The Essential Cheap Trick

Editors’ Notes The Essential Cheap Trick is overflowing with a lively 36 tracks, starting off with the glittery stomp of “ELO Kiddies,” the first song off their 1977 self-titled debut. Following this number with the riff-rocking, fist-pumping “Hot Love” and the guitar pop gem “He’s A Whore” — also from the band’s first album — keeps the sequence running chronologically cool until the fourth track where the band made the decision to insert a 1998 live version of “Mandocello” with Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins. But the momentum immediately picks up again with the infectious “Clock Strikes Ten,” a hair-shaking rock ‘n’ roller from 1977’s In Color that recalls Ohio’s power pop pioneers Blue Ash. Add on “Hello There,” the minute-and-41-second anthem that set the tone for the essential 1979 youth rebellion film Over The Edge along with staple hits “Surrender” and “Dream Police” and it’s obvious that the first disc of this compilation is the better half. Still, with “She’s Tight” and a live version of “Hard To Tell,” the second disc rocks hard and heavy as well.