Mr. Big is among the most technically proficient hard rock bands, and that's a fact, not open to discussion. Having released their self-titled debut album in 1989, the band didn't achieve much success, and it took them another two years to experience what it means to have a major hit in their career.
You may not know the band by name, but you've definitely heard the classic ballad "To Be With You," a pure declaration of love that touches the hearts of lovers. Released in 1991, Lean Into It is the American band's most popular album and a true greatest hits collection.
Why am I saying this? Simple. Because some of the best songs in their discography are part of this work. Differing from their studio album, it's possible to perceive a more mature band, with each member understanding better how the others functioned, resulting in a sound more oriented towards hard rock, unlike their first, self-titled work, which already has a review here on the site .
Lean Into It is available at the Wikimetal Store, along with Mr. Big . Click here to check it out .
I never thought I'd see musicians using drills to create their compositions. But that's exactly what happens in "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song)". Featuring Eric Martin , the track also includes bassist Billy Sheehan and guitarist Paul Gilbert performing solos with the equipment, resulting in a fast and unique experience.
The music is upbeat and a great track to kick off the recording.
“Alive and Kickin’” comes next, with a great guitar intro that’s soon joined by the other instruments, especially the drums. But the highlight of the track is Martin, with his iconic vocals, accompanied by the detail of the backing vocals, which make a nice difference.
In addition to the instrumental sound being more well-established, the lyrics themselves are also better crafted.
The third track on the album is one of its most emblematic. “Green Tinted Sixties Mind” is the perfect example of what Mr. Big does: good songs, with technique and maintaining a good melody. The best moment of it is the bridge, which precedes the final chorus, in an impeccable way.
Another absolute highlight, not only from Lean Into It but also from Mr. Big's entire discography, is "CDFF - Lucky This Time." It's impossible to talk about this song without mentioning, once again, Eric Martin's vocals. Reaching incredibly high notes that give anyone goosebumps, the song was written by Jeff Paris and showcases one of the band's best moments.
Moving away from ballads for a moment, the guitar intro to "Voodoo Kiss" is responsible for setting the album in motion. Here, the band introduces one of the very interesting elements that they would feature more prominently in their later works: funk.
“Never Say Never” has a great structure, especially in the vocal parts, in such a way that it builds up until it reaches the chorus, when it becomes the best part of the song.
With another very well-crafted introduction, the saddest and most poignant song on the album, "Just Take My Heart" is also one of Mr. Big's best ballads. Everything fits together perfectly: the lyrics, the instrumental, the vocals. After Gilbert's great solo, there's an octave increase, making the song even more emotional, largely due to the vocalist's performance.
“My Kinda Woman” is a sensual song with a flawless performance by the band. The vocal contrasts between high and low notes in “A Little Too Loose” are a major highlight of the track, along with its slower, groovier feel, and Pat Torpey .
Once again, the vocal construction that Mr. Big offers the listener is an experience in itself, with "Road To Ruin". To conclude Lean Into It, "To Be With You" comes in the form of an acoustic ballad. Although it's a good song, the number of times it's already been played is a bit tiresome, but it remains a beautiful and very sincere declaration of love.
This album definitely doesn't have a single bad song. Every single one, without exception, is very well-crafted, so they aren't tiresome or the infamous "songs by musicians for musicians."
The guitar riffs, quite melodic, are essential to this perception. All the instrumentalists are extremely talented, with Sheehan being an example of technique, Torpey with all the necessary power, and Martin having one of the most iconic vocals in rock history.
Mr. Big's ballads are a trademark of the band, and here, we can see how much more evolved they are, as well as the rest of the songs, making this album the best in the band's discography.
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