Album of the Day

After Apple Records crashed and burned, U.K. power-pop pioneers Badfinger found a home at Warner Bros., but it was short-lived – their second and final album for the label, WISH YOU WERE HERE, was pulled from stores shortly after release due to managerial conflicts. That’s a shame as the 1974 set coulda been a contender, with the group’s classic line-up of frontman Pete Ham, guitarist Joey Molland, bassist Tom Evans and drummer Mike Gibbins writing, singing and playing beautifully on such highlights as “Know One Knows,” “Dennis,” and closing suite “Meanwhile Back at the Ranch/Should I Smoke.” As Allmusic put it, WISH YOU WERE HERE is “a classy, catchy pop record, possibly the best Badfinger ever released.”