Artist: Bad Company
Release: 2010
Running time: 79.28
Rating: 3/5
The news that the titans of the genre, the great Bad Company, were getting back together caused no small stir among blues rock fans. The big event went down just under two years ago, on August 8, 2008, at the Hard Rock Live arena in Hollywood, Florida, where old hands Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke (Boz Burrell sadly passed away in 2006) shook hands again and, at what was then still a one-night-only get-together, put the band’s greatest triumphs to the endurance test.
“Hard Rock Live” quickly lays out the balance of power on stage in the reborn Bad Company circus. What hits your ears right away is the contrast between Paul Rodgers’ excellent form on one side and the considerable caution, you could even say laid-backness, of his instrumental sidekicks on the other. Starting with the former: what’s great is that Paul’s voice stays commanding in every register he tests it in. His unmistakable vocal play remains opium for die-hard blues rock fans. It’s inspired, full of spontaneously placed improvised twists and variations on melodies that are well settled in the ear, and he also cultivates a showman’s polished formula for building a solid bond with the audience. With a voice this potent, piling up clouds of emotion through “Ready For Love” and “Seagull” is a mere formality. The Ralphs/Kirke duo, on the other hand, mostly thanks to the first one’s reserve, too often gets stuck in the routine of dutifully recreating the original recordings. Still, old habits thankfully don’t vanish overnight. Mick’s touch, even with the modern-leaning production packaging and a noticeably emphasized lower register that sounds more ominous than ever, mostly stays receptive to those bluesy, juicy impulses that have traditionally fit so well with the playful rhythmic simplicity of his buddy stationed behind the drum kit. A fine example of this symbiosis is “Live For The Music”. Ralphs does lose a bit of edge here and there, and the guy’s “strolls” through “Honey Child” and “Simple Man” are especially laid-back, while a touch more audacity would surely have suited “Gone Gone Gone”. “Hard Rock Live” offers clear confirmation that the center of gravity of Bad Company’s most fruitful period lies in the band’s early phase, that is, in the days of the now-cult albums “Bad Company”, “Straight Shooter” and “Burnin’ Sky”. A little credible bite was added to this growling Bad Co. pack by the otherwise entirely dispensable “Desolation Angels”, mainly thanks to the anomalous flash of brilliance “Rock & Roll Fantasy”, which, caught in the grip of impressive guitar simmering, sounds a touch more vital and fresh here.
“Hard Rock Live” has no filler! The 17 selected tracks speak to the exceptional quality of the Bad Company catalog, which, with a performance that’s confident enough, if at times mostly routine, keeps the tension up from the opening “Bad Company” onward. You might, however, be one of those who like a spicier Bad Co. flavor and want a more substantial dose of excitement, in which case you’d do better to reach for “Live in Albuquerque 1976”, which catches Rodgers and company at the peak of their creative powers. Comparing it with “Hard Rock Live” more than 30 years later is of course unfair, but it’s still great that the album is anything but proof of a reunion of bored musicians whose only motive is the wish for some extra cash. Definitely a good omen for this year’s tour of Britain. Now we can only hope there’ll be enough momentum left over from the British Isles run for a dive into the embrace of central Europe.
Lineup
Paul Rodgers: vocals, guitar, piano
Mick Ralphs: guitar
Simon Kirke: drums
guest musicians:
Howard Leese: guitar
Lynn Sorensen: bass
Production
Bad Company
Track list
1. Bad Company
2. Honey Child
3. Burnin’ Sky
4. Gone Gone Gone
5. Run with the Pack
6. Live For The Music
7. Seagull
8. Feel Like Makin’ Love
9. Movin’ On
10. Simple Man
11. Rock Steady
12. Shooting Star
13. Can’t Get Enough
14. Rock N’ Roll Fantasy
15. Ready for Love
16. Good Lovin’ Gone Bad
