Bad Company

First, I want to say I am life long Bad Company and Paul Rodgers fan. Next, I want to say it's 2009, ten years after the release of this collection and enough time honestly share that the B-sides and new (at the time) songs have become classics for me. Especially, the new tracks Hammer of Love, Trackin' Down a Runaway, Hey, Hey and Aint it Good.

As for the B-Sides/Unreleased tracks; Superstar Woman and Easy on My Soul, previously recorded for Paul Rodgers first solo album and by Free respoectively are both quite good. Little Miss Fortune, Whiskey Bottle and Smokin 45 are quality recordings and make this compilation well worth the price.

As for the questionable omission of Movin' On, Gone Gone Gone, Crazy Circles, Live for the Music and Electric Land it's hard to satisfy eveyone. I personally, would have added the previously mentioned songs and omitted Do Right By Your Woman, Heartbeat, Untie the Knot, and Downhill Racer and possibly Too Bad.

Now if we can only get an official live Bad Company album from the 70's and some live video footage of the band on DVD.

But otherwise, you should stick to the 5-6 albums that this set represented.

First off, there are some essential tracks missing from this set. Yes it has the basic Bad Company songs like "Can't Get Enough", "Movin' On", "Feel Like Making Love", "Rock And Roll Fantasy" etc. But it is missing some other classics such as "Weep No More", "Live For The Music", "Simple Man", "Young Blood", "Crazy Circles" and "Gone Gone Gone".

I would recommend buying the original 6 albums then download the b-sides either here on Amazon or through LW (illegally).

I would though say that the booklet that comes with the set is very nice.

If you are just a "casual" fan, buy the less expensive "10 from 6" instead or if you'd like to dig deeper just go for it and buy the 5 (or 6) albums provided. Definately buy the first 3 and Desolation Angels, as the other 2 aren't as strong IMO.

I dont mind some filler on double anthologies,but when great songs are kept off for the filler theres a problem.1. electricland 2.gone gone gone 3. sweet lil sister 4. weep no more 5. jive talkin ( just kiddin ) all in all a pretty good double.

In the era of Supergroups, Bad Company was one of the 70's finest. Cobbled together from ex-Free, Mott and King Crimson members, they came on like gangbusters and picked up by legendary Led Zep manager Peter Grant, Bad Co leapt to prominence on their still superb debut album. Taking a song guitarist Mick Ralphs was told wasn't right for Mott The Hoople, "Can't Get Enough," the bluesy soulful voice of Paul Rodgers carried the day and the band was instantly successful.

As the first group signed to Led Zepplin's Swan Song label, it was little surprise that Bad Company rocked raw and hard. They also knew how to lay a sensual groove, as the second album's (Straight Shooter) "Feel Like Making Love" proved. These two albums were Bad Company's best, so it makes sense that the entire first disc is made up of songs from this period. Like so may groups from the period, Bad Company likened themselves to outlaws and lovermen (their eponymous Bad Company theme) as well as hard drinking party men ready for new adventures ("Good Loving Gone Bad," "Movin' On"). There's also self-mythology which was done really well with "Seagull" and "Shooting Star." Almost every song from Disc 1 has become a classic rock staple, and deservedly so.

The second disc shows the wear and tear. The original line-up of Ralphs, Rodgers, Kirke and Burrell made six albums, so the remaining four compete for space on disc two, along with some new tracks. (And none from Bad Company Mach II, the Brian Howe version of the band.) I've always considered Run with the Pack to be the last good album from the original line-up and the odd thing is the playful remake of The Coasters' "Young Blood" is left off this set. Only two songs apiece from Burnin' Sky and the forgettableRough Diamonds made the cut, and the title track from Sky was the best thing on that album.

Desolation Angels reversed the slide by introducing some new sounds to the mix and the killer single "Rock and Roll Fantasy." Rodgers sounds like he's trying new styles on "Oh Atlanta" (not the Little Feat song), but it was becoming obvious that band was running out of gas. I may be alone in this, but other than "Tracking Down a Runaway," the four new songs aren't very memorable. The blues/rock that Ralphs and Rodgers pushed for was a solid formula, but it was still a formula. The first of the two CD's on this set contains the lion's share of the good stuff, and this is the best re-mastering available so far (tape hiss and all). So until the original albums get an upgrade, "The Original Bad Company Anthology" is the place to go.

