What If... for the rockers

It is unfortunate that nobody mentions Mr. Big in the same breath as other bands like Journey or Rush or Aerosmith. Sometimes, it seems as though these guys never made a hit. Not true. They may not be that big in the U.S. of A. but they did have hits, To Be With You, Wild World, Just Take My Heart and they were big in Asia. Change that to is big in Asia as in Japan, Thailand, Korea and the Philippines. In fact, Mr. Big’s recent Asian tour in support of the album What If… saw packed concerts and standing ovations.

Mr. Big was formed in 1988, disbanded 10 years later and reunited three years ago. Response was so good that the original members decided to go all the way. That meant a new studio album, concert tour and a live DVD release. That is why What If… features Eric Martin on vocals; Paul Gilbert on guitar; Billy Sheehan on bass; and Pat Torpey on drums and percussion once more and why the video Back To Budokan, Next Time Around 2009 Tour is a huge event for Mr. Big fans.

Now Mr. Big might not be controversial or ad media savvy as other rock bands but these guys have excellent musicianship and songwriting skills. I think US fans are losing a lot by continually ignoring Mr. Big. What If… is such a powerful, well-made album that I want to ask rock bands around to spend time with this CD. They will surely learn a lot. The songs, the performances, the total production are among the best I’ve heard in recent times.

The two-disc album features all new, hard rocking recordings by the band. The first single out is Undertow, a real head banger with a commercial lilt. I think that I Get The Feeling, All The Way Up and the bonus track Kill Me With A Kiss should come out next. But those who like listening to albums with a definite concept and a coherent melody track, singles do not really matter. They will be more than satisfied with the way this rocker CD flows.

Also included are American Beauty, Stranger In My Life, Nobody Left To Blame, Still Ain’t Enough For Me, Once Upon A Time, As Far As I Can See, I Won’t Get In My Way and Around The World. The free DVD does not contain much. There are Views from The Recording Studio, Mr. Big Talking About What If… and the music video of Undertow. But who cares, you buy albums like this for the music not the add-ons.

If you like what you hear in What If… then you might want to know more about Mr. Big, as in watch the band on stage. Then I suggest you pick up the DVD release, Next Time Around 2009 Tour Back To Budokan. This is also a double disc set of the whole concert held at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo during its big reunion tour. The Budokan was the site of Mr. Big’s earlier triumphs and judging from the enthusiastic audience, the Japanese have never lost their taste for the music of the group.

For some strange reason To Be With You is not in the line-up of songs. Are Pinoys the only ones who like this or maybe because it does not rock as hard as the other numbers? Anyway most of the other hits are here like Wild World, Just Take My Heart and from a decade ago the nonsensical My Daddy Brother Lover Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song).

Billboard’s Top 20 rock songs

Now for an idea as to what sounds are happening in the rock scene these days, here are the Top 20 rock songs of the week as per the Billboard Charts. Take note, the No. 1 tune is the mesmerizing Rope by the Foo Fighters from the band’s excellent new album Wasting Light. The rest are:

Country Song by Seether; Help Is On The Way by Rise Against; The Cave by Mumford & Sons; Shake Me Down by Cage The Elephant; You Are A Tourist by Death Cab For Cutie; Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People; Adolescents by Incubus; Howlin’ For You by The Black Keys; Rip Tide by Sick Puppies;

Lies Of The Beautiful People by Sixx: A.M.; Changing by The Airborne Toxic Event; Waiting For The End by Linkin Park; Burn by Papa Roach; Tighten Up by The Black Keys; Make Some Noise by the Beastie Boys; Say You’ll Haunt Me by Stone Sour; Rolling In The Deep by Adele; Lost In You by Three Days Grace; and Disturbed by Warrior.