Cheap Trick - In Color - Steve Albini Sessions -1998 Cd Flac- -

By 1998, Cheap Trick was in a weird purgatory. They were beloved, but considered "classic rock." Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey) was the anti-producer. He hated digital reverb, hated headphones, and famously rejected "The Record Industry."

This disc is out of print. Copies on Discogs run for $150+. However, the band has hinted at a "Raw Albini Box Set" for 2025. Until then, if you find a used copy, rip it to FLAC immediately. By 1998, Cheap Trick was in a weird purgatory

The gem of the session. In 1977, this was sweet. In 1998, it is sleazy. Tom Petersson’s 12-string bass is so distorted it clips the preamp (Albini left it in). The FLAC version shows you the "air" between the guitar strings; it’s not clean, but it is honest . Copies on Discogs run for $150+

Do you own the original 1998 promo CD? Have you compared the vinyl pressing of this session to the FLAC? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. The gem of the session

The result? A brutalist, stripped-down re-recording of their 1977 classic, In Color . Officially released as a promo CD in 1998 (and later a very limited Japanese tour item), this isn’t just a remaster; it is a full-throated exhumation. Today, we are analyzing the of that elusive disc.

9/10 for sound quality (Loses one point because the vocals are intentionally too quiet in the mix). Mood: Angry, sweaty, and perfect for a winter garage.

This isn't the Cheap Trick your dad plays at the BBQ. This is the Cheap Trick that played CBGBs when the Ramones were still afraid of them.