This is a great compilation. Paul Rogers has one of the greatest voices in the classic rock era. This offering is packed with essential hits and will leave you singing along the whole time.

Nobody I knew back in 1974 and in the following years would ever admit to actually thinking Bad Company was cool. it's not necessary to get into what we were listening to -- more hard than ripe at age 14 -- which could range all over the map, but cool kids on Long Island didn't just openly groove to Bad Company. They hid that groove like their weed, like their drinking, like the boyfriend their parents loathed, but in the back of the car, maybe riding with some older kids that just got their license, with the windows down in the summer, you didn't flip the dial when "Rock Steady" came on. You just shut up and let it go. Completely wrong yet absolutely oh so right ...

Bad Company's debut album and my favorite. I can't remember how many I've had over the years, starting with a vinal then an eight track then I don't know how many cassetes. Now on cd and I will take better care, this one is one of those I will take to my grave. MOST EXCELENT!

To me, this is the best music album from Bad Company. If you want a taste of what Bad Company is all about, this is the one for you.

Released in 1974, Bad Company's eponymous debut is the work of a tight, muscular, and completely professional rock `n' roll band who knew how to combine hard rock, blues, pop, and country to maximum (commercial) effect. Their sound was lean, mean, and instantly accessible, and as a result, their first record soared to the top of the charts, taking two singles ("Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On") to #s 5 and 19, respectively. And although their music smacks of prefab commercial concerns, it's hard to deny that the band deserved their success.

For one thing, the singles rule. "Can't Get Enough" is a classic bit of blues-pop, with a melody that'll be in your head `til the end of time, and a chorus that'll make you sing like a moron. "Movin' On" is a classic chunk of 70s boogie rock, with a nifty little guitar riff and a cool solo. Aside from those two singles, we've got the ridiculously way-cool "Rock Steady," and the gospelly ballad "Don't Let Me Down." The title track ("Bad Company" on Bad Company by Bad Company. How `bout that!) is a nervous and dreamy piano-led number with a strong country influence and some evocative lyrics. There's also a dreamy, spacious number by the name of "Seagull."

So, it's not exactly groundbreaking, but Bad Company's debut is certainly fun. And it, by all means, rocks.

ESSENTIAL ALBUM!!! This is Bad Company's finest effort, by far! It's an incredible debut album by a supergroup; Paul Rodgers (vocals, guitar, piano) & Simon Kirke (drums), both from Free, Mick Ralphs (lead guitar) from Mott the Hoople & Boz Burrell (bass) from King Crimson. So it shouldn't be a surprise that the album reached #1 on the charts. It's also hard to believe that there were only two singles released from this classic album, "Can't Get Enough" which peaked at #5 & "Movin' On" made it to #19 (and this last song isn't anywhere near the best from here).

The album opens with "Can't Get Enough", a classic. "Rock Steady" comes next & was another instant classic. It's hard to believe that this wasn't a hit. "Ready for Love" follows & once again we have a classic song that wasn't released as a single. These are the three best songs on the album & might be three of the best songs Bad Company ever did. "Ready for Love" was written by Mick Ralphs while he was still with Mott the Hoople. The lead singer for Mott, Ian Hunter, nixed it saying it didn't sound like a song that they would record. Hunter was probably right about that but he missed & misjudged on that decision. Then comes the ballad "Don' Let Me Down", a modest song at best. Then comes the irrepressible "Bad Company", another song that could have been a hit. "The Way I Choose" is the weakest song on the album & the only misstep here. "Movin' On" is next. The album closes with "Seagull". It's really a Paul Rodgers solo effort, he's the only person on the song.

Unfortunately, Bad Company would plummet fast from these heights. Oh, they still sold plenty of records but the quality would never be this good again. Paul Rodgers, though, has certainly been one of rock's greatest vocalists, capable of doing different things. It's just a shame that this talented group wouldn't ever release an album anywhere near this good again.

