MR

That's my boys..........back to kickin' ass, I like it!

Undertow ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHGv5FCS2j8

Can't wait to hear the rest of the album and finally see them LIVE. Oh hell ya!

Thoughts?

Deb wrote::D That's my boys..........back to kickin' ass, I like it!

Undertow ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zit9TQADS6o

Can't wait to hear the rest of the album and finally see them LIVE. Oh hell ya!

Thoughts?

Honestly, I like it....there's one caveat - the music is great. The vocals, not so much...I keep saying these guys can't seem to write a catchy song.....and the streak continues.....

I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine. Though, in fairness, I only listened to it once. Sometimes I need multiple listens for a song to grow on me.

S2M wrote:

Deb wrote::D That's my boys..........back to kickin' ass, I like it!

Undertow ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zit9TQADS6o

Can't wait to hear the rest of the album and finally see them LIVE. Oh hell ya!

Thoughts?

Honestly, I like it....there's one caveat - the music is great. The vocals, not so much...I keep saying these guys can't seem to write a catchy song.....and the streak continues.....

The whole album is very raw and live, Billy said very little overdub and Kevin Shirley wanted none on EM's vocals. Me likes raw and live.

Jana wrote:I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine.

Why is it that EVERYBODY has to point out that they rarely agree with me?

Jana, are you dating Deano?

S2M wrote:

Jana wrote:I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine.

Why is it that EVERYBODY has to point out that they rarely agree with me?

Jana, are you dating Deano?

It's a badge of honor to rarely agree with you. Though, I have to admit, on second listen I'm really enjoying the song more.

Jana wrote:

S2M wrote:

Jana wrote:I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine.

Why is it that EVERYBODY has to point out that they rarely agree with me?

Jana, are you dating Deano?

It's a badge of honor to rarely agree with you. Though, I have to admit, on second listen I'm really enjoying the song more.

LOL, I'm on my 4th listen. I just knew they were going to throw one of their harder rockin' ones out as first single. Lots of rockers and a couple ballads.

Deb wrote:

Jana wrote:

S2M wrote:

Jana wrote:I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine.

Why is it that EVERYBODY has to point out that they rarely agree with me?

Jana, are you dating Deano?

It's a badge of honor to rarely agree with you. Though, I have to admit, on second listen I'm really enjoying the song more.

LOL, I'm on my 4th listen. I just knew they were going to throw one of their harder rockin' ones out as first single. Lots of rockers and a couple ballads.

LOL I should never comment on a song on first listen unless it's outright bad, because on third listen I've done a 180. I really love this song. And that's just from my laptop speakers, not from a CD in a great sound system.

Jana wrote:LOL I should never comment on a song on first listen unless it's outright bad, because on third listen I've done a 180. I really love this song. And that's just from my laptop speakers, not from a CD in a great sound system.

Of course EM is at his absolute best vocally on more R&B/soulful songs, but I totally dig his rock vocals too.


Very curious to hear the rest of the album after Andrews comments on the frontpage......

Just to add a few comments since I have been most fortunate to hear the new record - this is a seriously hard rocking Mr. Big album. It has the raw energy and feel of the debut, with the intimacy of Lean Into It and even a little of the Hey Man mood. But above all - this sounds like a fresh, energized Mr. Big and in places, heavier than ever. There is an updated contemporary feel to several of the tracks, especially in Paul Gilbert's sound, while on other tracks, it is as if the band was recording a sequel to Lean Into It.
And I have to say that the entire album is riddled with shredding Paul & Bill guitar and bass solos and a pummeling drum sound. And Eric Martin sounds as if he hasn't aged a day since 1991.

A few personal favourites at this early time:

Undertow - hard hitting, but moody melodic rocker with a vibe similar to Take Cover from Hey Man. Very commercial.
American Beauty - Straight ahead uptempo hard rocker with a hook.
Stranger In My Life - big commercial ballad, but still rocks. Just Take My Heart perhaps? But better!
Nobody Takes the Blame & Still Ain't Enough for Me - Heavy heavy heavy!
Around The World - Big rock n roll anthem.
I Get The Feeling - Another big harmonious chorus.
A full track by track review in the weeks to come. But not a weak track in sight on What If...

So far "Around the world " is my fave.

S2M wrote:

Jana wrote:I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine.

Why is it that EVERYBODY has to point out that they rarely agree with me?

