Mr. Big's 'Ten' - Album Review

The American hard rock four-piece Mr. Big are one of those bands that I like quite a bit, but I have never truly loved. I own most of their albums, which I enjoy, and I have seen them live - but I can often go for years without listening to anything by them, sometimes finding their overly quirky side a bit on-the-nose despite the fantastic musicianship within the ranks. The band formed as something of a supergroup in 1988 from the ashes of various hair and speed metal outfits - but toned things down somewhat by introducing a much more 1970s-inspired classic rock sound that was mixed with more metallic and AOR elements from the various band members' pasts. Their first three albums did pretty well, with 1991's Lean into It going platinum in their home country - and it also spawned their number one hit To Be with You. They are now something of a cult band, though, with the exception of in Japan where they are still huge. Like fellow early 1990s rockers Extreme, Mr. Big are forever cursed with having an acoustic-based ballad as their biggest hit - a song which has little in common with their core sound. That core sound is melodic, bluesy rock with some virtuoso touches - courtesy of flashy guitar and bass duo Paul Gilbert and Billy Sheehan (with the former replaced for a time by Richie Kotzen). Gilbert has been back in the band since they reunited following a break in 2009 - and the original line-up continued on until the sad death of drummer Pat Torpey from complications associated with Parkinson's disease in 2018. Torpey had not been able to tour with the band since 2014 and following his death the band finished up their remaining touring commitments and seemingly bowed out in an understated fashion. Interviews with some of the band members suggested that Mr. Big was done, but last year they announced one final world tour to act as a farewell. Whether the tour ends up being a farewell or not remains to be seen, but it does seem that the band are slowly calling it a day. To replace Torpey, Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard; Big Big Train; The Fringe) was brought on board - and the band have been busy on the road throughout America, Europe, and Japan for the past year or so. Clearly wanting to cap off their career with one more album, too, the band released their tenth album Ten last month. Their first release with D'Virgilio, Ten is the band's first album since 2017's Defying Gravity (which I reviewed here) - a raw album which was much more organic compared to their usual flashier sound. Later interviews revealed that the label released the album unmastered against the band's wishes, which accounted for the strange sound, but sometimes the raw feel worked well. Ten is similar, but this time the rawness feels more deliberate - with a better overall mix. This is easily the least flashy album the band has ever done - with very little of Gilbert and Sheehan's usual flamboyance. This is a simple, punchy bluesy rock album at its core - with plenty of groove thanks to the drumming of D'Virgilio. Frontman Eric Martin rounds out the four-piece, who's voice has deteriorated quite significantly in recent years - which has been evident on the current tour. Despite this, though, he gets away with it here given the rawer sound - and he puts in a typically left-field and quirky vocal performance despite the band as a whole reining it in.

There is no standing on ceremony here. The simplicity and blues-based sound which makes up the album is apparent right from the off - with a shuffling riff kicking off opening number Good Luck Trying. Despite the bluesy grooves, though, the track has a strong kinetic energy throughout. Sheehan's bass is high in the mix, and he locks in really well with D'Virgilio to create some funk to back the shuffle, whilst Gilbert's guitars are fuzzy and full of character. It sounds retro, but the mix and production feel more modern - as there is plenty of space for every instrument to shine. Gilbert later solos with his usual finesse, even within a more blues context, whilst Martin strains vocally to reach the notes he used to reach with ease. His older voice does not sound too out of place in this raw sound, though, and the song has a snappy chorus which sits atop the aforementioned shuffling riff - whilst occasional slower sections allow grooves to build and Martin to use the lower end of his register. He is generally convincing, though, and the song is a fun way to kick off the album. Those wanting something more overtly melodic from the band should enjoy the poppier I Am You - one of the few more AOR-inspired pieces here. There is still a raw sound but the guitar tones are bit more melodic, with some clean melodies adding depth, and there is a much greater focus on Martin's vocal hooks. Generally his voice is old-school and bluesy here, utilising classic tropes, but this performance recalls the band's classic albums more - and there is a strong 1980s vibe. Despite his vocal limitations he delivers the song convincingly, even if he sounds a bit strained during the verses, and the chorus is easily the album's hookiest moment - with some subtle vocal harmonies from the band giving him a melodic backing. This is not an album which goes for AOR hooks all that often, so this song does stand out - and it is one of my favourite cuts here thanks to its focus on a little more of a sheen as well as the excellent chorus. Gilbert's guitar solo is a little more spacey, too, which helps to reinforce some of the band's quirks despite the simpler arrangements generally featured. Right Outta Here is a darker sounding piece, which opens with some atmospheric slide jerks from Gilbert whilst Sheehan's bass provides a lot of rumbling depth. These slide melodies provide some strong early hooks - but the rest of the song is not very slide-dependant. The melodies re-surface throughout occasionally to provide a reprise of the opening hooks, but generally the song is another pretty bluesy rocker - albeit with a slower pace and a more atmospheric sound thanks to Gilbert's guitar tone being a little cleaner and the prominence of Sheehan's driving bass playing. The chorus is very bluesy, too, with D'Virgilio bringing the band to a brief stop each time with a drum crash to allow Martin to briefly sing the closing lines alone - which is an old-school blues trope. Another strong guitar solo shows Gilbert's blues acumen - and the slower track is a strong addition to the album.

