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Airwaves { Bonus Tracks }

Badfinger - Airwaves { Bonus Tracks } Audio CD

A fair review of the Badfinger "Airwaves { Bonus Tracks }" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Badfinger reviews here, or go back to the Badfinger tabs.

Band: Badfinger
Title: Airwaves { Bonus Tracks }
Rating:

Release Date: 1999-06-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Airwaves 2: Look Out California 3: Lost Inside Your Love 4: Love Is Gonna Come at Last 5: Sympathy 6: Winner 7: Dreamer 8: Come Down Hard 9: Sail Away 10: One More Time [#] 11: Send Me Your Love [#] 12: Steal My Heart [#] 13: Love Can't Hide [#] 14: Can You Feel the Rain [#]

Nothing special, but worth picking up for a few songs
The original album was a not unpleasant collection of tunes, with a few that even hinted at the greatness that had somehow slipped away from the band years earlier. This was an odd cd release of an unfairly ignored, late 70's comeback attempt by Tom Evans and Joey Molland. Even when they weren't at their best, the results were far from bad, but the cd release was done by some hanger-on who was a part of the project at one point, but quit before the album came out. All these years later, this wannabe has packaged the original album with several "bonus" tracks that he wrote at the time of his involvement with the album or because he was inspired by the later death of Tom Evans. PUH-LEEZE! Can you say cash grab? The Badfinger name has been dragged through the mud enough by assorted people over the years, to the point that one has to view anything except the original Apple and WB releases with a critical eye, wondering if someone had sweetened them or worse, re-done them in a nefarious plan to line their own pockets. The original Airwaves stuff is worth having if you're a big fan, but not by any means essential to the novice Badfinger fan. I'm hoping that the Tuesday re-release has the "bonus" tracks cut and left in the toilet where they belonged.

Good Songs on an Uneven Album
Of course he is sadly missed on this album, which only feaures two earlier members ; Tom Evans and Joey Molland. Airwaves from 1979 was the first Badfinger album to be released without Pete Ham, who tragically committed suicide in 1975. After Pete's death the group disbanded and both Tom and Joey were in other bands.
In 1978 they felt like reuniting and drummer Mike Gibbins were also to a rehearsal before this recording. Unfortunately Mike quickly left again and he is therefore not on this album. The line-up is: Tom Evans: bas vocals; Joey Molland: guitar, vocals; Joe Tansin: lead guitar; Ken Harck: drums; Andy Newmark: drums and Nicky Hopkins: keyboards. Ken Harck left during the recording and he was replaced by Andy Newmark to finish the album. Joe Tansin left soon after the final recordings. Nicky Hopkins only work a session musician; he was not a member of the band.

The popular pop/rock music had changed during the 5 years since the last Badfinger album, so obviously the album had to be different from their earlier albums. Producer David Malloy has often been critizised for poor production on this Badfinger album. "He had not been able to find the real Badfinger-sound". I think that's an unfair and wrong concluson. Actually a lot of the album is really good. Tom Evans' songs Lost Inside Your Love and Sail Away are true highlights. Joey's Love is Gonna Come at Last is a very commercial number and it was released a single; it did not do very well, though. The Dreamer, also by Joey, is a nice ballad, a track you may not discover the first two or three times you listen to the album; but it gets better every time. Joe Tansin wrote two songs for the album; Sympathy and The Winner. Sympathy is too commercial for my taste, almost disco-like; The Winner is a rocker similar to many of Joey's songs. Tansin shows on several tracks that he's a fabulous guitarist and some of the weaker tracks are helped a lot from his guitarplaying. The original playing time was rather short, so luckily this CD version feature 5 bonus tracks of which "Send Me Some Love", "Can You Feel The Rain" and "One More Time" are very good.

