The , recorded in 1997–1998, are a legendary unreleased re-recording of the band’s 1977 sophomore album. While never officially released by the band, these sessions have long circulated in high-quality bootleg formats, including FLAC, and offer a raw, aggressive contrast to the original's "polished" production. Session Background
For years, fans could only hear these sessions via heavily compressed MP3s or muddy YouTube streams. The arrival of the session in completely changes the listening experience: Cheap Trick : In Color : Steve Albini : The Whole Story
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By 1998, Steve Albini had built a reputation as the ultimate anti-producer. His "recording as a documentary" style—using minimal effects, natural reverb, and punishingly honest microphone placement—was the polar opposite of the slick, radio-friendly sound that plagued 1970s power-pop reissues. cheap trick in color steve albini sessions 1998 cd flac new
Here’s the story behind it:
Choosing Steve Albini as the engineer for the re-recording project was a stroke of genius. Albini was the antithesis of the 1970s major-label producer. Operating out of his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago, Albini eschewed modern digital tricks, heavily compressed trends, and artificial vocal tuning. His philosophy focused on capturing the natural acoustics of a room, the physical thud of a drum kit, and the visceral roar of a guitar amplifier.
While configurations of the bootleg vary slightly, the definitive digital CD archives typically include the core tracks of the In Color tracklist, often supplemented by contemporary B-sides or outtakes from the same era: The , recorded in 1997–1998, are a legendary
Digital files (FLAC) are prized because they preserve the immense dynamic range Albini captured, a significant step up from standard MP3s.
The result was a version of In Color that sounded less like a pop record and more like a proto-punk assault. "I Want You to Want Me" was transformed from a bouncy tune into a driving, desperate rocker. The Mystery of the Unreleased Master
Because this session was never commercially reissued, "new" refers to a from the original CD-R to digital. Older FLAC rips from 2002 were made with error-prone optical drives and often have jitter or missing sectors. The arrival of the session in completely changes
For years, the only way to hear these sessions was through multi-generational cassette dubs or low-bitrate MP3s shared on early internet music forums. These poor encodings did a massive disservice to Albini's engineering work. Albini’s recording philosophy relies heavily on the "air" and natural room reverb around the instruments.
On April 14–16, 1998, Cheap Trick laid down 11 tracks. However, the sessions were never officially released as a standalone album due to a contractual dispute with Epic Records. The label wanted remixes; Albini refused. Only three tracks eventually saw the light of day as B-sides or promotional CDs.
