Great Rock Albums of 1978: Cheap Trick- Heaven Tonight

Like Reo Speedwagon, AC/DC and Journey, Cheap Trick were one of those bands where I heard their later albums and then went back through the archives to listen to the earlier stuff. I found that "Heaven Tonight" typifies everything I liked about Cheap Trick. They are definitely one band who seems to have a lot of fun when they make music as there seems to be an element of this in each of their songs. However, this doesn't stop them from being a good hard rock band who has put out some great stuff, some of which will be reviewed at later dates. As for this album, the opening track "Surrender" is a clear example of this.

Let me add Rick Neilson to my ever growing list of underrated guitarists from the 70s. When I first saw him, I had to admit that he did not look like someone who could manipulate a six string so well. His image of the baseball cap and checkerboard trousers made me not want to take him seriously at first, then I heard what he could do with a guitar and my opinion changed rather drastically. Cheap Trick can also be recognised as the band who helped my younger sister get off disco and into hard rock, although I probably think this was down to the effect that Robin Zander and Tom Petersson had on her then fourteen year old hormones.

Track Lisitng:

1. Surrender

2. On Top of the World

3. California Man

4. High Roller

5. Auf Wiedersehen

6. Take Me Back

7. On the Radio

8. Heave Tonight

9. Stiff Competition

10. How Are You

11. Oh Claire (Not listed on album cover)

Cheap Trick

Robin Zander- lead vocals, rhythm guitar

Rick Neilsen- lead guitar, backing vocals

Tom Petersson- bass, backing vocals

Bun E Carlos- drums

"Heaven Tonight" is an album that is typical of Cheap Trick. It's fun lyrics combined with a cool rock sound make it a good listen. It proved to be a stepping stone to their more successful later albums.

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Great Rock Albums of 1978: Bruce Springsteen- Darkness on the Edge of Town

Being a New Jersey boy, it would be a complete act of sacriledge if I didn't include this 1978 offering from The Boss. This was another one of those albums I never had to buy because everyone else I knew had it. The summer of 1978 was awash with car stereos, (casette and 8track) blasting this album out of their speakers as they drove around town. Furthermore, the single "Badlands" got lots of airplay on local radio merely because it was a local artist making good.

I believe, as do many others, that "Darkness on the Edge of Town" showcases Springsteen's working class roots. The tracks from this album have a raw, gritty appeal and the lyrics in them compliment this feeling. This is why I consider this album a good cruising album, to play when you're driving down the main drag of your home town. I know, because that's what happened for my friends and me back in the summer and autumn of 1978 and beyond.

Track Listing:

1. Badlands

2. Adam Raised a Cain

3. Something in the Night

4. Candy's Room

5. Racing in the Street

6. The Promised Land

7. Factory

8. Streets of Fire

9. Prove it All Night

10. Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen- lead vocals, lead guitar, harmonica

Roy Britton- piano, vocals

Clarence Clemmons- saxophone, vocals

Danny Federici- organ, glockenspiel

Gary Tallent- bass

Steven Van Zandt- rythm guitar, vocals

Max Weinberg- drums

This was the first album that proved to me that you didn't need a hit single to make a good album. The two singles from this album only just broke into the top forty charts, while the album made it all the way to number sixteen. It probably did better in New Jersey. At the time, a schoolmate of mine reckoned that Springsteen was the next Bob Dylan. I don't know if I can agree with that, but I do know that this is a good classic album that shows why Bruce Springsteen is The Boss. If you have "Darkness on the Edge of Town" on CD, put it in your car stereo next time you go for a drive, you'll see what I mean.

Next post: Cheap Trick- Heaven Tonight

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Great Rock Albums of 1978: Journey- Infinity

While 1978 was the debut year for bands like The Cars and Molly Hatchet, for Journey, it was their break out year thanks to the album "Infinity." It was the 4th album by Journey, the first three albums didn't take the world by storm, at least none of their songs were played on my AM clock radio and it was also the first album to feature lead vocalist Steve Perry. The result would be this album that would set them on the road to the greatness they would have in the early 1980s.

"Infinity" contains my all time favourite Journey song, "Wheel in the Sky." To me, this was the first song I heard that started with an impressive accoustic intro only to build up to a total rock out. Of course there are some other good rocking tracks such as "La Do Da" as well as some more slower songs such as "Patiently" and "Feeling That Way." The album also shows that Neil Schon was another great guitarist in the decade whose talents weren't fully appreciated by me at the time as well as others.

Track Listing:

1. Lights

2. Feeling That Way

3. Anytime

4. La Do Da

5. Patiently

6. Wheel In the Sky

7. Somethin' to Hide

8. Winds of March

9. Can Do

10. Opened the Door

Journey

Steve Perry- vocals

Neil Schon- guitars

Greg Rollie- keyboards, vocals

Ross Valory- bass

Aynsley Dunbar- drums

If you're fed up to the teeth of hearing "Don't Stop Believing" because of Glee, then a good alternative is to take a journey back to Journey's past and pull out this album. Guaranteed, you'll hear some classic Journey stuff.

Next post: Bruce Springsteen- Darkness on the Edge of Town

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