Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen have one thing in common with macho belter Paul Rodgers: They lack the dignity of former Queen bassist John Deacon, who retired after the death of bandmate and irreplaceable frontman Freddie Mercury. To reconcile their stylistic differences with Rodgers, guitarist May and drummer Taylor replicate their guest’s lean ’70s biker-rock machine, Bad Company, and, thanks to Rodgers’s still-enviable lung power, they muster a fair amount of bluster. But unintentionally camp lyrics like “Once I loved a butterfly/Don’t wonder how, don’t ask me why” squash the mood of midlife ballsiness. Alternating rave-ups with overwrought ballads, this mismatched combo brings out the best in each other only on the refreshingly lightweight “Call Me,” where Rodgers crows like a country rooster while May and Taylor approximate a pampered peacock strut.

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