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Cheap Trick‘s 20th studio album, In Another World, gets released today.
The 13-track collection features all the familiar Cheap Trick elements, including Beatles influences, glam, power pop, heavy rock and power ballads, but there also are less familiar aspects, such as introspective tunes and topical songs alluding to politics and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reflecting on the material on the new album, guitarist/songwriter Rick Nielsen admits to ABC Audio, “I’m more of a ‘jump to it’ and ‘wear my influences on my sleeve’ [guy]…But…I think we’ve become more thoughtful.”
That being said, Nielsen maintains, “[W]e’ve never tried to be what we’re not, never tried to be the next new trend. We like what we like, and we do that pretty well.”
An interesting aspects of the album is that it features two versions of the same song, “Another World,” one a melodic ballad and the other a revved-up rocker.
Nielsen says Cheap Trick had already recorded the slow version of “Another World” and was “goofing around” in the studio when he suggested trying to playing the song super fast.
“[W]e kept the same chords and we kept the same almost everything, but it’s a completely different song,” notes Rick. “‘Cause not everybody likes the slow romantic ballads.”
In Another World ends with a cover of John Lennon‘s “Gimme Some Truth,” which features a guest appearance by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones.
Nielsen says he decided to ask Jones if he wanted to play on the track after jamming with Steve on the song during a visit to the radio show Jones hosts.
“It was kind of fun,” Rick says of the collaboration. “And…it was a good match…’cause we liked [the Sex Pistols].”
Here’s the In Another World track list:
“Here Comes the Summer”
“Quit Waking Me Up”
“Another World”
“Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll”
“The Party”
“Final Days”
“So It Goes”
“Light Up the Fire”
“Passing Through”
“Here’s Looking at You”
“Another World (Reprise)”
“I’ll See You Again”
“Gimme Some Truth”
By Matt Friedlander
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