Rhino just reissued this great title this month on CD. Does anyone know if this CD reissue is remastered? I looked at the jewel case's spine in the store, and it looks the same as the other pre-1994, pre-remastered Bad Company CDs. It is white with small, blue letters, like the first Bad Company "Bad Company" (non-remastered) CD from 1990.
Please help. Thanks.

Can't wait for the new Bad Company Live DVD to come out next year - it was shot at their one-night-only gig in Seminole, Fla. this last summer with original members Rodgers, Ralphs and Kirke, plus Rodgers' solo touring bassist sitting in for the late, great Boz Burrell. Here's hoping those three do a U.S. tour, and that Rodgers and Queen do a tour here in the U.S., too.

I am not a huge fan of Bad Company, but they are a band that received significant air play while I was growing up in the 80s. This album has all those songs plus a few others. If you want a nice selection of all the Bad Company hits this is the perfect '10'.

This was a fairly good 1970's group. They were not the Who or Led Zeppelin, but still far better than the Punk & Disco genres. My favorites are "Rock In Roll Fantasy, Shooting Star, Feel Like Makin Love, Ready For Love, & Can't Get enough Of Your Love." The first is an uptempo number, the second, is 70's electric rock meets acoustic. The third is a sensual rocker, while the fourth is a yearning ballad. The last is a jaunty tune to drive to. This is not a great compilation, but it is still a good one.

I can't believe that this CD has not been remastered by now!
The mastering engineer should be Bill Ingot......from Rhino!

He's top notch at Remastering!!

The reviewers who've ripped this have chiefly criticized that it's not complete enuff in comparision to some other anthologies. Whatever. The stuff that is here is 10 of the best Bad Com songs and makes for a great litle piece of 70s rock. Most tunes are so well known there's no need to go in depth. Can't Get Enough is great rock. Feel Like Makin' Love is a good, mellower tune about you know what. Run With the Pack has a cool chorus. "Shooting Star" is a good, poignant tune about a kid who makes it big then self-destructs. "Bad Company" is about a guy always on the wrong side of the law. "Electric Land" is a cool song, kinda bluesy and jazzy. "Ready for Love" alternates interestingly between mellow piano parts and choppy guitar parts. "Live for the Music" has heavy, choppy guitar.

This is a great piece of 70s rock.

I will now enter into the debate which was their best album, this one or the Bad Co. debut but I like this one better personally, it rocks more than the 1st album and has just a bit more intensity. Still many of the songs on this release are highly recognizable today. The ablum has stood the test of time even 33 years later.

This is a classic rock album and you can put it up against anyones release. This is classic rock at its finest.

Richard in Austin, Texas

Bad Company's second studio effort was a tremendous drop off from their first. Unlike their debut album, this one has some definite filler. And, honestly, after this album, there's no need to delve any further into their studio albums, you'll hear a definite thud with each subsequent release. Best songs on this album are "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" & "Feel Like Makin' Love" (one of their best). Most people love "Shooting Star" but it's not one of my favorites (does trite come to mind?). "Deal With the Preacher" is a good album cut but the rest is filler. There was so much promise to this group that never happened, perhaps they were truly a dinosaur, already out of place before their eventual demise.

Don't need to look any further if you like Bad Company at all. This one's a winner.

Bad Company-Straight Shooter ****


There is not much to say about Bad Company. Nothing really exciting happand to the band and they dont really have any good storys, they were just your average good old rock n' roll band. Straight Shooter was the bands second album. They were still on Swan Song at this point, Led Zeppelins record lebel. While this is not as good as the self titled debut Bad Company this is still a great album.

