This is the last album from Badfinger.
Here they are trying to hook onto the resurgence of power pop and retro sounds through the New Wave.
It's not sad, as they had being doing it all along.
It is slick and well produced though, ultimately, the songs aren’t as good as their earlier material.
What they have added is a touch of old time rock ‘n’ roll.
Odd, given a lot of Beatle harmony bands were doing well in the power pop resurgence of skinny tie bands of the late 70s and early 80s
The rockin’ sound is like something the Travelling Wilburys would be doing (though ballsier) seven years before them.
Yet again, Badfinger were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It is not that different to what Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe were doing at time (though with a more 60s bent) or is it a case of like minds think alike and develop (musically or otherwise) alike?
The concessions to the new wave are understandable. Their hit-making days were gone and this may have been a grab for some of the airwaves but since their first album twelve years earlier they were remarkably consistent (the punchy pop and catchy melodies were never diluted) even though they had lost a main singer and vocalist in Pete Ham.
So they didn’t go out with a whimper or a bang but with an album with its fair share of joys.
Check out my other comments on this most underrated (by the mainstream) band.
Tracks (best in italics)
Side One
- I Got You – (Joey Molland) – Very Travelling Wilburys, seven years before the fact. Catchy rock boogie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Got_You_(Badfinger_song)
- Come On – (Tom Evans) – a lean to solo Beatles stylings …
- Hold On – (Evans/Joe Tansin) – a full sound and McCartney-esque. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hold_On_(Badfinger_song)
- Because I Love You – (Molland) – a throw back to the girl groups of the 60s as filtered through Cheap Trick (ie: compare it emotionally to "Surrender"). This is welcome and a highlight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Because_I_Love_You_(Badfinger_song)
- Rock 'N' Roll Contract – (Evans) – channelling 60s Brit Invasion bands or, rather, crossing that with the pop-ier side of 60s US garage.
Side Two
- Passin' Time – (Molland) – more Travelling Wilburys
- Three Time Loser – (Evans) – a magnificent mid tempo pop rocker and reminiscent of ELO without the over the top full sound.
- Too Hung Up on You – (Evans) – a most melodious retro piece.
- Crocadillo – (Evans/Roach) – a fairly generic rocker.
- No More – (Molland) – trying to be a little New Wave (via the Beatles). But like a lot of old rockers they thought that meant squealy guitars
And …
Not perfect but still a cut above the average … I'm giving it to a mate though I swill search for it again.
Chart Action
US
Singles
1981 Hold On #56
Album
1981 #155
England
nothing
Australia
nothing
Sounds
Complete album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGdpCPTj0nI
I Got You
Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFltv5Xrn7k
Hold On
Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Mlt2a0JDc
Because I Love You
mp3 attached
Passin' Time
Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJjW_WoMbLw
Others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQGe0HQptII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C53QAuOoSgc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPco24LS31A
Review
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Say_No_More_(Badfinger_album)
http://www.allmusic.com/album/say-no-more-mw0000063997
Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/badfinger-mn0000064303/biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badfinger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Ham
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Evans_(musician)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Molland
http://www.walesartsreview.org/no-matter-what-the-music-of-peter-ham-and-badfinger/
http://popdose.com/the-popdose-guide-to-badfinger/
Website
http://badfingerlinks.bravepages.com/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/OriginalBadfinger
http://www.badfinger-iveys.com/
http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/
Trivia
- Produced by Jack Richardson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Richardson_(record_producer)
- Keyboardist Tony Kaye was formerly of prog rock band, Yes.
- ”After the failure of Say No More, Molland and Evans operated rival touring bands, each using the name "Badfinger", during 1982 and 1983, which created even more personal and professional conflict”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badfinger
