MR BIG: Ten (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Mr Big is a mainstream rock band producing easy-listening, radio-friendly hits. Having said that, we shouldn't be too disappointed if the band were to release an easy-listening album. True, but after a 7-year absence, we can't blame ourselves for having a little hope for this reunion of outstanding musicians.

However, the problem lies in a number of areas. In the first place, as we've just said, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Eric Martin, Nick D'Virgilio (Big Big Train, ex-Spock's Beard, replacing Pat Torpey who left us in 2018) are breathtakingly technical, sensitive and creative musicians. So why serve us such a bland soup? This band has always been an enigma, its members are all as brilliant as each other, but they only show fancy jewels when they have beautiful ornaments in their trunks.

Secondly, titling an album in order of arrival after the others (“Ten”) is so lacking in originality that one wonders if the band really gives a damn. It's not a problem in itself, it's just a symptomatic sign of their cruel lack of ideas.

Finally, waiting 7 years to release tracks that will be forgotten faster than the 45 minutes it took to listen to them wasn't absolutely necessary. Unless the pandemic-era requires a bailout, who knows? After all, Mr. Big makes songs that are easy to remember and sing along to, doesn't he? In the past, perhaps, but nowadays, which song should we sing along to? Not a single chorus on this album is remotely catchy. If at least Paul Gilbert and Billy Sheehan had let loose a little on their instruments, we could have at least fed off their velocity, but alas, we'll have to wait (or not) for their solo albums for that, as Mr Big has to speak to the general public.

So as not to end the description of this perfectly forgettable album on too depressing a note, some blues-rock tracks such as 'Good Luck Trying' or 'What Were You Thinking' are nevertheless amusing. Although they don't shine with originality, they do occasionally get your toes tapping. The rest is at best insipid, at worst completely uninteresting. “Ten” is the reunion album of a commercial rock band who show here that they haven't the slightest desire to shed that label. So much the better, or so much the worse, depending on the situation. - Official website

MR BIG

TEN

AUTRE LABEL

ROCK