Customer Reviews

Straight Up

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4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Straight Up" may be one of the most underrated albums in rock. From FM radio classics "Baby Blue" and "Day After Day," to the haunting gem "Name of the Game," this is British power pop at its best. There's not a bad song on the disc, and the production talents of George Harrison and Todd Rundgren bring out the best of the band's sound. Pick up a "greatest hits" package if you must, but "Straight Up" is essential listening for any fan of Badfinger, '70s power pop, or British rock. A masterpiece!

Every track from this rich, warm LP blows you away. Everything from Pete Ham's and George Harrison's slide guitars on "Day After Day" to Ham's hauntingly aching "Take It All." Every rock and pop fan should pick this CD up before it slips out of print. Badfinger initially were on the Beatles' Apple Records label before they moved to Warner Brothers in 1973/74. Every album recorded by this incredibly gifted band is worth it - "Magic Christian Music," "No Dice" (which ties with "Straight Up" as the best LP, "Ass," "Badfinger," "Wish You Were Here" and "Head First." Any fan of the Beatles, The Who, Hendrix, Cream/Clapton and everyone else from the late 1960s/early 1970s should pick up Badfinger's discs. This was the band that Rolling Stone magazine said, in 1970, is the group "to watch for" in the coming years.
It's a shame their manager, S. Polly, was such a thief and robbed the band of royalties and potential fame, which concluded with Ham's suicide in 1975 and bassist Tom Evans' suicide in 1983. Drummer MIke Gibbons, sadly, passed away late last year, leaving only guitarist-vocalist Joey Molland as the band's sole survivor. Rest in peace guys!
P.S. Don't be turned off by The Beatles comparisons - Badfinger had a sound, song structures and style all to their own, which will please both fans of The Beatles and those who don't care for the Fab Four. Power pop-rock was never better than the early 1970s records from Badfinger. (Actually, Badfinger's output was as good as most of the solo Beatles work in the early 1970s.)

By the time Badfinger went into the studio to record Straight Up, the band had its act fully together. There was no attempt to hide the huge Beatles influence - and working with Paul and George, what would one expect? The big hits were Baby Blue and Day After Day, but the album as a whole is excellent and has a fluidity uncommon to the era. I wore out three copies of the vinyl back in the day, yet I'm still picking out clues of how some of these tunes were inspired by (or should that be: "derived from"?) Beatles songs.

This album has aged well. The lively spirit of the music still cuts through. The recording quality is typical of the better Rock recordings of the early '70s (this was released in '72), but don't expect an audiophile masterpiece. By working with McCartney, Harrison and Rundgren, the group couldn't help but to learn how to record mucic that has the ability to sound up front, dynamic and clear without being overly cluttered. I personally like some of the alternate cuts better than the originals and find that programming so that I hear no duplication is most satisfying - but that's probably due to hearing the original LP so many times.

When I became a huge Badfinger fan, I was 15-years-old and it was 1976. My brother had gotten copies of "Magic Christian Music" and "No Dice" at a used record store, and he played the music for me. I had long heard "Come and Get It" and "No Matter What" on the radio, but I had never known who sang those songs. I was amazed when listening to "No Dice" that Harry Nilsson hadn't written "Without You", and instead it was this obscure Apple band instead. I immediately became hooked. Within months, I had copies of the albums as well, along with "Badfinger", "Ass", and "Wish You Were Here". But the Holy Grail of their music, "Straight Up" could not be found. The album was long out of print by this time, and it could not be ordered through any record store I went to. I then spent two years searching through used record bins and discount record bins, hoping that somehow this magical record had slipped unnoticed into the black hole of forgotten artists in one of those bins. When I was 17, I found two copies, priced at $2 each in a record store downtown. I clutched both of these new, still-in-shrink-wrap prizes and ran with them to the cash register, barely able to contain myself. One copy for me, and one for my brother! When I got the record home, I must have played it 1,000 times before putting it back in its sleeve. Years later, I saw a vinyl copy of "Straight Up" on sale at a Beatlesfest for over $100. At this time, 1992, it was still not available on CD. As a teenager, I had 300 or 400 albums. Through the years, they all have either been given away or discarded. Today I am 44-years-old and my Badfinger collection still remains. The music on this album is timeless. "Take it All" is just as worthy for airplay as "Baby Blue", and catches your attention from the beginning. The album reminds me of the Beatles "White Album" as it is the rare album where every track is as good as the next. My person favorites are "Perfection" and "Name of the Game". Pete Ham's vocals are flawless and his lyrics haunting. If I could have only one album in my record collection, this would be it. The CD is a real treat, as it offers up different versions of songs I've loved for over 25 years.

