Cheap Thrills

love

Janis Joplin's vocals are a "you either love it or you hate it" kind of deal. I personally love them, but I won't blame anyone who thinks they're ear-grating. In my opinion, this is up there with Led Zeppelin's debut as one of the best blues rock albums of all time. Lovely listen.

C’est vraiment bon, 100% je réécoute

This is eerily similar to the other Janis Joplin album on here when it comes to my opinions, that being that there's one especially notable song with the rest of it being not all too notable for me. I did like this album more, as some of the rock reminded me of other groups I enjoy and the such, but the fake "live" sound did start to annoy me near the end, and songs generally felt relatively similar. None of this makes this a bad album, because I can see the importance here, it just isn't my cup of tea musically.

This album fucking rules. Janis Joplin makes every track she's on more fun, and the backing instrumentals are right there with her. I'm really glad I got to hear this album. Favorite track: Ball and Chain

Janis Joplin really has a powerful voice. The live atmosphere of the album was quite nice too, but the album doesn't click with me really. Heard a version with two extra songs. + Combination of the Two + Flower in the Sun

So good. Joplin vocals are on point. Classic jam band + blues-y feel. The good tracks are great. The filler tracks are not bad. I bet this sounded amazing live.

Liked Summertime and Turtle Blues. As I get older, I'm less into Joplin screams. Good album, not sure I would pick it to randomly play, but I wouldn't hit skip on most songs. The whole here is probably greater than the sum of its parts. Very cohesive. 3.5-4/5

Enjoyable listen. I haven't listened to a ton of Joplin. I'm mostly familiar with "Piece of My Heart." Would listen to again.

Hey there is a song on here I know! Love the bluesy songs... and who knew that Janis was in a band before she was solo? This a surprisingly great album.

Love this album - Janis Joplin is a Queen!

discovering that janis joplin sounds like marge simpson with a bit of angus young at certain points was the highlight of my day. this was most noticeable to me on I need a man to love and summertime. beyond that, though, I'm not sure how many of these I'll come back and listen to. favorite tracks: summertime, piece of my heart

Joplin in her prime. A lot better than expected.

Woah, Janice Joplin was in a band? I had no idea! Anyway, she's just unreachable

My first 5 star album of this challenge! Janis is obviously a legend. My favorite songs were Piece of My Heart and Turtle Blues

Racist album cover. And headbangingly dull to boot.

A good musical representation of the time

good moments

3.5

Ik daag je uit om 3 mensen te vinden die een grotere hekel hebben aan Janis Joplin dan ik. Ik denk dat je het dan hard te halen hebt. Hekel aan dat vaak hysterisch drukke geroeptoeter met die van zware Van Nelle doorspekte stem. Je ruikt bijna het vergeelde behang en de vette, ongewassen haren. En dan nog die extreme uithalen die klinken alsof Marge Simpson wordt aangevallen door een roedel dolle straathonden. Enorm subjectieve 2 sterren, want ik denk dat het objectief gezien beter verdient maar ik ben gewoon echt geen fan.

- more classic rock - A good Zeppelin-esque sound - Great guitar work that blends well with the vocals - I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart

- Didn’t realize this was gonna be Janis Joplin - Such a unique voice, almost similar to Robert Plant - Voice gets old after a little while

love some janis joplin. that cover is yikes tho

I thought I was going to be a lot less in to this than I am. I just assumed it was pretty bluesy and not for me. Bluesy it is for sure, but it's also pretty fuzzed out early acid rock. It's messy and psychedelic and loud. Janis Joplin is a pretty great vocalist on these songs as well. There is a great vibe to the recordings. I get why this record has had such staying power for 50+ years.

