Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 08/16/1994
Run Time: 34:35
Bad Company's 1974 self-titled release stands as one of the most important and accomplished debut
hard rock albums from the '70s. Though hardly visionary, it was one of the most successful steps in the continuing evolution of
rock & roll, riding on the coattails of achievement from artists like
the Eagles and
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. From the simple electric guitar lick on
"Can't Get Enough" to the haunting bassline in
"Bad Company" and the fast beats of
"Movin' On," Bad Company exemplified raw
rock & roll at its best. Erupting out of an experimental period created by the likes of
Pink Floyd,
Bad Company signified a return to more primal, stripped-down
rock & roll. Even while labelmates
Led Zeppelin's
Houses of the Holy and
IV featured highly acclaimed, colorful album artwork,
Bad Company's austere black and white record cover stood out in stark contrast. Six years later,
AC/DC used the same idea on their smash
Back in Black. Throughout the 35-minute album,
Paul Rodgers' mesmerizing and gritty vocals hardly vary in tonal quality, offering a perfect complement to
Mick Ralphs'
blues-based guitar work. Several songs include three-chord verses offset by unembellished, distorted choruses, filled rich with
Rodgers' cries.
Bad Company is an essential addition to the
rock & roll library; clearly influential to '70s and '80s
hard rock bands like
Tom Petty,
Lynyrd Skynyrd, and
Boston.
~Gautam Baksi, All Music Guide
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