BuffaloNews.com has issued the following report from Jeff Miers:

When a band marks its 35th anniversary, it is usually either as a massive stadium act (a la ROLLING STONES), or as an oldies act content to milk the casino circuit until the day they’re given their gold watch and severance check (a la pretty much everyone else).

Yet for power-pop pioneers CHEAP TRICK, birthday number 35 finds the band at another of several artistic peaks, with a boatload of new songs to perform, some exciting plans for the future, a hot summer tour and an influence on the modern music scene that is tough to miss.

When Cheap Trick arrives at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center next Friday, on a bill also including POISON and DEF LEPPARD, the band will have just released its new album, appropriately titled The Latest, on its own record label.

Read the full report at this location.

Cheap Trick's forthcoming studio album, The Latest, is scheduled for release on June 23rd. Check out a new promo widget below.

According to a press release, The Latest is certainly an album likely to curry favor with the Cheap Trick faithful, filled with anthemic power pop tunes such as 'Miss Tomorrow', 'California Girl', 'Alive' and a cover of SLADE's 'When The Lights Are Out', BEATLESque songs like 'Miracle', 'Everybody Knows' and 'Times of Our Lives', and the power ballads 'These Days', 'Closer...' and 'Smile'. "We wanted to make a record that sounded like 2009, get something that sounds like us this year," drummer Bun E. Carlos explains.

Guitarist Rick Nielsen adds that, "I think it seems like we kinda grew up but didn't too old, 'cause musically there's a lot of different aspects to it. When you hear something like ('Sick Man Of Europe'), you think, 'This can't be the same guys.' It sounds too energized for what people expect from somebody who's been around as long as we have...But musically I think it sounds like we grew up a bit."

Besides The Latest, Cheap Trick has also recorded a version of the 'Transformers' theme for the Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen soundtrack, which also comes out June 23. Click below to listen.

The Latest tracklisting:

'Sleep Forever' (1:37)

'When The Lights Are Out' (3:26)

'Miss Tomorrow' (4:11)

'Sick Man of Europe' (2:08)

'These Days' (2:44)

'Miracle' (3:47)

'Everyday You Make Me Crazy' (1:17)

'California Girl' (2:47)

'Everybody Knows' (4:16)

'Alive' (3:36)

'Times of Our Lives' (3:59)

'Closer, The Ballad of Burt and Linda' (3:00)

'Smile' (4:12)

Amazon will have exclusive rights for one month, and the album will also be available in limited LP and 8-track editions.