For years, this was the only way to hear it.

The 1998 sessions where Cheap Trick re-recorded their classic album In Color with legendary producer represent one of the most famous "lost" chapters in power pop history. While the original 1977 release is a certified classic, the band—particularly drummer Bun E. Carlos—famously felt the original production was too "safe" and lacked the raw energy of their live shows. Cheap Trick In Color Album Discussion with Albini Version

By the late 1990s, Cheap Trick had parted ways with Epic Records and regained control of their creative destiny. With a desire to reclaim their history and prove how In Color should have sounded, they entered the studio with legendary analog purist Steve Albini. The Steve Albini Philosophy: Raw, Heavy, and Real

Here’s the story behind it:

For decades, Cheap Trick’s 1977 sophomore album, In Color, was considered a power-pop masterpiece with a major flaw. While the songwriting was top-tier, the band felt the production was too polished, stripping away the grit of their live sound. In 1998, they set out to fix history. By teaming up with legendary producer Steve Albini, they re-recorded the entire album, creating a version that remains one of the most sought-after "lost" treasures in rock history. The Vision of Steve Albini

For decades, Cheap Trick fans have debated the production of their 1977 sophomore album, In Color . While undeniably a masterpiece of power-pop songwriting, many—including the band members themselves—felt Tom Werman’s production polished away the jagged, heavy edges of their live sound. Enter the legendary 1998 sessions, where Cheap Trick re-recorded the entire album with raw-sound wizard Steve Albini, creating a "new" version that remained largely unreleased officially, yet haunts the bootleg world and, for some, exists as a holy grail in high-resolution FLAC format.

The sessions capture the band's raw power. Bun E. Carlos's drumming is upfront and acoustic, with no modern digital enhancement.

The specific tracklisting of the unreleased Albini sessions.

. Dissatisfied with the "polished" and "safe" production of the original 1977 release, the band re-recorded the entire album with producer Steve Albini to capture their true raw, live energy. Rock Town Hall Key Facts About the Sessions Recorded at Albini's Electrical Audio studio while the band had downtime during other sessions. The Sound:

The refer to a 1997–1998 re-recording of the band's classic 1977 album. The sessions were never officially completed or released by the band, making any full "CD" or "FLAC" version an unofficial bootleg. Release Status & Authenticity

: A common 2-CD bootleg from Japan (Label: Gypsy Eye Project) that surfaced years after the initial leak. The Unreleased Steve Albini Sessions (2011) 2 CD SET : Occasionally available on specialty sites like The Music Shop and More for ~$27.98. Official 1998 CD Reissue : Be careful not to confuse the Albini sessions with the official 1998 Epic/Legacy reissue

Revisiting In Color with Albini wasn’t about improving the original record — the 1977 release is beloved for good reasons — it was a form of archaeological interpretation. The sessions illuminate how arrangements, performances, and small production choices alter an album’s personality. Fans get to hear the raw kinetic energy of the songs without decades of perceived studio gloss, and newcomers can appreciate the songwriting stripped down to its structural bones.

In the mid-1990s, Steve Albini was at the peak of his notoriety. Following his raw, visceral work on Nirvana's In Utero and PJ Harvey's Rid of Me , he was the go-to engineer for bands seeking an authentic, non-commercial sound that rejected the glossy production trends of the era.

: While the band once considered releasing it as a deluxe edition, the project was never officially finished or released. Bassist Tom Petersson later confirmed the recordings remained incomplete, lacking certain harmonies and overdubs. Availability: CD, FLAC, and Bootlegs