An interview with Cheap Trick; new album 'All Washed Up' out now

photo: Big Hassle

Cheap Trick is well-known for crafting such power pop gems as “Dream Police,” “Surrender,” “Voices,” “Southern Girls” and others.

But the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Famers from Rockford, Ill. also had a darker side (“The Ballad of TV Violence,” “Oh Candy,” “Auf Wiedersehen”), which bassist/co-founder Tom Petersson once said comprised “scarier lyrical content and subject matter, sometimes bordering on heavy metal,” especially during the band’s mid-1970s period.

An intense sonic undertow is also prevalent on the hard-charging, sexually suggestive title track to the group’s 21st album All Washed Up. The same can be said regarding a frantic “The Riff That Won’t Quit,” and a sludgy, bass heavy “Bet it All.”

In a recent Zoom interview after opening for Heart in Anaheim, Petersson affirmed his earlier comment. “We’re a heavy band. We do all sorts of different things. I think that surprises people.”

According to Robin Zander, the tune “All Washed Up” was inspired by Iggy and the Stooges. Petersson, 75, recalls everyone being fans of Pop back in the day. “We thought Iggy was hilarious.”

Julian Raymond (Brian Setzer, Glen Campbell, Fastball) returned to the produce the solid new album, extending his association with Cheap Trick, either as songwriter, musician or the guy manning the boards, to 20+ years.

“He sees us in a different light than we see ourselves, and he’s really like a fifth member, so he has been invaluable to us, and we love working with him.

“Julian is a great songwriter and singer and is just really good at making us sound like we want to sound as opposed to somebody else to be successful. We just sound like we sound and that’s fine with us.”

For his part, Raymond has admitted to his goal is always to hew closely to Cheap Trick’s concert dynamic.

“That’s what we wanted to perfect,” says Petersson, “that sound we’re always chasing: the tone. It is never quite right.”

Guitarist and fellow band co-founder Rick Nielsen’s playing style is riveting and manic as ever on the new album. Petersson says he is always amazed at what Nielsen creates, but concedes, “it really is a group effort…you don’t know who’s going to come up with a good idea.”

All Washed Up standouts include passionate power ballad “The Best Thing” and the blissful pop of “Twelve Gates,” where Zander’s affecting vocals stand among his finest.

“I love those songs to life - all of them. He’s a really good writer and it just works.”

Zander’s son Robin Taylor has provided rhythm guitar and backing vocals in studio and onstage with Cheap Trick (and briefly assumed bass duties following Petersson’s 2021 open heart surgery). 

The younger Zander contributed guitars and backing vocals to several new songs. Meanwhile, Robin Zander’s daughter, Robin-Sailor, also added backing vocals, further sweetening the Zander family vocal harmonies throughout All Washed Up (Cheap Trick is rounded out by yet another family connection, Rick’s son Daxx, who replaced original drummer Bun E. Carlos in 2010).

Petersson moved to Nashville in 1995. The first musicians he gelled with there were from Grammy Award-winning Americana band The Mavericks. Current keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden and former bassist Robert Reynolds co-wrote “Carnival Game” off Cheap Trick’s eponymous 1997 album. Another demo from the same writing session resulted in another new album highlight, the psychedelic-tinged “Long Way to Worcester.”

Petersson’s signature Gretsch USA Custom Shop 12-String Falcon Bass Guitar is heard on nearly half the All Washed Up songs; his other 12-string models (which the musician first pioneered during the ‘70s in partnership with Hamer Guitars) were utilized elsewhere on the album. He said the 12-string bass is typically used in a live setting to give the band a richer sound onstage.

Next April, Cheap Trick will perform the setlist from triple-platinum 1978 concert album At Budokan twice alongside hits and fan favorites at The Venetian Las Vegas.

Legendary producer Jack Douglas - who helmed the band’s self-titled 1977 debut album, served as mixing supervisor for At Budokan and returned to do 1985’s Standing on the Edge – surprisingly revealed last month on Billy Corgan’s Magnificent Others podcast that the iconic live album, which put Cheap Trick on the worldwide map, was actually culled from another Japanese concert in Osaka the night before the Budokan gigs due to better sonic quality.  

