic song. the second cd has a song that is very overlooked in the Romantics catalog.."night like this" this song deserves to be heard again for good measure. Great song!! the bass line is cool too! The Romantics carried on the tradition of vocal/chorus song with catchy riffs and great drumming. Both cd's are an example of rocknroll that had no over production and crazy guitars.

5 comments about Sunshine Lies.

1. Sunshine Lies could easily fit between Girlfriend and Altered Beast as a secret mail away album. Sweet has been flying under the radar for couple of years by collaborating with others and not strictly releasing his own songwriting. Not much has changed with his sound either; it's like the grunge movement and everything that came after has never happened.
   
   This album is simple guitar pop and bubblegum rock. The musicianship is really quite good, as Sweet has used his long-time sidemen Richard Lloyd (Television), Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & The Voidoids), Greg Leisz (Beck, Bill Frisell), Ric Menck (Velvet Crush), and a guest vocal by Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles). The album does have a few missteps, such as "Let's Love" and the Tom Pettyisms of "Burn Through Love". Just as the Girlfriend album didn't follow any guitar trends, this one follows suit and it makes me happier for that reason.



2. Because it is by Matthew Sweet, and perhaps because many fans of his disagree as to what his best two Lps are, this set already has a contentious reception, and even some shrugs. But if this album had been released by a mystery band in 1972, it would now be spoken of in the same sentence as the great double Lps of the late 60s. I tend to like all of his records, and "Sunshine Lies" runs the gamut from his tougher "dinosaur act" stuff to the gentler tones of his Lloyd-less records like "Mars." "Sunshine Lies" has some remarkable songs, including the title cut and "Byrdgirl" and "Let's Love." (The set is all strong, but side two of the vinyl version is brilliant.) It has a lovely sense of melody, a wild and sweet variety of guitar sounds, and many songs that combine a fascinating sense of craft, a feeling spontaneous necessity, and rock-poetry reminiscent of masters of desire and understatement like Lennon and Berry.



3. A rock solid return to form for Mr. Sweet. I've been a big fan from the beginning. I will admit to being a little disapointed with the last two disc. Sunshine Lies grabbed me instantly with great lyrics, melodies, and numerous heavy guitar riffs. Matthew is in great voice throughout. Sweet's high vocal range is countered again by the tangled, jagged soloing of Richard Loyd and Ivan Julian. I caught the band live 2 weeks ago. Excellent show. The new stuff played well along side the classics. (Ric Menck is the coolist drummer.)
   
   Fall Out Boy? All American Rejects? Etc.. Please. Matthew Sweet is back. Buy this record.



4. As rabid fan of the big 3, I've liked the most recent CDs fine. I liked this one quite a bit too the first weeks I had it. Something happened though, at the GAMH show in SF: Great band + Hot groovy fun, and suddenly I could properly hear Sunshine Lies, even the tracks he didn't play that night. Somehow the key to the puzzle was transmitted to me--by means of feedback, I'm guessing...the mechanism is unclear.
   
   This is an extreme set of songs, seriously over-the-top as both ear candy and lyric sincerity. I think the step required to access Sunshine Lies is awakening the silly 16 year old rocker within, so play it LOUD. Delivering rueful musings of experience wrapped in these shimmery Pet-Sounds-kind of pop gloss produces a dissonance that works for me. Sunshine Lies asserts sweet optimism even after all that young rocker has seen and done, a neat trick.
   
   (I Need A) Room to Rock In is our new house motto. And Back of My Mind is the best album-ender since Party Girl.
   
   Thanks, Matthew!! I needed that.



5. He did it again!In the great songwriting vein of The Byrds,Beatles,Big Star...i.e. songs with singalong choruses,harmonies,melodies,chunky guitar solos,all wrapped up in a shimmering and vibrant and punchy style,man it just rocks and flows and my 19 month old daughter Daisy just LURVES ''Lets Love''!!!!!Terrific!!

5 comments about Heaven Tonight.

1. Some great songs on this record, that blend Pop and Hard Rock. The band was on a roll at this point in time.



2. The first song is a true classic (possibly the best pop song ever written/recorded) and worth every penny charged for the entire album. I dislike the rest of the tracks which sound NOTHING like the first.



3. For me this is the album where Cheap Trick really put it all together and found the sound that they were looking for on their first two discs. It is a great mix of power pop, hard rock, and quirky songwriting that would make Cheap Trick a cut above many of their peers of the same era. "Heaven Tonight" is one of the band's best with every cut being strong. The album starts out with the classic "Surrender". How can you not love a song that starts out with the line "mother told me, yes she told me, I'd meet girls like you. She also told me stay away, you never know what you'll catch......" Classic stuff! The album careens into a little slice of power pop heaven from there with "On Top Of The World", "California Man", "High Roller", "Auf Wiedersehen", "Takin Me Back", "On The Radio", "Heaven Tonight", "Stiff Competition", "How Are You" and "Oh Claire" all great examples of the band's songwriting craft. Cheap Trick would not really hit the big time commercially until their next album "Live At Budakon", but "Heaven Tonight" is where they really came into their own as a recording entity.



