Category Archives: MR BIG
MR BIG Bitter Streets
Not until the title track ‘Bitter Streets’ are we finally dealing with some guitar sounds embedded in a sublime song…’God Save Me From The Blues’ is one of the best tracks, featuring more energetic riffs, solos, staccato drums, and vocals…Two bonus tracks are included, the beautiful ‘Close My Eyes’ with a Dire Straits influence – great guitar playing too. The album’s concluded by ‘Dreamed’, with excellent keyboard work….This comeback release will please the fans, and those who enjoy well-composed pop melodies.
Highlands Magazine (September 2016 – translated)
This is pure melodic pop rock loaded with delicious melodies and strong lead vocals. The songs are lushly orchestrated and many fall into the mid-tempo ballad category. Addictive choruses and tasty but not very complex musicianship abound so if you are into melodic pop and rock music Bitter Streets will provide much enjoyment. Songs like the album opening “Come And Dance” and the pretty piano laced “Georgia” will certainly appeal to the pop rock crowd. The country tinged “My Sweet Medicine” is another tasty melodic pop rock morsel. The soaring vocal melodies are a high point throughout the album. Occasionally, the band rock out a bit as in the bluesy boogie of “God Save Me From The Blues”. Also included is a reworked version of “Romeo”, as catchy as anything on the disc.
Sea Of Tranquility (July 2016)
Best known for 1977′s top-five hit ‘Romeo’, Mr Big were probably denied continued chart success by the junk that was punk. The band loosely re-formed in 2010 to record the new album ‘Bitter Streets’ and this is technically a reissue of that album, with a couple of bonus tracks and a further updated version of ‘Romeo’. An album of pure Radio 2 pop-rock…if only they’d stop trying so hard to be trendy at that radio station and give it some airplay, it would probably break through. It’s that good.
Truck & Driver (June 2016)
The ’70s may ooze out of many a pore, yet when tunes are as arresting as “Baby Come Around” or as life-affirming as the sunny “Sandy” with its almost baroque backdrop, the drift is timeless. So Dicken may cast another dreamlike glance over his shoulder on the exquisitely textured bonus “Close My Eyes” and sail away on acoustic lull: the streets he still walks on are full of sweet light rather than bitter tears. ****1/3
DMME.net (June 2016)
The guys in Mr Big are back. But upon hearing the fresh pop sounds on Bitter Streets you’d never know they disbanded in the first place. This band originally made a big splash way back in 1977 with their hit single “Romeo.” Like so many bands, however, follow up recordings failed to reach the success of that single and they eventually threw in the towel. The band members did eventually form a new band called Broken Home, but that only lasted for a while…before they decided to re-fuel Mr Big.
Recorded in 2010, Bitter Streets finds the band returning to something quite similar to their original sound (there’s even a re-recording of “Romeo” here). Streets sounds very much like a non-stop string of potential hits. And this release also includes two bonus tracks (“Close My Eyes” and “Dreamed”). Hopefully this album will reignite the flame that began so many years ago. These guys still have a fresh inviting sound–you’d never know they’ve been around for as long as they have. A good solid release.
babysue (June 2016)
Posted in Bitter Streets, MR BIG
Leave a comment
MR BIG Seppuku
I find it unbelievable that EMI chose not to release this album first time round (in 1978). It is to Angel Air’s credit they have tracked down the master tapes and finally released this album. It is not just a good album, it is a great album that will appeal to anyone who likes guitar-based rock. Essential.
Adrian Perkins(February 2001)
It is good to hear this ‘surprisingly’ rocky album, they were a rather talented outfit, that probably suffered through the arrival of new wave/punk rock. The album kicks off with my favourite ‘Senora’, which is a great tune. It has Ian Hunter written all over it, and if Mott The Hoople had recorded it, would have gone top 40!
