Saturday, April 26, 2025

Steven Page - 2025-04-17 - Orono, ME - Concert review

 

Steven Page,  Live, Collins Center for the Arts, University of Maine, Orono, ME, April 17, 2025

Last week I got the chance to see Steven Page (formerly of Barenaked Ladies) perform at the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono, Maine. It was a great show. Steven performed with his trio, with Craig Northey (The Odds) on guitar and backing vocals, and Kevin Fox on cello and backing vocals. Although cello may seem like an odd instrument for a pop-rock group, it actually was quite a nice touch, as it was able to fill in the bass parts as well as provide backing strings and flowing counterpoint lines, really filling out the sound for a trio. Steven was in fine voice and the show was a great mix of classic Barenaked Ladies songs and selections from Steven's stellar solo work. As would be expected from Steven, there was also much humor and banter among the performers (who have been friends and performing together for many years), providing a very entertaining evening. The show lasted nearly 2 hours with 19 songs (and between song banter). The setlist (detailed below) provided something for everyone, with the beginning and end of the show dominated by Barenaked Ladies favorites, and the middle highlighting some excellent songs from his albums Page One (2010), Heal Thyself Part I: Instinct (2016), Discipline: Heal Thyself Part II (2018), and his most recent, Excelsior (2022), which is a wonderful underappreciated album (the album was released in a small Canadian label and didn't get much attention, but is a great album that deserves to be sought out), and the three songs from Excelsior played here (Golden Age of Doubling Down, Something About Me, and How Much is Enough?) exemplify the strength of the album. I recorded just a few songs from the show to post here (and on Youtube), with the first being The Golden Age of Doubling Down, a delightful, insightful, and applicable song for our times. 

  


The Golden Age of Doubling Down

Steven closed the main part of the show with the BNL classic Brian Wilson.

Brian Wilson

The encore consisted of Enid and Call and Answer, with Steven starting out on piano.


 Call and Answer

 All in all a wonderful show that highlighted Steven's excellent songwriting skills, feel for great pop melodies and song structure, and vocal prowess throughout his career, and the performance by the trio provided the perfect accompaniment to the songs. And the Collins Center was a great venue to see this act, with its smaller size and more intimate setting, and great acoustics, providing a wonderful experience. Steven also gave a short interview session prior to the concert, where he talked about his music, upbringing, and experiences over the years. A great time. 

Setlist: Steven Page, 2025-04-17, Collins Center for the Arts, Orono, ME

1. It's All Been Done (BNL)
2. A New Shore
3. Jane (BNL)
4. Alternative Girlfriend (BNL)
5. The Golden Age of Doubling Down (N)
6. What a Good Boy (BNL)
7. Gravity
8. The Feelgood Strum
9. Linda Ronstadt in the 70s/Someone Who's Cool (Craig)
10. Something About Me
11. No Song Left to Save Me
12. Where Do You Stand?
13. Tonight Is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel (BNL)
14. How Much Is Enough?
15. Bull in a China Shop (BNL)
16. The Old Apartment (BNL)
17. Brian Wilson (BNL)
Encores:
18.    Enid (BNL)
19.    Call and Answer (BNL)

Steven Page - vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Craig Northey - electric guitar, backing vocals 
Kevin Fox - cello, backing vocals 

Saturday, April 19, 2025

On the Scene for Seventeen: 17 years of BB Chronicles

 

On the Scene for Seventeen

Hey there, here we are in mid-April once again, which means it's Anniversary time for BB Chronicles. It's been 17 years since I started this somewhat misguided endeavor, and here I still am, stumbling along with my musical musings. 17 years, that's like a millennium for internet blogs, and throughout its ups and downs, highs and lows, I am still here sporadically putting out my limited content, and trying to help make some great lesser known music heard by more people. Hopefully, there have been things of interest for you to read and listen to here. But yes, the commentary is all my own opinions on music, so take note that your mileage may very much vary. Those that have followed this for awhile have probably noticed that the content has somewhat changed over the last couple years, with much less emphasis on concerts and live music posts, and focusing more on new album reviews, rankings of bands and artist's catalogs, and miscellaneous commentary on classic or underappreciated musical artists. And this will continue, as I have pretty much stopped collecting live bootleg recordings (just don't have time to sort through and listen to them) and focused more on released albums, both old and new. I still may post some live shows of interest once in awhile, just not that often. Of course, my past postings of shows are pretty much still available, although dead and dying links continue to be an issue that I try to fix as much as possible. But most of the new posts will be about those things that have dominated the past year or so: reviews, rankings, occasional old out of print albums, and discussion of underrated artists. Hopefully that kind of content is appreciated. 

Anyway, once again, as I have each year at this time, I also want to take this time to thank and celebrate all the others out there who have made so much of this great music, and those that have made it freely available for others.So, to all the other bloggers, tapers, forum posters, and music fans out there, and most importantly, to all the great artists and musicians that have created and performed this wonderful music, and certainly to all that have stumbled upon these pages, find something of interest and hopefully come back again, I offer a huge and heartfelt Thank You. And again, I implore everyone to purchase all the official releases of your favorite artists, as well as, wherever possible, go see them live in concert. The music and commentary here serves to supplement, not replace, all of their officially released music. They are supported by fans like us. 

So, I will continue to carry on here, pretty much as I have, and I hope there are things here that are of interest that will keep you coming back for more, and to always be excited about all the great music all around us. As always, thanks for your interest and support. Take care, it's a brutal world out there, and we need our music to make it through. 




Friday, April 11, 2025

New Album Roundup - Early 2025

New Album Roundup - Early 2025 Edition

Here we are through the first quarter of the year already, and there has been an abundance of notable album releases over these first 3 months and I've been doing my best to keep up with them. I've listened to more than 30 new albums so far this year, including many new albums from long-time musical artists and legends, as well as some new artists. So, once again it's time to take a look at some of the noteworthy albums released so far this year, based solely on what I have listened to and how much I have enjoyed them. Here is my New Album Roundup - Early 2025 Edition

Pattern-Seeking Animals - Friend of All Creatures

Originally began as on offshoot of Spock's Beard (featuring current and former members Ted Leonard, Jimmy Keegan, Dave Meros, John Boegehold) in 2019, this band has forged their own way, creating their own sound and style, to become one of the premier modern melodic progressive rock bands. This is their 5th album (over just 6 years), and continues their reign of producing high quality 'music that's progressive and intricate while keeping things immediate and melodic' (in the band's own words). Another batch of wonderful songs that are a joy throughout, beautiful and well-played, with great vocals and musicianship, and the full range of emotions, dynamics, and instrumentation. Although not quite my favorite of theirs (that would be 2022's Only Passing Through), this is a great album nonetheless, and maintains the high bar established by each of the previous albums. Masterful melodic prog. Best Tracks: Down the Darkest Road, Words of Love Evermore, Days We'll Remember, Another Holy Grail. Rating: 4ó 