Since double concert albums by Peter Frampton and KISS had previously sold tons of records, did Cheap Trick or Epic Records have any inclination to follow suit with two live LPs?

Not exactly. “We were shocked [Sony Japan] wanted to do an album in the first place,” recalls Petersson. “They filmed those first shows, Budokan and Osaka, and wanted to make a TV show. So, they did. It’s an hour-long television show in Japan with toothpaste commercials, and crazy stuff.

“Then, after they did that, the Japanese label said, ‘We should just release an LP of this.’ OK, fine. We didn’t even know. They said they’d do all the artwork…[but] none of us were really happy with the pictures they had.

“Our managers said, ‘Look, what difference does it make? No one’s ever going to hear this album anyway.’ [Suddenly], I was famous. I always say, Jeez, if we knew it was going to be this popular, we would’ve put a lot more thought into it! But it just happened and you know, it struck a chord with the rest of the world for some reason - the live record - because that’s exactly how we sound.

“That second record, In Color, was a hit in Japan,” Petersson continues. We had all these hit singles off that record. And it doesn’t sound like us.”

By that point, Cheap Trick gained a reputation for being road warriors, performing more than 200 concerts a year, while opening for KISS, Queen, The Kinks, Santana, and others.

“You know, everybody played a lot back in those days,” affirms Petersson. “It was a different [time]. We weren’t Milli Vanilli or anything. Bands all started out as bar bands. I don’t know how they start out now and if you’re successful, then you put it together. We were the opposite. We played for years - bars and wherever - you know, just hell holes. For no money. We kept going.”

Unlike other heritage rock acts that have been around for decades, Cheap Trick often changes up the setlists nowadays to keep things fresh.

“Why not? We can’t make everybody happy, so you’re going to make a lot of people unhappy or happy at the same time. We just do what we’re going to do…a lot of heritage acts are not necessarily doing new records either. Honestly, there’s no money in it, so people don’t bother. We just like making records.”

Last year, Cheap Trick performed at Fremantle Prison in Australia, alongside Suzi Quatro. Petersson says the decommissioned penitentiary and tourist attraction was among the more unusual gigs Cheap Trick has ever played.

“That was Bon Scott’s former home,” Petersson notes, in reference to the original AC/DC singer’s juvenile detention center stint there as a teen.

“We’re not normally playing in prisons. That was a first, but it was great…It’s really a concert venue. You go through it and [you get told about] all the horror stories, the classic examples of man’s inhumanity to man. And you’re like, ‘Wow, this is crazy.’

Honestly, it’s like any other [venue] or backstage…It’s just different because of the situation you’re in. It was great working with Suzi Quatro. I don’t think she played there either. And she’s done like 40 or 50 tours of Australia. But she’s really popular there. That was fun.”

With the holiday season in full swing, Petersson recalled the experience making 2017’s terrific Christmas Christmas album.

“That record really surprised us. We never thought about doing a Christmas record, and then we got talked into it. We picked songs by artists that we liked. We don’t [normally] do a bunch of standards, [but] we liked Slade, T-Rex, Roy Wood - all that kind of stuff. Songs by those groups had been mostly popular in England. We just did whatever would strike us, like The Kinks’ ‘Father Christmas.’ We only recorded it at the end. Somebody came up with the idea that we should do that song. We thought, ‘Let’s do it like The Who would do it.’ I thought that version we did was great.”

Upcoming Tour Dates:

JANUARY

24 – The Sylvee; Madison, WI

25 – Vibrant Music Hall; Waukee, IA

FEBRUARY

25 – Hertz Arena; Estero, FL

27 – The BayCare Sound; Clearwater, FL

28 – St. Augustine Amphitheatre; St. Augustine, FL

MARCH

3 — Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium; Chattanooga, TN **
4 — Tennessee Theatre; Knoxville, TN **
6 — Margaritaville Resort Casino; Bossier City, LA **
7 — Beau Rivage Theatre; Biloxi, MS **
9 — King Center; Melbourne, FL **
11 — Hard Rock Live; Orlando, FL **

