Airwaves

Any Badfinger fan knows there was never ever going to be a REAL Badfinger again once Pete Ham killed himself. However, Joey Molland and Tommy Evans, who were pretty talented guys in their own right, put together more than just a decent album here. There are several nice moments: the opening medley, "Airwaves/Look Out California," kicks the album into a nice rocking mood, and the next two tracks feature Evans ("Lost Inside Your Love") and Molland ("Love Is Gonna Come At Last") in a softer, more melodic frame of mind. "Come Down Hard" (A Molland track featuring the incredible guitar work of Joe Tansin) is one of the best rockers any version of Badfinger has ever recorded. And the album's closer, Evans's "Sail Away," is as pretty a ballad as he ever wrote. But, the best track on the album is "The Dreamer," Molland's homage to his former band-mate, Pete Ham. It's a great song, a great tribute, and sums up the tragedy of not only Ham's life, but the life of Badfinger as a band. Tommy Evans would, several years after this release, repeat what Ham did years earlier...committing suicide by hanging himself. Molland is the lone survivor, since drummer Mike Gibbins passed away fairly recently.

Airwaves was Joey Molland and Tom Evans trying to recapture the old Badfinger magic. While this is not a terrible album (the next one would be), it is no where near the standards of the first two Warner releases, not to mention any of the Apple stuff. I really like the first four songs, even though none of the boys wrote Look Out California - that was their guitarist Joe Tansin. After that, this album seems to be outtakes, rejected material. I'ld give it 2 1/2 stars.

Not Quite The Grand Comeback One would expect,Thats because Pete Ham hung Himself to Death 3 years earlyer.Songcraft is an important aspect of the early apple & warners badfinger releases, although Joey & Tommy wrote great songs but without Pete & even Mike gibbins songs to even out the songs there is something lacking of the 4 Badfinger albums available on itunes go with "Wish you were here" because song for song it is the closest to the apple quality albums

Granted this is not 'Straight Up' or 'Wish You Were Here' and by no means a great or groundbreaking album, but it is certainly not bad and it is completely enjoyable. I quite enjoy it in the same way that I enjoy Rick Springfield or Pat Benetar from the same era -- guilty power-pop pleasures. I would say that the main difference between Badfinger's last two albums (this one and 'Say No More') and early Badfinger is the move away from occasional bar band numbers and acoustic ballads, as these are more guitar driven albums. Oh, and the lack here of a quality producer. Additionally, this album was not performed by just Molland/Evans as a duo, it was a full blown band that started to splinter before the album was released. Credit departed guitarist/writer Joe Tansin for getting the guys together again though!

Apple is the reason more stuff isn't here. Bought this album when released on vinyl. Good effort but it was hard to recreate their sound with Pete Ham dead & Mike Gibbons out of the picture. Solid harmonies & good rock rhythms. Production was questionable. Check out Joey's solo stuff ( not on Itunes}, It's pretty good. Sounds more like Badfinger than this. Also previously unreleased album "Head First" is now available (not on Itunes). Tom Evans also had some European releases before his death. Also not on Itunes.

Obviosuly, any Badfinger fan would say that the priority would be No Dice, Magic Christian Music and Straight up and these are their slightly less important albums. Now, Magic man, why would iTunes not ahve their three best albums? Could it be because they are on APPLE Records? Having a hard time finding Beatles songs on iTunes, too? Can't find the really good Billy Preston stuff? Whatsa matter? They don't have newspapers where you live?

As I have said above, this is a pretty good album. Actually I have to admit the only song here I really care for is "Love Is Gonna Come At Last" But my main complaint is, yeah this album is on iTunes, but where the hell is everything else? Where are all the classic Badfinger albums like "No Dice" "Straight Up" "The Magic Christian"? Furthermore, why is iTunes jerking Badfinger fans around by releasing all these other albums they did of no siginificance? Seems to me iTunes has a fascination with releasing only the minor Badfinger albums in place of the classic albums everyone knows and loves that they made thier bonez on. For myself I don't get it, maybe you do,but one shouldn't purchase any Badfinger music on iTunes in my opinion until iTunes comes to it's senses, gains some sense of sanity and finally stops screwing around and releases Badfingers bread and butter albums. That's my opinion, you may be of another mindset. Oh well, different strokes for different folks. Peace.