Also available in a 3-pack with CHEAP TRICK and IN COLOR.

Cheap Trick: Rick Nielsen (vocals, guitar, mandocello); Robin Zander (vocals, guitar); Tom Petersson (vocals, bass, 12-string bass); Bun E. Carlos (drums).

Reissue producer: Bruce Dickinson.

Recorded at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California and Sound City, Van Nuys, California. Includes liner notes by Greg Knot.

Digitally remastered by Vic Anesini (Sony Music Studios).

Cheap Trick: Robin Zander (vocals, guitar); Rick Nielsen (guitar); Tom Petersson (bass guitar); Bun E. Carlos (drums).

Following in the same path as its predecessor IN COLOR, 1978's HEAVEN TONIGHT was another stab at merging Cheap Trick's naturally unrefined hard rock with a pop production, again courtesy of Tom Werman. Whereas their classic self-titled debut used a raw, direct sound to get the point across, the next two albums had most of their rough edges smoothed over, in hopes of a crossover hit. While HEAVEN TONIGHT wasn't exactly a smash, it did just barely miss the top 30, setting the stage perfectly for the next album, 1979's AT BUDOKAN (which would finally give the band their elusive breakthrough hit).

While marketing schemes may have favored the "pretty boy" half of Cheap Trick, the band's music remained unified and powerful, as heard on such cuts as the timeless rock anthem "Surrender," the punky "Auf Wiedersehen" and the Led Zeppelin-esque epic title track. Other highlights include an inspired cover of the Move's "California Man," as well as "High Roller," "On the Radio" and "How Are You?" Despite its clean production, HEAVEN TONIGHT is another early Cheap Trick classic.

Rolling Stone (4/11/02, p.108) - Ranked #39 in Rolling Stone's "50 Coolest Records" - "...Beach Boys harmonies over Trans Am guitar riffs..."