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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
closing a cycle..., April 24, 2007
This is the final release by Bad Company Mk3, done before the reunion of the original lineup in 1997, and 1 year after their only other release, Company of Strangers. That record marked the debut of singer Robert Hart, as well as a return to the original bluesy/country rock roots of the band, forsaking the more "commercial" sound of their late 80's and early 90's output with singer Brian Howe at the helm.
I was born in '78, so I never heard the original incarnation of the band. My first introduction to Bad Company came through their 80's music, which I fell in love with, not even knowing that they've had a previous lineup and a totally different musical style! And while this is not my favorite style (meaning their original one), the return to their roots was masterfully done and the results were very good on "Company of Strangers".
This release, however, shows a different side, with mostly acoustic sounding material, where 50% of the songs are new versions of old classics and the other half are brand new songs, probably leftovers. As far as I'm concerned, there are a couple of statements any self respecting artist should really think through before actually making them, and these are (1 being the most delicate): 5)a live album 4)an unplugged record 3)a greatest hits 2)a "covers" album 1)an album of re-recorded, remixed, updated hits.
As I've mentioned in some of my other reviews, such records, more often than not, become an artist's swan song (the examples are WAY too numerous to mention), since they are often the result of a contractual obligation, and many other times, they fortell the impending decline of a band that has little or nothing else to say. This record, containing RE-RECORDED, ACOUSTIC versions of some of their GREATEST HITS tops my list of "what not to do"!!! And sure enough, it became the band's swang song. (at least this lineup's...)
It's never a good idea to start toying around with your catalog, remixing and/or re-recording it. And this is a good example of why: half of the new versions are "hits" (Ready for Love and Shooting Star the clearest examples)and the other are "misses" (Can't get enough, Oh Atlanta). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy acoustic music, but not when it's done at the expense of the rocking nature of the originals! Extra keyboards, backup singers, horns, string sections...they're all good, as long as you USE them and not ABUSE them.
And the original songs? they are pretty good, but they seem out of place in this context. In general, the record ends up being a little too soft for my taste, and a little too acoustic, and in the end, a little boring overall: I mean, one or two slower, acoustic songs are fine, but a record filled with them...it's too much for me...oh well...
Bottom Line: if you enjoy(ed) "Company of Strangers" and the band's original output, you'll probably find things to like in here, but if you're a hard rocker, this is probably not the right place to look...
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
He's no Paul Rodgers, February 4, 1999
By A Customer
It really kills me to hear this one. Its not that Robert Hart's original songs on this album are bad, although some tend to cross over into Michael Bolton territory, but it is the horrendous cover songs on this album. Hart makes a mockery of "Shooting Star". "Don't you know know"? it sounds pretty lame. However "Love so Strong" showcases some excellent guitar work by Mick Ralph, its not enough to make up for the rest of the Album. Its nothing against Hart, but I'm glad that the upcoming Bad Co. CD has Paul Rodgers singing again, at last!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Worst Bad Company CD ever, May 10, 2006
Worst Bad Company CD ever. It was actually painful to here what they did to the classic Bad Company songs on this.
Even more dissappointing because the previous album Company of Strangers was their best non-Paul Rodgers album.
Save your money. Buy the original Bad Company or Free albums.
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