Mr. Big came on the scene in the late 1980s, with their classic anthem “To Be With You” becoming one of the biggest songs of the early 1990s. The group’s classic lineup featured vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert (formerly of Racer X), Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey. Lineups fluctuated a bit over the years, with the group even having Richie Kotzen as a member at one point. Interestingly, the group proved to be even more popular in Japan than the United States, but has continued to tour and record over the years despite changes in the music business and ever-fluctuating trends. Sadly, classic drummer Pat Torpey passed away in 2018, which prompted a farewell tour… and a farewell album.
TEN is that album. To fill the void left by Torpey’s passing, the group has recruited Nick D’Virgilio to fill the drum stool. Gilbert, Sheehan, and Martin are all present, delivering what the band has claimed will be the final album they ever do. So… how does the final album from this classic and much-beloved band measure up?
I will admit I had to do some research before reviewing this album; my familiarity with Mr. Big was mainly limited to the band’s first three albums. I had no idea they had ten of them, including the newest effort, and apparently, they have even more in the way of live albums! That said, this was an album I was definitely eager to listen to, seeing how the group decided to go out.
And I must say, the results may be a little different than what you’re expecting, but they’re definitely excellent. From start to finish, TEN doesn’t feel like the glam rock of the late 80s/early 90s that most people know this band for. It feels more like a throwback to the late 60s/early 70s blues-based hard rock that the band was such fans of. The name Mr. Big was actually taken from a song by the band Free, and this feels like the perfect homage to that bygone era of rock and roll. Many of these tracks almost feel like they’d be more at home on one of the releases from Billy Sheehan’s other project, The Winery Dogs. But that’s not necessarily a band thing. It’s an amazing trip back in time musically, and the band wanted to spread their wings one last time, it’s a damn good one to go out on. Don’t be surprised to see TEN show up on my Best of the Year list when the time comes.
If this is truly the end for Mr. Big, they’ve given us one last great record that the late Pat Torpey would be proud of. TEN comes highly recommended!