Without further comment, here is @strongbelieveroftheholybible’s comment about Eric Martin, lead vocalist of Mr. Big. You know, the “To Be With You” band. Joey Tempest, you have company.
Eric Martin
REVIEW: Mr. Big – Ten (2024 Canadian CD version)
MR. BIG – Ten (2024 Frontiers)
Pat Torpey was such an important part of Mr. Big. Drumming, singing, writing: Pat did it all, and that’s why Mr. Big have found him so difficult to replace. His death from Parkinson’s disease was shattering to the band. They carried on with Matt Starr for a while, but they needed someone who could sing. Enter: Nick D’Virgilio from Spock’s Beard. Not just a legendary progressive rock drummer, but also a singer in his own right, Nick was an unexpected but appropriate choice for Mr. Big to record their final (?) album Ten.
Though some fans seem unwilling to allow bands to age and change, Mr. Big has done so without missing a beat. Sure, Eric Martin doesn’t sound 28 years old anymore (because he’s 63), but there is nothing wrong with his voice here. Just a little rasp, and a little less range. He has aged better than most 63 year olds you can name in the rock biz. He is still top notch, first class, and also a key songwriter here, along with Paul Gilbert and Andre Pessis. Absent from the credits is Billy Sheehan. That might explain why this album is less bass-y. Even so, in 2024 Mr. Big have come up with one of their best albums, up there with Hey Man.
The Gilbert-penned first track “Good Luck Trying” has a definite “Manic Depression” vibe. It’s a blues-rock classic, authentically rocking as if it came from another decade. It’s like a time machine, and the Hendrix inspiration is undeniable. A solid start.
Much like Hey Man and “Take Cover”, the best track is the second one. “I Am You” will be in your head for days. There’s a subtle acoustic guitar part, which is something of a recurring feature on this album. “I Am You” boasts a powerful chorus, but with an anthemic meloncholy vibe. Too bad a lyric sheet is not included, as this one has cool soul-baring words. Everything about this song is perfect, from impassioned vocals to mighty chorus. Sometimes it’s worth buying an album for one song. This is one of those songs, no hyperbole. It’s just a little different for this band, but it’s also a total pop rock anthem, and one of best Big songs in years.
We get a Zeppelin vibe on “Right Outta Here”, with bluesy verses and exotic choruses. Anytime you hear chords that we might refer to as “exotic”, Zeppelin comes to mind. Expect those Middle Eastern melodies on the guitar, and more acoustic backing. Nick doesn’t necessarily play like John Bonham, but there are the odd big hits that recall him.
In a fun twist, “Sunday Morning Kinda Girl” contains the lyric “big finish”, the name of their current tour. This song has a hard rock vibe mixed with 60s melodic sensibility. Definite Beatles vibes in the melodies, though the song is far harder than the Fab Four. Their green-tinted sixties minds must have been in tune for this song. Again, acoustic guitars can be heard in the background, but check out Paul’s very Queen-like guitar solo.
There are a few ballads on Ten. Ballads have been a thing with Mr. Big since the first album, but obviously “To Be With You” made them far more important. “Who We Are” is an electric ballad, with a bluesy style. Not as memorable as some past Big ballads, but a good song regardless. Great chorus here, and superb drum fills.
“As Good As It Gets” is uptempo acoustic/electric fun. Like “I Am You”, very different for this band and an easy album highlight. Once again, the drum work and fills here are stunning. It’s almost Rush-like. Paul brings in a very sweet guitar melody, with layers of guitar tracks thickening up the soup. This song also has one of the few Billy Sheehan bass solos on the album.
The boogie of “What Were You Thinking” has some wicked slide guitar by Paul Gilbert, housed within an uptempo rocker. Maybe the fastest tune on the album, but it’s not to be compared to old Big like “Addicted to that Rush”. This is just rock and roll. The lyrics reference Star Trek with “phasers on stun”, and you just have to love that. Another possible album highlight.
If there is a weak link, it’s “Courageous”. It’s a mid-tempo song, but not a ballad. It has some wonderful guitar, but doesn’t move the Earth. What does shake the Earth is the opening drum beat on “Up On You”. A hard rock party rocker, this features the return of the slide! Just because it’s a hard rock song with slide guitar, there is a slight Motley vibe (circa Dr. Feelgood), but only slight. Some boogie piano also helps keep things moving, but this is the most 80s rocker on the album.