REVISED FOR 2010 APPLE/EMI REMASTER: "Straight Up" the band's best known and best selling album receives a strong remaster from the team that did the Beatles/Lennon/McCartney remasters at Abbey Road. This edition sounds a little more detailed than the DCC and has little to no noise reduction used on it (unlike the original Apple release on CD which was awash in noise reduction making it sound like a blanket had been thrown over the speakers). There is some compression applied to this but it doesn't sound as harsh as most modern remasters. Picky fans may or may not like some of the EQ choices by the mastering engineers here and some have complained it is a tad too bright (I don't think so) but I think this edition sounds fine and it is a strong alternate to the expensive DCC, infinitely superior to the original CD.

We get new liner notes with comments about the troubled production of the album (the first edition was rejected, George Harrison came on board to work on the album as producer, had to leave and was replaced by Todd Rundgren who ultimately remixed or mixed the tracks that Harrison and original producer Geoff Emerick worked on)and how it turned into their biggest album producing two top 10 hits ("Baby Blue", "Day After Day" which features George Harrison playing slide with Pete Ham and Leon Russell on piano).

The remaster is recommended. If you have the DCC you also might like this because it includes one previously unreleased song (although it has been available on bootlegs for years) the Tom Evans tune "Sing for the Song" which was originally slated for the first version of "Straight Up". The rest of the bonus tracks are the same as those found on the previous editions.

ORIGINAL DCC GOLD DISC REVIEW:

Most folks know the tragic story behind Badfinger(and if you don't I'd recommend picking up Dan Matovina's book WITHOUT YOU to discover more).

This doesn't detract from the terrific music the band produced during their short, but productive peak period of 1970-1974. This album, along with NO DICE and WISH YOU WERE HERE represents the band at their best--melodic, riff driven power pop(similiar in style to contemporaries The Rasberries and Big Star).

The sound is spectacular--this versions blows away the Apple/Capitol/Emi cd release(which always sounded compressed and muddy). DCC is to be commended and this remastered edition is worth every penny. The production by Todd Rundgren, George Harrison and Geoff Emerick (on the bonus tracks which were originally slated for release but re-recorded) is stellar.

My only complaint--there are still two unissued tracks from the first version of STRAIGHT UP(the rest are represented here--alternative versions of songs on the final issued version). Also, while the liner notes are good, they are far from comprehensive in telling us who played what and the various inspiration for some of the outstanding songs.

Straight Up ranks as one of the band's best albums (along with the criminally under rated Wish You Were Here). No Dice is an equally fine album with almost as many memorable songs and a slightly gritter sound than is found here. The gold edition still sounds the best of all the releases by this band. Steve Hoffman's remastering is terrific. One of the 100 best rock albums ever recorded, this is a great place to be introduced to the band and their unique sound.

Additional comments on the 2010 reissue.

It was great news that Apple decided to reissue their four Badfinger albums and give them a remastering. The first CD release of "Straight Up" dates back to 1993, and although the sound on the old release was great, this is a clear improvement.

The number of bonus tracks is the same, but it must be noted that four of them are different. These come from the originally unreleased Geoff Emerick produced follow-up album to "No Dice" from late 1970. This album has never been released in its entirety. But with the previously unreleased bonus-track on this release, along with the digital download only version of "Sweet Tuesday Morning" it is now possible to compile your own version of that album. A great sham that the album was never released, as it would really have been a great album, that might have secured Badfinger even more recognition.