'Good Lovin Gone Bad' opens the album and it is along the same lines as 'Cant Get Enough from the debut musicaly, but lyricly it is the flip side, where this is about love going bad the other is about not getting enough love. A nice way to open the album and Mick Ralphs plays some killer guitar on this track. 'Feel Like Makin Love' is a radio classic. Still to this day is played on the radio regularly. It starts off nice and acousticly and then kicks in to the hard rocking chorus. Easily one of the bands best songs. 'Weep No More' is very dixie. A nice little ditty about still loving a girl after she did you wrong. 'Shooting Star' is a longer song clocking in at over six minutes, and still managed to become a massive radio hit. While this is concidered to be one of the bands best songs, it was never a big hit with me, I can only listen to it so many times. 'Deal With The Preacher' is easily the best song on the album. The lyrics are the best on the album and it is clearly Paul Rogers best vocals performance of the album and probably one of his best ever. 'Wild Fire Woman' is a nice little rocker with a funky back beat and loose bass line which adds a little flavor to the album. The song has a great chorus and some killer vocals from Rogers. 'Anna' is a nice little love song, very cliche to the time of its release in 1975. Not very special other then it has a whole lot of heart and soul in the performance, see because the lyrics are nice but they seem to desperate like a cry for what he is singing about rather then what he really has. 'Call On Me' is the final song on the album. It is heavy in Keyboards and synth. Not very special and actually somewhat tedious, the album would have been stronger without it. Not a very good closer, though the guitar playing is pretty good.

Straight Shooter is not the album the debut was but you can not compare the two, that was a legendary album and this wasnt, but it is still good if you dont compare the two. That would be like comparing The Rolling Stones albums Exile On Main Street which is the best album to its follow up Goats Head Soup, while Soup is an amazing album itself if falters in comparison to Exile. Straight Shooter is a solid album through and through, and one that all classic rock fans should enjoy.

One of their best albums, who new it was hard to find? CD was delivered quickly and in perfect condition.

This album has always been overshadowed by Bad Company's more commercially successful albums. It doesn't have any hits on it and Bad Company didn't try anything new with its sound, so many critics dismiss it as formulaic. However, in 1977 when the album was released, the band was still in fine form and there's a vitality to the music that makes Burnin' Sky still an enjoyable listen today. While it might not be the best of Bad Company's albums, it is still pretty good.

You can tell that today's "current" rock is heading back to the days of bands such as Bad Company. Simple, straight-ahead melodies; soulful, unvarnished vocals and a basic guitar/bass/drum bed underneath are all basic staples of rock 'n' roll. Paul Rodgers was voted "best rock voice ever" in the UK and this album only adds to that appelation. Mick Ralph's guitar is so vital, yet smartly spare. He's never been listed in the top-line guitar panels, but he is truly a gifted artist who does it right in both rhythm and lead applications. Simon Kirke is the perfect hammer for this musical anvil that broke up all too soon. Both alternative and harder rock are becoming more melodic and more simple. We may never eliminate the overstated distortion through which today's rhythm guitars are delivered, but groups like Nickleback, Foo Fighters and others are keeping the traditions alive. Even though Bad Company failed to make its planned comeback, I think, if handled correctly (as in the cases of The Eagles and Van Halen), a reunion tour and album would be the catalyst for the return of this seminal group.

I got this CD for my husband for Christmas, he loved it and plays it all of the time. The package arrived promptly, a plus during Christmas time! Thanks Amazon, I look foward to doing business with you again.

Bad Company was a favorite during my early 20's and I always wanted this (back then ) album. So now I purchased the CD with one of my favorite Bad Company songs' "Burnin' Sky".

If you're a Bad Company fan you know this was their last real album and not one of their best efforts. But all the same not a bad reissue on cd media.

This was the first Bad Company CD that I ever heard or bought, so as a young person who likes to listen to real music, this was a welcome addition to my collection. Rodgers's voice is enchantingly classic, and though I do have my favorite tracks, there isn't one song that I don't like. This disc is one of my favorites, and I've played the thing so many times it already skips. Definitely underrated.

This was a gift for someone who had been looking for this album for a long time. I found it here!

This is one of my all time favorite CDs. Every song on it is worth listening to.

This is one of the best albums with the original line up. Exceptionally tight. 1979 was a good year for good rock 'n' roll and a good year for Bad Company

This album is the penultimate Bad Company. A breaktrhough album full of soulful and playful songs that are unforgettable. A must-have for every rocker.

It's a time warp of rock 'n roll. Fun music, classic Bad Company. Ballad Fade Away is great, as is Run with the Pack (though not a ballad). It's not as good as the first Bad COmpany, but still deserves its 5 stars as a clasic rock album.

