Mr. Big made a huge mark on the music scene in the early Nineties with a string of successful albums that featured hits like “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind,” “Just Take My Heart,” and “To Be With You.” Now, with all four original members on board, they have made a triumphant return to the music scene on February 15, 2011 with the release of their seventh studio album. The new effort, entitled “What If,” is classic Mr. Big in every sense. It contains every one of their trademarks: soulful vocals from the incomparable Eric Martin, groovy rock-solid drumming from Pat Torpey, stunning virtuosity from bassist Billy Sheehan, and classic guitar shredding from the monstrously talented Paul Gilbert, who returns to the band after a sixteen year absence.
In addition to dazzling musicianship, the band also offers solid, well-constructed songs on this one from beginning to end. The songs are totally rocking, but still melodic...and as is usually the case with this band's albums, there are so many layers to them that you really have to listen to the record in its entirety about 3 or 4 times to digest everything. The lyrics are great here, as are the vocal harmonies. The musical acrobatics exchanged between Billy and Paul are astounding, and clearly illustrate that they both possess a complete mastery of their instruments. And last but not least, Eric's vocals on this are undoubtedly his best to date. Unlike many singers of his era, Eric only improves with each passing year.
The record kicks off with one of my favorite tracks, called “Undertow.” A great lyric about living with addiction, an infectious groove, and stellar guitar work are just a few of the qualities that drew me to this song. Other favorites for me included: “Stranger In My Life,” “As Far As I Can See,” “I Get The Feeling,” and another classic Mr. Big pop ballad, called “All The Way Up.” Of course, the rest of the record does not disappoint. Others may gravitate to different songs than I did, but in any case, this one is more than worth the purchase price. Listening to it was great fun.
I could go on for pages about this band's talent, and every bit of it would be true. It is clear that they are well-trained and experienced musicians, but I think the thing that sets them apart from other musicians of their caliber is the fact that their music accessible. Often, musicians who have this level of talent tend to create the type of music that is so technical that it can only be enjoyed by other musicians who have an equal understanding of the art. That is certainly not the case with Mr. Big; it never has been. Despite the musical pyrotechnics that they display, their songs still have enough commercial appeal that anyone can enjoy them. This record proves that perfectly. If you love rock and roll with a lot of groove that is just a blast to listen to, you will definitely want this album (or any album by Mr. Big) to be a part of your collection!
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