I might as well start out by telling you that I am a ridiculously huge fan of Bad Company’s marvelous “Desolation Angels” record from 1979 and that I consider this invigorating opus one of the most overlooked ones from the glorious 70s. Why is that? Well, the songs are stellar and range from intoxicating, stadium-sized rock ‘n’ roll with balls the size of Texas and further on to bluesy and laid-back pieces that harbor feelings of longing and loneliness. I love the way in which it moves and slides so effortlessly between punchy hard rock and melancholic workouts with a slightly lazy feel to them and then further on to bright and funky tracks that are as uplifting to listen to as they are delightful. Album opener “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” is one of the catchiest strokes of genius ever conceived and if that one does not manage to make you dance and nod your head in approval, you are a lost cause and a total tit. Other infectious highlights include the heartfelt “Early in the Morning”, the sparkling “Evil Wind”, and the groovy “Rhythm Machine”. As much as I love and cherish this record (and especially this fab-looking anniversary edition of it), it is not entirely flawless as “Take the Time” and “Oh, Atlanta” are neither the most addictive nor musically rewarding Bad Company songs you will come across, but other than that the album rules and is arguably the most inventive one in the BC canon.

The second CD will undoubtedly prove to be a treasure trove for those of you out there who (like me) are madly in love with this underrated output. Not surprisingly, some filler material does crop up now and again on this disc, but there are bucket loads of interesting alternative versions of album cuts present too, many of which are more stripped down and bare compared to the finalized versions that would end up on the album. Perhaps the most notable ones to be found among the bonus tracks are the outtakes “Rock Fever” and “What Does It Matter” with the latter being a blues jam where it sounds as if the guys are unwinding following a long and arduous day in the recording studio.

Apart from being housed in a pretty damn cool-looking digipak, this version of “Desolation Angels” sounds incredibly crisp, cool, and refreshing, and they did a great job in terms of re-mastering the disc and compiling all the extra material for it. Simply put, this exquisitely fine slab of inspiriting hard rock will undoubtedly cheer you up and this is exactly the kind of album re-issue that we need nowadays.

https://www.rhino.com/article/bad-company-desolation-angels-40th-anniversary-remastered-and-expanded-version-of-the