This Bad Company album, though not with the top 40 hits of their self titled debut record and Straight Shooter, may be the band's most consistent effort. Fantastic rock vocals by Paul Rodgers, clever riffs by Ralphs and the super group stability of Burrell's bass and Simon Kirke's drums make songs like Youngblood and the classic Silver, Blue and Gold really sing. I remember bringing the vinyl home for the first time! Great stuff.

This album is just as good as I remembered it to be, seeing as how I haven't listened to it for probably 15 years. I rank this one almost as high as their first (Bad Company +5) and second (Straight Shooter ++5). Probably not as many outright hits as the first two but certainly a good effort. Brings back many good memories!

For years I have meaning to pick this album up on CD (I had the original on vinyl), mainly because it contains 'Sweet Lil Sister' - a blistering and soulful performance by Paul Rogers. I was not disappointed. That song is the best mover on the album, and certainly better than most anything else he recorded with this band. There are some other great tunes and classics on the album, the only clinker being an unnecessary remake of 'Young Blood'. Besides 'Sister', there is also a little played tune called 'Simple Man', another moving performance by Rogers, but this one is downtempo and meditative in comparison. This collection is worth having, even moreso than their first album, in my opinion.

I somehow made it thru the 70's and 80's without knowing who Paul Rodgers was. I had heard of Bad Company, of course, but had never bought an album. So I came to the Holy Water album with no "but it ain't Paul Rodgers!" bias, and this is one of my few owned rock albums that has stood the test of time with me. Almost all of my other 80s and 90s albums have left my collection, but not this one (and not Foreigner 4 or Lou Gramm's solo efforts, either). I LOVE Brian Howe's vocals. Give the man his due - he ain't Paul Rodgers, but that in no way takes away from his talent. He really belts it out on this album! I've sampled the earlier Bad Company releases here on Amazon and am not ready to lay down money for them yet. Frankly, I'm not sure I'd like them. They sound dated to me and I am not a particularly big fan of blues (which I definitely hear in those earlier albums). If you want anthem rock and kick-butt vocals and guitars, you can't go wrong with this Holy Water album (unless it's only the Paul ROdgers incarnation of Bad Company that you're willing to accept).

The shear fact that a band can go through an utter reformation and come up with this good a work is well, rather incredible. Bad Company was Paul Rodgers' baby. His bluesy vocals and no-nonsense style made for some unforgettable rock history. But along comes Brain Howe and Terry Thomas. The glimmer twins on two amazing projects. Holy Water ends up being the pinnacle of this tandem. The material is breathtaking. Crushing drums from old man Simon Kirke and rediculously scrumptious pop-metal grooves from old timer Mick Ralphs. But it's Thomas' production work that exumes all the 1989 rock potential from this corporate logo. "Holy Water" has one of the best guitar intros in rock history. "If You Needed Somebody" is a perfect fill for the top 40 of the day. "Fearless", "Stranger, Stranger" and "Walk Through Fire" contain enough octane for a quick trip to the moon and back. And all those cowbells. Thomas knows how to fire up this combination. He also sings backing vocals and seems to know which buttons to push at any moment. Every song is a potential hit single. For a real treat, check out the Simon Kirke vocals on "100 Miles", the album closer that actually works. For AOR in 1989, nothing surpasses this collection. A work of art comprised of all the right ingredients. This album went platinum for good reason. It's that good!

the previous Bad Company release 'fame and fortune' found the band confused and trying out a completely new style...it sounded great but the hard core fans responded by not buying it (which was unfair in my opinion)
but on 'Holy Water' the band found their own style
which they stuck to for this release and the following 3 releases as well

it is more modern sounding then the releases with Paul Rogers singing
and I think there are more 'hits' on these releases
Holy Water starts out very strong with the title cut which rocks hard
from there is another big hit 'Walk Through Fire' which is pure radio bliss...'Stranger Stranger' sounds a bit like old Bad Company with an updated sound...'If You Needed Somebody' is a beautiful ballad (which would also have worked for Def Leppard)
but my favorite track on the album is 'Fearless' which has a great beat and lyrics about a girl who is fearless and loves having fun...'Boys Cry Tough' is a beautiful song with story telling lyrics that really work,it's very emotional...the whole album is very solid and the format works
one listen to this album and you'll see why Bad Company was all over the radio when this album was released

the upside - pure radio bliss...awesome songs from start to finish...the best are 'Fearless' 'Boys Cry Tough' and 'Walk Through Fire'

the downside - really can't think of any

the bottom line - this was the start of the new era of Bad Company,a formula of great catchy songs done in a dark bluesy style,it worked great! Donutman says so!!!