4. Heaven Tonight is the last of Cheap Trick's classic studio albums. The production is slightly rougher this time around as the rockers are harder while the pop songs are more poppy than on In Color. The opening track, "Surrender", is the band's best ever single and has become their signature song. The rockers "On Top Of the World", "Auf Wiedersehen", and "Stiff Competition" are all pretty heavy by Cheap Trick standards but are also very melodic, something that only the best power pop bands could pull off. Their version of the Move's "California Man" is their second great cover tune (their first is "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace") while "High Roller" is probably their best deep cut, featuring a wicked, strutting guitar riff by Rick Nielsen. Other strong tracks include the poppy "How Are You?" and "Takin' Me Back." The bubblegum pop of "On the Radio" and the bombastic title track are the first slight chinks in the armor of Cheap Trick as these tracks aren't on the level of the rest of the album. The remastered version contains rawer versions of "Stiff Competition" and "Surrender" that are very good, even if the latter sounds naked without the keyboards. All told, Heaven Tonight completes the trifecta of Cheap Trick's great studio albums and still sounds great 30 years later.



5. my opinion is this is an excellent cd, the title track is awesome, plus the timeless [surrender] is on here,two versions,both great. love it

5 comments about One on One.

1. This is a full-on 1982 hard rock slab of power-pop madness from Cheap Trick, with legendary producer Roy Thomas Baker at the console. You can tell it's RTB because there's a nice blend of the abrasive, raw, loud guitars and drums mixed with the smooth, soaring melodic vocals and harmonies, creating a big blast of hooks, screams, killer guitar riffs and lots of fun, yet well crafted songs. Yes the production does have a bit of the typical 80's thing goin' on with that shot-gun, wet drum sound, and stuff like that, but the quality material rises above it all.
   Opening up the album is a great Slade tribute screamer, the now obscure "I Want You" a long lost classic if there ever was one. Other highlights are the catchy title track, "She's Tight", the minor hit ballad "If You Want My Love", "Lookin' Out For #1", "Time Is Runnin" and "Love's Got A Hold On Me". Some of Robin Zander's best, most powerful vocals are featured throughout the One On One album, but it all comes down to the tunes, and this one is full of great songs. One of several albums in the Cheap Trick catalog that is need of a good remaster treatment. Good stuff.



2. I remember the first time I hear this cd. I was just getting back into Cheap Trick around 86. So, as I was upgrading my collection each week from my paycheck from being a bag boy I got up to One On One.
   
   At first I was taken aback. I had never really heard songs like this before. They were so aggressive and loud. They were not going for the obvious on this at all. I think they wanted to make a heavy album in the worst way. I do know that they felt hemmed in by how In Color, Heaven Tonight and Dream Police were produced. All Shook Up had a great raw production, but I think they wanted more. So they saw One on One as a means to show the masses that they were a rock band, with the key emphasis on rock.
   
   Some of the songs probably needed more work on the arrangement side. Time is Runnin' screams for a break down or a swirl of psychedelia in the middle with trippy alarm clocks going off and sample sounds of the chimes from clock strikes ten something akin to a Beatles backward vocals then storming back to the meat of the song. But hey that is just me.
   Saturday at Midnight kind of has a Bowie feel to it and Love's Got A hold On me was a song they played way back in their early days, hence you have the lines from big eyes. Also you have a line from Lovin' Money on Saturday At Midnight as well.
   She's Tight was them at their smutty best, ha. Now If You Want My Love, should have been a huge hit. However the record company did not get behind it and the only reason MTV played it so much was because they did not have a lot of stuff to play. By them playing the song though it got out to the masses and it did become a minor hit. With a proper push... well let's put it this way In Australia it went to #1.
   
   Over all it is a very fun rock record. They took a little from Slade, The Beatles, The Who, and Bowie and Eno and molded something somewhat unique. Take for instance I Want Be Man. To this day I have never heard anything like this. It was industrial way before industrial really existed. One has to give credit to Cheap Trick, they were never afraid to experiment. Think of I Want Be Man as the evil counter part to Styx's lame Mr Roboto. It has a tremendous ending that I think should have went on just a little bit longer.
   As for Four Letter Word, it mixes samples of live audience sounds and then just ends on this ferocious thrash jam. I do wish the production could have had some more warmth to it. It would have been nice to have had George Martin Produce this one and Next Position Please as well.
   I would say check it out. It is totally original and non formula. This was not new wave, this was just power pop with a bazooka tied to the back of it. KA BOOM!!!!