Closing an album (sort of) with another ballad is daring. Yet “The Frame” is the softest of them, and a totally appropriate closer. It’s not “To Be With You”; there is no campfire rock on this album. There is plenty of music with an emotional weight, and “The Frame” has that and more. It takes a few listens to sink in, but it’s not really goodbye. There is a bonus track on all versions of the album.
Some countries got an instrumental track (to be reviewed later), but the bonus track in Canada is different from the one in the US and Japan. Here we get a blues cover, “8 Days on the Road”. Easily another album highlight, with someone else (Paul Gilbert?) singing lead on a bluesy drawl. Brilliant track and playing. Talk about going out with a bang! If this really is the end, then “8 Days on the Road” is a brilliant capstone. It showcases the kind of playing that Mr. Big built their reputation on.
Though Mr. Big albums have been spotty through their career, Ten is among the better records. It may go down with albums such as Hey Man as a cult classic.
4.5/5 stars
Share this rock:
Tim’s Vinyl Confessions: Ep. 548: Mr. Big (Ten review) [VIDEO]
Today on Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, we deep dive into the new (final?) Mr. Big album called Ten. Shockingly, it’s their tenth studio album. I know, right? It’s also a few firsts: the first album with no songwriting from bassist Billy Sheehan, and debut Mr. Big album for new drummer Nick D’Virgilio. It has been eight long years since their last album, Defying Gravity, which wasn’t bad at all. Did they top it? Did they go out on a good note?
My written review will go up tomorrow.
Share this rock:
REVIEW: Hess – Just Another Day (2003 Japanese import)
HESS – Just Another Day (2003 Marquee Japanese import)
Harry Hess of Harem Scarem focused on the softer side of his core sound on this excellent solo album, featuring his bandmates Pete Lesperance and Creighton Doane. Just Another Day is a bit softer than Harem Scarem, but is not just a collection of ballads. It’s a slice of the same pie, with more of an acoustic lean.
Just Another Day features nine new songs (ten in Japan) and one Harem Scarem cover. And that’s for good reason! Originally, “Sentimental Blvd.” was ably sung by drummer Darren Smith. If you’ve ever wanted to know what this classic would have sounded like with Hess singing lead, now you can. It’s very similar indeed, with Harry throwing a little extra rasp on top. This remake might be better, if you happen to prefer the sound of Harry. Smith even sings backing vocals on this track, and with four Harem members appearing on it, it very well could be called Harem Scarem.
As for the original tunes, Harry opens with a poppy upbeat number called “Look Right Through Me”, featuring a nice tasty guitar lick as the introductory hook. Sounds like a slide. On backing vocals? Eric Martin of Mr. Big! The chorus hits all the bases – off to a great start! “Wasted Away” is a nice sounding acoustic ballad with a stepped-up chorus. Lush backing vocals here too. Joining Harry on electric guitar is Mike Turner formerly of Our Lady Peace!
“Everybody” is pure pop joy. There’s a Beatles-y vibe to the acoustic bop. But then the passionate title ballad “Just Another Day” might take things a step too far by employing trendy drum programming in the verses. The song is fine but the programming is dated. Redemption comes on “Two Ways”, another acoustic tune with a serious case of melody! Harry sings his ass off.
The electric guitars come out for “Undone”, another fine pop rock tune with a Beatle-bent. Big Harem-style chorus though. By contrast, “My Way” has a pop-punk vibe circa the start of the millennium. In a good way. There were a lot of good pop-punk songs and Harem were not afraid of that sound. Simply put, Harry doesn’t get enough credit for his songwriting chops. He’s well versed in melody, guitar hooks, and even progressive facets. “Miles Away” is a fantastic ballad, touching all those bases. The verses and chorus are top notch.
The Japanese bonus track “Up Hill Climb” is one of the most mellow of the songs. Once again the vocals (lead and backing) are outstanding.
Harem Scarem fans already like ballads and don’t mind a little bit of pop in their rock. They’ll dig this solo album too. It is a pleasant, but not bland, record of largely songs that might have been too soft for Harem. Definitely worth a listen if you can find one at a decent price.
3.5/5 stars
Share this rock:
VHS Archives #113: Eric Martin & Paul Gilbert – July 1991
Happy birthday to Paul Gilbert!
