Bad English - Bad English

Bad English, not-bad album

As with so many supergroups, Bad English, which featured various members of US megastars Journey and classic UK band The Babys, were never really more than the sum of their parts. That said, their parts were pretty good, so this, their 1989 debut, while not always inspired, is never less than solid.

The superb musicianship of all involved (notably Journey guitarist Neal Schon) fits the vocals of John Waite like a glove, and the songwriting isn’t too shabby either. Opener Best Of What I Got sets the tone for an album of catchy, polished AOR – anthemic and rocking for the most part, but with a few power ballads thrown in for good measure. The latter are exemplified by the band’s sole big hit, the Diane Warren-penned When I See You Smile, a serviceable but bland track which lacks the spark of Journey’s classic ballads and ends up sounding like every other Diane Warren ballad. Ultimately, this lack of individuality is the main problem with Bad English, but for fans of the big 80s AOR sound, and John Waite in particular, it’s definitely worth a listen.

SPV | 306122 CD

Reviewed by William Pinfold
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