This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.
This session represents a collision between power-pop perfection and raw, uncompromising analog production. It serves as a corrective historical document that bridged the gap between what Cheap Trick actually sounded like live and how they were captured on tape during their 1970s heyday. The Problem with the Original 1977 Production
The is a legendary unreleased recording from 1997–1998 where the band re-recorded their classic 1977 album, In Color , with producer Steve Albini. The project was born from the band's long-standing dissatisfaction with the original "polished" production by Tom Werman, which they felt lacked their raw live energy and sounded "safe for radio". Session Background
Fast-forward to 1998, when Cheap Trick decided to revisit "In Color" with producer Steve Albini, known for his work with Sonic Youth, Nirvana, and other influential alternative bands. Albini's production style, characterized by a focus on capturing authentic, live performances, offered a fresh perspective on the album. The resulting sessions, released as a CD FLAC, presented Cheap Trick's beloved songs in a new light. This public link is valid for 7 days
The sessions typically include the original ten tracks from In Color along with several outtakes and alternate versions. Track Name Featured in the video game Rock Band 2 Big Eyes Downed I Want You to Want Me Includes both standard and "Clarinet" versions You're All Talk Oh Caroline Often includes a "Bummer Version" Clock Strikes Ten Southern Girls Come On, Come On So Good to See You Fan Club Rework of an unreleased demo Can’t Hold On I'm Losing You A John Lennon cover recorded during the sessions
The result was a promotional CD so rare that most fans thought it was a bootleg.
Given the rarity of the 1998 CD (copies on Discogs often list for $150–$300), most fans have turned to peer-to-peer lossless trackers or specialized Plex shares. When searching for the file, look for the following cues: Can’t copy the link right now
Albini’s engineering philosophy—capturing the sound of the band in a room—transforms these tracks. Rick Nielsen’s guitars bite and feedback; Bun E. Carlos’s drums sound like actual drums, dry and pummeling rather than washed in reverb; and Robin Zander’s vocals retain their power without the studio sweetening.
You do not listen to the Albini sessions for the hits. You listen for the space between the hits .
The keyword points to one of the most legendary unreleased holy grails in rock history: the raw, full-album re-recording of Cheap Trick's classic 1977 album, In Color , tracked by underground audio pioneer Steve Albini . This highly sought-after bootleg bridges the gap between 1970s power-pop hooksmiths and the fierce, punchy production style of the late 90s. It serves as a corrective historical document that
One blogger described the transformation perfectly: "Albini has a notorious hands-off approach to recording bands. Stripped of all grandiose polish and gloss, the songs become the centerpiece... It simply sounds like a great power-pop masterpiece," awarding the original a "B-" and the Albini sessions a solid .
This is not a remaster. This is not a remix. This is a complete philosophical re-imagining of a classic, filtered through the man who hates reverb, worships distortion, and famously recorded Nirvana’s In Utero .
Despite the effort, the 1998 In Color re-recording was not officially released by the band's record label at the time. It lived in obscurity for years, circulating primarily among hardcore fans through bootleg cassettes and CDs.
But don’t. Because that missing data isn’t a mistake. It’s the part where the band stops playing, Albini leans into the talkback mic, and whispers the real reason this session was buried.
The true "Holy Grail" for collectors is the transfer of the Albini session tapes to . This format preserves the dynamic range of Albini’s analog recording, capturing the raw attack of the drums and the warmth of the bass without the compression of MP3. Communities like Guitars101 and various rock blogs have circulated FLAC versions of the "Albini Version," often labeled as "Remake In Color – Unreleased Steve Albini Sessions".
