Badfinger : No Dice

My comments:

Additional comments on the 2010 reissue.

It was really positive news that Apple decided to reissue their four Badfinger albums and give them a remastering. The first CD release of "No Dice" dates back to 1992, and although the sound on the old release wasn't bad, this is a clear improvement.

The number of binus tracks is the same, but it must be noted tht they are all different. Three of the original five bonus tracks have now been added to the re-mastered version of Badfinger's next album "Straight Up", which makes good sense since they all originally were recorded for the follow-up album to "No Dice". One song, the band composition "Get Down" is now only available in download, which is really a shame. Moreover the download version is different from the 1992 version. The song from the 1992 release "Friends are Hard to Find" is now called "Photograph" - it the same song, but this new version is more than a minute longer.

The "new" bonus-tracks are alternate versions of songs from the album. Three of them are early studio-demos produced by Mal Evans. They all sound nice and are really nice additions, but none them surpasses the original versions. You get the feeling that Joey Molland is still not comfortable in the group. His solo on "Without You" seems somewhat uncertain and hesitant. Pete Ham's rocker "I Can't Take it" is also found in an extended version, where Tom Evans and Pete vocally blow themselves out.

There are fine and informative liner notes written by Andy Davis. A highly recommended release.

No Dice was Badfinger's first masterpiece ( and my first Badfinger album!). Paul McCartney's positive influence on the bands sound on Magic Christian Music has been developed further on this album. The inspiration from The Beatles can be heard on most of these songs, but this album shows that they're much more than just a Beatles rip off. Some changes had been made since the recording of Magic Christian Music. Geoff Emerick (known from his work with The Beatles) produced most of the album; the rest of it was produced by Mal Evans who also produced some of Magic Christian Music. Ron Griffiths had already left before the release of the previous album so Tom Evans had now taken over the bass. Joey Molland ,who had played with Gary Walker, was chosen for a new guitarist.

The material (the songs) on this album is very strong. Without You written by Tom and Pete has become an alltime classic - heres the original version - superior to any version I've heard so far. Enjoy Pete's organ line at the end of the song - sounds like something Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum could have done. No Matter What, Midnight Caller and We're For The Dark all show what a brilliant songwriter with an unique sense of melody Pete Ham had already become.

The album is a perfect blend of ballads, rockers and a bit of country (Blodwyn), generally performed with more rocking feeling than their earlier recordings. Though the album is obviously dominated by Pete Ham's songs all other members contribute to it.

The bonus-tracks are all very good - 4 of them hail from the never-released follow-up album to No Dice recorded early 1971. The strongest of them is the group-composition I'll Be The One, which at a certain point was considered as a single - I believe it had the hit-single potential. Another bonus-track is Joey's Mean, Mean Jemina rerecorded for his After The Pearl album; this version is much better.

Apart from "I Can't Take it" the new bonus-tracks are from Mal Evans sessions.

My favourites: Midnight Caller, Without You, No Matter What, We're For The Dark and I'll Be The One

Other very good songs: I Don't Mind, Blodwyn, Believe Me

Of 10 possible stars I would give this album: 9

Fan Comments To This Album!!

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