Badfinger Airwaves CD

1979 Release By Tommy Evans & Joey Molland+

Personnel: Joe Tansin (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, keyboards); Joey Molland (acoustic & electric guitars, electric piano, background vocals); Rick Salon (slide guitar); Barry Sperti (saxophone); Nicky Hopkins (piano, keyboards); Duane Hitchings (piano, synthesizer); Scott Greer, Harry Pulver, Jr. (piano); Tom Evans (bass, background vocals); Tom Lecher (bass); Ken Harck, Andy Newmark, Bob Millea (drums); Steve Foreman (percussion); David Malloy, Dean Ford (background vocals).
Producers: David Malloy, Joe Tansin, Joey Molland.
Includes liner notes by Joe Tansin, Joey Molland & Dan Matovina.
Digitally remastered by Scott Greer & Joe Tansin.
Badfinger: Tom Evans (vocals, bass guitar); Joe Tansin (guitar); Duane Hitchings (piano, keyboards); Nicky Hopkins (keyboards); Joey Molland, Andy Newmark, Ken Harck, Steve Foreman.
Personnel: Joey Molland (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric piano, organ, background vocals); Nicky Hopkins (piano, organ); Duane Hitchings (synthesizer); Andy Newmark, Ken Harck (drums); Steve Foreman (percussion); David Malloy (background vocals).
Photographer: Jim Shea.
Arrangers: Joey Molland; Bad Brothers.
Using the magic of overdubbing and a complement of star studio musicians, Tom Evans and Joey Molland take a respectable shot at recreating the three-part harmonies and pop sheen of the early-'70s Badfinger. "I Want to Get Back," Evans sings on the title track, and you would, too, if you had been reduced to manual labor after hobnobbing with the Beatles. Like early Badfinger, much of this evokes their old mentors, especially "Love Is Gonna Come at Last" (number 69), their first singles chart hit in seven years. Often, however, the material is only pedestrian, and although this album actually did a little better commercially than the group's two Warner Bros. albums of 1974, it didn't make for a real comeback. ~ William Ruhlmann
Although AIRWAVES--the 1979 reunion album by original Badfinger members Joey Molland and Tom Evans--is not in the same league as Badfinger's early seventies power pop classics NO DICE and STRAIGHT UP, it is a strong album and perhaps the most pop-oriented record of Badfinger's career. Now reissued with improved sound, five bonus cuts and excellent liner notes, AIRWAVES provides ample proof that Badfinger made plenty of great music after the death of group leader Pete Ham.
By the time of the reunion, both Molland and Evans developed into first-rate writers. The album's key track is Molland's "Love Is Gonna Come At Last," a soaring power pop single that was a minor hit for the group in 1979. Featuring a gorgeous melody, shimmering electric guitars and a superb vocal performance from Molland, the tune is arguably one of Badfinger's finest moments. Other tracks like the Evans' rocker "Look Out California" and the McCartneyesque ballad "Lost Inside Your Love" have also aged well and it's great to finally hear these wonderful tracks on CD.

CMJ (6/28/99, pp.29-30) - "...As evidenced by tracks such as the grand, melodic ballad "Lost Inside Your Love" and "Love Is Gonna Come At Last"..., even without the immeasurable songwriting talents of [guitarist Pete] Ham, Badfinger was still capable of writing some memorable songs."