Busted is the eleventh studio album released by Cheap Trick, which was released in 1990 and peaked at number 44 on the US album charts. After the success of "The Flame" from the previous album Lap of Luxury, the band recorded Busted with a similar format, especially on the single "Can't Stop Fallin' into Love." The single peaked at number 12 on the US charts. The album failed to be as successful as the label had hoped, and about a year after the release of Busted, Epic Records dropped the band.
| Busted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 27, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 1989–1990 | |||
| Studio | A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA Take One Recording, Burbank, CA | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 46:36 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Richie Zito | |||
| Cheap Trick chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Busted | ||||
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Background
editGuest musicians on the album include Mick Jones of the band Foreigner (guitar on "If You Need Me"), Chrissie Hynde from Pretenders (vocals on "Walk Away"), and Russell Mael of Sparks (vocals on "You Drive, I'll Steer"). Session musician (and former member of Poco) Kim Bullard played keyboards on the album. Mastering was done by George Marino at Sterling Sound, NYC.
The demo version of "Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love" featured blues singer/songwriter Harvey Scales on vocals.[1] "If You Need Me" was a re-written version of a song titled "Don't Ever Let Me Go," which definitely is in circulation as an outtake from the band's 1985 Standing on the Edge album.[citation needed] "If You Need Me" and "Back 'n Blue" were both released as promotional singles only. There were three videos shot for this LP; "Can't Stop Fallin' into Love," "If You Need Me," and "Wherever Would I Be."
After being out of print for several years, the album was reissued in 2010 and combined onto one disc with the Found All The Parts EP from 1980, which made little sense since Found All The Parts was already available as bonus tracks on the 2006 reissue of the 1980 album All Shook Up. "Everything Works If You Let It", a track recorded for the soundtrack to the 1980 film Roadie, and the 1990 B-side "Big Bang" were also included on the disc.
The album was certified Gold in Canada for the sales of 50,000 copies in November 1990.
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Chicago Tribune | [3] |
| Robert Christgau |  [6] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[4] |
| Los Angeles Times | [5] |
| Rolling Stone | [7] |
| Select |   [8] |
Upon release, Cash Box wrote: "Cheap Trick built its reputation on gutsy power-pop in the 1970s and continues in that vein on Busted. Infectious rockers include "I Can't Understand It", while "When You Need Someone" and "Wherever Would I Be" are strong power ballads."[9] Pan-European magazine Music & Media noted: "The standard of songwriting and the overall delivery on Busted is high. The songs are sharp, economical and could all be regarded as candidates for release as singles."[10]
Greg Sandow of Entertainment Weekly commented: "There's nothing on Cheap Trick's new album but hard and happy rock & roll — oh, and drum eruptions, guitar fireworks, and enough irresistible hooks to last most other bands a lifetime. If there's any justice in the world, Busted should be even more successful [than Lap of Luxury]; not many records burst with this much strength and melody."[11] Chuck Dean of Rolling Stone wrote: "Like Lap of Luxury, Cheap Trick's latest album offers exactly what everyone's learned to expect from this band: fast and loud or mildly soft music buried in clichés that chronicles standard teenage shopping-mall angst. [They] are all capable musicians, but their songs are as dumb and generic as they come."[12]
In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic stated: "This vacant, radio-ready rocker finds the group at an unquestionable nadir. It's not just the sound, it's the paucity of material that is so dispiriting, the group either turning in pastiches of their trademarks or surrendering completely to the whims of studio hacks. Busted remains a bumpy ride because the hollow sound only magnifies the hollowness of the band's songs."[2]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Back 'n Blue" | Taylor Rhodes, Robert A. Johnson, Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander | 4:42 |
| 2. | "I Can't Understand It" | Zander, Nielsen | 3:29 |
| 3. | "Wherever Would I Be" | Diane Warren | 4:06 |
| 4. | "If You Need Me" | Nielsen, Zander, Mick Jones | 4:45 |
| 5. | "Can't Stop Fallin' into Love" | Nielsen, Zander, Tom Petersson | 3:49 |
| 6. | "Busted" | Nielsen, Zander | 4:04 |
| 7. | "Walk Away" | Petersson, Zander, Nielsen | 3:41 |