Jacob Roberge - The Passing

A new voice in progressive rock, Canadian composer-vocalist-multi-instrumentalist Jacob Roberge has emerged with his 1st album, a grand excursion in the melodic symphonic prog tradition. The first half of the album features shorter songs and a more acoustic approach with prominent piano, acoustic guitar, winds, and strings, with soaring melodies and classical themes, but also some lulls and dull passages. The album picks up as it goes along, with Empty Traces, part 2 a highlight, but the album really soars with the epic-length (32 min.) title track, consisting of multiple sections, styles, and dynamics, encompassing the best of symphonic prog, embracing  the styles of the classic bands (Yes, Genesis) as well as more modern influences (Big Big Train and especially Neal Morse) to produce a wonderful majestic track that satisfies on every level. It moves seamlessly from one section to the next, with beautiful melodies and rousing instrumental passages, and culminating with a grand majestic finale. This track is superb and more than makes up for some inconsistencies in the early tracks, producing a very good and satisfying album experience. It will be interesting to see what this rising artist does next. Best Tracks: The Passing, Empty Traces Part 2. Rating: 3.5ó

Echolyn - Time Silent Radio ii, Time Silent Radio vii

Legendary U.S. Symphonic Prog band Echolyn has emerged after a ten-year absence with not one, but two new albums, their 10th and 11th (released not as a double album, but 2 separate albums), returning with their unique rockin' prog sound, mixing classic melodic rock and power pop with sumptuous symphonic prog for a wonderful set of albums. TSRii consists of 2 epic-length tracks (16 and 29 min.), whereas TSRvii has 7 shorter tracks (that's where the titles come from). The two lengthy tracks ebb and flow and take their time to develop through multiple musical sections and themes, but never lose focus, remaining consistently enjoyable and entertaining throughout their musical journeys. But the other disc, TSRvii, is even better, as the songs are brighter, punchier, with more emphasis on melody and catchy rock tunes, but still with plenty of proggy goodness throughout. All the tracks are great (but my faves are listed below). Echolyn's music may have many varied influences throughout, but yet they have created their own unique style, as they don't sound quite like anyone else. I'm not all that familiar with the band's earlier catalog, but I love this album, especially TSRvii, and I will be returning to it often throughout the year. Best Tracks: ii:Water in Our Hands. vii:Tiny Star, On We Blur, Boulder on Hills, Radio Waves, Cul-de-Sacs and Tunnels. Ratings: ii:4ó , vii: 4.5ó

Coheed and Cambria - Father of Make Believe

Coheed and Cambria is a U.S. rock band that has been around since 2002, but is hard to categorize due to the wide variety of styles they play. All of their albums are concept albums, or more accurately, part of an interrelated series of concept albums that tell a larger story. This is their 11th album overall and 3rd in the Vaxis Series. I can't begin to say just what the story entails (haven't heard the previous albums), but musically, it is all over the place, with a little bit of everything, and I really liked this one. It opens with a beautiful folk ditty (Yesterday Lost), then follows with a driving power pop rocker (Goodbye Sunshine), then a melodic hard rock gem (Searching For Tomorrow). Full-on heavy prog of the title track is next, followed by a sweet ballad which swells to an anthemic power ballad (Meri of Mercy). Then comes the fierce onslaught of metal and punk metal in Blind Side Sonny and Play the Poet. One Last Miracle is a fine hard rocker and Corner My Confidence tones things down with a lovely, folky, acoustic charmer, before a catchy 80's style pop-rock single (Someone Who Can). Then comes the powerful concluding suite, Continuum, which is broken into 4 parts, each with its own style and vibe, wrapping up with So It Goes, a wonderfully bouncy and catchy pop song. And surprisingly, it all works. The vocals from Claudio are wonderful throughout, whether dripping with honey on the pop-oriented songs or screaaming and growling on the heavier tracks, he is great. And the arrangements are also spot-on, covering many different styles, showing the versatility of the band. What is most impressive to me, though, is the melodic sense that runs through all the songs, with engaging, catchy melodies, whether gentle pop or hard rock, and even the heavy metal, that melodic sensibility shines through, creating a very satisfying collection of songs. The only musical comparison I can think of would be something like a much heavier The Dear Hunter, showing that kind of variety, versatility, outrageousness, and melodic sense. However, because of the range of types of songs, it may be that those who prefer the heavier aspects of the band may not appreciate the more pop-oriented tracks, and vice versa for those enjoy the more poppy tunes, so I don't know how this fits in with their other albums, but I am very impressed. Best Tracks: So It Goes, Father of Make Believe,  Goodbye Sunshine, Corner My Confidence, Searching For Tomorrow. Rating: 4ó

Steven Wilson - The Overview

As one of the biggest names in modern Prog, it's always interesting to hear what Steven Wilson is up to, and this album had additional expectations as it was hyped as Steven's 'return to prog' after multiple albums experimenting with different musical forms, with mixed results. On this album, Steven tackles the concept of The Overview, which has to do with a state of awe and transcendence reported by astronauts while viewing Earth from Space. And if Steven was attempting a musical depiction of that experience, I don't think he succeeded. But for me, Steven Wilson has always been hit and miss, as he has produced some brilliant music, but also a lot of just OK stuff over the years. On this album Steven serves up a mixture of sounds and themes that span through his history, from the more atmospheric, spacey early work of Porcupine Tree through to the more experimental pop of recent years. As usual, the production and sound is impeccable, but for me at least, the results are similar to past work in that it is extremely up and down, equal parts good and disappointing. There are only 2 album side-long tracks here, but yet they don't really hold together as cohesive pieces, more as a collection of shorter pieces just placed together, some of which work and some that don't. It seems to be put together from various pieces and ideas he had lying around. The best parts are really good, with some great melodies, proggy elements, and pop-rock arrangements, whereas the weaker parts are somewhat dull or not very interesting. Overall, maybe about half of each full track was enjoyable for me, about 15-20 minutes out of the 41 min length. I know many consider Mr. Wilson to be a musical genius, and I'm glad that Steven is able to do whatever kind of music he wants to do, but once again, these musings strike me as being just pretty good, and a bit underwhelming. Rating: 3ó

Motorpsycho - Motorpsycho

You never quite know what you're going to get from this prolific (28 albums overall, and 16th album in the last 17 years) eclectic Norwegian prog band, with their ever-shifting styles that incorporate heavy doses of psychedelic, indie, and prog rock, along with forays into ambient, atmospheric, acoustic, pop, jazz, punk, metal, krautrock, space-rock, and so on. Although their last couple albums have had a lighter pop-oriented touch, this album gets back to heavier aspects and their psych, prog, and hard rock roots, but also contains bits of everything from their past and still maintains their melodic sensibilities and that Motorpsycho sound, in this expansive self-titled double album (11 tracks, >81 min.). This one has it all, and they pull out all the stops, in various moods and styles, from the dark psychedelia of the opener Lucifer, Bringer of Life, to the throwback pop feel of Stanley (Tonight's the Night) to the heavy guitar riffs (and Jimi Hendrix vibe) of The Comeback and the psych-prog journey of Balthazar. Then there is the epic-length (21 min) Neotzar, with its mix of jazz, prog, and psychedelia in a mesmerizing and a bit creepy blend. But there's still more with the lighter, brighter Core Memory Corrupt, and the driving groove of Three Frightened Monkeys, before the melancholy pop of Dead of Winter closes the album out. Another wonderful, eclectic album from Motorpsycho. Best Tracks: Balthazar, The Comeback, Stanley, Core Memory Corrupt, Dead of Winter, Neotzar. Rating: 4ó   