20 – Starland Ballroom; Sayreville, NJ **
21 — Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino; Mashantucket, CT **
27 — Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races; Charles Town, WV **
28 — The Pantheon at Caesars Virginia; Danville, VA **

APRIL

3 — Xcite Center – Parx Casino and Racing; Bensalem, PA **
4 — Seneca Niagara Casino; Niagara Falls, NY **
17 — Venetian Theatre at the Venetian Las Vegas; Las Vegas, NV ** (Performing Cheap Trick at Budokan + Greatest Hits)
18 — Venetian Theatre at the Venetian Las Vegas; Las Vegas, NV ** (Performing Cheap Trick at Budokan + Greatest Hits)

21 – Bridges Auditorium at Pomona College; Claremont, CA **
22 — Vina Robles Amphitheatre; Paso Robles, CA **
24 — Humphreys Concerts by the Bay; San Diego, CA **
** “All Washed Up Tour”

cheaptrick.com

A version of my interview originally appeared at www.rockcellarmagazine.com.

Check it out there for the band's music video clips and more images. 

Vital Expanded Eighties Pop/Rock Album Collections: Ultravox, Tears for Fears, Fine Young Cannibals

Ultravox

The Collection – Deluxe Edition

(Chrysalis)

By the time singer/guitarist Midge Ure joined Ultravox for 1980’s Vienna, none of the London synth-pop band’s prior three albums had charted in the UK. That all changed with the addition of the charismatic Scottish frontman, who would eventually spearhead Band Aid with Bob Geldof. Immediately, the group landed in the top 30 at home with insistent alt-rocker “Sleepwalk,” and what would become its highest charting, biggest selling single, the majestic “Vienna” (anti-nuclear war anthem “Dancing with Tears in My Eyes” would also reach the British top 5 in 1984).

Although Ultravox’s brand of dramatic, sometimes spiritual music shamefully never caught fire in America, college radio stations and MTV here would help provide the musicians with a cult following. All told, Ultravox notched 10 top 20 hits, and five studio albums went gold or platinum in the UK.

This newly remastered box set sounds superb and provides a fine overview of Ultravox’s glory days. Every single is represented, including five not on the original Collection - three off 1986’s U-Vox and two from the 2012 reunion effort Brilliant. Highlights include an intense “The Voice,” the racing “Sleepwalk,” a sleek, enrapturing “Reap the Wild Wind” and luxurious ballad “Lament,” plus “Vienna,” “Dancing with Tears in My Eyes” and the simmering, U2-evoking “Flow.”

The 4CD edition (limited to 5,000 units worldwide) is a real treasure trove for serious fans, comprising all the Ure-era B-sides, unreleased and alternative versions, live tracks (a scorching “New Europeans,” the Celtic “Rise” stand out), plus some newly created 12” extended dance versions mixed by Ure, Steven Wilson, and others. More than four hours of footage is on two Blu-ray discs containing music videos, alternative versions, live performances, and appearances on the BBC’s “Top of The Pops.”

Also available: digital and streaming; 2LP black and 4LP clear vinyl.

Tears for Fears

Songs from the Big Chair

(Universal Music Enterprises)

Tears for Fears already stood out from the new wave pack thanks to the riveting, atmospheric 1983 debut The Hurting (UK hits: “Pale Shelter,” “Change” “Pale Shelter”). But it was Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith’s more technicolor pop on sophomore album Songs from the Big Chair – a true juggernaut – that broke their career wide open.

Certified 5x platinum, it went to #1 here and spawned back-to-back chart toppers in “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” “Head Over Heels” (#3) and “Mother’s Talk” (#27) were also ubiquitous on the radio and MTV from 1984-86.

Now, to mark the 40th anniversary of this true Eighties classic, a cool-looking limited edition transparent red 2LP vinyl was released with the original unused artwork and tracks previously unavailable on vinyl. The album jackets feature studio credits, photos and amusingly – details of the UK marketing campaign touting British tour dates, album prices in pounds sterling for LP, chrome cassette and CD, music video plans, and slogan “This album will run and run!”

