Straight Shooter is another great sounding record by Bad Company, but I don’t think it’s as good their self-titled debut. That said, it does have my favorite Bad Company song, “Feel Like Makin’ Love.” I can’t seem to play that song loud enough. Those guitars are so crunchin’, the drums so cracking, and the sparse lead guitar accents sound so fat and huge I just want more. I’m a sucker for the pretty verse then heavy chorus thing. Another great one is “Shooting Star.” “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” is a distant third to those but it’s fun to listen to, maybe because I remember it from the radio when I was a kid.

There are only eight songs on Straight Shooter and the other five are pretty forgettable. I’ve played this record a lot and I can’t remember them, so, it must be true.

• Artist: Bad Company
• Title: Bad Company
• Year: 1974
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2005? I think this one was inherited from Bob Bobala
• Keeper: Yes

Bad Company is one of the coolest band names ever. If these guys weren’t already rock stars before they started this super group (Free, King Crimson, Mott the Hoople) they would’ve been after this debut. Bad Company contains the huge hits “Can’t Get Enough”, “Rock Steady”, “Ready for Love”, “Movin’ On”, and, my favorite, the title track “Bad Company.” When Simon Kirke double flams on the snare to kick-off the chorus on “Bad Company” I get a rush because that sound is so cracking! And the bass and guitar sound huge too. It’s impressive that anyone could get such a tight, dry sound to also be so titanic. That the band members produced the album is incredible. Young producers, and musicians, should study these albums.

There’s more about Bad Company at Wikipedia.

On the band portait inside the gatefold cover someone wrote “W F” and circled it on Paul Rodgers forehead. What’s that about Bob?