What If...

What If... is a work on which MR. BIG, making use of the reunited members’ chemistry, freely sounded everything from catchy rock numbers to lyrical ballads. The technique of Paul Gilbert and Billy Sheehan shines throughout, but is used to heighten the fun of the songs. It is a long-awaited record on which the original members regathered. On “Undertow,” “American Beauty” and “Stranger In My Life,” Eric Martin’s singing and the band’s choruses melt naturally, adding a relaxed warmth to the seasoned playing. Songs like “Nobody Left to Blame” and “Around the World” breathe the band’s full playing too. Even after a long hiatus, the four’s chemistry has not dimmed in the least. It is a full post-reunion record on which MR. BIG’s appeal can be confirmed anew.