Listening Post: Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick

I saw them in concert in 1979. My mom took us. Radio City Music Hall. To this day I have no idea why. I know the hits, of course, and that includes The Flame. I really don't know much else except that for a while they were known as the American Beatles. Or something....




Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick - 1977 (iTunes - Amazon)

I don't get it. I really don't. Why is this considered a 5 star classic debut? Allmusic cites a lot of the songs' content: pedophilia, mass murder, etc but it's a snoozer. To me. (Shit, I'm gonna catch hell for this) but I found myself easily distracted, bored and unable to follow along. The melodies exist but they meander, there is nothing for me to grasp on to, and considering that this is a classic example of "power pop" this is a travesty.
I never really got the whole Cheap Trick thing. But maybe they will grow on me.
There's potential here but, all in all, it's a forgettable trifle.

Grade C
A Side: ELO Kiddies, Speak Now of Forever Hold Your Piece
BlindSide: He's a Whore, Oh Candy
DownSide: Taxman, Mr. Thief, Cry Cry.