Karmakanic - Transmutation

What began as a side project for The Flower King's bassist, Jonas Reingold, in 2002, has developed over the years into one of the premier modern symphonic prog bands, and they are back again, after a 9-year absence with this, their 6th album, and Jonas and band have brought along many wonderful prog guest artists to help out, including Steve Hackett (and members of his touring band), Andy Tillison (The Tangent), John Mitchell (Frost, It Bites, Lonely Robot), Randy McStine, Nick D'Virgilio, and Simon Phillips, to produce one of the best albums of the year so far. It opens with a burst of energy in the brief, but powerful rockin' instrumental Bracing For Impact, and then continues to get better and better with each subsequent track, End of the World is a beautiful song (although goes on a bit too long), then Cosmic Love gives a somewhat throwback 80's single sound, like something from Yes' 90125 period, but they are just getting started, as each of the rest are great, culminating with the sensational Prog epic title track (23 min), which is stunningly brilliant from beginning to end, with everything you could want in a prog epic, from tender acoustic sections to glorious majestic themes to incredible soloing and exciting instrumental passages, including a dazzling middle section that manages to channel Genesis as a jazz fusion band, then reprising earlier themes for an emotional and majestic finale. Just brilliant, and one of the best epic-length prog tracks ever, that can stand among the all-time greats. What I really love about this band and album is that they are extremely creative and inventive in their arrangements, production, and instrumentation, able to turn even fairly simple themes and melodies into wonderful, exciting pieces with their intricate, detailed handling. Just love this album, my absolute favorite of the year so far and sure to be in the running in the end for best album of the year. Best Tracks: Transmutation, Gotta Lose This Ball and Chain, All That Glitters is Not Gold, We Got The World in Our Hands. Rating: 4.5ó

IQ - Dominion

Another veteran prog band returning after an extended absence (6 years since last album) with this, their 13th album. It contains all the parts and pieces you expect from these professionals and all the components of a great Neo-Prog album: excellent musicianship and instrumental prowess, great range of dynamics and moods, emotive vocals and majestic themes, and wonderful sound and production. Unfortunately, it is still somewhat disappointing, as the songs themselves are just nothing special, and fail to create engaging melodies or compelling themes. They seem to be going through the motions of what has worked in the past, but the songs just fall somewhat flat. The opening 22-min epic is OK but doesn't really go anywhere, and despite fine individual efforts from all involved, it just seems quite ordinary. Best track is Far From Here, which almost reaches another level, but can't quite sustain it. There's nothing bad here, it is all fine, pleasant, and well-done, good, it just doesn't inspire or excite, and is thus underwhelming. Rating: 3ó 

AlisoKrauss and Union Station - Arcadia

Alison reunites with Union Station for their first album together in 14 years, and the results are quite beautiful, but also just a bit disappointing. The album features tracks alternating between Alison's sweet, pretty ballads and the band's Appalachian folk songs sung by new vocalist Russel Moore, and they are all quite good. The band provides great back-up with impeccable runs and fills from Jerry Douglas, Ron Block, and departing member Dan Tyminski, but considering this is one of the best bluegrass bands around, the band isn't given much chance to really stretch out. There are no instrumentals and no real rip-roaring bluegrass tracks (or much fiddle from Alison), and only just a few songs that could even be considered bluegrass. Those few uptempo tracks are the highlight of the album. Still very good, but was hoping for more actual bluegrass from this reunion. Rating: 3.5ó
 

Quick Hits

Dim Gray - Shards

This Norwegian Prog band follows up their wonderful 2022 album, Firmament, with this, their 3rd album, which continues exploring their blend of atmospheric, emotional soundscapes with lush symphonic backing and soaring melodies. The album culminates with its best (and longest) track, Attakula. Although a very fine album, for me it doesn't quite reach the same heights as Firmament, as the songs are not as dynamic, interesting, or eclectic as on that album, with a bit more sameness throughout. But a very enjoyable listen nonetheless. Rating 3.5ó

 

Dream Theater - Parasomnia

OK, I'm not a big fan of Dream Theater or Prog-Metal in general, so maybe it's not surprising that I was not very impressed with this new album, their first since drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy re-joined the band. There is no denying the excellent musicianship on display here and the sound is great, but there is just too much metal and not enough prog influences present here to work well for me. Rating 3ó

 

 

Jethro Tull - Curious Ruminant

Ian Anderson and his current assemblage as Jethro Tull are back with their 3rd album in the last 4 years, and this is the best of those three, as it has more elements reminiscent of the old Tull (more folk and rock elements, return of the acoustic guitar, etc.). It's a good listen, quite enjoyable. The instrumental sections, in particular, are quite good, with stellar flute work and a stronger guitar presence than other recent albums. However, it is still a far cry from classic Tull. Anderson's vocals have greatly deteriorated and are somewhat distracting (should do more instrumentals) and overall, the songs are just not as memorable. Thus, it's good, but not great, and not really something you will probably want to go back to again and again. Rating: 3ó

Ringo Starr - Look Up

The beloved Beatle, at 84 years old, is back with his 21st? solo album. This time he has gone full country, with surprisingly good results. Ringo made a smart choice in bringing in Americana and Roots music guru T-Bone Burnett to produce and oversee the project, as T-Bone has set-up a crack team of musicians and guest artists, as well as  impeccable production and arrangements that provide a stellar backdrop to augment Ringo's somewhat limited vocal abilities. It sounds great, with lovely backing and support, and Ringo's voice works fine on these country songs. Thus, it is probably Ringo's best album in many years, but still, just not something that holds much interest for  me (not being a country fan). Rating: 3ó

Mostly Autumn - Seawater

This veteran U.S. Prog Folk band, releasing their 15th album, an expansive 76 min affair, and it is quite an enjoyable listen, if you are OK with its limitations. I would describe this as dramatic, atmospheric folk-rock with prog elements, and it is filled with simple but effective songs and engaging melodies that are given lush treatment. Great emotional vocal performances, and the contrasting styles, and interaction of the main female and male vocalists are the main highlights of the album. Unfortunately, several of the songs are stretched-out much longer than they should be through repetition rather than musical inventiveness. Even the mostly effective epic-length (19 min) Pink Floyd-inspired title track is much longer than needed. Good, but could have been much better. Rating: 3ó
   
Brian D'Addario - Till the Morning

Brian D'Addario of the Lemon Twigs steps out with his first solo album, but continues pretty much along the same lines as the band as there is not much that distinguishes this from an actual Lemon Twigs album, which is both good and bad. Great if you love the throwback 60's-inspired sunshine pop of the duo, with sparkling arrangements and uniquely odd melodies, complete with assistance from brother Michael who produced and provides harmony vocals, but disappointing if you were looking for something a bit different, and the songs are not quite up to the level of the previous recent LT albums. Sounds great, but again, I am somewhat put-off by the pretty but oddly unpleasant and decidedly uncatchy melodies preferred by the D'Addario brothers. Rating: 3ó

