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One of popular culture\u2019s great tragedies is the absence of Pete Ham. The Welsh singer-songwriter-guitarist was the creative center of gravity in Badfinger; his distinctive voice and superb songwriting were key elements in what made that group\u2019s music so enriching. But the troubled musician\u2019s suicide put an end to any hope of more music from the preternaturally talented artist.<\/p>\n
Ham left behind an impressive amount of material, though: Badfinger tracks, outtakes, demos and the link have continued to trickle out over the decades, thanks in no small part to the dedication and hard work of Dan Matovina, who sadly passed away just days ago. Matovina not only wrote the definitive Badfinger bio (Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger<\/i>) but he also oversaw the estates and music licensing of Pete Ham and Tom Evans.<\/p>\n
Of course Dan wasn\u2019t the only ardent Badfinger fan who sought to keep the music of Ham and his band in the public eye and ear. Rich Ulloa\u2019s Y&T Music has compiled a various-artists tribute to Pete Ham. The 2CD set Shine On<\/i> collects 35 tunes by nearly as many artists, drawing from across Ham\u2019s body of work.<\/p>\n
Someone with only a passing familiarity with Badfinger might guess that such a compilation would feature a range of power pop artists; after all, that subgenre is arguably the one most influenced by Badfinger. But as it happens, if there\u2019s a stylistic theme to Shine On,<\/i> it\u2019s not power pop. Many of the artists featured on the set traffic in what might more accurately be described as Americana. Or at least singer-songwriter pop. One won\u2019t find loads of Rickenbacker jangle and cheery, high-octane power pop in these sides.<\/p>\n
Even when the arrangements hew closely to the originals \u2013 take The Delevantes\u2019 \u201cKnow One Knows\u201d as a handy example \u2013 there\u2019s a twangy, subtly countrified vibe to the arrangements. And some of the bigger names associated with the project \u2013 Shelby Lynne, for example, who\u2019s here with a reading of \u201cDay After Day\u201d \u2013 help underscore that musical angle. Her cover of the classic doesn\u2019t take the song in any substantially different directions, but it has a classic country feel nonetheless.<\/p>\n
A few artists with connections to the janglepop scene do weigh in, and the project is better for their participation. Ron Bonfiglio\u2019s take on \u201cLonely You\u201d is beautiful. Again \u2013 and consistent with the character of this set as a whole \u2013 he doesn\u2019t reinvent the Pete Ham song; instead he serves up a faithful arrangement and applies a few subtle touches to put his own personal stamp upon the recording. Breezy, mid \u201870s country rock the likes of America, Bellamy Brothers and such seems to be the touchstone for the musical sensibility employed throughout Shine On<\/i>. Even an unabashed rocker like \u201cMidnight Sun\u201d finds its intensity dialed waaaay down in a treatment by Claudia Hoyser.<\/p>\n
And when they deviate from that, the results get a bit weird. Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby cover \u201cMidnight Caller,\u201d but their arrangement is full of Vocoder effects that make it sound like an ELO outtake. Melanie\u2019s cover of \u201cWithout You\u201d features lightning acoustic guitar runs and a weedy vocal; it remains an open question whether those characteristics make for a suitable interpretation of the classic.<\/p>\n