Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
How in the hell has it taken until 2025 for a tribute album for Bad Company to appear? With a band that was so underrated it is no surprise I suppose but it is finally here, and it has some big hitters doffing their cap as well as original members joining in on the fun.
The first track is “Ready For Love” and for this Country star Hardy takes centre stage and puts a very different take on this classic. The jingle made it sound like a Christmas song but this one grew on me. It is a far step from the original but what is the point in just doing a note for note cover?
My first listen I was a hell no but after a few plays I got the idea and it sat with me better and was actually up there with one of my favourite tracks on the album.
We have Halestorm taking over on “Shooting Star” helped out ably with some youngster called Paul Rodgers. The band and little Miss Hale obviously listened to the first track as this is heavily steeped in Country but they make sure that the rock shines through, a perfect bow to the original.
With an absolute all time classic like “Feel Like Makin’ Love” you cannot mess around with any two bit musos so step forward Slash and his band and this is what a tribute is all about. The original groove is intact, the grit is there and Myles take a bow good sir. This is second only to the original.
“Run With the Pack” is performed with style by Blackberry Smoke with Paul Rodgers and Brann Dailor. Similar enough to the original to make you happy and different enough to say yip, that is the Smoke boys. Another one that hits the mark.
I would probably not have envisioned the Struts being on this album but their version of “Rock’n’Roll Fantasy” is awesome. They managed to turn it into a NWoBHM version somehow. Considering who else is on this album how they managed to get this sounding like Hello America is beyond me but I loved it.
With a song like “Bad Company” you need someone with the balls to put a stamp on it and on here those cahonas belonged to Charley Crockett and the opening gave me chills. This song has been with me for a very long time and I loved it on the first play, I also adore the 5FDP version so to get a new one made me very, very happy. With a song this good I do not think even my tone deaf ramblings could make a bad version of this but this version rocks.
I have to say as soon as I heard Dirty Honey were doing a song on the album I instantly stood to attention. They are one of my favourite young bands and boy do they do “Rock Steady” justice here. This song fits with the bands vibe so well it could very well be on one of their releases. A Great band, a great track and a killer version of the song.
We cannot have any Deep South without Black Stone Cherry who take on “Burning Sky”. I say take on but it is more like knock it out of the park. This is stunning.
I touched on it earlier but Joe Elliot and Phil Collen step up for “Seagull” and boy do these two step up. This is one of my favourite songs from Bad Company and this is stunning. Helped along by Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke there was no way this could fail but my best expectations could not have envisioned just how good this cover would be. The best track on the album and as someone who has not been a Def Leppard fan since High ‘n’ Dry that is one hell of a compliment from me.
“All Right Now” is such an iconic song it was ingenious to hand the duties over to The Pretty Reckless. Adding a female voice to this macho coated, testosterone driven monster was a stroke of genius and Miss Momsen absoloutley kicks the door down. This was an incredible way to finish the album. It has every ingredient from the original with a sprinkling of pheromones, seduction and bite.
This album will have you scrabbling for the originals as this record will remind you how each and every song is a banger and just how talented Bad Company were.
I grew up with the band, I am sure most people will have been introduced over the years via soundtracks, compilations or covers but now we have a new way to celebrate the band and if these new versions turn a younger crowd onto the originals I am down with that.
Pre-order & Pre-save album on limited-edition silver colored vinyl, CD and all digital formats and special merch bundles HERE
For updates and further info visit: BadCompany.com