Among the tracks making their vinyl bow: “Shout” (Alternative Mix), “The Working Hour” (Piano Version), “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (Alternative Single Version), “Mother’s Talk” (Early Mix), “Broken” (Demo), and “Listen” (Clean Intro). Tears for Fears collectors will definitely want to obtain any of the new editions.

Also available: 3CD deluxe, a limited edition 1LP Coke bottle clear vinyl, limited 1LP picture disc. The deluxe has assorted mixes, edits, extended and alternate versions and more.

Fine Young Cannibals

FYC 40

(London Records)

When Fine Young Cannibals initially emerged with its eponymous album in 1985, the unique soulful vocal style of Roland Gift perked up people’s ears in a major way (as in, Who IS this guy?). Catchy melodies from former Beat members Andy Cox and David Steele were a big part of the draw. “Johnny Come Home” went top 10 pop in the UK and top 10 dance in the US. A compelling cover of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” also proved successful in England.

Enter 1989 follow up The Raw and the Cooked, where the British trio opened up their sound more to incorporate blue-eyed soul, modern dance, and doo-wop elements. They wisely got Prince associate David Z to co-produce some songs and Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison on an infectious take on the Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen in Love?”

Lately the band’s influence has been felt through prominent placements of signature hit “She Drives Me Crazy” in FX series “The Bear,” “Johnny Come Home” in the film “All of Us Strangers,” and the former in a Chanel handbag ad campaign.

This new collection offers hits and album tracks, new and rare remixes, promo videos, and live performances on video depending on the format: 1CD, 2CD, 2LP, 4CD/DVD.

Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide: Music-Themed Books

Find some recommended titles for the book lover on your holiday gift list or yourself...

Title: Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music

Authors: Debbie Gibson (with Richard Buskin)

Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster

Hardcover; 312 pages; $30

Back in 1988, Debbie Gibson scored her first Billboard Hot 100 chart topper with “Foolish Beat.” With that achievement came another one: the youngest female artist (at age 17) to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 hit — a record she still holds today.

Throughout her memoir, Eternally Electric, Gibson (with co-writer Richard Buskin) openly and often lightheartedly describes what it was like to achieve stardom at such a young ago, the health issues she endured (and still does), the major role late mother Diane had in her career as manager – or “momager” as the elder Gibson is lovingly referred to in the book, past and present tours with New Kids on the Block (plus ‘N Sync), local, regional and national theatrical roles and stints on Broadway, moving into film and television acting, withstanding career lows (but having a positive attitude and learning to pivot often) and more.

It’s a testament to Gibson’s good nature and reputation within the music and theater that she still remains friends with colleagues dating back decades. As a casual fan, who bought her 1987-88 albums Out of the Blue and Electric Youth on cassettes upon release, I particularly found the chapter sections devoted to her early tours, a longstanding fatherly relationship with first label boss Ahmet Ertegan, the co-founder of Atlantic Records and more recently, a professional friendship and collaborations with NKOTB’s Joey McIntyre (who wrote the book’s forward).    

Info: amazon.com

Title: Desert Dreams – The Music, Style, and Allure of Coachella

Author: Katie Bain

Publisher: Epic Ink/Quarto

Hardcover; 256 pages; $24.99

Featuring over 150 photos, this gorgeous coffee table book on Coachella includes sections devoted to The Foundations (Goldenvoice, the ‘90s SoCal Music Scene). The Site (Art Installations), The Arrival, The Hype (top headline moments), The Performances (surprise guests, 21 most essential sets), The Fashion and Cultural Influence. Katie Bain, a senior music correspondent at Billboard Magazine, has attended, reported on, and interviewed artists at the event. She does a good job here at providing a history on the grandaddy of the modern annual American music festival.

As someone who has attended and written about all but two editions of Coachella, it was great to relive key moments from the past that I personally witnessed and see all the glossy color festival images through 2025. While there is a bit too much emphasis on the festival’s fashion aspect and the pop, rap, and R&B (enough Beyonce, already!) performers over rock, alternative and electronic ones that were the bread and butter of the early years, those are minor quibbles. Desert Dreams is a fine keepsake for anyone that has gone to the Indio festivities more than once.

