Mr. Big – Back To Budokan

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A double live album was the inevitable product of Mr. Big’s reunion tour with all four original members, and Japan was the obvious location for it to be recorded, given their enduring popularity there. And where all of their live albums have been recorded to date. Despite their reputation for shred playing, most of Mr. Big’s songs are rather lacking in much technical playing, while others deliver in spades (Alive And Kickin’, Temperamental, Addicted To That Rush, Colorado Bulldog), but bassist Billy Sheehan and guitarist Paul Gilbert take every opportunity to show off their considerable chops, during the four minutes of jamming the two share at the start of the second disc between Gilbert’s three-minute solo segment and The Whole World’s Gonna Know, and then Sheehan’s six-minute solo later on. Pat Torpey’s playing on the songs is as good as ever, but his own solo during the first disc is poor. Almost every fan-favourite Mr. Big track appears here, along with covers of Smoke On The Water, Hold Your Head Up (Argent) and Baba O’Riley and mid-paced new song Next Time Around, and the mix of the instruments is excellent. However, Eric Martin’s vocals, sounding strangely like Chris Rock much of the time, are very high in the mix and this is particularly evident when the bonus studio tracks (studio versions of Next time Around and the Argent cover – much better than the live version – plus a newly recorded acoustic version of mega-hit To Be With You) start as his vocals are at a more sensible level in the mix. Pretty complete for the fans begging for this reunion, but won’t be converting anyone else.

Written by Andy Lye
More: Hard Rock, Live Albums, Quick.Play Reviews, Mr. Big