This video is from 30 years ago: in the MuchMusic studios with Eric Martin and Erica Ehm, talking Mr. Big! “Thank God for Pat Torpey!” they say as the praise the (late) great drummer. Lots of ground covered here:
- Formation of the band
- The blues and their roots
- Touring as a “long camping trip”
- Singing lessons and demonstrations!
- More carrots, celery and radishes
You’re gonna love this. Also note, it’s one of my few non-Power Hour recordings.
BONUS: Today’s appearance on Tim’s Vinyl Confessions’ Mr. Big special
Share this rock:
REVIEW: Mr. Big – Deep Cuts: The Best of the Ballads (2000)
MR. BIG – Deep Cuts: The Best of the Ballads (2000 Atlantic)
Although 15 tracks of ballads is more than enough for anyone, Mr. Big’s compilation Deep Cuts has value to collectors. A number of these songs are rare or previously unreleased versions.
Most of Mr. Big’s hits are ballads, so that’s why this thing exists. All the important ones are present: “To Be With You”, “Wild World” (Cat Stevens cover), “Just Take My Heart”, and lots of deeper cuts too. The selling point of this album is the rare stuff, and there’s more than average. “Had Enough”, “Promise Her the Moon” and “Just Take My Heart” are all re-recorded with Richie Kotzen on guitar (who was in Mr. Big at the time). That’s fine; at least they had a reason to do it. “Promise Her the Moon” isn’t vastly different, but “Had Enough” and “Just Take My Heart” have slightly new arrangements. “Had Enough” is much more fleshed out, and sometimes even a little funky. That’s the Kotzen influence.
There are also two “new” songs, one amusingly called “Where Are They Now?” It’s a cool song with a decent chorus, though it certainly can’t compete with the big hits. It could have used more Kotzen. The other newbie, “I’ll Leave It Up to You” sounds more like Richie, and more like a laid back blues. Finally, there is a B-side from the Kotzen era: “You Don’t Have to Be Strong”. This one (from “Superfantastic”, which is also on this CD) is the best of the bunch, not least because it’s a duet with Eric Martin and Richie Kotzen. This is the kind of stuff that is nice to have. It beats hunting down an obscure CD single to get it.
Deep Cuts is rounded out by a whole bunch of classic ballads from the Paul Gilbert albums. And yes, “To Be With You” is the original version, so if you’re buying the CD for one song (shame on you!) then at least you get what you wanted.
Still…it’s a CD with 15 ballads in a row. Not the kind of thing that gets played all the way through in a single sitting.
2/5 stars
Share this rock:
REVIEW: Mr. Big – Get Over It (1999)
MR. BIG – Get Over It (1999 Atlantic)
Mr. Big broke up in 1996, and reformed in 1999 without Paul Gilbert. It wasn’t personal; he just wasn’t available. He was working with a revamped Racer X, and his solo albums were popular in Japan. In a stroke of genius, Mr. Big tapped a contemporary of Gilbert from his Shrapnel records days — Richie Kotzen. Kotzen, like Mr. Big, was popular, could shred, and could write commercial music. Kotzen has a distinct soul/blues vibe that he introduced to Mr. Big along with his own vocals.
The resultant Mr. Big album, Get Over It, was an amalgam of the two artists. Different, but still a good fit. Leadoff track “Electrified” is almost like a new band, based on the quality of the old. Kotzen, like Gilbert, can shred – check out “Hiding Place”. He just does it with more blues. He also sings co-lead vocals on “Static”, the only Kotzen solo writing credit. With him and Eric Martin in the same band, you get two of the most soulful hard rockers on Earth in one place at one time!
The song that, in past days, would have been the “bit hit” is a track called “Superfantastic”. This campfire rock track recalls the good old days, but the bluesy stuff is more interesting. Kotzen pours on the slide for “A Rose Alone”, which sounds like an old Shaw/Blades tune. “Try to Do Without It” is a delightful confection of soul and bluesy guitar.
Get Over It lacks in one way. Mr. Big albums are usually peppered with many unforgettable standout tracks throughout. Get Over It only has a handful of those, stacked near the beginning. It’s an enjoyable listen throughout, with no dull or skipable moments, but it’s missing those high points. The songs you remember for days after. Instead, Get Over It plays like cool bluesy (and sometimes funky) background CD.
