Artist:     Badfinger

Album:     Revisiting the Hits: Revisiting the Hits

Label:     Cleopatra Records

Release Date:     3.26.21

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Joey Molland and Badfinger still have friends in high places, just as they did when they enjoyed the backing of The Beatles and Apple Records before everything went sideways. Happily dwelling in the past—the good parts at least—the star-studded collaborations of No Matter What: Revisiting the Hits wax nostalgic in artfully reimagining Badfinger’s best bruised balladry and power-pop serenades to party like it’s 1970-72.

Only minor surgery is performed here, with little nips and tucks, like Rick Wakeman’s curling piano flourishes on the Paul McCartney-penned “Come and Get It,” which retains its colorful Beatlesque pomp and circumstance. A summery “Day After Day” sounds fresh as a daisy with Ian Anderson’s flute fluttering about and the purity of Terry Reid’s vocals cutting through the well-arranged, chamber pop nesting of the Manchester String Quartet, while a faithful version of “No Matter What” comes on strong, joyously pumping out grit and radiant light from the swirling organ of Vanilla Fudge’s Mark Stein and his barrel-chested singing.

The involvement of Molland and company ensures the essence of Badfinger’s greatness is preserved throughout. Even with Matthew Sweet wrapping it in a satisfying thicket of prickly electric guitar bramble, the bittersweet beauty of a slightly more urgent “Baby Blue” emerges without a scratch. “Suitcase” easily assimilates Sonny Landreth’s soft threads of bluesy slide guitar, while the presence of Rick Springfield makes the cascading wonder and pop sparkle of “Love is Gonna Come At Last” even prettier and Albert Lee gently nudges “Sweet Tuesday Morning” awake by playing sublime fingerstyle figures. Todd Rundgren gets emotional on “Without You,” a big hit for Harry Nilsson after Badfinger’s 1970 nice try, and an airy “Midnight Caller” becomes absolutely breathtaking with the help of the Legendary Pink Dots. The Hits are in good hands.

—Peter Lindblad