In the Winter of 1993, I drove away from my university in Ohio and my girlfriend at the time with the mixtape she gave me playing in my car. I lost the tape a number of years ago, and I've forgotten the majority of the tracks that she put on the tape. I think about how much I liked the songs from time to time, and I keep a running list that I add to whenever I hear one of the missing tunes in a potentially vain attempt to recreate that piece of my past. Summertime just went back on the list. That was a sweet relationship, but I have to admit: I miss that tape more than I miss the girl. Nostalgia aside, Big Brother & Holding Company is a hell of good band. They just put it all out there. Then Janis' vocals explode all across the stage and blow me away. Huge and bold, raw emotion on display. God, I live for these kinds of performances. The uncompromising expression of those things you can't express any other way. It's just sublime. The piecemeal acquisition of the performances that compose this album just add to the charm. I love me a good live performance, and this whole album has all the vitality of the best live performances whether recorded in the studio or on stage.

I enjoyed this

One of the best albums of all time. Amazing theme, great tracks, amazing artwork, its got it all. 5/5

Ok blues rock album with great instrumentation, particularly the guitar playing which is the highlight. The songs themselves are pretty good I just did not like Joplin’s vocals at all. They’re very bluesy and incredibly raspy, they’re unique just not my thing. The production was strange too, it had a live feeling and a few of the songs were actually recorded live. I think this was less of a factor than the vocals though.

Yeah it's awesome

Have to appreciate how strong Janis Joplin's voice was. Literally raw energy

Helt ait

Definetly nothing for me. Very irritating vocals

Brilliant. Never heard of these but was instantly into it. Janis' voice is phenomenal. Think it could have done without the bonus tracks, ending where it was meant to. No absolute stand out tracks, one to listen to as an album for sure.

Nice enough background rock 'n' roll, but unremarkable. Another 3*, I think.

Cool beans 8 out of 10

Áhugavert fyrir Janis Joplin fólk.

I know this is sacrilege, but I think I really do not like Janis Joplin's vocal style. I don't mind raspy or gravely, and her baseline is totally fine! But it's specifically when she goes for high notes, her voice gets really *breathy* in addition to all that and it hits my ears badly. Like there's having a singing style, and then there's "this sounds like these notes are out of your range and you keep trying to go for them anyway"

One good song. Otherwise pretty jam-bandy

Very cool to hear JJ on another album than her famous one. I saw in the description that they incorporated recordings of crowd noise to give the impression of a live album, for which it was subsequently mistaken by listeners. I find that really funny especially given how much I'm not a fan of live albums, I did have to do a double take. This was a fun album to kick off the week, felt very in the vein of Janis and also similar to Jimi Hendrix and just that whole woodstock feel.

Technically our second Janis Joplin project. Not sure which came first; I could look it up, but I'm gonna treat it as a chicken or the egg conundrum. They've got a solid sound here, and her vocals are grating as ever (in a good way). It's certainly not on the same level as Pearl for me, but can't deny there's a bit of heat here. Favorite tracks: I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart, Oh Sweet Mary. Album art: Really love the style of this one, like a Mad magazine compilation or something. A couple racist cartoons on here though which is troubling. 3/5

Top 3: 1) Summertime 2) Piece of My Heart 3) Ball and Chain Bottom 3: 1) Oh, Sweet Mary 2) Combination of the Two 3) I Need a Man to Love

Southern Comfort and Cigarettes

Never been a big fan of joplin's voice but this a great summation of psychedelic SF. Aged pretty well.

A lot of famous jams but I never really got into Joplin. I have a love/hate with her voice... Hate is a strong word I guess.

Great album start to finish. Great guitar and Janis on vocals is hard to beat.

Gøy plateomslag! Musikken var helt ålreit?

Awesome album, I love Janis Joplin, what a singer. Favourite tracks: 'Summertime', 'Piece of My Heart', 'Turtle Blues' and 'Ball and Chain'. 5/5

Great album cover. Ok songs. Janis Joplin was involved. Still not interested in listening. If I hear it on the radio, I might keep it on, but not going to listen to the whole record. Not my jam.

I'd give five stars to Janis Joplin, though. Her voice is unbelievable on this album. I wonder how many times Led Zeppelin listened to this record.

Good ol (blues) rock, nothing beats that

This is a fun album. I think is like to give this another listen at some point in the near future.

I just don't like JJ's voice. An unpopular opinion, I know, but it is what it is.

There are some cracking live renditions on here. Pure raucous West Coast blues rock. Good stuff. Especially Janis.