Sounds like your typical late-70's rock/pop music...
The late seventies were some bad years for rock music, in my opinion, and this album doesn't offer up anything too special. Airwaves sees the salvaged band of Badfinger perhaps trying a little too hard to have a hit record. Despite what Elecktra Records apparently said at the time, I don't agree that the album sounds much like Badfinger (save for the voices, of course).
The simple, 30-second acoustic guitar opener begins the album light-weightedly and zaps right into "Look Out California," one of the better tracks, where the band sings about being "back in the airwaves. " It's a good rocker, very good considering the year it was made. "Lost Inside Your Love" sounds like a half-ballad, but isn't very memorable. Fleeting member Joe Tansin's two contributions, "Sympathy" and "The Winner," sung by Tom Evans & Joey Molland, respectively, don't help the overall album much. "Sympathy" has a cool guitar riff, but the vocals and beat become a bit too disco-sounding for my tastes. The song which reportedly kicked off the sessions for Airwaves, the well-meaning "The Winner," isn't too much better.
Joey really proves his worth on this album, contributing most of the better tracks. "Love Is Gonna Come At Last" is a soft rocker and a very delicious slice of pop, and placed perfectly on the album. "The Dreamer" is a near-grandiose ballad, whose majestic arrangement clashes nicely with Joey's rough voice. However, "Come Down Hard," probably the hardest on the album, isn't anything special. Despite Joey's strong showing, it's Tom who steals the spotlight at the end with the beautiful piano ballad "Sail Away," where he sings about carrying on, a phrase, ironically, Badfinger seemed to use a lot.
The bonus tracks, unfortunately, aren't worth much. For starters, three of them shouldn't even be considered Badfinger tracks. The ones I'm referring to are "Send Me Your Love," "Steal My Heart," and "Can You Feel The Rain. " The former two were recorded by Tansin during the mid-80's (ew). The reason why they are included with the album is because he wrote them during the Airwaves sessions. "Can You Feel The Rain" was written later after Tom's suicide and recorded expressly for this reissue. All three are pretty bad. Even Joey Molland's "Love Can't Hide," co-written by him & Tansin and recorded for the reissue, isn't too good. The only bonus track which truely belongs is "One More Time" (featuring Tansin's lead vocal), which was actually recorded during the Airwaves sessions but not used. . . and it's pretty easy to see why.
In short, if you're currently in the process of collecting Badfinger's albums like I am, you probably shouldn't make Airwaves a high priority.

Beautiful Album
I started getting into Badfingers music shortly after Peter Ham died. I bought this LP back in 1979 and it quickly became one of my all time favourite albums. Though it does miss the sounds of Pete's voice and songs, I'm glad Tommy and Joey got together to make this album.

Sometimes the signal gets a little lost or garbled
The founding member's suicide in 1975 saddened fans of the band and put a creative strain on the remaining members. Without Pete Ham Badfinger floundered. It also sapped their creative energy. Reportedly both Evans and Molland had their doubts about continuing the Badfinger name. The expectations would be high for their work even without Ham. Still, it did guarentee an audience in the form of the band's fans. Remaining members Joey Molland and Tom Evans () are joined by guitarist/ vocalist Joe Tasnin. Mike Gibbins had been invited back, but fired shortly before recording of Airwaves began. He is sorely missed although session player Andy Newmark and temporary member Ken Harck do an admirable job on most of the songs. Inspite of all this Airwaves succeeds more often than it fails.

While the songs are catchy and well written, the arrangements are a little MOR and reflect the lost vitality and uncertainity of the band. Producer David Malloy is frequently criticized for his "over the top" production style, but, in all fairness, it does recall the detailed production work by Todd Rundgren and George Harrison from Straight Up. He seems to be compensating for some of the weaker material. Sail Away, Look Out California amd Love is Gonna Come At Last all would have fit right in with the quality material on Straight Up or No Dice.

The late session ace Nicky Hopkins helps to flesh out the band's sound. Despite the evident flaws on this album, it's nice to have Airwaves back after a twenty year absence.

The follow up Say No More would boast sharper songwriting from Evans and Molland. Say No More had considerable spark despite pedestrian production due to the inclusion of Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye as a full time member of the band. That album also benefited from Richard Bryans who replaced Mike Gibbins briefly when Gibbins quit in the 70's. Both albums should be added to any fan's collection although they might not be the place to start for new fans.

You can see a complete list of all Badfinger discography, or go back to the Badfinger tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.