MR. BIG will release its ninth studio album, "Defying Gravity", on July 7 via Frontiers Music Srl. The effort will be available at traditional retail and all digital service providers, as will a deluxe edition version with CD and bonus DVD that features music videos and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new album. The album will also be made available on vinyl in the coming months. An official trailer for "Defying Gravity" can be seen below. "Defying Gravity" deftly showcases that patented MR. BIG blend of crunch and melody, from the freight-train ride of opening cut "Open Your Eyes" to the harmony-laden wonderment of "Damn I'm in Love Again" to the grateful/wistful nostalgia of "1992" (recalling the days when the band was flying high atop the singles charts with their international No. 1 smash "To Be With You") to the barnburning slide-blues closer, "Be Kind". Overall, "Defying Gravity" is prime evidence that the only thing MR. BIG remains tethered to is their ongoing pursuit of achieving creative excellence. Original members Eric Martin (lead vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitars), Billy Sheehan (bass) and Pat Torpey (drums) reunited with producer Kevin Elson (who was behind the boards for the band's 1989 self-titled debut, 1991's "Lean Into It" and 1993's "Bump Ahead") for an intensive six-day recording session in Los Angeles. While Torpey was unable to perform some of the songs on "Defying Gravity" due to a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, Matt Starr has been filling in for him on a majority of the album. Starr also been touring with the band for the past couple of years, with Torpey able to play a couple of songs at each stop. "It was great to get back in the studio with our original producer, Kevin Elson," says Gilbert. "Kevin recorded all of our original classic albums from the '80s and '90s, and we immediately felt that magic chemistry with him on 'Defying Gravity'. We basically played live in the studio. "Over the years, we've all had a chance to experiment with every recording technique possible, but it's still always the best just to play together as a band. Most of my guitar solos were tracked live with the band. I've worked hard on my improvisation in the last few years, and it really paid off on this record… both melodically and on the face-melting stuff." MR. BIG is gearing up for the launch its latest worldwide tour, which starts May 31 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Potowatami Casino. "2017 is filling up quickly with tour dates all around the world," proclaims Gilbert. "I can't wait to play the new songs, and, of course, our favorites from the old days, like 'Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy', 'Just Take My Heart', 'Green Tinted Sixties Mind', 'Wild World' and 'To Be With You'." "Defying Gravity" track listing: 01. Open Your Eyes 02. Defying Gravity 03. Everybody Needs a Little Trouble 04. Damn I'm In Love Again 05. Mean To Me 06. Nothing Bad (About Feeling Good) 07. Forever And Back 08. She's All Coming Back To Me Now 09. 1992 10. Nothing At All 11. Be Kind Photo credit: William Hames
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