Good shit. Janis had the voice of a chain-smoking demonic troll, and used it to wail her heart out in the best possible way. She was a treasure and I love listening to her.

i mean janis joplin is undeniably great but this just did not do it for me sorry

La ignorancia es infinita. Es imposible saberlo todo. Descubro este disco, este grupo y aún más, descubro que aquí empezó Janis Joplin. Está "Piece of My Heart" así que no hay mucho que decir, no me ha enamorado el disco pero tiene canciones muy buenas que merecen escucharse.

Toad lickingly face melting entry into the album with Combination of the Two which I remember fondly from the Fear and Loathing soundtrack. Janis has the grit and soul to bring this sucker home and make a two pack a day smokers throat feel sore. Really good album.

An absolutely incredible album! Last Big Brother album with Janis Joplin on it and she leaves with a bang! She really gives everything she has in this album, her voice is just so recognizable and so different and raw all coming from so deep within. Truly one of the greatest singers to grace the microphone. Cannot believe this album isn’t a live album and only produced that way, gives it such a raw sound that steps the album up to a whole other level. Always have loved this album cover, incredible artwork. Great album with classic songs on it!

Great live performances. Amazing voice

Killer album. Summertime gets me rock hard. 8.5/10

JJ has such a great voice. Great guitar work, psychedelic and hard rock. Modern and timeless sound

It was alright. I knew some of the songs. I am indifferent to Janis Joplin but thankfully Mercedes Benz was not on this album because that song is excruciating. I was surprised that I wasn't overly annoyed with the album.

Amazing amazing amazing album

leuk

Enjoyed that. Bit like Jimi Hendrix with some folk and bits thrown in

badly produced, and dirgy. And not that good tbf.

Good stuff, defiantly a chill rock typa album. Janis Joplin's vocals are ITTTTTTTTTTTT

I already knew I liked this; my father played this and other blues albums all the time when I was a kid and I imprinted early.

I'm sure it was amazing live and in person.

Cool hearing the hits from Joplin, but was meh about most of the musicality

Janis Joplin with her most known song (for me) on this record. Rough, raw and rocking, great record.

Singer kind of reminds me of Robert Plant. Music is bluesy, kind of Allman brothers vibe. Very 70s. Good but very standard

Wow! I can confidently say that Cheap Thrills is one of the most thrilling and electrifying albums to come out of the 1960s. Big Brother & The Holding Company, fronted by the powerhouse vocals of Janis Joplin, have delivered a raw and authentic record that captures the essence of the counterculture movement. From the opening track "Combination of the Two," listeners are immediately drawn in by Joplin's emotive and soulful delivery, which is perfectly complemented by the band's gritty and bluesy instrumentation. The album's standout track, "Piece of My Heart," is a tour de force that showcases Joplin's incredible vocal range and emotional depth. Cheap Thrills also features several other gems, including "Summertime," "Ball and Chain," and "I Need a Man to Love," which are all prime examples of the band's ability to create powerful and memorable songs. Overall, Cheap Thrills is a must-listen for anyone interested in the music of the 1960s and the evolution of rock and roll. It is a timeless classic that continues to inspire new generations of musicians and music lovers alike.

Janis be killin it. I enjoyed this one a lot

Joplin is a great singer but this album is forgettable

Early Janis Joplin. Pretty amazing.

I did not like a single song, and I was actually a little annoyed by the end of the money. Too much. At the same time, the only reason I'm not giving one star is because you cannot deny the amount of effort the singer put forth in her performance. There is a lot of raw energy that I appreciate in every song of this album. It just isn't the type of music I like, and I didn't want to completely fault it for that.

Janis is the draw here for me. Without her, they'd be a competent blues band but nothing to catch my interest. But you know...it's Janis. Her voice, and that definitive live version of "Piece of My Heart"--classic vocal blues. At 37 minutes, this album is not a minute too short.

blues psych rock classic. Average for today's standards.

The cover is the best about this.