Info: amazon.com

Title: The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told

Author: Bill Janovitz

Publisher: Da Capo Press

Hardcover; 400 pages; $32.50

Led by enigmatic frontman Ric Ocasek, Boston band The Cars enjoyed a successful decade-long run on the pop and rock radio charts starting with 1978’s “Just What I Needed,” followed by “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Let’s Go,” “Shake it Up,” “You Might Think,” “Magic,” “Drive” and others. The first five albums were all certified platinum.

Throughout the first definitive Cars biography, author/musician Bill Janovitz - whose credits include books on Leon Russell and The Rolling Stones and is the long-running frontman for Boston alt-rocker Buffalo Tom - does an exceptional job getting to the heart of what made The Cars so beloved and influential. Janovitz touches upon all the key career moments (studio albums, Live Aid, reunion, Rock Hall induction, solo work), right up to Ocasek’s passing in 2019.

Janovitz definitely did his due diligence by interviewing the band’s three surviving members, key players in the New England music scene, producers, the musicians’ wives, artists Ocasek produced (Weezer, Suicide, Bad Brains) and others. There are several revelations; in fact, Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes, who wrote the book’s forward, said, “I’ve learned things about all The Cars that I never knew before, and I have come to appreciate the talents and perspectives of the other members of the band— Ric, Ben, Elliot, and David— a little better having read this book.” It contains color photos, annotated notes, and index sections as well. Highly recommended for all Cars fans.

Info: amazon.com

To read a 2024 interview that I conducted with Debbie Gibson, go here: https://tinyurl.com/584uafur

Lucinda Williams enlists Norah Jones, Mavis Staples on January album

Lucinda Williams has teamed up for a duet with Mavis Staples on a rendition of Bob Marley's 1979 tune “So Much Trouble In The World.”

The track appears on the multi-Grammy winner’s (Car Wheels on a Gravel Road) forthcoming album World’s Gone Wrong (out January 23rd). Listen HERE.

“’So Much Trouble In The World’ was a song that hit me right away, and we had been messing around with for a few years,” says Williams. “When the new album started to take on a topical nature we knew that we absolutely had to get it recorded. It was a centerpiece of the record and who better to get to sing it with me than Mavis Staples. I am so thrilled that the two of us could finally do something together, and on such an amazing song.”

Previously, Williams released the new song “We’ve Come Too Far To Turn Around,” featuring Norah Jones on piano and harmony vocals. 

World’s Gone Wrong was co-produced by Tom Overby (Williams' husband) and her longtime collaborator Ray Kennedy, who recorded and mixed the album at his Room & Board Studio in Nashville, TN.

Track Listing:

The World's Gone Wrong (feat. Brittney Spencer)
Something's Gotta Give (feat. Brittney Spencer)
Low Life
How Much Did You Get For Your Soul
So Much Trouble In The World (feat. Mavis Staples)
Sing Unburied Sing
Black Tears
Punchline
Freedom Speaks
We've Come Too Far To Turn Around (feat. Norah Jones)

Melissa Etheridge album, tour set for spring

Rise, the new Melissa Etheridge album will be released on March 27 via Sun Records. It is her first studio album in five years and includes a duet with Chris Stapleton ("The Other Side of Blue”) - written and co-produced by Etheridge, who worked with Grammy winning producer, Shooter Jennings on the album.

Of working with Etheridge, Shooter said "Getting to work with Melissa was one of the greatest times of my life. From the moment she walked into the studio the first time I met her, she exuded such light and wisdom, I was floored. She’s one of the greatest rock and roll artists of our lifetime and an incredible songwriter as well. Watching her work, wearing her songs, basking in her abilities, was a high mark in my career as musician. Nobody plays a 12-string acoustic like Melissa. The only thing I can say is I am lucky to have had the chance to work with Melissa and her incredible band on this album. Being around her is to be second party to the kind of experience, excellence and musicianship that made the rock and roll heroes of our generation. And Melissa Etheridge is certainly one of those. I had a blast making this album and I can’t wait for the world to hear it."

