As the album opens, with the big single Can’t Get Enough, we get a good standard Seventies rocker, a little like a British ZZ Top. Except that Bad Company are a four-parter, not a power trio. And if it also sounds a bit like Free (All Right Now), that’s because lead singer Paul Rodgers, as well as drummer/backing vocals Simon Kirke are formerly of Free. Rodgers’ vocal timbre is perfect for this kind of blues-rock, although the mix makes the drums sound a little too tinny for my liking.
Rodgers and Kirke are joined by Mick Ralphs, formerly of Mott The Hoople, on lead guitar, and Boz Burrell on bass. Burrell was in King Crimson, but not on either of their albums featured so far in this list.
Can't Get Enough (of your love) is fine, the title track Bad Company you’ll know, a Seventies rocker that evokes dark and steamy nights and road trips. The one that really stood out for me was the slower Ready For Love – an absolute classic rock ballad that, if it sounds a bit cliché now is only because the songs that have come after probably used elements from it. It truly hits all the beats that a good rock ballad should have, a steady build, soaring choruses, the works.
The band follow that with a Beatles cover, Don’t Let Me Down, which for my money beats Joe Cocker’s cover of A Little Help From My Friends for best rock ballad Beatles cover.
I thought that I was going to enjoy, but not necessarily love, this album, since this kind of early Seventies blues-rock only goes so far but often doesn’t have that added spark to elevate it.
I thought that I was going to enjoy, but not necessarily love, this album, since this kind of early Seventies blues-rock only goes so far but often doesn’t have that added spark to elevate it.
But these guys do it really well (or once again I was in the right mood for getting into the album), so it feels like a 4/5 - would revisit some songs before finishing this list.
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