This was the first time I'd listened to anything Janis Joplin sang so it was interesting hearing an artist I'd heard of but never made the effort to listen to. The first song was a little bit much for me but as I got further down I enjoyed it a lot. I think Ball and Chain was my favorite song.

Love janis joplin's voice. Really good album

just not for me, im sorry

I honestly never knew Janis Joplin was the member of a band. I always thought she was purely a solo act. So starting up this album and hearing her unmistakable vocals was a pleasant surprise. If you told me I would enjoy the singing of a woman who sounds like she gargles gravel, I would never believe you. But for Janis, it just works. Her voice is so full of raw emotion, you can't help but be sucked in by it. And the album art from R Crumb is the cherry on top.

HL: "Piece of My Heart", "Oh, Sweet Mary", "Summertime" February 18, 2023

When I listened to Janis Joplin's Pearl in this project, I was so amazed and wondered why I had it in my head that I wasn't really a fan of hers. Then I listened to this album and remembered. Now, I have grown a real appreciation for Joplin that I didn't have before, but this really reminded me that in the past I thought she sounded like a cat with its tail being stepped on. I suppose that's the quality some call "raw" and I do appreciate it more now. This album and this band has such an intense quality to it that is both jarring and exciting...if not totally unhinged. I'm not in love, but I'm in awe.

Cool, another band that I feel like I should have more knowledge of. The tracks were a bit more raw and loud than I tend to love, but it was some good stuff. Rockin'!

Glorious abandon. Janis is fearless.

From the jump “Combination of the Two” set fire to my speakers. Is that JANIS JOPLIN I hear?! (AND HOW!) How am I just now discovering this song? I listened to this barnburner over and over… The rest of the album consists of incredible songs performed by an incredible band with an incredible lead vocalist. Incredible!

This is just on here for Piece of My Heart, which, fair. A lot of the other tracks had the feeling they were made up on the spot. A cool time capsule I guess. My favorite part was at the end when the guy was promoting “The Who, from England”

Not a huge fan of Janis

Havent heard a ton of Joplin, really enjoyed her on this. 3.5

Cool hearing early Janis stuff. The album sounds live and not live.

Nice loose grooves and Janis + a bonus point for the R. Crumb album cover.

It's a great blues album, from the Crumb artwork, to the amazing guitar tone, to Janis Joplin's incredible voice. It would be a five save for two gripes. One - none of the songs needed to be more than 4 minutes long. I'd be excited and thrilled, but by the end of a lot of tracks I was fatigued and bored. And two - whoever the male vocalist is... If you have Janis Joplin, maybe STFU and stick to backing Vocals innit.

Love Janis Joplin and this era of music. Very nice

Semi Faux live album but I think the energy it brings is great.

This album is part of my cd collection, but I am not a big fan of this group. Just like those Jefferson Airplane albums or Joplin solo, the music has classic status, but it is simultaneously a bit boring and exhaustive to listen to: Musically these blues/psychedelic rock songs are not always so interesting (it is not Jimi Hendrix say). On the plus side: once you get into the music again and ignore some of the over-the-top elements, it is not bad of course, and in this case: Piece of my Heart is a perfect example of how an interpretation of a classic song can truly exceed the original version.

Nice blues-rock album but I prefer Janis Joplin solo.

Janis Joplin has a voice that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you just know she’s pulling emotion from the depths of her SOUL. She elevates what would otherwise be unremarkable blues rock into jagged-edged paeans to love, freedom, and the eternal search for happiness.

Actually didn’t know that Janis Joplin was in this band before her solo career. This is a very solid album and I really enjoyed it Saved tracks: I Need a Man To Love, Piece Of My Heart, Oh Sweet Mary, Ball and Chain

I had no idea that Janis Joplin was in a band, always thought she was a solo act. Also thought this was a live album and didn't realize they were just trying to make it sound live. Anyway, sounded like a party and I bet her live shows were pretty good. Hell, I'd say most live shows are generally pretty good. I couldn't find too much to bitch about, but not too much to race about either. Her voice is very good in some songs, and then I find her voice to wear on me in other songs. Piece of my heart is a classic. One of the few songs where a remake is better than the original; see Sammy Hagar's Standing Hampton album. A great album all the way through, btw. I read some reviews and was surprised at the number of folks saying Robert Plant and Zeppelin ripped off a lot of her sound and singing style. I listened a 3rd time through to see, but I didn't pick up on it.... Anyway, decent album. Her voice kinda wore on me after awhile, but I bet she was fun to see live and put on a good show. I'm going to rate at 2.5, but will score a 2 because I didn't find anything I would downloaded off this album.

