Bad Company

Songs such as "Can't Get Enough," Bad Company," "Ready For Love" and "Movin' On" helped steamroll Bad Company's self-titled, eight-song debut into a monster of an international hit album. Packed with hits, Bad Company is a must-have in any fan's collection, and - the hits package 10 From 6 withstanding - is the best place for the newly-converted to start.

On its first album, Bad Company -- led by former Free singer Paul Rodgers and original Mott
guitarist Mick Ralphs -- resembles Free in i?? structural starkness and early Mott in its stormy
directness. In Bad Company, Robert Benton's overlooked 1972 western from whose title
the group got its name, the chief characters, Civil War-era teenage romantics, displayed a
sort of swaggering innocence that was quite affecting. The personality of this ap... More >

Since a strong singer (Paul Rodgers, who's letting the hair on his chest grow out) usually dominates a strong guitarist (Mike Ralphs, who's devoting himself to Paul Kossoff impressions anyway), this is less Mott the Hoople without pretensions (which are missed) than Free poppified (but not enough, hit single or no hit single). (Grade - B-)