Badfinger
Apple SKAO 3367
1970
Badfinger’s second album is my favorite. I've always thought these guys got a raw deal and should have had a better fate. They deserve a lot of credit for championing traditional pop values in an era of rock excess and self-indulgence. There are no long crappy guitar solos or macho posturing on this record, just short tuneful songs that are well-crafted and consistently enjoyable. The longest song on this record is 4:42 and all the rest are considerably shorter. “No Matter What” is a great single, one of the best of the era. It is punchy and loaded with hooks. It sounds great on the radio and even better on the turntable. Admittedly nothing else on the record comes close to the excellence of “No Matter What” but there are no bad songs with “Without You”, “I Can’t Take It” and “Better Days” being particularly fine. Badfinger are often cited as being derivative of the Beatles, as if that is a criticism, it ought to be a compliment - it automatically makes them better than most of their peers. This often sounds like a long lost Paul McCartney solo record, although Paulie himself wouldn’t even come close to equaling this album for 3 more years. It is a lot better than “McCartney” or “All Things Must Pass” and is more enjoyable than “Let It Be”. One of the best albums of 1970. Recommended for people who think Graham Nash was better off in the Hollies than hanging out with David Crosby.
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