The 1998 Steve Albini sessions of Cheap Trick’s In Color are less a replacement than a companion: an alternate ear to a classic record that highlights the band’s raw power and songwriting craft. It’s a reminder that great songs can survive — and in some ways thrive — under very different sonic treatments, and that revisiting familiar material with a bold production choice can open fresh ways to hear music we thought we already knew.
Werman succeeded in making the album a commercial hit, delivering timeless classics like "I Want You to Want Me," "Southern Girls," and "Clock Strikes Ten." However, the band—particularly guitarist and primary songwriter Rick Nielsen and vocalist Robin Zander—was famously displeased with the final product. They felt Werman’s production was overly sanitized, thinning out Nielsen’s roaring guitars and burying Bun E. Carlos’s thunderous drumming under a sheen of pop gloss.
: Though often labeled as "New" or "CD" in bootleg listings, these sessions have never been officially released . Most available versions are leaked rough mixes or fan-mastered bootlegs. Summary of "Albini vs. Werman" 1977 Original (Werman) 1998 Sessions (Albini) Production Style Polished, "AM-radio" pop Raw, dry, "live-in-studio" Drums/Bass Compact, sometimes "wimpy" Thundering, heavy, and natural Energy Melodic perfection High-octane rock unit Availability Widely available (Legacy Remasters) Unofficial/Bootleg only
By 1998, Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, and Bun E. Carlos were eager to shed the polished, synthesizer-heavy production that had defined some of their late 80s work. They wanted a guitar-heavy, "live-in-the-studio" sound that honored their punk-pop roots. cheap trick in color steve albini sessions 1998 cd flac new
Steve Albini, known for his unconventional production techniques, brought a unique perspective to the "In Color" sessions. Rather than opting for a traditional, glossy sound, Albini pushed Cheap Trick to deliver a raw, live-performance-driven record. The result was an album that sounded both classic and cutting-edge.
Cheap Trick in Color: The Raw Brilliance of the 1998 Steve Albini Sessions
The tapes were, for a long time, the only way to hear a "hard" version of In Color songs like "Southern Girls," "Clock Strikes Ten," and "I Want You to Want Me." The 1998 Steve Albini sessions of Cheap Trick’s
Even if the songs are familiar, the performance feels completely "new" because it is a raw snapshot in time rather than a produced radio track [3]. 5. Legacy of the Sessions
Audio & mastering notes
The deep, sub-bass resonance of Petersson's amplifier cabinet. Most available versions are leaked rough mixes or
Despite completing the re-recordings, the In Color Albini sessions were never given an official, widespread commercial release by a major label. Licensing issues, shifting record deals, and the band’s focus on writing new material (like their excellent 1997 self-titled comeback album) kept the project in the vaults.
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While Cheap Trick has occasionally teased an official release of these sessions, it remains an underground phenomenon. The 1998 In Color sessions proved that Cheap Trick was never just a pop band—they were a fierce, heavy rock powerhouse. Hunting down a pristine FLAC copy of this session is the only way to truly experience the album the way the band always intended it to be heard.
In the sprawling, often muddy discography of rock legends, few artifacts inspire as much hushed reverence among audiophiles and completists as the .
To understand why the Albini session is so revered, we have to go back to 1977. Cheap Trick had just burst onto the scene. Their debut album was raw, loud, and dangerous. When it came time for the follow-up, In Color , the band was paired with producer Tom Werman.