| 8. | "You Drive, I'll Steer" | Nielsen, Zander | 4:33 |
| 9. | "When You Need Someone" | Nick Graham, Rick Kelly, Nielsen | 5:18 |
| 10. | "Had to Make You Mine" | Petersson, Zander, Nielsen | 3:16 |
| 11. | "Rock 'n' Roll Tonight" (Wizzard cover) | Roy Wood | 4:56 |
| 12. | "Big Bang" (Japanese bonus track) | Nielsen, Zander | 3:44 |
- Track 11 was originally recorded by Wizzard in 1974 as "We're Gonna Rock 'n' Roll Tonight"
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Day Tripper" (live) | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 3:17 |
| 2. | "Can't Hold On" (live) | Nielsen | 5:56 |
| 3. | "Such a Good Girl" | Nielsen | 3:00 |
| 4. | "Take Me I'm Yours" | Zander, Nielsen | 4:31 |
| 5. | "Back 'n Blue" | Nielsen, Zander, Rhodes, Johnson | 4:42 |
| 6. | "I Can't Understand It" | Zander, Nielsen | 3:29 |
| 7. | "Wherever Would I Be" | Warren | 4:06 |
| 8. | "If You Need Me" | Nielsen, Zander, Jones | 4:45 |
| 9. | "Can't Stop Fallin' into Love" | Nielsen, Zander, Petersson | 3:49 |
| 10. | "Busted" | Nielsen, Zander | 4:04 |
| 11. | "Walk Away" | Petersson, Zander, Nielsen | 3:41 |
| 12. | "You Drive, I'll Steer" | Nielsen, Zander | 4:33 |
| 13. | "When You Need Someone" | Graham, Kelly, Nielsen | 5:18 |
| 14. | "Had to Make You Mine" | Petersson, Zander, Nielsen | 3:16 |
| 15. | "Rock 'n' Roll Tonight" | Wood | 4:56 |
| 16. | "Everything Works If You Let It" | Nielsen | 3:06 |
| 17. | "Big Bang" | Nielsen, Zander | 3:44 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Magical Mystery Tour" (Short Version) | 3:15 |
| 13. | "Come On Christmas" (Single Version) | 2:33 |
| 14. | "Stop That Thief" (From "Another Way" Original Soundtrack) | 3:55 |
| 15. | "I Will Survive" (From "Gradiator" Original Soundtrack) | 3:44 |
| 16. | "Big Bang" | 3:44 |
| 17. | "Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love" (Radio Mix) | 3:50 |
| 18. | "Magical Mystery Tour" (The "Greatest Hits" Version) | 4:10 |
- The 2017 reissue has the same tracklisting as the original 1990 release, but with bonus songs (including the previously Japanese exclusive track "Big Bang").
Personnel
editCheap Trick
edit- Robin Zander – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Rick Nielsen – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Tom Petersson – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Bun E. Carlos – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
edit- Mick Jones – guitar (track 4)
- Kim Bullard – keyboards
- Chrissie Hynde – vocals (track 7)
- Russell Mael – backing vocals (track 9)
Technical
edit- Richie Zito – producer
- Phil Kaffel – engineer
- Bill Kennedy, Ed Goodreau, John "Genghis" Aguto, Randy Wine – assistant engineers (A&M Studios)
- Chris Puram, Steve Montgomery – assistant engineers (Take One Recording)
- George Marino – mastering
- David Thoener, Mike Shipley – mixing engineers
- Christopher Austopchuk – art direction
- Mark Burdett – artwork
- Caroline Greyshock – photography
Charts
edit| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] | 36 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[14] | 27 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[15] | 44 |
| US Billboard 200[16] | 48 |
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[17] | 127 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[18] | Gold | 50,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Hayes, M.; Sharp, K. (1998). Reputation Is a Fragile Thing. Poptastic. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-9662081-0-8.
- ^ a b Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Busted - Cheap Trick | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
- ^ "Cheap Trick Busted (Epic) (STAR)(STAR) This..." tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ "Busted - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013.
- ^ "IN BRIEF: : ** 1/2 Cheap Trick". Los Angeles Times. 1990-08-12.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: cheap trick". robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Chuck Dean (1990-08-23). "Busted – Rolling Stone". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
- ^ Marlowe, Chris (October 1990). "Cheap Trick: Busted". Select. No. 4. p. 96.
- ^ Cash Box newspaper – August 25, 1990 – Pop Reviews: Albums – page 18
- ^ Music & Media magazine - Previews: Albums - August 4, 1990 - page 11
- ^ Sandow, Greg (July 20, 1990). "Busted". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Dean, Chuck (August 23, 1990). "Busted – Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Cheap Trick – Busted". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1333". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Cheap Trick Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ "バステッド+7 | チープ・トリック".
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Cheap Trick – Busted". Music Canada.
