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Rating: The Bad Company, who historically might have deserved greater consideration, morally ended their career with this "Rough Diamonds" released in 1982. In addition to being the last studio album with the original line-up, it represents a desperate attempt to regain some credibility in the British blues revival and the hard-rock scene.
The overall result is a depressing obituary that marks the departure of a band that had in its roots (think of the stunning debut album) the raw drama of Free as well as the commendable contribution of King Crimson alum Boz Burrell and the guitar work of Mick Ralphs (Ex Mott The Hoople). "Rough Diamonds" is an incredibly banal album, stereotypical and devoid of any convincing idea: easily describable as a simplistic jumble of past references, a lot of pop-blues and very little Hard-Rock. Much emphasis is placed on the keyboards, while the guitars seem like a handbook of ready licks for blues novices. Paul Rodgers’ voice, always the most respectable element of the group, seems to disappear with desperate resignation into the foggy lack of originality.
The opener of side one, "Electric Land", is the only true success of the record, besides being the only track to decisively stand out from the negligible and tiring level of the remaining songs. "Untie The Knot" is a lackluster pop homework that bizarrely recalls Toto. Into the blues revival pot without too many pretensions fall "Nuthin' On The TV", the gaudy and simple rock and roll of "Ballad Of The Band" and the folk-tinted "Cross Country Boy". "Painted Face" seems to open with a pleasing melodic structure but ends up pathetically with a keyboard use fit for an '80s cartoon theme. "Kickdown", placed at the close of side one, is a decent, easily forgettable piece, where however Paul Rodgers clearly displays his undeniable talents. Negligible are the remaining "Old Mexico", "Racetrack", and the embarrassing funky nonsense of "Downhill Ryder".
The record, with a die-cut cover, inside with '70s saloon-style photos among Texan hats, prostitutes, and casinos, sits on the second shelf of my discography, which I use to give space to records that deserve easy access.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Electricland (05:29)
The neon lights go flashing by
Electricland is in my eyes
The underworld is on the move
And everybody's got
Something to prove
The taxi driver
Delivers the news
Somebody out there
Has blown a fuse
We're passing the scene
A man is dead
A thirty eight
Blew away his head
A jolt of lightning
Sets me back a pace
Feel like a visitor
From outer space
Please excuse me if
I don't quite understand
I'm just a stranger
In Electricland
You're ready and willing
To have a good time
You live for the moment
The moment is fine
You're up in your room
The lights are low
Before you know
It's time for the show
A jolt of lightning
Sets me back a pace
Feel like a visitor
From outer space
Please excuse me if
I don't quite understand
I'm just a stranger
In Electricland
02 Untie the Knot (04:11)
Like a pair of open wings, you bind me,
To a world, I helped you build around me,
Our gilded cage has turned into a prison cell,
Like a dream when it dies becomes an empty shell.
Untie the knot, the hold over me
you got
Untie the knot, the hold over me
you got
Like a slave who's bound in chains, a broken man,
Like a pain no one could ever understand
That's the spark that lights the fire deep inside
As long as you ain't no blue
in my sky,
Untie the knot, the hold over
me you got
Untie the knot, the hold over
me that you got
Set me free from these chains,
The time has come to
rearrange our destiny
Untie the knot, the knot,
Untie the knot, untie, untie, set me free, set me free.
09 Downhill Ryder (04:14)
I'm a downhill ryder, babe I ain't going down slow
I'm a downhill ryder; I get the urge that it's time to go
Take my cue from my old guitar,
that I used to play,
Underneath the moon and the
stars, 'til the break of day
I'm a free flying glider, got my
head up in the clouds
I'm a free flying glider; I don't ever want to come down
Take my cue from the moon and
the stars that I used to play,
Underneath with my old guitar 'til the break of day, Yeah.
All across the nation I can feel a vibration,
Let it in your mind, let it shine.
Take my cue from the moon and the stars,
That I used to play, underneath with my old guitar,
'Til the break of day, all across the nation,
I can feel the vibration, let it in your mind,
It's going to shine, yes it's going to shine
Well I'm a downhill ryder,
I'm a down, down, down, down, downhill ryder,
Got the wind in my sails; baby I'm a cool man,
Down, down, down, downhill ryder,
Down, down, down??
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