3. I hope Epic will someday re-issue this CD like they have done with other CT CD's. Its far from being CT's best album. But it rocks like crazy, has several fantastic songs that have become classics and is still a lot of fun to listen to, especially when driving. I think it would have been a much better album had the 2 tracks from the "Heavy Metal" soundtrack replaced a couple of the weaker tracks.
   
   There are a lot complaints about the tinny and compressed sound of the CD, and after comparing my original 1981 LP to the CD I think its the remastering to blame. The vinyl still sounds very compressed, but has a warmer sound with more bass and "air" in Roy Thomas Baker's production work.
   
   When CD's became big business in the 1980's most record companies grabbed the eaisest master tape they could find (many times a second or third generation master tape EQ'ed for vinyl) and used it for the CD. Cheap Trick were one of the biggest bands to suffer from CBS's assembly-line remastering jobs and these old CD's shouldn't be sold anymore. If you have any later greatest hits CD or the box set compare the tracks from this CD with them, you can really hear the difference.
   
   I think CT fans would appreciate the bands mid 80's albums better if they were remastered better just like their classic 70's albums. I would love to see "One on One" remastered with "Reach Out" and "I Must Be Dreamin'" along with the flipside "All I Really Want" (a great overlooked song) and the dance remix of "Saturday At Midnight" (just for fun) added as bonus tracks.



4. One On One is somewhat of a hit and miss album for me. There are some great songs on it and some lesser tracks also.
   Produced by legendary Producer, Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, David Bowie, The Darkness), it was a change in style to a more 80's sound (given the decade).
   
   1. I Want You is a great opener. Catchy, rocky and to the point.
   2. One On One is a lesser track. Nothing much to offer from this song.
   3. If You Want My Love is cheesy but a great track. One of their better known songs. Perhaps doesn't really fit in with the heavier feel to this album.
   4. Oh La La La is a terrible song. One of CT's worst.
   5. Looking Out For Number One is a nice rock track.
   6. She's Tight is one of CT's best. Background vocals sound like Queen (the Roy Thomas Baker influence perhaps).
   7. Time is Runnin' is a good track but hardly memorable. Likewise,
   8. Saturday At Midnight. These two tracks compliment each other and hold their place on the album as good quality fillers.
   9. Love's Got A Hold On Me is a good track. Perhaps could have been more rock, less pop.
   10. I Want Be Man is one of CT's best. A real standout and a different sound to anything they'd previously done.
   11. Four Letter Word is anthem rocker that doesn't rise to anthem heights. This along with Oh La La La are the weakest tracks here.
   
   All in all, a good album with many highlights. Just a couple of lowlights to bring it down.
   
   Album ranking wise it sits bottom middle. Below Busted, above Lap Of Luxury.



5. Jon Brant was by far the best Bassist Cheap Trick ever had. Period. Now that I have gotten that off my chest, it was Jon himself who told me in 1989, when his band Siren was playing out my way, on Tour for their great album, "All is Forgiven",
   (**** stars) that he played Bass on the three songs that were used as singles from this release; 'She's Tight', just as he did in the video, 'If you want my Love', a number one hit in Australia that year ('82 - hey America, what's wrong with you?)
   and 'Saturday at Midnight', which did not do well as either a 12", or 7" single [boy - I'm really showing 'my roots' there, eh?]. I was glad to see the egomaniac Thomas J. Peterson gone,
   [does naybody remember that lousy solo 'Tom Peterson and Another Language?'}and only more sorry to see Jon(ny B. Good) forced out with an ecocnomic pistol (six-figure buyout) to his cabesa in '87, the year of the 'Tricksters unfortunate downfall ("Lap of Luxury", indeed!). My rating of top Trickster LPs:
   
   1) Next Position Please, **** stars,
   2) Standing on the Edge, **** stars,
   3) The Doctor [absolutely the most underrated album of all time in any genre!], ***.5 stars,
   4) One on One, ***.5 stars,
   5) Sex, America and Cheap Trick, ***.5 stars,
   6) Silver ***.5 stars
   7) Authorized Greatest Hits [expanded Japan edition], ***.5 stars
   8) Budokan {entire Japan concert, Import}, ***.5 stars
   9) (Live at) Budokan ('78) ***.5 stars
   10) [Live @) Budokan II (released '92, combined songs from '78'79
   Japan Tours], ***.5 stars
   
   For rest, try solo efforts by Jon and Rob Zander:
   
   11)a] Robin Zander [german and japan releases without awful Emily
   and + Miss Goodbye and other two songs]***.5 stars
   11)b] Jon Brant: 'Siren: All is Forgiven' [Pro-Christian and alternative metal at the sma time. The best video Jon was ever in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   Contact: [...] for compliments, complaints, et, al. Mahalo and Aloha Ka A Nui!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   3)