And so here we are – the final Mr Big. Anyone who has seen the band on their farewell tour of late will probably agree that the time is right to pull the plug before Eric Martin’s voice is damaged irreparably, but that doesn’t make saying goodbye to one of America’s best blues rock bands any easier.

Named for a song by English bluesmen Free, the band have actually consistently brought a harder edge to their music that positioned them as the logical successors to Humble Pie and Grand Funk Railroad, and that edge is pleasingly evident throughout opening track Good Luck Trying. Martin sounds great, and the band, rounded out by drummer Nick D’Virgilio in place of the sadly missed Pat Torpey, are vibrant and on point. Was it ever thus?

I Am You is a beautiful piece of hard edged pop that could easily have sat on 1991’s Lean Into It (although Martin reports that everything here is freshly written – there are no leftovers being trotted out as high end sonic dining) and these two songs provide the two poles between which the rest of the album is spread out.

Billy Sheehan’s wonderful bass rumbles away in the background – truly there there is no one like him currently plying their four string trade – and Paul Gilbert, tasteful as ever, is a picure of restraint and judicious playing. As ever, the entire album is a delight to listen to and you’ll latch on to your own fave tracks soon enough, but I’d like to single out the superb seventies rock of Right Outta Here – a glorious tribute to The Who garnished by a liberal dose of Zeppelin – and poignant ballad The Frame is particularly deserving of your early attention. Martin’s delivery on the latter is truly tear jerking, and it will be a great hole he leaves when he bows out.

Sunday Morning Kinda Girl is another raver but, who am I kidding? If you’ve ever enjoyed Mr Big in the past you know exactly what this album is going to sound like, and you know you’ll love this one too. All good things have to end, and I’m just thankful to be able to report that Mr Big are ending tings on a very high note indeed.

Ten releases on July 12th.