The new single is “Matches” and has an accompanying music video. Available now across all streaming platforms, “Matches” finds Etheridge reflecting on what first sparked her interest in music - Johnny Cash’s performance at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth in 1970. As she puts it, “I was 8, and a huge Johnny Cash fan. His music really lit my fingers and made me so excited. When I say ‘Mama, let me play with the matches’ I really wanted to play that music.”

In addition to “Matches” and “Don’t You Want A Woman,” Rise features “Call You,” a tribute to Melissa’s son, Beckett. Full track listing is below.

Etheridge's THE RISE TOUR kicks off in March 26 in Detroit and will travel across the States through early May. Tickets for all dates are on sale now and all tour dates are listed below. She is also scheduled to appear on Talk Shop Live on March 12 to promote the release of RISE. Fans can pre-order and watch the show HERE.

For additional information, please visit MelissaEtheridge.com.

Track listing:

Bein’ Alive
Matches
Rise
Don’t You Want A Woman
Other Side Of Blue
If You Ever Leave Me
Davina
To Be A Woman
Tomboy
Call You
More Love

Tour Dates 2026:

March 26 - Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts - Detroit, MI
March 27 - Venue TBA - Pickering, ON
March 28 - The Vine at Del Lago Resort & Casino - Waterloo, NY
March 31 - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts - Burlington, VT
April 2 - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - Hampton Beach, NH
April 3 - Stadium Theatre for the Performing Arts - Woonsocket, RI
April 4 - Merrill Auditorium - Portland, ME
April 8 - Plymouth Memorial Hall - Plymouth, MA
April 10 - Bergen Performing Arts Center - Englewood, NJ
April 11 - Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts - Patchogue, NY
April 12 – Bardavon 1869 Opera House - Poughkeepsie, NY
April 14 - The Ridgefield Playhouse - Ridgefield, CT
April 15 - Chevalier Theatre - Medford, MA
April 17 - Count Basie Center for the Arts - Red Bank, NJ
April 18 - XCite Center at Parx Casino - Bensalem, PA
April 19 - The Ramkat - Winston-Salem, NC
April 21 - Harvester Performance Center - Rocky Mount, VA
April 22 - Norton Center for the Arts - Danville, KY
April 24 – Venue TBA - Tulsa, OK
April 26 - ACL Live at The Moody Theater - Austin, TX
May 1 - The Factory - St. Louis, MO
May 2 - Four Winds Casino Resort - Silver Creek Event Center - New Buffalo, MI
May 3 - Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center - Carmel, IN
May 5 - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead - Munhall, PA
May 6 - Troy Savings Bank Music Hall – Troy, NY
May 8 - Hershey Theatre - Hershey, PA
May 9 - Weldon Mills Theatre - Roanoke Rapids, NC

2025: Year in Review - Best Albums

This year saw noteworthy albums from Brits such as The London Suede and The Vapors; Australia’s esteemed elder statesman Paul Kelly and young electropop group Parcels (they also turned in a stellar Coachella Festival set last spring); the consistently dependable My Morning Jacket, New York rock singer/songwriter Brian Dunne, plus long-awaited studio releases that didn’t disappoint from: The Hives, Suzanne Vega, Charlatans U.K., Peter Murphy (enlisting Trent Reznor and Tool musicians with riveting results), and Yellowcard (where Travis Barker produced and played drums).

Meanwhile, often-humorous NYC indie rockers We Are Scientists got more serious and made one of their best efforts in 20 years. The Waterboys revealed an intriguing concept album surrounding actor Dennis Hopper. Then John Oates returned to a soulful groove sound that evoked his 1970s work with Daryl Hall (still crossing fingers for a future physical album release).

Below are my Top 5 albums of 2025:

photo: Sarah L. Bennett

1. Sam Fender, People Watching – Hailing from a small town outside Newcastle, England, Fender writes lyrics with a keen eye for observational detail, much like his hero Bruce Springsteen. Since debuting in 2019, the singer/guitarist’s albums have all reached No. 1, and he has won all the prestigious UK awards (Ivor Novello, Mercury Prize, Brits). Stateside, a duet version of Noah Kahan’s “Homesick” garnered prominent airplay, as did “Seventeen Going Under.”