Jilly’s Rock Club, Manchester (January 2001)
…Mr Big were very much a hard rock band but with a very melodic edge and a penchant for luscious vocal harmonies accentuated by the wonderful voice of main vocalist/guitarist/chief songwriter Dicken…Each track is melodic rock at it’s very best…One of the great lost albums and lost bands of the ’70s…
Steve Ward, Wondrous Stories (March 2001)
…Consigned to the Abbey Road vaults in 1978, ‘Seppuku’ was intended to be English five-piece Mr.Big’s third album. That a major label would simply bury a record as good as this is unfathomable…Even more puzzingly, ‘Seppuku’ was overseen by no less a star than Ian Hunter…Hunter’s praise for Mr Big head honcho Dicken seemingly knew no bounds…such lavish praise wasn’t wholy without substance…Two decades later, the members of Mr Big must still be pondering the cruel insanity of the music business.
Dave Ling, Classic Rock (April 2001)
…there are some excellent numbers, from the glammy vocoder-assisted “Woman” to the Queen-esque “Here It Comes Again”, replete with full-on harmonies, building piano and synths and a tough backbeat…”You Won’t See Me” is a superb slab of hard AOR, and the title track brings to mind Saxon at their majestic best, culminating in an epic finale. Well worth collaring.
Tim Jones, Record Collector (April 2001)
1978 was clearly not a good year to be a rock band. Musically, it’s kind of Queen-Meets-Mott…pleasant enough
Michael Heatley, Record Buyer (April 2001)
…fall sonically somewhere between the lofty pretense of Queen, the orchestral swoosh of Yes and the blustery bombast of Styx…The songs range from heart-rending,Bic-igniting areana-styled power ballads to intricately arranged rockers…
Colin Bryce, Mohair Sweets (March 2001)
…this Ian Hunter produced album captured the band making delightful, richly harmonised music that really should have seen them go on to bigger and better things. However, all good things come to those who wait and this selection of finely-constructed soft rock is a timely release and no mistake
Hartlepool Mail (April 2001)
Dicken has a good voice and the songs are strong enough, and it is a shame that although he is still working and recording today he is only really known for one song 24 years ago. Another good booklet from Angel Air.
Feedback (May 2001)
…Mr Big’s third album reveals the band to be firmly pursuing, indeed, a Springsteen-esque line in high definition rock…though Seppuku may not exactly qualify as a lost classic, it can certainly be called a misplaced goodie.
Jo-Ann Greene, Goldmine, (May 2001)
Musically there’s some nice work especially on guitar…Pleasant enough
Modern Dance (November 2001)
…it’s perhaps no surprise that there was no 1978 release for this album;it would have been far too hard to categorise. In some ways it has an AOR feel, and so was rather ahead of its time…Seppuku might at last find an audience…
Zabadak, No.18
…it’s a very, very good album indeed and EMI should be bloody well ashamed that they didn’t put it out first time around…thanks to Angel Air justice is finally done.
Two Miles From Heaven, (November 2001)
Before there was ERIC MARTIN’s MR. BIG in the USA, there was a UK band called MR. BIG in the 1970s. They scored a massive hitsingle with “Romeo”, and released 2 albums on EMI records before being droppped by the label. However, the band recorded a third album titled ‘Seppuku’, which was produced by IAN HUNTER. The album never saw the light of day until now, because ANGEL AIR RECORDS has released the 3rd album of MR. BIG on CD.
The music is very 70s, so Pop and Rocksongs melt together. The ballads are very soft (of a SMOKIE and ROD STEWART kind), but if we have a look at the rockers on this album we can hear some great catchy melodic rockers that sound like a mix between REO SPEEDWAGON, STYX and BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE.
These are the songs: “Place your bets” (hello 70s REO SPEEDWAGON!), “Here it comes again” (a more AORish ballad), “Goosestep” (quirky poprocker a la CITY BOY), “Tonight” (typical early 80s poprocker), “Behind enemy lines” (good rough 70s rocker), “Seppuku” (epic piece, very STYX orientated semi-rocker) and “You won’t see me” (uptempo hard Glamrocker with an AOR/Pomp chorus). The band featured a great lead singer (with an AOR type of voice) and the songs were mostly of a high quality. Fans of the band must buy this ‘new’ record a.s.a.p! (7.5/10)
Strutter magazine (August 2003)
Posted in MR BIG, Seppuku
Leave a comment
Angel Air Twitter