Jana, are you dating Deano?

man.. thats funny .. you are a rockin cool dude.. btw.. ive agreed with all your "bad ref calls"!

larryfromnextdoor wrote:

S2M wrote:

Jana wrote:I rarely agree with S2M, but I have to agree. Like the musicians a lot. Great job. The song is lacking a catchy melody to it until more towards the end. And his vocals don't grab me. They're strong, not weak or anything, but just middle of the road for me. Though, he grabs me more towards the end with his vocals, where they start to shine.

Why is it that EVERYBODY has to point out that they rarely agree with me?

Jana, are you dating Deano?

man.. thats funny .. you are a rockin cool dude.. btw.. ive agreed with all your "bad ref calls"!

StevePerryHair wrote::lol:

lynn rocks !!

larryfromnextdoor wrote:

StevePerryHair wrote::lol:

lynn rocks !!

A gene Simmons emoticon??? cute! you rock too Larry

Excellent. Really like the song, and the band sounds tremendous.

I like it a lot Deb!!

Melissa wrote:I like it a lot Deb!!

Sounds great, cant wait to hear the rest of it

S2M wrote:

Melissa wrote:I like it a lot Deb!!

I love it!! EM sounds fabulous, the band is kickin' ass ...I think it's a great rockin' song!!

I like it...might have to start paying attention to MB (really like Eric's voice here).

Michigan Girl wrote:I love it!! EM sounds fabulous, the band is kickin' ass ...I think it's a great rockin' song!!

That one is going to come across GREAT live, Kevin Shirley definitely knew what he was doing, love the raw vocals!

LOL, was going to wait to get the European release in January or US release in February, but screw it, I'm getting the Japan cd+dvd release in December. LOL, patience is not my middle name, Merry Christmas to me...

Deb wrote:

Michigan Girl wrote:I love it!! EM sounds fabulous, the band is kickin' ass ...I think it's a great rockin' song!!

That one is going to come across GREAT live, Kevin Shirley definitely knew what he was doing, love the raw vocals!

LOL, was going to wait to get the European release in January or US release in February, but screw it, I'm getting the Japan cd+dvd release in December. LOL, patience is not my middle name, Merry Christmas to me...

I've already got the songs.....so

S2M wrote:

Deb wrote:

Michigan Girl wrote:I love it!! EM sounds fabulous, the band is kickin' ass ...I think it's a great rockin' song!!

That one is going to come across GREAT live, Kevin Shirley definitely knew what he was doing, love the raw vocals!

LOL, was going to wait to get the European release in January or US release in February, but screw it, I'm getting the Japan cd+dvd release in December. LOL, patience is not my middle name, Merry Christmas to me...

I've already got the songs.....so

But you don't have the DVD....

Uh...not diggin' it.

And I can't get past the fact that the singer looks like an unattractive 70's Ann Wilson!

RedWingFan wrote:Uh...not diggin' it.

And I can't get past the fact that the singer looks like an unattractive 70's Ann Wilson!

I know, right?! Even the name of the band screams over compensation...lol

RedWingFan wrote:Uh...not diggin' it.

And I can't get past the fact that the singer looks like an unattractive 70's Ann Wilson!

He has really been looking like a '80s suburban housewife with a bad perm styled badly in all the clips I've seen of him this past year, but he, actually, looked like a man and his hair was better in this official video. I thought he looked really good.

The musicianship on that song is top notch and has great musical chemistry. Martin's vocals just do nothing and go nowhere, though. Ironically, I think this style would be perfect for Soto. Martin just can't belt out rock vocals. TMG was the closest he's come to good rock, but Blades seemed to be the right complimentary player. They were good as a team. As a stand alone singer, Martin can't seem to match the musicianship of that song.

Saint John wrote:The musicianship on that song is top notch and has great musical chemistry. Martin's vocals just do nothing and go nowhere, though. Ironically, I think this style would be perfect for Soto. Martin just can't belt out rock vocals. TMG was the closest he's come to good rock, but Blades seemed to be the right complimentary player. They were good as a team. As a stand alone singer, Martin can't seem to match the musicianship of that song.

I agree on his vocals, kind of nondescript, until more towards the end. I thought his vocals began to shine on the song then.

Saint John wrote:The musicianship on that song is top notch and has great musical chemistry. Martin's vocals just do nothing and go nowhere, though. Ironically, I think this style would be perfect for Soto. Martin just can't belt out rock vocals. TMG was the closest he's come to good rock, but Blades seemed to be the right complimentary player. They were good as a team. As a stand alone singer, Martin can't seem to match the musicianship of that song.

I don't know, Dan....TMG never really got me excited. Pretty standard hard-rock fare all nicely played and stuff but no real hooks or melodies to get me interested...