Sunday Morning Kinda Girl is a bit of a mix of the band's trademark melodic rock sound with the album's bluesy feel. It leans more towards the blues which dominates here, but the chorus certainly feels a bit more up-tempo with some smoother vocal melodies - again boosted by some subtle harmonies. The track feels a bit weightier than is typical, though, with Sheehan's bass once again pulsing through the mix whilst buzzing guitar riffing provides plenty of groove. There is a little bit of a Bad Company feel throughout the song, then, with a mix of blues and melodic rock harking back to the mid-1970s American rock scene (I am aware that Bad Company were a British band but they were more successful in America). Martin is no Paul Rodgers, though, but he does well here - with the chorus being nicely within his range and the rest of the band providing tight harmonies. Occasional slide bursts emphasis the band's bluesy side, but overall this track is just a strong slab of melodic hard rock - which is naturally blues-based anyway, with a chorus which is sure to stick in the brain. Who We Are slows things down and acts as the album's first ballad. The band are famous for their ballads after all, or, at least, one in particular, so slower tracks should be expected - and it mixes a laid back guitar melody with a sombre bass and drum pattern over which Martin sings in an emotional manner. His voice has always carried plenty of emotion, and this has not changed despite his limitations. He does sound a bit strained during the chorus, but he generally gets away with it - with the band harmonising well with him. D'Virgilio is a strong singer in his own right, having fronted bands in the past, so I would imagine that he has contributed quite a lot vocally to his album - and the harmonies certainly help Martin out here. His tone is still present, though, despite the straining - and fills the slower track with all of his trademark character. As Good as It Gets sounds a little more melodic and less bluesy than much of the rest of the album - as the guitar tone and patterns throughout remind me somewhat of Eddie Money's Two Tickets to Paradise. This song is much more laid back than that arena-ready anthem, though, and it never feels like it gets going properly despite some early promise. It feels as if it builds to an explosive chorus that never comes and I imagine that, in the past, the band would have been able to do something more exciting with this track. It feels like a piece which is trying to sound like their classic era somewhat - but the band do not really operate in that vein these days and it shows. What Were You Thinking rocks things up again after the ballad and the more laid back piece - and it returns to the album's bluesy core in a big way. It also has a strong old-school rock and roll feel with some Chuck Berry-esque rhythms and plenty of bluesy guitar turnarounds. Parts of the song also contain some Status Quo-esque boogie riffs and rhythms, so the track is pretty infectious as a result. It is not the catchiest vocally, but the grooves are a lot of fun. Songs like this have been written thousands of time by many different bands - but Mr. Big have put their stamp on the classic tropes here to produce something up-tempo and hard rocking despite the over-familiarity of the overall style.

Courageous is one of the songs which stood out to me from the off - and it is another which goes for a bit more of a poppy, AOR-esque sound, even within the bluesy context of the album. It slows the pace down somewhat, and it has plenty of crunch thanks to Gilbert's hard-hitting riffing, but there is space in the mix despite the toughness of both the guitars and the bass. The song has a bit of a strange feel overall, then, but I like the approach taken. There are heavy riffs at times, but there are also moments which feature cleaner guitar chords to create a more melodic feel - whilst the chorus feels a bit poppier with some brighter vocal harmonies and a sound which harks back to the band's early albums. A rhythmic, vocal-led bridge section with some surprisingly snarling vocals from Martin later leads into what is possibly Gilbert's best guitar solo on the album, too. It is longer than most of the solos here and it certainly feels busier and more akin to his trademark shredded style. Up On You is somewhat similar, but it feels much bluesier overall. There are some more melodic vocal lines used at times, but in general this is a track that sticks nicely within the album's core sound. The chorus feels a bit more old-school thanks to the vocal harmonies but the guitar riffing behind it keeps with the bluesy tones used elsewhere - and the slide-led guitar solo exemplifies this style nicely, too. The solo is another winner, opening with the aforementioned slide melodies before Gilbert really lets rip - starting off with some typical bluesy phrases before getting a bit busier and more akin to his usual style. Elsewhere, though, brasher riffing and some potent bass tones really ground the song - and it is one that has grown on me quite a bit over repeated listens to the album. It did not jump out right away, but it is probably the busiest song here from a guitar perspective - as there is a lengthy guitar-led outro which includes plenty more riffing and lead work from Gilbert. The album then comes to a close with The Frame, another slower track which acts as a bit of a ballad to round out the short album. At just over 40 minutes long, the album is the perfect length given the raw sound opted for - but The Frame feels like another song which harks back to the band's older sound a little bit. It is certainly not all that bluesy, with Gilbert instead opting for some expansive clean guitar melodies throughout - whilst the vocal melody patterns are surprisingly Queen-esque at times whilst still sounding pretty organic. Martin puts in another pretty emotional vocal performance as the slower song progresses - and the atmospheric and melodic piece is a good way to close out what is generally a pretty harder rocking album. Mr. Big have occasionally written songs like this which are quite hard to describe. It is essentially a ballad but it also has a slightly unsettling feel throughout. This helps the album to end strongly and showcases that the band still like to change things up a bit despite seeming happy in recent years to adopt a simpler songwriting approach. Overall, then, Ten is a solid album. It does nothing new really, but many of the songs here are enjoyable despite the focus on a blues-based approach and the lack of many big AOR-esque anthems. It feels like an album by a band having fun, though, and there are plenty of memorable riffs and choruses here. If it does end up being the final album, then it will not be a bad way to bow out.

The album was released on 12th July 2024 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Up On You.