Cheap Trick - Dream Police

174 is an odious number. That means it has an odd number of ones in its binary expansion (even numbered binary expansions are "evil"). Phi X 174 was the first DNA based genome to be mapped, the first virus model to be synthesized in a lab, and is still used as a control for testing sequencing equipment and personal protective equipment. 174 is the atomic number of Unseptquadium, a theoretical element formed in the gravitational collapse after a supernova.

None of which matters. Saying random interesting things about the number of essays i've written was just a cheap trick for introducing the random interesting things i'm going to say about tonight's album Dream Police...
...by...
...Cheap Trick.

They got their name from a comment about Slade ("they used every cheap trick in the book"). Each band member has his own consistent character/persona/image/wardrobe, and they ham it up great. I never paid much attention to them growing up, other than noting Rick Nielsen's thing for crazy guitars and sweaters, but i know all their hits and they are a lot of fun to watch.

Their mainstream breakthrough was really interesting. They made 3 albums that didn't really do much, then were blown away by the reception they got in Japan (Beatlemania level excitement). Their live Budakon recordings were meant to be a Japan only release, but got so popular they actually had to postpone the release of Dream Police to publish it in the US.

Musically speaking, they are a straightforward hard rock band. That might sound underwhelming, but they more than make up for the lack of sonic adventure by being quirky and writing interestingly weird songs. They're like your friend's strange older brother, not scary or intimidating, but not exactly living in your own reality either.

Highlights of the tracks include supposed satanic back masking, Steve Lukather (of Toto and any other 80s album you come across, not joking) playing guitar for money but no credit, and occasional Queen-style thousand-overdub vocals.

I wish the album had more of a unified concept, but i'm really just being picky; they have more than enough personality and style to be a great popular rock band playing unrelated songs from their unique perspective. I suppose if i'm really desperate, mild paranoia underpins a lot of their songs (and not just on this album).

Regardless, they really are fun and energetic, and i definitely appreciate their experimenting with orchestral backing in a hard rock (as opposed to prog- or psych-) context. There's not a bad song on Dream Police, and they certainly don't stay in any one style long enough to get tiresome. Definitely worth a listen if you haven't heard any of their deeper cuts.

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