AMG Review of Sex, America, Cheap Trick

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Spanning four discs and 64 songs, Sex, America Cheap Trick contains nearly all of the group's hit singles and an amazing amount of rarities -- a grand total of 30 outtakes, live tracks, demos, single versions, soundtrack songs, and B-sides. Despite the abundance of material, there are still a lot of essential items missing, as well as several odd inclusions. Many of the group's biggest hits and concert staples are present, but Cheap Trick classics like "He's a Whore," "Downed," "Come On, Come On," "Taxman, Mr. Thief," "California Man," and several others are inexplicably absent. Nevertheless, the final two discs rescue all the highlights from the band's decidedly uneven '80s recordings and the rarities -- particularly single versions of early tracks like "Oh, Candy" and "Southern Girls," demos like "Fan Club," and a ripping live set -- are usually worthy.