Ghost of the Machine - Empires Must Fall

Second album from this UK Neo-Prog band. Guitar-heavy melodic progressive rock, with a definite leaning towards the sound and style of Rush (particularly the 80's version of Rush, with more keyboards, less proggy structure). Fine playing and musicianship, but a single vocalist with no background or harmony vocals at all. If that vibe and style is appealing, you will probably really like this, but it is not really for me. Not bad, just not that great. Rating 2.5ó

 

Sometime on February - Where Mountains Hide


Debut album from this instrumental prog metal trio that tries to impress with lightning fast runs and fierce virtuosity, but impressive instrumental skills alone don't translate into a satisfying album, and these musicians seem more intent on speed and flash than songwriting or creating music. These instrumental pieces just seem rushed, harsh, and overfilled with complexity and arbitrary notes, but not much musical sense. Rating: 2.5ó

 

Sam Fender - People Watching


Fine collection of catchy, insightful storyteller songs from this British singer-songwriter with an American-style Heartland rock sound, marred somewhat by the overly slick and finely polished pop production that takes away from the grit and authenticity of some noteworthy and heartfelt songwriting. Very enjoyable songs, but the intrusive wall of sound production gets in the way more than it helps. Rating: 3ó

 

 

Untold Stories - Wind & Memories


Solid debut album from this relatively new band from Bulgaria that features what I would call melodic rock with prog elements. Lead by Daniel Eliseev, features a mixture of art rock, hard rock, prog melodic rock. opens with a couple tracks that are mostly melodic rock, but then comes the extended title track, which is full-on Neo Prog, and the highlight of the album. Continues with variations on these rock mixtures for a quite good, but not great listening experience, as some cliches and sameness intrudes, but overall a fine debut. Rating: 3ó

 

BB’s Rating scale:

1ó – Terrible, torturous to have to listen to
1.5ó - Poor, not worth your time
2 ó – Fair, maybe a couple half-way decent songs, but sub-par overall
2.5ó – Average, OK, meh, not bad but not that good either
3ó – Good, solid album, several good songs, but not spectacular. Certainly worthy, but may not be something you come back to very often
3.5ó – Very good album. Some stellar tracks, very enjoyable overall
4ó – Great album, filled with great songs, one that you will want to come back to over and over again
4.5ó – Excellent album, beyond great, superb in every way, just short of a masterpiece 
5ó – A Masterpiece, among the greatest albums of its type, and has stood the test of time

OK, that should do it for these 1st three months. Some really good stuff here. There were several others I listened to, but these were the highlights. Bands that I was really impressed with and need to check out the rest of their catalog include Karmakanic, Echolyn and Coheed and Cambria
Interestingly, there seems to be a flurry of epic-length tracks (14 min or longer) this year, after several years of declining numbers (probably due to streaming issues). But they are certainly back this year, as just with these albums I reviewed here, there were 14 epic tracks here, and most of them very good, some real classics.

So, what did you think about any of these albums? What are your favorite albums so far this year? 

 

Friday, March 7, 2025

Favorite Badfinger Songs - Addendum to Badfinger Album Ranking List

 

As  a follow-up to my ranking of all the Badfinger albums, here is a listing of my favorite Badfinger songs. Since they have so many great songs, I couldn't just do a Top 20, or even a Top 40, so. in honor of the 50 years since the recording of the recently reissued Head First album, I'm doing a top 50. But this still isn't enough to include all their great songs, as I could go much deeper, but 50 is good. Through their total of 9 albums, Badfinger released nearly 100 songs. With the inclusion of non-album tracks, B-sides, demos and other original songs released as bonus tracks  (not including alternate versions or demos of existing album tracks), the band released a total of about 140 songs over their short recording history (1969-1974 and 1979-1981) and I would say that at least 3/4 of those (more than 100) are really good. As mentioned previously, one of the aspects that made them so great was that all three of Pete Ham, Tom Evans, and Joey Molland were excellent songwriters, with Pete, in particular, being one of the very best crafters of pop songs ever (and drummer Mike Gibbins also chipped in with several very good songs as well). So, a great musical legacy. It's really hard to put these in any sort of ranked order, so don't get too caught up in the numerical rank, as these are all great. Other than those at the very top, the order could certainly vary widely at any given time, but these, overall, are my favorite 50 Badfinger songs.(followed by the album it came from).

50. Come and Get It (MCM)
49. Believe Me (ND)
48. Carry On Until Tomorrow (MCM)
47. Song For a Lost Friend (BF)
46. Turn Around (HF)
45. The Winner (AS)
44. Blind Owl (AS)
43. Take It All (SU)
42. You're So Fine (WYWH)
41. Passin' Time (SNM)
40. Name of the Game (SU)
39. Passed Fast (HF)
38. Baby Please (SU B/T)
37. When I Say (AS)
36. Sail Away (AW)
35. Suitcase (SU)
34. Rock n Roll Contract (SNM, HF)
33. The Dreamer (AW)
32. Meanwhile Back at the Ranch/Should I Smoke (WYWH)
31. Because I Love You (SNM)
30. Lonely You (BF)
29. Lost Inside Your Love (AW)
28. I Can't Take It (ND)
27. Midnight Sun (MCM)
26. Without You (ND)
25. Love is Gonna Come at Last (AW)
24. Get Away (AS)
23. I'll Be the One (SU B/T)
22. Dennis (WYWH)
21. Midnight Caller (ND)
20. Keep Believin' (HF)
19. Come On (SNM)
18. Give it Up (BF)
17. Rock of All Ages (MCM)
16. I'd Die Babe (SU)
15. Better Days (ND)
14. Shine On (BF)
13. Hold On (SNM)
12. Just a Chance (WYWH)
11. I Got You (SNM)
10. In the Meantime/Some Other Time (WYWH)
9. Timeless (AS)
8. Sweet Tuesday Morning (SU)
7. Lay Me Down (HF)
6. We're For the Dark (ND)
5. Perfection (SU)
4. Baby Blue (SU)
3. Sometimes (SU)
2. Day After Day (SU)
1. No Matter What (ND)  

Album Legend
(MCM) - Magic Christian Music (1970)
(ND) - No Dice (1970)
(SU) - Straight Up (1971)
(AS) - Ass (1973)
(BF) - Badfinger (1974)
(WYWH) - Wish You Were Here (1974)
(HF) - Head First (1974)
(AW) - Airwaves (1979)
(SNM) - Say No More (1981)
B/T - Bonus Track (included on CD reissues)

What are your favorites? What are some great ones that I did not have on my list?  


 

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Joey Molland (of Badfinger) (1947-2025) R.I.P.

 

Joey Molland, songwriter-guitarist-vocalist for the classic lineup of Badfinger, passed away on March 1, 2025 from pneumonia and complications due to diabetes. He was 77 years old. Joey was the last surviving member of the band. For many years Joey proudly and admirably carried the Badfinger torch since the tragic and untimely demise of the other members of the band, keeping Badfinger music active and alive. I was in the process of compiling my list of favorite Badfinger songs as a follow-up to my recent Badfinger Album ranking post when I heard the sad news over the weekend of Joey's passing. It was surprising, because although he had been having serious health issues the past few months, recent word was that he was improving and looked to be on the road to recovery. 

