What If... (Mr. Big album)
Occupation
- Vocals: Eric Martin
- Guitar: Paul Gilbert
- Bass: Billy Sheehan
- Drums: Pat Torpey
What If ... is the title of the produced by Kevin Shirley seventh studio album by the American hard rock band Mr. Big. It was the first studio album the band after their comeback, she had started with the live album Back to Budokan 2009 recorded.
Formation
Mr. Big had been a successful group in the 1990s, it was the help of a few radio oriented written titles managed to reach a wide audience and gain worldwide recognition. Their most successful single was released on their second album, Lean Into it song To Be with You, with the group in 1991 reached each place of the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the USA - only in the UK, it was only enough for third place. Also, if the band could no longer reach as high in the charts later pieces such as Just Take My Heart or the cover of Cat Stevens song Wild World to known titles of the group were. Until its dissolution in 2002, the band had released six studio albums and achieved while in Japan the greatest successes. Apply to virtually every studio album, a live album was released there.
2009, the founding members of the group decided to make a comeback attempt. To this end, the group brought in Japan, the best-of album Next Time Around out and then went on the same tour, recorded completely by the concert on 20 June 2009 at the Nippon Budokan (Tokyo) and later under the title Back to Budokan was released on CD and DVD. The band stated on this tour that the chemistry still true. Billy Sheehan said in an interview with the magazine Rocks:
"We were, however, even a little surprised that there is still a certain automatism after all these years, in which we turn on at certain points of the interaction "
The band decided to record a new studio album and met three months before the admission date to exchange ideas and to write songs. However, this did not work, so that the group members could work only four or five hours concentrated. Overall, the band amassed 124 Ideas, finished songs but had not arise.
The group therefore went in September 2010 totally unprepared is the studio and let the album in a arise " spontaneous flow ". As a producer Kevin Shirley acted whose experience with productions for The Black Crowes, Iron Maiden, Rush and Led Zeppelin was decisive for selecting him .. For the title Undertow, which was coupled on 27 November 2010 as the first single, and the song All the way up were produced video clips.
As background for the album cover of What If ... was scribbled the surface of a sign table on which a circle and a brush can be identified, selected. In the middle of a winged pig can be seen, the front legs are in the air. Through a blur is suggested that the wings are in motion and the animal will stand out. Above the pig the band's logo is seen under the animal, the composite of letters of different fonts album title is to read.
The album was released in Europe on 21 January 2011 and was available in three versions: as a simple audio CD, as a digipak with DVD and a " fan box set" with CD, DVD, vinyl LP and mouse pad. The DVD contained the above video clips and a movie titled "The Making of What if ... "
Reception
"Wild sauscharf and snappy ," Rocks formulated in his review of the album, and awarded five out of six possible points.
" The judging new studio album after ( the first with guitar God Paul Gilbert since 1996), then they have not even stopped to give concerts. " What if ... " can not doubt to the functioning of these great musicians as a band, even where the sincerity of their reboots. Coinciding with the driving > Undertow < achieves a remarkable statement (...) A very charming comeback this extremely misunderstood Hard Rock lineup. The right natural sound by Kevin Shirley but irritated at least penetrated by singing tips > All the way up ' something. "
Rock Hard giving 8 and said:
" Now that's a successful reunion album! After the Divine tour, MR Report. BIG with "What If ...? " Back and answer the question thus equal to their fans, who were puzzled for years as to whether the band together again and tearing as the result might sound. Now we know: In the terrific cast Martin / Sheehan / Gilbert / Torpey the revered in Japan as heroes rock group rocks by the rapid Pops ' American Beauty ' and ' Once Upon A Time ', grooving through fiddly - modern tracks like ' Nobody Left to Blame ' and ' Still Is not Enough For Me ' or dances gently through ballads like ' Stranger In My Life '. With ' All The Way Up' is an international hit preprogrammed while I Get The Feeling ' almost " Lean Into It " Spirit sprayed. And above all hovers Eric Martin's vocals, which shows the whole range of the eternally young at heart frontman. "
The album reached number 50 on the charts in Germany, the UK space 116, Japan 7th place
Title list
- Europe: 4.15 - Unforgiven
- Japan: 5:59 - Kill me With a Kiss ( Japan / Korea)