MR. BIG - review added 17th January 2011
Album Review: What If... (2011)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and the ultimate four-piece
"What If..." marks the first studio album by the legendary Mr. Big - Eric Martin on vocals, Paul Gilbert on guitars, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Pat Torpey on drums (all three instrument players add harmony and background vocals) - since 2001, and the first with the 'real' line-up since the mid 1990s. The album was produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Rush, Iron Maiden and more).
The band are best know for their monster ballad 'To Be With You', although my personal favourites are the incredible 'Green-Tinted Sixties Mind' and nearly-as-good 'Addicted To That Rush'. They are also know for being chuffing talented. All four members are right at the top ends of their respective disciplines. Mr. Big are by far and away the world's biggest rock supergroup, except of course they officially aren't one.
The sound of "What If..." is, well, Mr. Big through and through. The iconic sound these guys produce could never be anything else. The result is genre defining hard rock...with the odd ballad thrown in for good measure.
Good:
The sound is off the scale good. Words struggle to describe just how good Eric, Paul, Billy and Pat are; the vocals are so individual and beautiful, the guitars so complex and clever, the bass more intricate than many lead guitars, and the drums simply perfect. The production is crisp and gives every nuance chance to shine. Of course, you'd expect nothing less from Kevin Shirley.
Not So Good:
To my ears there are no outstanding songs on the album. There are plenty of very good ones, but nothing that gets close to the best of their past output. I've always felt Mr. Big were overrated in the songwriting department - they had a couple of massive moments, but I found the majority of their output to be impressive but uninspiring.
The Songs:
Best moments include the almost-iconic 'American Beauty', the slow 'n' steady 'Stranger In My Life', the pretty ballad 'All The Way Up', and the retro-ish 'I Get The Feeling'
In Summation:
Fans of Mr. Big will surely love this album. Although they don't hit the highs of old, it's a consistent beast and one of their better overall efforts. If you weren't a fan before, it probably won't change your mind however.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Check out... 'Stranger In My Life'
Track List:
01. Undertow
02. American Beauty
03. Stranger In My Life
04. Nobody Takes The Blame
05. Still Ain't Enough For Me
06. Once Upon A Time
07. As Far As I Can See
08. All The Way Up
09. I Won't Get In My Way
10. Around The World
11. I Get The Feeling
12. Unforgiven (Bonus Track)
Label: Frontiers Records
Artist's website(s): Mr. Big | MySpace | Facebook