Joey was a crucial and integral member of the band, contributing outstanding songs, guitar playing, vocals, and arrangements through the heyday of the band, on the albums No Dice (1970), Straight Up (1971), Ass (1973), Badfinger (1974), and Wish You Were Here (1974), as well as leading the re-formed band with Tom Evans in the late 70's and the albums Airwaves (1979) and Say No More (1981).  Although Pete Ham is often and rightly lauded for his premier songwriting, vocals, and guitar playing, Joey was also an excellent songwriter (and Tom Evans as well), which is what made Badfinger so great as a band. And during the time Joey was in the band, he actually contributed more songs for the band, either writing or co-writing, than either Pete or Tom. As with the band in general, Joey's very best songs were on Straight Up, featuring such classics as Sometimes, Sweet Tuesday Morning, I'd Die Babe, and Suitcase. The albums Ass and Wish You Were Here, in particular, also featured several great Molland compositions. Another underrated aspect of Joey was his singing. By itself Joey's voice was not all that special, but combined with Pete and/or Tom in harmony vocals, it was absolutely magical. Joey also shined on the re-formed Badfinger albums with Tom, which although less acclaimed, are still quite wonderful and underrated albums and highlight the talent of both Joey and Tom, and Joey's guitar playing especially. And in the years since, Joey has kept touring and performing with his own tribute to Badfinger, as Joey Molland's Badfinger. I was able to see Joey perform twice over the years, first as part of Joey Molland's Badfinger around 1986 (when Mike Gibbins was also in the band), and they put on a great show. More recently, I saw Joey as part of the 'It Was 50 years ago Today' tour in 2019, which honored the Beatles White Album. There he performed alongside other 70's and 80's greats, including Micky Dolenz (Monkees), Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, and Jason Scheff (Chicago), where he sang lead on a couple of White album songs (Savoy Truffle and Revolution 1) as well as the Badfinger classics No Matter What and Baby Blue. Joey continued to perform right up until his recent health issues, as recently as last fall, October 2024. 

In addition to Badfinger, Joey also released several solo albums over the years. After leaving Badfinger in the mid-70's, Joey formed the band Natural Gas, which released one album, Natural Gas, in 1976, which is also quite good. His solo albums include After The Pearl (1983), The Pilgrim (1992), Basil (1997), This Way Up (2001), Return to Memphis (2013), and his most recent work, Be True to Yourself (2020). I have recently listened to all these albums and they are good, generally a bit more laid back than the Badfinger days, but filled with great songs throughout. No, not up to the level of classic Badfinger, but quite enjoyable. 

One other thing that Joey was noted for, and that is just being a great guy. Although I never got to meet him, those that did always say how warm and kind he was, and so appreciative and giving towards his fans. He would often talk with and spend time with fans, being very generous and gracious.  

As the last surviving member, Joey's passing essentially closes the book on the great band Badfinger, an immensely talented group of musicians that produced much incredible music, endured great hardship, personal tragedies and loss. But Joey kept going for 50 years after the devastating loss of Pete, and later Tom. Joey, may you rest in peace and perhaps be reunited with your former bandmates in the afterlife.  Here's to the outstanding musical legacy of Joey, Badfinger, and all its members. The music will live on forever.


  

Friday, February 21, 2025

BB's Album Rankings - Badfinger

 

BB's Album Rankings - Badfinger

In honor of the much-delayed official release (50 years after recording) of the last original Badfinger album, Head First, in December 2024, rather than just reviewing that long lost album, I'm going to use this opportunity to take a look back at the entire wonderful Badfinger discography, to re-assess and evaluate their music, greatness, and importance in rock history. They've always been a favorite of mine, but their tragic story has always somewhat overshadowed and undermined their talent and musical accomplishments. Badfinger was one of the very first, and probably best ever, power pop band. They embodied all of the features that make power pop such a great form of rock music; powerful rockin riffs and rhythms coupled with great pop melodies and catchy hooks, as well as great vocals and harmonies. Casual listeners know Badfinger for exactly 4 songs: Come and Get It, No Matter What, Day After Day, and Baby Blue, their only 'hits', and many have never heard anything else by the band. But Badfinger is so much more than that, with a catalog of songs and albums just brimming with great and classic tracks. A truly talented and underrated band, that despite incredible hardship, mismanagement, terrible luck and twisted fate, produced some very remarkable music over a way-too-short period of time.

Originally formed as The Iveys in 1961 in Swansea, Wales, and after some personnel changes in the mid-sixties, they became the first band other than The Beatles signed to the Apple label in 1968. Following a limited release (only in Italy, Germany, and Japan) of an Iveys album (Maybe Tomorrow), and after changing their name to Badfinger (after the Beatles working song title 'Bad Finger Boogie'), the first Badfinger album, Magic Christian Music, was released in 1970. Their first single as Badfinger was the McCartney written and produced Come and Get It. After one more key personnel change around that time, the classic Badfinger line-up was set: Pete Ham (vocals, guitar, piano), Tom Evans (vocals, bass), Joey Molland (vocals, guitar), and Mike Gibbins (drums, backing vocals), with all three of Ham, Evans, and Molland being excellent and prolific songwriters as well, and even drummer Mike Gibbins also contributed some fine songs (usually one per album). Pete Ham was a premier songwriter, specializing in sweet pop-rock songs, with heavenly vocals, great melodies and arrangements, and was also a virtuoso lead guitarist. Joey Molland added a bit more of a harder rock element, but also wrote some beautiful ballads as well. Tom Evans also covered both the pop and rock aspects equally well, but each member had their own unique style, and the combined vocal harmonies of the band were sensational. That line-up would produce multiple remarkable albums before everything went horribly wrong due to extreme mismanagement and financial malfeasance from their business manager, Stan Polley, who worked them hard and robbed them blind, leading to the suicide of Pete Ham in 1975, and years later, the suicide of Tom Evans, in 1983. I've chronicled much of the history of the band in previous posts, so I won't go into much detail here, but there are a few elements that need to be covered. Following Pete's death and the demise of Badfinger in 1975, Joey, Tom, and Mike went to other bands, which were not very successful (Joey, Natural Gas; Tom, The Dodgers; Mike, Flying Aces). By 1977, the boys were completely out of music for awhile. Joey then got an offer to join a new band with a couple of Americans, Joe Tansin (guitar/vocals) and Kenny Harck (drums), in Los Angeles, CA. Since they also needed a bassist, Joey asked Tom to join as well. When they were shopping some demos of the new band around, they found that the record labels were only interested if they took on the Badfinger name (which did not sit well with the previous members), so they became the new version of Badfinger. But drummer Harck was fired during the recording sessions, and Tansin was not happy how Molland/Evans took over and quit shortly after completing their album, Airwaves, in 1979. For their tour to promote the new album, Joey recruited Tony Kaye (Yes) and Peter Clarke (Stealer's Wheel) on drums. Then, with the addition of guitarist Glenn Sherba and Richard Bryan on drums (replacing Peter Clarke), this new version of the band recorded and released another new album, Say No More, in 1981. These newer albums were generally not very well-received, but are actually quite good and honorably carry on the Badfinger name. Unfortunately, there was (and is) a large contingent that maintained No Pete Ham=Not Badfinger=Not Good. But if the albums are evaluated for the music they create, and not what is missing, they are really good, make a positive contribution to the Badfinger legacy, with some songs that rank right up among the best of the band. But after the failure of Say No More, they could not get another record deal, and Joey and Tom split for good to each form their own competing touring versions of Badfinger, and eventually led to Tom taking his own life in 1983. Subsequently, Joey continued to tour as Joey Molland's Badfinger periodically over the years. I was able to catch his band in 1986, which at that time also included Mike Gibbins. They put on a great show. Molland has also released multiple (5) solo albums, Mike Gibbins also released some solo albums, as well as posthumous collections of demos and home recordings from Pete Ham and Tom Evans. A couple of live Badfinger albums as well as several different compilation albums have also been released. Mike Gibbins passed away in 2005, leaving Joey as the last survivor from the classic lineup. Recently, Joey has undergone some major health issues related to complications from diabetes resulting in extended hospital care (Get well Joey!).

