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44 of 56 found the following review helpful:
 Bad Company puts out one of the best Seventies debut albumsJan 30, 2003
By Lawrance M. Bernabo
Bad Company's self-titled 1974 debut release was the first album to come out on the Swan Song label other than Led Zeppelin. Fortunately it proved to be one of the better debut albums of the decade representing good old fashioned back to the basics rock 'n' roll. "Can't Get Enough" with its catchy guitar lick was the big hit off of the album, but my fav track is still the moody title track (i.e., "Bad Company" off of Bad Company's "Bad Company" album). Bad Company was a supergroup, with singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke coming from Free, guitarist Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople, and Boz Burrell from King Crimson and having more success than all of those groups put together with this first album. Following the Led Zeppelin model, strong vocalist Rodgers and blues-based guitarist Ralphs provide the heart and soul of the music, giving Bad Company its signature sound. Meanwhile, do you think AC/DC got their idea for the cover of "Back in Black" from this one? Unfortunately it was all downhill for the group from this first effort, with "Straight Shooter" being a step down and "Run with the Pack" continuing the slide. If you pick up their hits collection "10 from 6" (which ignores one of the first six albums anyhow) you will get the four best tracks from this one, which is the only album from Bad Company that really stands alone.
18 of 22 found the following review helpful:
 Liberated, if not FreeJul 17, 2001
By Gavin Wilson
This album has to be played loud! If you have neighbours or family who might complain, play it through headphones or play it in the car. But to do this album justice, don't play it quietly in the background. The drums sound particularly good on this remastered edition.Bad Company almost defined stadium rock. Always more highly regarded in the US than in their native England, the band was formed from the remnants of Free, whom many believed had been the greatest British blues-rock band. Their final album, 'Heartbreaker' (1972), was a masterpiece whose qualities have become increasingly clear over the years. I remember my astonishment at the time that the sublime (but dead) Paul Kossoff was effectively being replaced on guitar by Mick Ralphs from the rather lightweight Mott the Hoople. And who was this Boz Burrell on bass? Which King Crimson albums had he actually played on? It turned out that these niggles didn't matter. What held Bad Company and late Free together was the multi-talented Paul Rodgers. He didn't just have arguably the strongest voice. He also played both piano and a great guitar -- all the guitars and solos on the epic Free single 'Wishing Well', for example, are his. He continued on piano and 2nd guitar for the debut 'Bad Company', which for me is their equal best LP alongside the follow-up 'Straight Shooter'. The title track is my favourite. It magnificently accentuates the image of outlaw drifters which their manager Peter Grant (of Led Zeppelin fame) worked hard to promote. It would seem to be the ideal soundtrack for an introspective cowboy Western, but I've yet to see the movie. If this album has any minor flaws, or a song that isn't quite as superb as the rest, the problem can be resolved by playing this loud, or when drunk, or at any time when you want to enjoy rather than be super-critical. The high-quality production values shine through on this good-time rock CD.
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Made a Big Impact on MeDec 20, 1999
The first time I ever saw this album cover, I was totally taken aback. It was 1974, and I was in 6th grade. I sat next to a girl whose brother was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and she had an 8 track tape by a rock group by the name of Bad Company. The all black album cover, with its white lettering, really caught my attention. In fact, I was even a little bit intimidated by the name and the austere look of the tape. Over the years, I've come to admire the starkness of this album cover. Give Bad Company credit, they did it long before AC/DC came up with "Back in Black." As you can probably guess, the music has the same hard edge to it. When you buy this album, you get five well-known Bad Company hits: "Can't Get Enough," "Rock Steady," "Ready For Love," "Bad Company," and "Movin' On." That should be motive enough to buy it, as I'll usually purchase an album even if it just has two or three good songs on it. I have both the original CD, as well as the remastered one. I actually prefer the original, because it seems a little darker to me. The remastering seems to have taken just a little tiny bit of the bite out of it. I've been a drummer for many years; let me tell you about the drumming on this album. I sat down and listened critically to all three of my Bad Company CDs, taking notes on the playing so I can improve my own abilities. This album has some very tasteful rock drumming on it. Simon Kirke does a fine job of keeping a solid rhythm, but yet also keeping it innovative. He adds some nice touches, but he doesn't overdo things. The drumming on "Straight Shooter" (1974) is a notch below this, as Kirke seems content to just keep a good solid rhythm, but without the variety. The same goes for "The Best of Bad Company Live...What You Hear Is What You Get" (1993). As far as this album goes, let's also give some credit to Simon Kirke for co-authoring the title track "Bad Company" along with Paul Rodgers. Kirke is not just a drummer, he's also a songwriter! I like "Straight Shooter," but I differ with those who say that it is Bad Company's best work. In my opinion, this is the definitive Bad Company album. It is loaded with big hits and it has a great album cover. There is one word that sums up this album to me: IMPACT!
7 of 8 found the following review helpful:
The album that changed rock for the last twenty years.Aug 16, 1998
By hhrrcc@msn.com
Sets the standard for every rock group of the 70's and 80's. Every track, ROCKS! If you're going to buy any Bad Company album start with this one! Tracks like "Rock Steady", "Ready For Love", "Can't Get Enough" and "Bad Company" say it all.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
"Rock Steady" for Over 30 Years!!!Sep 17, 2007
By Gloria J. Green
This album/cd has rocked steady for me since the mid 70's. I have worn out an album, a couple or three cassettes and now have 2 cds. One I keep in the jeep and one in the house. This is one of the BEST EVER CDs put out by any band. It's as good today as it was over 30 years ago. Listened to this in my Army days. It doesn't get any better than that, (except maybe Led Zeppelin). I am a major Led Zeppelin fan also. "Bad Company" has such a unique style of music, it will flow through the ages.
"BAD CO by Bad Company"
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