The long period between the releases of "No Dice" and "Straight Up" did not help the band sustain their popularity, so when the group finally did release "Straight Up" around new year 1972, they more or less had to start over again. They did manage to return to the charts with the two great singles from "Straight Up", "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue", but bad management meant that their succes more or less ended there; but that's another story.

Actually among the bonus-tracks you'll find two great singles that never were. Both were stronly considered; "Name of the Game" even was given catalog number in both the U.K. and in the U.S. ( Apple 35 / Apple 1833 ). "Name of the Game" is one of Pete Ham's very best songs, which really deserves recognition as a classic. "I'll Be the One" wasn't even released until 1993, which is just as sad, as it's an extremely cacthy song that captures the folky trends of the time, and has a feel very much like that of early Lindisfarne.

Three of the bonus-track are released here for the first time ever. They're all great additions to the Badfinger song catalog, and deserve a few comments each.

The legendary unreleased Pete Ham song "Baby Please" is actually a group composition, but clearly with Pete Ham in the lead. Pete sings this great boogie-rocker and also delivers some great lead-guitar. A song worthy of Status Qou.

Tom Evans' "No Good at All" is a straight forward blues-rocker, with great vocals from Tom and some great slide guitar from Pete Ham.

"Sing for the Song", also written by Tom Evans", is probably the strongest composition of the three. Unbelieveable that it wasn't released at the time. Apple really did a bad job there, missing potential hit-songs and shelving first class material. "Sing for the Song" is a Beatles-influenced, very much in the vein of the "Magical Mystery Tour" approach. Note that this time Pete Ham excels at the piano.

By the way the track-listing of the unreleased 1971 album is supposed to have been like this:

Side One: Suitcase ( Molland) / I'll Be the One (Badfinger) / No Good at All (Evans) / Sweet Tuesday Morning (Molland) / Baby Please ( Ham/Gibbins/Molland) / Mean, Mean Jemima (Molland) // Side Two: Name of the Game (Ham) / Loving You (Gibbins) / / Money (Evans) / Flying (Evans/Molland) / Sing for the Song (Evans) / Perfection (Ham) - An an that really deserve an official release in its entirety.

There are fine and informative liner notes written by Andy Davis. A strongly recommended release.

By the end of 1971 Badfinger had actually recorded two albums since the release of "No Dice". The first remains unreleased to this date!. The second was released in February 1972 ( a bit earlier in the USA ), and was titled "Straight Up". Apple did not like the sound of the original album - they wanted a more polished sound. The rejected album had been produced by Geoff Emerick, and in spring 1971 George Harrison expressed wish to produce the band. Of course this was an offer that could not be rejected. George finished 4 tracks before he had to pull out to work on the Bangla Desh concert . To finish the album Todd Rundgren was recruited. Rundgren went through the recordings done with Emerick and Harrison and did some remixing on some of the tracks. Furthermore 7 new recordings were done for the album, which ended up to be Badfinger's most "produced" album - maybe along with "Wish You Were Here" - and it's indisputably among their finest. This album is one of their best loved, and it ranks among the greatest albums to come out of the seventies.

Pete Ham is the main contributor of songs to the album. His 5 songs on the album are all among his greatest. The two hits, "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue" are well-known ,and "Take it All", "Name of The Game" and "Perfection" are all stand out tracks. Tom Evans wrote "Money" and "It's Over" - the latter considered by many to be one of his greatest with Badfinger. Molland wrote the acoustic ballad "Sweet Tuesday Morning" "I'd Die Babe" ( an optimistic country styled George Harrison production ) and the two rockers "Suitcase" and "Sometimes" - both became part of Badfinger's standard concert repertoire. The album is very well produced by Rundgren/Harrison - a bit overproduced at times, some might say. The bonus-tracks are all excellent - Name of The Game and Perfection even better than the album-versions.