I think we can all agree that the old Bad Company albums with Paul Rodgers on vocals are rightly viewed as classics. I also think that if you take an honest look back at those albums, you'll see that those last few albums were not on the same level as Bad Company or Straight Shooter. The band needed a shot in the arm and got just that when they hired former Ted Nugent vocalist Brian Howe. Howe was the perfect choice for the arena rock decade, and his tenure in Bad Company is still criminally underrated.

I know this kind of AOR/arena rock is almost universally ridiculed now, but plenty of us who grew up in that era can still appreciate an album full of big guitar hooks, rock anthems, bic-flicking ballads, and an unapologetic use of keyboards. Bands like Damn Yankees, Bad English, Foreigner, and of course Bad Company embraced this sound, and rode an unexpected second wave of popularity as a result.

Bad Company's 1990 album Holy Water is (pardon the pun) the high water mark for the Howe-era lineup. This album starts with the powerful title track and then hits you with the song "Walk Through Fire", which is one of the era's absolute best rock songs (Lou Gramm's "Midnight Blue" is the other). It doesn't let up there, instead charging through rockers like "Stranger Stranger" and "Fearless" as well as the hit ballad "If You Needed Somebody". Someone already noted that the album loses a little steam in the second half, but even the average song on Holy Water is still better than many of their contemporaries' best efforts.

This is about as strong an AOR album as you could ever hope to find. The first half easily deserves a 5-star rating, and the second half is worthy of at least 4 stars. Holy Water may remain shunned by old school Bad Company fans, but it's one of the era's best rock albums, and one that all 80's/early 90's rock fans will definitely want to check out.

The holy water cd is my favorite newer Bad Company albums. But nothing beats the old songs.

Rhino just reissued this great title this month on CD. Does anyone know if this CD reissue is remastered? I looked at the jewel case's spine in the store, and it looks the same as the other pre-1994, pre-remastered Bad Company CDs. It is white with small, blue letters, like the first Bad Company "Bad Company" (non-remastered) CD from 1990.
Please help. Thanks.

Can't wait for the new Bad Company Live DVD to come out next year - it was shot at their one-night-only gig in Seminole, Fla. this last summer with original members Rodgers, Ralphs and Kirke, plus Rodgers' solo touring bassist sitting in for the late, great Boz Burrell. Here's hoping those three do a U.S. tour, and that Rodgers and Queen do a tour here in the U.S., too.

I am not a huge fan of Bad Company, but they are a band that received significant air play while I was growing up in the 80s. This album has all those songs plus a few others. If you want a nice selection of all the Bad Company hits this is the perfect '10'.

This was a fairly good 1970's group. They were not the Who or Led Zeppelin, but still far better than the Punk & Disco genres. My favorites are "Rock In Roll Fantasy, Shooting Star, Feel Like Makin Love, Ready For Love, & Can't Get enough Of Your Love." The first is an uptempo number, the second, is 70's electric rock meets acoustic. The third is a sensual rocker, while the fourth is a yearning ballad. The last is a jaunty tune to drive to. This is not a great compilation, but it is still a good one.

I can't believe that this CD has not been remastered by now!
The mastering engineer should be Bill Ingot......from Rhino!

He's top notch at Remastering!!

The reviewers who've ripped this have chiefly criticized that it's not complete enuff in comparision to some other anthologies. Whatever. The stuff that is here is 10 of the best Bad Com songs and makes for a great litle piece of 70s rock. Most tunes are so well known there's no need to go in depth. Can't Get Enough is great rock. Feel Like Makin' Love is a good, mellower tune about you know what. Run With the Pack has a cool chorus. "Shooting Star" is a good, poignant tune about a kid who makes it big then self-destructs. "Bad Company" is about a guy always on the wrong side of the law. "Electric Land" is a cool song, kinda bluesy and jazzy. "Ready for Love" alternates interestingly between mellow piano parts and choppy guitar parts. "Live for the Music" has heavy, choppy guitar.

