Actual Size

Actual Size is a work that plainly shows the mix of funk, hard rock and pop that MR. BIG had during the Richie Kotzen period. Even where the playing is advanced, it does not tilt toward showing off, prioritizing the songs’ hooks. It is a record from the new lineup, made welcoming Richie Kotzen as Paul Gilbert’s successor. On “Lost In America,” “Shine” and “Arrow,” though with a different coloring from the Paul Gilbert period, the rhythm section of Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey shows unchanged drive. Songs like “Wake Up,” “One World Away” and “Crawl Over Me” breathe the band’s full playing too. Kotzen’s personality, showing talent not only as a guitarist but as a songwriter, adds a new appeal. It is a full record on which matured playing and accessible melody balance.