Mr. Big – Live from the Living Room (review)

Mr. Big – Live From the Living Room
(2012, Frontiers Records)

1. Undertow … 5:30
2. Still Ain’t Enough For Me … 3:24
3. As Far As I Can See … 4:05
4. Voodoo Kiss … 4:11
5. Take Cover … 5:34
6. Around the World … 4:23
7. Stranger In My Life … 5:15
8. All the Way Up … 5:17
9. To Be With You … 4:35
10. Nobody Left to Blame … 5:54

Band:
Eric Martin – Lead Vocals
Paul Gilbert – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Billy Sheehan – Bass, Backing Vocals
Pat Torpey – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

Producer: Mr. Big & Pat Regan

Recorded during January 2011 in Tokyo, Japan in front of a small studio audience, Live from the Living Room captures Mr. Big’s very first acoustic show. Since the show was done during and for promotion of 2010’s What If… album, seven of the ten tracks from this set are stripped down versions of songs from that album. Of course it’d be crazy for Mr. Big to do their first ever acoustic show and not perform their biggest hit “To Be With You” (from 1991’s Lean Into It). Completing the set is “Voodoo Kiss”, which comes from the same album as “To Be With You” and “Take Cover” from 1996’s Hey Man.

Technically speaking, the band is very good. That should come as no surprise. Eric Martin sounds great and obviously Paul Gilbert & Billy Sheehan haven’t lost a step over the years. But… Mr. Big has never been one of my favorite bands. Despite the fact that they are great musicians, I’ve never really felt a big connection to them outside a few songs. Still, this live acoustic album should be an enjoyable listen that’s sure to please those that are big fans of What If… and Mr. Big in general.

Highlights: “Undertow”, “Take Cover”, “Around the World”, “Stranger In My Life”, “To Be With You”

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Buy ‘Live From the Living Room’ at Amazon.com