3.25/5 stars
Share this rock:
REVIEW: Mr. Big – Big, Bigger, Biggest! The Best Of (1996)
MR. BIG – Big, Bigger, Biggest! The Best Of (1996 Atlantic)
The mid-90s were the time that every hard rock band in the world released a greatest hits. Why? Most of them either split, got dropped by the label, or both. Tesla, King’s X, Slaughter, Extreme, and Mr. Big are among the sidelined bands whose labels released a greatest hits mid-decade.
Big’s at least had four unreleased tracks, topping off 12 familiar cuts from their first four albums. Three of the songs were newly recorded. Unfortunately, the label stacked a bunch of ballads and made this disc really hard to finish in one sitting. The running order and track selection is a little wonky.
“Addicted to that Rush” is the jet-speed opener, as it should be. Big’s 1989 debut was instrumentally thrilling but light on hits. A so-so album track, “Rock & Roll Over” should probably have been left off. Lean Into It (1991) was the big one. “To Be With You” sits at track 4, because the CD is chronological, but the song has always worked better in the closing position. Placing it at track 4 is anticlimactic. Lean Into It spawned three more singles, all present: “Green Tinted Sixties Mind“, “Just Take My Heart”, and “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy”. This spurt of songs is a bit too soft. Two are ballads, one a pop track, leaving only one to instrumentally smoke you. That’s unfortunate because their cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” is next in the pack. Though it is a fabulous and underappreciated cover, it’s too much mush at the start of the CD.
A buyer who picks this CD up as their first and only Mr. Big purchase will assume they are just another pop rock band. Another Bon Jovi, another Warrant. Though there are some serious moments of instrumental shreddery, that side of the band is too overlooked. “Colorado Bulldog” from 1993’s Bump Ahead is about the only remaining song with that kind of force. This is why suits shouldn’t compile CDs. Their studio albums are more balanced.
Unfortunately, none of the four unreleased songs are spectacular. The acoustic ballad “Seven Impossible Days” is from a Japanese EP called Japandemonium. The other three are new recordings. “Not One Night” is another acoustic ballad. Sonically beautiful, but it’s too much saccharine. “Unnatural” isn’t a ballad per se, but it is mostly acoustic (and features the lead vocals of guitarist Paul Gilbert). “Stay Together”, which is a dead ringer for vintage Van Hagar, is probably the best of these four songs.
Big, Bigger, Biggest! The Best Of Mr. Big does not represent the Mr. Big that fans have known all these years. Their favourite songs are rarely the ballads. Too many killer deep cuts are missing, and, I hate to sound like a broken record, there are too many ballads!
2.5/5 stars
Share this rock:
REVIEW: Mr. Big – Bump Ahead (1993)
MR. BIG – Bump Ahead (1993 Atlantic)
Living up to Lean Into It was never going to be an easy thing to do. By the time 1993 rolled around, it didn’t even matter. Mr. Big were going to be ignored no matter what they did.
There are no giant leaps and bounds on Bump Ahead, but there are enough decent rock thrills and ballads to call it a good album. A lot of the heavy artillery is expended right on the first track, “Colorado Bulldog”. An amped-up Van Halen shuffle is cranked to the max with the one and only Billy Sheehan pushing the whole thing on the bass. It’s an insane affair of accelerated playing and a stomping riff.
“The Price You Gotta Pay” keeps it heavy, anchored by a patented Sheehan groove. Eric Martin’s bluesy soul rasp gives the music accessibility, but there is plenty going on instrumentally too. Fans of sheer playing will find plenty of challenging licks within. Likewise, “The Whole World’s Gonna Know”. It sounds like a redo of an old Talas song called “Smart Lady”, with a new improved chorus. They lay down a granite groove on “Temperamental”. Plenty of solid rock is to be heard here.
That said, let’s not kid ourselves. Mr. Big made their money with ballads like “To Be With You”, and so they loaded the deck here with a few more. “Promise Her the Moon” is sentimental, understated and classy. The big one is Cat Stevens’ “Wild World”. Mr. Big were not likely to blow it on a song this magnificent. Their version is more lush than Stevens’, but is actually quite great. They miss the mark on “Nothing But Love”; too syrupy with its guitar synth orchestra. In a case of ballad overdose, there is a fourth: “Ain’t Seen Love Like That”. It’s one of those basic campfire ballads. Good song, but not essential.