Thus, Badfinger produced 9 studio albums overall (4 for Apple, 1969-1973, 3 for Warner Brothers, 1974, and 2 as the Joey and Tom-led reformed version of the band, 1979-1981). I am not including the earlier The Iveys album (Maybe Tomorrow, 1969), as half of the songs from that album were re-recorded and released on the Magic Christian Music album (as well as additional songs were included as bonus tracks on later releases).

But before getting to the ranking, a little background on Head First, and its long-delayed final release. After finishing recording Wish You Were Here in late summer, 1974, and preparing for a UK tour in the fall, Pete Ham, fed up with the financial hardship and mismanagement, quit the band. So, keyboard player/vocalist Bob Jackson (The Fortunes) was brought in for the tour. But at the urging of the label (who wasn't interested in the band without Ham, or in Ham as a solo act), Pete re-joined the band 3 weeks later and joined the tour (with Jackson also staying on). Following the tour, Joey Molland left the band, and Polley forced the band right back into the studio to record another album quickly (in order to receive more advance money), even though by this time, lawsuits were being filed by Warners against Polley and the band for financial mismanagement. With little preparation, the band were given 14 days to record the new album. The album that resulted (without Joey, but with Bob Jackson) was dubbed Head First, but was rejected by the label due to the ongoing legal issues, and distribution of Wish You Were Here was also halted just 7 weeks after release, and all of the band's finances, as well as their ability to even perform gigs, were tied up in legal issues. And there the album sat for decades. Over the period from Fall of 1972 to December 1974, the band recorded 4 full studio albums and went on four separate tours (2 in the UK and 2 in the U.S.), for which they were paid peanuts via a meager 'salary' doled out by Polley, and after which all band money disappeared. Many years later, after resolution of the lawsuits, there was a move to finally release the album, but the master tapes were lost and could not be recovered. However, an engineer's copy of some rough mixes were eventually released, somewhat unofficially, in 2000. So, the songs were finally heard, although in a less than ideal form. But Bob Jackson continued to search for the missing Master tapes, which were eventually found in 2023. This led to Jackson overseeing the restoring and remixing of the tapes, and the full fidelity version of the album was finally released in December 1974, exactly 50 years after recording, thus closing the final chapter of the Badfinger musical legacy. More on the album itself later.

But now, on to my ranking of all the Badfinger albums, from my least favorite to most favorite (their is no worst, or even bad, as all the Badfinger albums range from at least very good to timeless masterpiece). As always, these rankings represent my own personal opinions, based on years of listening. Of course, your own opinion and rankings may differ.   

Airwaves (1978)  


It's tough having to place any Badfinger album as being last, because they all are so good, and although this does not have the classic Badfinger lineup, and wasn't even intended to be called a Badfinger album, it is still a really good album. This is the first album of the re-formed band, which is not generally held in high regard simply because it does not have Pete Ham, as well as the way it came about. But, as for the album itself, it is actually quite good, showing a really nice power pop sound and style (with a good blend of power and pop). It has two dynamite pop singles (Lost Inside Your Love, Love is Gonna Come At Last) that shoulda/coulda been big hits (but weren't), a couple good rockers, some nice ballads (and a beautiful closing ballad from Tom). Joe Tansin also has a couple of good songs (but sung by Joey and Tom, not Tansin). Some have complained that it just doesn't sound like Badfinger, and that may be, but then it was now 1979, and the music world, and particularly pop music, had changed. The songs are varied, with some more along the lines of Supertramp and ELO, but a quite nice pop/rock sound. Really the only negatives here are that it is an extremely short album (8 songs, <31 min.), and the production tends towards the slick West Coast sound popular at the time. And those are the only reasons that this album comes in just a bit behind the others. That, plus the fact that the best songs on this album are not quite as good as the best from the other albums. Still, a very good album overall. Best Tracks: Love is Gonna Come at Last, Lost Inside Your Love, Come Down Hard, The Winner, Sail Away, The Dreamer. Rating: 3.5ó

Magic Christian Music (1970)

The first album released by Apple under the Badfinger name (following the limited release of Maybe Tomorrow by the Iveys). It is a strong debut, headed by the McCartney written and produced single, Come and Get It, consisting of catchy pop tunes and wonderful vocal harmonies. The only problem with the album is that it contains too many sweet vocal pop songs and not enough more rockin' tracks. Thus, it misrepresents the variety and range of the band and presents them more as a vocal pop group, when they are so much more. The style of the songs also are more in line with mid-sixties (1965-67) pop than current for 1970, although the band does try to inject some more modern elements in several songs. The two songs that do show their rock side, Midnight Sun and Rock of All Ages, are among the best on the album. This does show them as adept at creating pretty pop songs, but the power that would form their power pop sound is mostly absent here. Still, a fine collection of clever pop songs, and like the early Beatles albums, great for what they are, but the band would get much better in subsequent albums.  Best Tracks: Rock of All Ages, Midnight Sun, Carry On Till Tomorrow, Dear Angie, Come and Get It. Rating: 3.5ó

Badfinger (1974) tentatively titled For Love or Money, but label rejected title and released with no title

The band's 1st album for new label Warner Brothers, and rushed to completion in fall 1973. Although the album contained multiple great options to be successful singles, the label inexplicably released a couple of questionable choices for singles, Pete's I Miss You, a tender, pretty ballad, but not really single material, and Love is Easy, a lesser Molland rocker that unconvincingly re-vamped George Harrison's It's All Too Much, which both quickly sank, and didn't help album sales. Whereas, Shine On, Lonely You, or Song For a Lost Friend are wonderful pop songs that would've made fine singles. This album was also released just a month after Ass, which confused fans and hurt sales of both albums. The  album is a bit of a mixed bag, still very good, but they try out a bunch of different styles, and some work better than others. Joey has some good songs in Islands, which sounds kinda like Bad Company, Give It Up, a soaring power ballad, and Andy Norris, an energetic rocker. Matted Spam is a fun James Brown/Motown funk style song (with horns and all) from Pete, and Mike contributes a lovely acoustic gem in My Heart Goes Out. Overall, another very good album, but that just doesn't have the standout songs to put it among the best Badfinger albums. Best Tracks: Shine On, Give It Up, Lonely You, Matted Spam, Song For a Lost Friend, Andy Norris. Rating: 3.5ó