Fender poignantly delves into the toll of his grandmother’s dementia (a brass band accented “Remember My Name”), pays tribute to a deceased mentor (the euphoric title track), Britain’s railway system (“Crumbling Empire”), and dating awkwardness (“Arm’s Length”). The inspiring songs’ gauzy sound is often textured with glockenspiel, harmonica, saxophone, synths, and sleek early Dire Straits-leaning guitar work. Much credit goes to Adam Granduciel from The War on Drugs who plays multiple instruments and co-produced along with Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire), Fender, and his bandmates. The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn adds guest vocals too. Note: A deluxe edition was recently released with Elton John and Olivia Dean duets. 

photo: Frank Lebon

2. Lady Gaga, Mayhem – Since the late 2000s, the Lady Gaga has been a musical chameleon, effortlessly shape shifting into various musical styles with panache. Mayhem, her sixth platinum album (excluding soundtracks and Tony Bennett collaborations) is no exception. It debuted at No. 1 and includes “Die with a Smile,” Gaga’s sublime Grammy winning, pop chart-topping, Bruno Mars duet. In many ways, the album is Gaga’s most audacious and hard hitting. A self-described return to the “gothic dreams of the first two albums,” the artist envisioned the lyrical arc as a night out on the town with friends. French DJ/record producer Gesaffelstein, Cirkut and Andrew Watt are the main collaborators; Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith also drums on a tune.

Among the bangers: the disco-fueled “Shadow of a Man”; an EDM-laced “Abracadabra,” where Gaga sings about facing challenges, finding magic and interpolates Siouxsie & The Banshees’ “Spellbound”; the 2000s electronica of “Garden of Eden”; and industrial funk of “Killah” (containing a cool guitar nod to Bowie’s “Fame”). Then there’s the gorgeous ‘80s synth pop (think: Yaz) of “How Bad Do You Want Me?,” and dramatic ballad “Blade of Grass” (inspired by the singer’s engagement). Fascinating at every turn.

photo: Lewis Evans

3. Inhaler, Open Wide – The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Frontman Elijah Hewson possesses a stirring vocal style much like his father Bono. Since debuting in 2021, the Dublin-based alt-rock band has gone from strength to strength, notching five top 20 hits at AAA radio in America, and three top 5 albums in the UK.

The third and latest one was produced by Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles). Inhaler displays more of its pop side and fortifies a few choruses with a 12-piece choir. Hewson said the songs’ lyrics revolved around the feeling you might have right before jumping off a cliff. There’s a distinct elation surrounding several tracks as a result.

Key examples: an ebullient “Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah),” driven by a frothy melody a la The 1975; “Your House,” which, despite being about the stalkerish nature of young love, boasts a joyous vibe, Muse-styled guitar effects and finds Hewson singing, “There ain’t a sharp enough knife/To Cut Me Out of Your Life”; a driving, totally infectious “A Question of You” and danceable “All I Got is You,” propelled by a crystalline guitar and emotional vocals.

4. Djo, The Crux – Djo, the stage name of Joe Keery - an actor/musician whose recent prominent TV credits include “Stranger Things” and “Fargo” – watched his dreamy 2022 song “End of the Beginning” go viral on TikTok last year and land in the top 10 most streamed songs on Spotify (currently 1.8 billion).

Djo’s third album is an engaging sonic step forward from the bedroom pop of its predecessor with an increased guitar rock presence. Keery co-produced, co-wrote and played several instruments on the songs. Fellow “Stranger Things” actor Charlie Heaton supplied dialogue and music to the Beatlesque “Charlie’s Garden.” Members of Keery’s family and his former psych rock band Post Animal also contributed.

Highlights include the baroque-sounding “Potion,” 1970s glam rock stylings on “Back to You,” a bouncy synth-laden “Busy Being Basic,” where Djo channels late ‘90s Beck and name checks luggage/handbag company Vera Bradley,” and the giddy power pop of “Link.” Note: a deluxe version is also available. 