Bump Ahead has a bit more filler than preferred. “What’s It Gonna Be” is fine funky rock, but the chorus is pedestrian. They go a different direction on the psychedelic “Mr. Gone”. Don’t forget this is the band that gave us “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind“, though “Mr. Gone” isn’t as perfect as that.
They close the album on the free cover “Mr. Big”, the song that gave them their name. The grind of “Mr. Big” ends the album on an upstanding note, but damn, they should have cut one of those ballads doncha think? The fact is, Mr. Big were simply not going to have a hit with a ballad in 1993. Wasn’t gonna happen. The Japanese edition had a bonus track called “Long Way Down”, which wasn’t that outstanding but perhaps should have been included in the main tracklist at the expense of a ballad.
3/5 stars.
Share this rock:
REVIEW: Mr. Big – Hey Man (1996)
MR. BIG – Hey Man (1996 Atlantic)
With the recent passing of Pat Torpey, it’s definitely time for some fresh listens to classic Mr. Big. Their most underrated album might be their fourth, Hey Man, on which Torpey had three writing credits. 1991’s Lean Into It is generally considered the highwater mark, but Hey Man boasted songs just as strong and many just as memorable. If only MTV wasn’t avoiding Mr. Big and bands of their era like the bubonic plague.
Mr. Big were always ferocious musicians, and formed as a “supergroup” of such. The point of Mr. Big was for these mega-instrumentalists to write some commercial rock, and that has been their modus operandi on every album. When Mr. Big formed, Torpey already boasted two albums: Ted Nugent’s If You Can’t Lick ‘Em…Lick ‘Em, and the supergroup Impelliteri. Billy Sheehan was already worshipped for his work with David Lee Roth and before that, Talas. Guitarist Paul Gilbert had established himself as a wunderkind with the Shrapnel band, Racer X. The key ingredient to Mr. Big is the blue-eyed soul of singer Eric Martin. He had a two album solo career before he made the unlikely jump to supergroup.
It’s the rocking side of Mr. Big that hits the ground running on first track “Trapped in Toyland”. Heavier and grooving more than usual, Mr. Big poured the gas on the fire right off the bat. It’s a huge impression. Gilbert wrote this smoker with his old Racer X singer Jeff Martin, and Russ Parish of Fight (and now Steel Panther). That would explain the heavy! What really nails the heavy sound is the combination of Billy Sheehan’s bass rumble in conjunction with Torpey’s smashing beat.
The most stunning of all the songs is the second, a bonafide Mr. Big classic called “Take Cover”. It simmers under an infrared pulse of drum beats and understated chords, and then bursts wide open on the choruses. It’s triumphant songwriting and a fine example of how musicianship and songcraft can work together. It is one of their career best.
“Jane Doe” goes funky a-la “The Crunge”. Eric Martin pushes it into soul on the choruses. A couple ballads follow, one acoustic and one darker. “Goin’ Where the Wind Blows” fills the slot of past Mr. Big acoustic ballads, something that had become compulsory after the success of “To Be With You”. The more interesting song is “The Chain” which has a sombre edge.
There is an undeniable twang to “Where Do I Fit In?”, so much that it could easily be mistaken for Tesla. It’s a solid side closer, though “sides” were becoming meaningless in 1996. Hey Man has never seen a vinyl release, and the dying cassette version was the only one with “sides”.
Eric Martin makes it soulful on “If That’s What it Takes”, which doesn’t deserve to be called a ballad so we won’t. It serves as a reminder of how these musicians can adapt to any situation. The Paul Gilbert who plucks these earthy chords is the same guy who shred all over Lean Into It. Pat Torpey turns into a human steamroller on “Out of the Underground”. It’s as heavy metal as Mr. Big have been. Then they go “Dancin’ Right Into the Flame” on a pretty cool ballad. It has a bit more finesse than the usual.
You can tell immediately that “Mama D.” was written by Paul Gilbert, because it has one of those squirrly Gilbert guitar licks that only he writes. To close the album, they return to a heavy soul-funk on “Fool Us Today”. Pat Torpey is rock solid and a key ingredient to a fun closer.
Track for track, Hey Man can go up against most other Mr. Big albums. They had a temporary breakup after this CD, a result of it being criminally ignored.
4/5 stars
mikeladano.com 