Ass (1973)  

Their last album for Apple (and the last non-Beatles release for Apple records), and the decline and poor promotion of Apple also factored into the lack of success for the album. Album opened with Apple of My Eye, which was Pete's bittersweet goodbye to Apple, and which was the only single released from the album. It is a beautiful, but quite somber track, and didn't succeed as a single. This album is dominated by Joey, contributing 5 of the 10 tracks (with Pete and Tom getting only 2 each, plus one from Mike), and because of that, this is perhaps the band's most rock-oriented album. Side 1 proceeds with 3 straight Joey tracks, the engaging rocker Get Away (which should have been a single), the power pop ballad Icicles, and the fun rocker The Winner. Side 1 closes with a great rocker from Tom, Blind Owl. Side 2 opens with probably the heaviest song they ever did, Joey's Constitution, which is more in the vein of Cream or Hendrix, and seems a bit out of place on this album, but it contains some great guitar work throughout. A beautiful love ballad from Pete follows, When I Say, then a country-tinged fun novelty from Mike, Cowboy. Joey then presents his lovely love ballad, I Can Love You. The album ends with its best track, their longest song (at nearly 8 min), the near-epic, Timeless, with its intense slow build and great guitar work. Overall, a lot going on this album, much variety between tracks, but some truly great moments throughout, and shows the great versatility of the band.      
Best Tracks: Timeless, Get Away, When I Say, Blind Owl, The Winner, Constitution, I Can Love You. Rating: 4ó

Head First (1974) 50th Anniversary Edition, 2024

For many years after the demise of Badfinger, most of us had no idea that there was a whole recorded but unreleased album out there. Even after reports and rumors of this album circulated, it was years until it could be heard. The first glimpse of the album that I was aware of came in 1990, when a compilation The Best of Badfinger Vol. 2 featured four songs from the as yet unreleased album. Which was quite exciting. But it was still not until 2000 that we heard the full album. And now with the 2024 50th Anniversary edition, we finally get to hear the album as it was meant to be heard. But is it any good? Could this album made under such rushed conditions live up to the high standards of other Badfinger albums. Well, I am happy to say that this album is much better than we had any right to expect, and despite being a bit short on songs, it is quite wonderful, and fits in well in their catalog, and even boasts some of the band's best songs. It contains two absolutely stellar Pete Ham songs, which should have been hit singles if given the chance, including the stunning album opener Lay Me Down, a power pop classic and one of Pete's very best, and Keep Believin', a wonderful pop ballad. Tom Evans contributes a couple of biting rockers showing their growing contempt with their management issues, in Hey Mr. Manager, and the fierce rocker Rock n' Roll Contract. Mike also has some fine moments on the album, particularly with the sweet acoustic gem Back Again. Mike's second track is the rather undeveloped Rockin' Machine, which is fine, but sounds more like an in-progress rehearsal version that would have been better kept as a bonus track or B-side (but does have some fine acoustic slide guitar from Pete). Bob Jackson provides a strong presence and makes a great case for his inclusion in the band, as well as demonstrating his rock credentials with the outstanding harder rock tracks of Turn Around and Passed Fast, each having somewhat of a Clapton-esque feel. Another winner is the band-written melodious lovely pop ballad Moonshine. The album closes with a short instrumental track based around an electric piano chord progression played by Pete, with accompaniment added later by Jackson and the band. Pretty, but doesn't really add much. Thus, with 8 core dynamite songs, this is a great, but short album (~32 min). Even with the couple short filler tracks, it comes in ~35 min. All that is missing to make this among the very best Badfinger albums would be a couple of great Joey Molland songs instead of those couple filler tracks. Best Tracks: Lay Me Down, Passed Fast, Turn Around, Rock n Roll Contract, Keep Believin', Moonshine. Rating: 4ó

Say No More (1981)

It may be sacrilege to some to rank this album above some of those from the 'classic' lineup, but I'm not sorry, as this album is not just good, not just great, it is absolutely fantastic and I love it! It surely deserves to be re-evaluated and honored for the classic it is. Over the past month that I have been preparing this ranking, I have listened to this album dozens of times, more than any other, and it is just so tuneful, catchy, energetic, engaging, and non-stop fun and enjoyment. Classic 80's power pop, through and through. After Airwaves, Tom and Joey needed some additional musicians to replenish the band, so added Tony Kaye (Yes) on keyboards, Glenn Sheba on guitar, and Richard Bryan on drums. Thus, they now had a real band again to record their next album, Say No More, which unfortunately turned out to be their last. Side one of this album is absolutely pure power pop perfection, with every song an absolute banger, and each of the first four tracks should have been big hit singles. The album kicks off with the blazing opener, Joey's I Got You, a great old-fashioned Rock n Roll stunner with great energy, melody, harmonies, and guitar licks, which is followed by Tom's Come On, more power pop greatness, and the beautiful Hold On, which was a semi-hit single but deserved better, and then Joey's Because I Love You, another would-be dynamite hit single in a more just world. The side closes with Tom's powerful rocker, Rock n Roll Contract, which yes, was a remake from the still as yet unreleased Head First album. But here, they do it even better, with a faster, more energetic version, with extended guitar solos. Side two is not quite as brilliant, but doesn't let up much, with a couple of melodic Molland rockers, Passin' Time and Three Time Loser, followed by Tom's pleasant ballad Too Hung Up on You. Then to finish the album, there is Tom's compelling swamp rocker Crocadillo and Joey's powerful and haunting No More. Overall, a great blend of pop and rock throughout. So much rockin' fun. Sure, the sound and style is not quite the same as the 'classic' Badfinger, but it was now the 80's and a different time, and this is some of the very best 80's power pop, perhaps more along the lines of Supertramp, ELO, Cheap Trick, or even The Who on some songs. Pete Ham is not there, but the great songs, melodies, and vocal harmonies are still there. Tony Kaye makes a welcome addition to the band, providing rollicking honky-tonk style piano on many tracks and providing a solid keyboard presence throughout. But the guitar licks are not diminished in any way, with Glenn Sherba added as second guitarist added and great guitar work throughout. Utterly fantastic album, pure power pop bliss from beginning to end, and the biggest surprise of the catalog when re-examined with fresh ears as just how great and underrated this album is. It's such a shame that this version of the band was not able to continue on, as it would have been great to hear more from this band throughout the 80's, and a little success here could have prevented the tragic loss of Tom.  Best Tracks: I Got You, Hold On, Come On, Because I Love You, Rock n Roll Contract, Too Hung Up On You, Passin' Time, No More, Crocadillo. Rating: 4.5ó

Wish You Were Here (1974)