5. Lord Huron, Cosmic Selector, Vol. 1 – This LA-based indie folk/rock band is best known for the mid-2010s platinum-certified sleeper hit “The Night We Met,” which went top 5 at rock radio and has more than 3 billion streams on Spotify (a version with Phoebe Bridgers was featured on the soundtrack to Netflix series “13 Reasons Why”).

Listening to the group’s enrapturing fifth album is like inhabiting another world, as if you’d walked into a real life “Twin Peaks,” where nothing is as it seems and the soundscapes are drenched in reverb. Singer/songwriter Ben Schneider writes evocative lyrics which ponder questions of life, mysteries of the universe and the natural world.

The title “cosmic selector” itself refers to the theme of choosing your path and how it’s never quite what you imagined. A haunting “Who Laughs Last” features spoken word by actress Kristen Stewart, while Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino adds guest vocals to “Fire Eternal.” Jay Joyce produced the more Americana-leaning “Nothing I Need” and brought in some well-known Nashville session men for an earthy sound.

A version of my roundup originally appeared in the December digital issue of Rock Cellar Magazine, which can be accessed at www.rockcellarmagazine.com.

Holiday Gift Guide: Alternative Pop, Rock Albums

The Replacements

Let it Be - Deluxe Edition 

(Rhino/Twin Tone)

After The Replacements released their third full-length album (whose title was a private Beatles joke) in 1984, the Minneapolis four-piece became one of the most revered and critically acclaimed indie rock bands around. 

The jaunty single “I Will Dare,” featuring a guest guitar solo Peter Buck of R.E.M., topped playlists at more than 50 college radio stations. 

Other songs showed singer/guitarist Paul Westerberg’s evolution as a songwriter as he adeptly tapped into youth and social issues (“Unsatisfied,” “Androgynous,” “16 Blue”). This exceptional box set – available on 4LP, 3CD or digitally - includes the original album remastered, plus revelatory unreleased studio and live recordings. A complete Chicago 1984 gig, taken from audience tape and cleaned up, finds the ‘Mats in fine, raw form, previewing Let it Be material, an early version of “Can’t Hardly Wait,” and covering KISS, The Beach Boys, Bad Company, T-Rex and more in typical rousing style. There are several rare photos, a 20-page booklet with historical context essay and an interesting back story courtesy of co-producer/manager/label owner Peter Jesperson. 

Info: rhino.com

Thompson Twins

Industry & Seduction: A Collection

(BMG)

Hailing from Sheffield, England, Thompson Twins – best known for major U.S. hit “Hold Me Now” - stood out from the new wave pack due to the classic lineup’s male and female, multi-racial makeup, and a penchant for unique, sometimes Arabian-tinged melodies.

The first compilation overseen by the musicians includes liner notes with single sleeve covers, seldom seen photos, and a new interview with principals Tom Bailey & Alannah Currie. The 2LP (there’s a cool limited edition orange/green variant) and 1CD formats include the major American and British hits, plus select deep cuts from gold/platinum albums Into the Gap and Here’s to Future Days (Chic’s Nile Rodgers co-produced the latter; Steve Stevens of Billy Idol fame added guitar firepower). Serious fans will want the expanded 3CD or digital configurations for a broader career overview and California concert recording. 

Info: amazon.com

Simple Minds

Once Upon a Time – 40^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

(Universal Music Group/Virgin)

The Glasgow group released seven albums before an outlier single - “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from “The Breakfast Club” soundtrack – went to #1 and finally got America to take notice. 1985’s high water mark Once Upon a Time followed and reaped all the benefits. 

This stellar 5CD edition is handsomely packaged in a clamshell box with cardboard gatefold sleeves, fascinating historical liner notes, track by track commentary and ample photos. The main album and legendary Live in the City of Light from Paris ‘86 sound brighter than ever. Diehard fans will revel in the wealth of B-sides, rarities, and extended dance mixes. Standouts include “Alive and Kicking,” “Sanctify Yourself,” “All the Things She Said,” and “Ghostdancing.” Highly recommended.

Info: udiscovermusic.com