My favourites: Take it All, Baby Blue, Name of The Game (both versions), Day After Day, Perfection and It's Over

"Straight Up," the third album from Badfinger has been remastered and re-released by Apple Records, both on CD and (finally) as a digital download. The sound quality is simply amazing bringing a whole new aural clarity to a classic album. This should have been the album that finally elevated Badfinger to commercial success. Four songs, including the single "Day After Day" written by guitarist Pete Ham were produced by George Harrison (who played slide guitar on the track). The remaining eight tracks were produced by Todd Rundgren. While most will recognize the aforementioned "Day After Day," "Baby Blue" (also a Ham track) still receives radio airplay throughout the US. The re-mastering was completed by the staff of engineers who remastered the Beatles catalog released last year and they have continued their stellar work. Sadly, Badfinger never got the breaks they certainly deserved. The combination of the Beatles crumbling Apple empire and the band's criminal management who literally stole almost every dime the band made eventually led to Ham's suicide in 1975 and the suicide of bassist Tom Evans in 1983. Still, the remastered "Straight Up" album is a great legacy for one of the original power pop bands. Without Badfinger, the genre may never have developed and sustained itself over the last almost forty years. Listen and enjoy.

As a side note, if you are a Badfinger completest, purchase the digital download bonus tracks that are not available on the CD. With all of the "Straight Up" bonus tracks, one can compile the first version of "Straight Up" that was rejected by Apple Records and never released. The running order for that album is:

Suitcase (Earlier Version)
I'll Be the One
No Good At All (Previously Unreleased)
Sweet Tuesday Morning (Earlier Version)
Baby Please (Previously Unreleased)
Mean Mean Jemima (2010 Remaster)
Name of the Game (Earlier Version)
Loving You (2010 Remaster)
Money (Earlier Version - 2010 Remaster)
Flying (Earlier Version - 2010 Remaster)
Sing For the Song (Previously unreleased)
Perfection (Earlier Version - 2010 Remaster)

These tracks were produced and mixed by Geoff Emerick who produced the band's previous album, "No Dice." While not as strong as the eventual release, the unreleased album is fun to listen to when one knows how these songs evolved into the eventual masterpiece.

I was 10 years old when I bought this and it was the first new album that I had ever owned. I wanted it because of "Baby Blue" and "Day After Day" just like everyone else but I fell in love with the rest of the songs immediately. They are just as fresh today as they were the day I peeled the cellophane off of the album 35 years ago.
Growing up a Beatles freak I was not disappointed because you can really hear that Beatles influence through out the album. "Sometimes" and "I'd Die Babe" have a great Rubber Soul sound to them and "Perfection" is just a great song. Hell, they are all very good!
This is such a great mix of song writing and influances coming together to record a timeless album.
Every time I see one of those top 100-album lists I cannot believe how after this one is over looked.
A true classic and a must have for your collection.

I picked this album up at the base exchange at Torrejon AB, in Spain after hearing that Magic Christian song on the radio (don't remember the title). I must say, I loved this album though that cut from the Magic Christian was not on it. Sure, it is pop, but their guitar playing and harmonies just can't be ignored. And the quality of the songs still holds up some thirty years later.

I still get a rush when I hear Day After Day and Baby Blue. I had the privilege of seeing Joey Molland a while back with the Rock and Roll All Stars and he still has it, just like the old days.

Highly recommended.

A masterpiece, timeless even at inception. And considering the history of Badfinger, it's even more precious; listening to it transports me to a time and place like no other music.

Song after song, expertly-crafted, gorgeous power pop at its finest. Yet as a total work, it is so much more...there always was this odd, old-soul patina about it, like a dream in an abandoned ballroom with the faint, shimmery strains of some orchestra long past..a tinge of almost prescient sadness for what would soon befall the band.

Whenever I hear "The Name of the Game", it makes me cry. Every time. I am among those who know this is a crown jewel of its genre. Pete, Tommy, and now Mike...you left too soon, never realizing how you touched us all. Thank you for what you left behind.