Album #122: Badfinger - Straight Up

Badfinger

Straight Up (1972)

By rights, Badfinger should have been one of the biggest, and richest, bands on the planet in the 1970s. Shepherded through their early career by Paul McCartney, and possessing the influence of The Beatles in their music, the group produced several huge singles, particularly the McCartney-penned Come and Get It. Sadly, all the talent and pop magic would ultimately go unfulfilled, as the band became destitute despite their chart success; the victims of an unscrupulous, 'soulless bastard' of a businessman named Stan Polley, who ripped the band off of well over a quarter of a million dollars while ensuring the band received very little money from their success.

Tragedy continued to befall Badfinger; guitarist Pete Ham, his mental state shredded thanks to the band's financial dire straights, took his own life in his garage in 1975; bass player Tom Evans followed suit in 1983 after an argument with fellow (and at that time, former) bandmate Joey Molland over money. The study of Badfinger's history really is the perfect cautionary tale to all musicians who are breaking into the industry, even today.

Thankfully, their music still exists as a testament to the band's not fully fulfilled promise. Straight Up was their third album, and despite being a commercial success it was criticised heavily by some critics for the 'poor' production of Todd Rundgren (George Harrison also produced a few tracks on the album, but he avoided criticism). 

The Album

The term 'power-pop' has been coined to describe a sound like Badfinger's on Straight Up - lots of piano, organ and guitars, heavily tracked and luscious vocal harmonies and an abundance of pop hooks, wonderful melodies and standard vocal topics (love and all its related catastrophes). Those vocal harmonies are only possible because Ham, Evans and Molland are all very good vocalists, and all take lead vocal duties at times on this album (generally on songs they've written).

The album's two main singles are among the finest pop songs of the decade. Baby Blue is built around simple chords and an arpeggiated riff, with a heartbreaking, touching lyric penned by Pete Ham. Ham also delivers a stunning lead vocal, full of emotion and power, with support from Evans in the harmonies. The bridge in particular, where Ham is pleading "what can I do/what can I say?" is remarkably affecting. Day After Day is also a love song, though not quite as powerful, being more of the brooding variety. Also written by Ham, it's heavily overdubbed by producer George Harrison (who also contributes a fine slide guitar solo on the track; when you listen to it and compare it with Harrison's slide guitar parts on All Things Must Pass, or even his appearance on John Lennon's How Do You Sleep?, you can certainly tell it's a Harrison special). Even so, Ham's lead vocal stands out strongly, carrying a reflective, hopeful quality.

There's some other decent pop tracks on the album though that indicate Badfinger were a little more than just a singles band. Opener Take It All is classic power-pop, piano driven with Hammond organ support, and a throaty lead vocal from Ham; Tom Evans' Money weaves in some country blues influences through the main guitar lick, and has a great dual lead vocal from Evans and Ham; Name Of The Game is immense in terms of the harmony backing vocals, which have been overdubbed about a hundred times; its piano and acoustic guitar instrumentation mark it as an early progenitor of the power ballad, and it's a great song (apart from Ham's lead vocal being drowned out by the backing vocals at times, which is a major production mistake in my view.)

There's more bluespop with Suitcase, where the licks are British blues and the vocal is gutsy, while Sometimes acts as a throwback to the early/mid 60s guitar pop sound of The Beatles, featuring a catchy chorus and a tempo perfect for boogieing. Most of the great songs though are written by Ham; Evans and Molland do contribute songs here, but they're not great (Money aside), and Molland's songs in particular (Sweet Tuesday Morning and Flying) are the weakest on the album; still 'pop' songs, but not as catchy, and further hindered by Molland's comparatively weak vocal when compared to the much more talented Ham and Evans.

The Verdict

For giving us Baby Blue and Day After Day, Straight Up is of great value. Delving deeper into the album though reveals that, indeed, Badfinger were crafters of fine pop with catchy hooks and beautiful harmonies. It's worth checking out.

My rating: 7.4/10

Standout Tracks

Baby Blue

Money

Day After Day