This is a great piece of 70s rock.

I know I'm in the minority here, but as much as I enjoy the early Paul Rodgers albums, the late 80's/early 90's albums with Brian Howe on vocals are my favorite Bad Company releases. They were just completely slick, catchy, melodic (and yes commercial) AOR albums, and Howe's voice was perfect for that style of music. The AOR/melodic rock sound was getting its second wind (and plenty of airplay) at that time, and Howe helped Bad Company capitalize on that.

Despite the fact that Howe joined the band with 1986's Fame and Fortune, 1988's Dangerous Age is really the first Bad Company album with the new AOR sound. Gone was the bluesy, soulful sound typically associated with Bad Company. Instead the band served up ultra polished, made-for-radio commercial rock, relying on catchy melodies and Brian Howe's arena rocking voice. Now, if you hate that kind of music (and there are plenty who do), nothing I say is going to convince you otherwise. I happen to love this kind of music, and for me, Dangerous Age, Holy Water, and Here Comes Trouble are all essential albums. No Smoke Without a Fire was the hit single from this album, and the ballad Something About You should have been. The rest of the songs are hit and miss. There are some really good melodic rockers, and some obvious filler tracks.

Overall this is a solid AOR album and the start of a new age for Bad Company. The band's 1990 album Holy Water is an even better example of the new Bad Company sound.

If you're looking for a "classic" Bad Company album, this isn't it. If you're a fan of the late 80's AOR/melodic rock style, you'll definitely want to check out the Howe era Bad Company albums, and Dangerous Age is a great place to start.

The opening groove to "Shake It Up" is the tasty beginning to an amazing collection of late '80's hard rock from Mick Ralphs and Brain Howe. The new revamped Bad Company seemed like a joke at first. Their first album "Fame and Fortune" sounded so much like mid '80's Foreigner that the two were almost the same band. But something happened on Dangerous Age. The production got a little more raw. The sweet keyboards were gone. Replacing them were killer power chords masterfully played by Ralphs and sung to perfection by Howe. The combination along with some excellent hooks and some great AOR songwriting make this one of the most memorable products of the period. You may not like the idea of a Paul Rodgers-less Bad Co. hitting stride, but this is a winner. Check out "Shake It Up", "Bad Man", "That's The Way That It Goes" and the amazing "No Smoke Without A Fire". These tunes stick in your brain long after you hear them. This is also one of the most politically incorrect album covers in rock music history. Get this on CD and get the bonus track "excited". This album simply rocks!

When 'Holy Water' went huge with radio airplay they decided to stick to a winning formula and it worked big time

the same dark bluesy performance of catchy hit songs continues here
'One Night' 'No Smoke Without A Fire' 'The Way It Goes' and my favorite 'Shake It Up' makes this a winning album

the upside - from start to finish this is one hit song after another,the songwriting is fantastic,my favorite tracks are 'Shake It Up' and 'The Way It Goes' and 'No Smoke Without A Fire'

the downside - the only small complaint is that it sounds almost identical to 'Holy Water' but it's not really a bad thing,it just shows they found their style and wanted to stick with it

the bottom line - if you love great rock and roll with catchy hooks and great lyrics,this is the album for you...donutman says so!!!

This album illustrates the true talent of Mick Ralphs, which has taken a back seat to Paul Rodgers in the past.

No, this is not like the soulful hard rock sounds of the Paul Rodgers fronted Bad Company. No, this is not the 1970's either.
An overhaul was needed after the album "Fame and Fortune" failed to really ignite. Despite what some might say, this incarnation and the music it produced was solid, melodic, and enjoyable.
Guitarist Mick Ralph's and drummer Simon Kirke updated the sound and swagger and it suited the late 80's and 90's to a T.
Stand out tracks: One Night, Shake it up, No smoke without a fire, Bad Man, and Dirty Boy.
Slick and overproduced, but a joy to listen to at High DB's.