Can a subwoofer help a bad recording?

Currently, I am running a little push/pull tube amp through a pair of fairly, high efficiency Silverline Panatella floorstanding speakers. When I play a CD by Sade or Neko Case, the bass is excellent. The bass drum thumps and bass instruments are not boomy. However, on some CD, the bass just isn't there. I can hear it, but it has no authority. Is this the recording or can a subwoofer help out in some cases. I am think that a subwoofer won't help because it can't reproduce information that it isn't given.