Considered by many to be the band's masterpiece, and it is a great album, showing their growth and development as songwriters, arrangers, and performers of great pop and rock music, and no longer weighed down by comparisons with the Beatles, but there are still a couple albums that are even better. Another great opener with Just A Chance, featuring crunchy guitar riffs, a great melody, and exquisite harmony vocals. A gentle acoustic charmer with country-rock feel from Mike Gibbins, You're So Fine, follows (complete with slide guitar from Pete), and then Joey's beautifully mournful Gotta Get Out of Here (Joey's goodbye to the band?). But Pete's No One Knows is the weak spot on the album. Although it sounds great, the beautiful pop arrangement and production can't hide the weak, somewhat annoying nursery rhyme-type melody. Pete is a master of these types of buoyant pop songs, but this one just misses the mark. Much better is Ham's Dennis, another power pop gem, followed by In the meantime/Some Other Time a dynamite collaboration between Mike and Joey. These 2 songs highlight some new directions for the band, with a production style and sound similar to that being developed by Supertramp around that same time, incorporating some progressive rock elements and a more dynamic approach. Love Time is a beautiful melodic ballad from Joey, with tasty guitar fills and runs throughout. Tom has only one song on this album, the wonderful King of the Load, a melodious and sweet light rock gem. Concluding the album is another highlight, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch/Should I Smoke, a Ham/Molland collaboration that hits all the right notes with equal parts power and beauty, with great guitar playing, and although not that long, just feels epic in style/scope and the perfect close to the album. Unfortunately, the album never had the chance to succeed, with no singles released and the album pulled from release after only 7 weeks due to the lawsuits between the label and their manager. Subsequent re-releases have now established this album as the classic it is. Best Tracks: In the Meantime/Some Other Time, Dennis, Just a Chance, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch/Should I Smoke, King of the Load, You're So Fine. Rating: 4.5ó
 
No Dice (1970)

This was the album that should have established Badfinger as a powerhouse new rock band with commercial appeal, and not just the Beatles imitators that the critics and public had dubbed them, but the masses wouldn't have it. Opening with the snarling guitars of I Can't Take It, with its melodic verse and chorus, and sensational harmony vocals, they lay out their core sound, a compelling mix of rock and pop, soon to be dubbed power pop. I Don't Mind is a lovely ballad featuring those heavenly harmony vocals and Love Me Do, a basic rocker from Joey. But the album really kicks into high gear starting with the 4th track, Midnight Caller, and remains absolutely superb thoughout the rest of the album. Midnight Caller is a majestic, memorable ballad from Pete, which leads directly into the real showstopper and one of the greatest rock singles ever, No Matter What. With its opening guitar power chords, shimmering vocals, enticing melody and hooks, it is brilliant. If you're not quite sure just what is meant by power pop, this is it, the definitive power pop song, it has everything, and still comes in at exactly 3 min.  Next up is Without You, the moving, beautiful Evans/Ham power ballad that would become a #1 hit the world over, but not for Badfinger, for Harry Nilsson in the following year, and much later Mariah Carey, but this is the original, and it is wonderful, soulful, and wistful, and with the Procol Harum style organ outro. Then comes Blodwyn, a simple, but compelling and rousing country-rock campfire sing-a-long (with pedal steel accompaniment). Better Days is a great Tom and Joey collab blues-rocker highlighted again by the harmony vocals and Pete's slide guitar. Next is the first composition from Mike, It Had to Be, a moving ballad. Then comes Watford John, a rollicking blues-rock band collab featuring some great guitar and vocals, followed by Believe Me, a lovely song from Tom with a strong build to a powerful finish. And closing out this great album is another of the band's very best, We're For the Dark, an acoustic stunner, a beautiful song, sung and played so elegantly, with some nice orchestration (should also have been a single). Just a remarkable album from start to finish. Although this was the second Badfinger album, it was the first with Joey, and the added dimension he provides, in songwriting, playing, and vocals and harmonies is immense, and the real beginning of this great band. Best Tracks: No Matter What, We're For The Dark, Better Days, Midnight Caller, I Can't Take It, Without You, Blodwyn, Watford John. Rating: 4.5ó

Straight Up (1971)

As great as the previous albums are, this is the one, their true masterpiece, and one of my favorite albums of all time. Ever since first hearing this back in the 70's, it has always been a favorite, an undeniable classic and every song just about perfect. Unlike most of their other albums though, they don't start this one off with a lively rocker, but with Take It All, a somber but majestic and powerful Pete Ham song that sets the mood for the album. Next is Baby Blue, their iconic and soaring hit power pop single. Money and Flying, from Tom and Joey, fit right together with their brooding melodies and excellent vocal harmonies. Joey's I'd Die Babe (produced by George Harrison and sounds like it) is fantastic rousing pop-rock, with great guitar lines and vocals, and the side closes with Name of the Game, another great Pete Ham track with a gorgeous melody, great piano and vocal backing, building to a majestic finish. And side 2 is even better, kicking off with a couple of classic Joey tracks, Suitcase, a catchy bluesy rocker with Pete's slide accompaniment, and Sweet Tuesday Morning , a sensational acoustic gem, beautiful melody amid Pete's acoustic guitar mastery. Then comes Day After Day, another iconic hit single (also produced by George Harrison) and stunningly beautiful song and vocals (and with Pete and George's synchronized dual guitar leads). But that's not all, as next is Joey's tremendously catchy (and underrated) rocker, Sometimes, one of my very favorite rock songs ever. Great guitar work and those harmony vocals in the bridge are exquisite. This is followed by another underrated classic, Pete's Perfection, a wonderful, beautiful, and moving masterpiece of songwriting and vocals. To close thongs out is Tom's It's Over, a strong and lovely closer to this magnificent album.    What is most evident on this album is the development of Joey as a great songwriter (he has 4.5 great songs here), nearly matching the immense talent of Pete Ham, and with all three of them (Pete, Joey, and Tom) at their peak abilities, in songwriting, playing, arranging, and vocals, created this remarkable album. This was a difficult album for them, undergoing several recording attempts and multiple producers, but the final result is an all-time classic. Best tracks: Sometimes, Perfection, Day After Day, Baby Blue, Sweet Tuesday Morning, I'd Die Babe, Suitcase, Take It All. Rating: 5ó

BB’s Rating scale:

1ó – Terrible, torturous to have to listen to
1.5ó - Poor, not worth your time
2 ó – Fair, maybe a couple half-way decent songs, but sub-par overall
2.5ó – Average, OK, meh, not bad but not that good either
3ó – Good, solid album, several good songs, but not spectacular. Certainly worthy, but may not be something you come back to very often
3.5ó – Very good album. Some stellar tracks, very enjoyable overall
4ó – Great album, filled with great songs, one that you will want to come back to over and over again
4.5ó – Excellent album, beyond great, superb in every way, just short of a masterpiece 
5ó – A Masterpiece, among the greatest albums of its type, and has stood the test of time

OK, that's how I see the Badfinger catalog, truly wonderful music from this band throughout its existence, and such a shame that such great musical voices and people as Pete Ham and Tom Evans had their lives cut short. What could they have produced had they lived for another 40-50 years? 

Disagree with my rankings/ratings? Let's hear what you have to say about Badfinger.

 For more on Badfinger, check out all my previous posts, with more info and concert posts.