Cheap at Half the Price

Cheap at Half the Price is the fifth album released by former Henry Cow member Fred Frith.

Cheap was recorded entirely in Frith’s home on a 4-track tape machine. Frith played all the instruments on this record himself, save for a bass guitar on two songs and the drum tracks, which were sampled from previous sessions of his. It’s the first record on which Frith sang in any capacity.

Cheap was released in 1983 on the Residents' Ralph Records. Upon release, it was immediately met by controversy from Frith’s musical circle, due to its more simple pop-oriented structure and its departure from Frith’s usual, more avant-garde style. Frith’s former bandmate, Chris Cutler, even decided against stocking it in his record shop due to a percieved lack of quality. However, by the time it was re-released in 2004, critical reception had warmed significantly.