I really dug the blues rock vibe for a while but it started to feel kind of samey near the end. Janis Joplin's voice is such a powerhouse that it's no wonder she's as iconic as she is. Really serviceable early blues rock who's influence can still be heard today. 3

3.5 Album cover hasn’t aged particularly well, though the art style is really cool. I didn’t go into this expecting a whole lot since I’m not the biggest fan of the Janis Joplin stuff I’ve heard (see: Pearl), but right off the bat, I found Combination of the Two more fun than anything of hers I’ve heard prior. While Pearl felt like a take on soul and blues, this album is a burst of pure rock n roll energy, a genre I feel her voice and presence is much better suited for. The production isn’t quite as clean here, but that’s rock n roll baby!! I didn’t even realize Piece of My Heart was done during her time with The Holding Company till listening to this, but considering the sound of the track, it makes a lot of sense in hindsight. I had also kind of forgotten about the song, but this was a nice reminder that it’s actually a pretty quality track. So, probably a hot take, but I think I can confidently say I enjoy Joplin’s time with the Holding Company more than her solo career. In fact, I really wasn’t even sold on her until I heard this. You can definitely tell she’s carrying the group (Oh, Sweet Mary is instantly escalated from a generic rock song to iconic when she jumps in on vocals), but the musical backdrop provided does wonders to enable her performance. Tripping on 60s drugs during the Summer of Love while listening to this stuff live sounds like an absolutely incredible experience. Favorite songs: Combination of the Two, Piece of My Heart, Ball and Chain

Absolutely knackered after listening to this Janis Joplin has such wrath in her voice. It is absolutely superb.

The only worthwhile songs here happen to be covers. In such cases, I always try to listen to the original and any other notable versions. So let's break these down. "Summertime" from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" has no shortage of memorable versions. Amongst them, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, and most notably Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (how is he NOT on this list??) all surpass the BB&THC rendition. "Piece of My Heart" originally by Erma Franklin. Not much between the two versions, in such cases I'd go with the original. Erma's voice is a little more palatable too. "Ball and Chain" by another absolutely criminally excluded artist, Big Mama Thornton. No contest with this one, Big Mama's is the definitive version. And there we have it, there rest of the songs are alright, the band is alright, the singer is a bit of a tryhard though. 2 sore throat lozenges out of 5 🍬🍬

Very very good

Soulful, fun. Lots of long guitar riffs that transport me to a blues bar with a live band Janis Joplin’s voice kind of sounds like Marge Simpson and I’m not mad about it

Cool Crumb cover, but cohesiveness eluded me on first listen. The Holding Company reminds me of the Sugarcubes: Well-known frontwoman, middling impact band album. It would surprise me if I need to listen more carefully for Joplin's voice, but it didn't rise above the variable-as-skillful playing.

It's remarkable what an impact JJ left in such a short time. 3 albums during her life, 21 after her death.

Very nice psychedelics rock

3/5. A pretty good blues psych album. Janis really stands as the key component here but despite the uniqueness there, there are only a few that are good. But those ones are really good.

Love it, great album

Hyvä levy... Feikki live soundi.. jahas.. hurraukset ja muut jälkikäteen.. heh....... marin konsanaan... ajansa huume musiikkia... nökyy alpumi koverissakin.. JÄRJETTÖMYYS...psykedeelinen rokki.. SUOMESSA JUODAAN VIINAA JA KALJAA JA SE ON SE SITTEN...

Black face on the album cover.... hmmm... still a great album and man can Janis sing!

Bold but not my cup of tea.

JANIS JOPLIN EVERYONE super hippie vibes super 60s lsd sweaty yellow smoke filled rooms and people saying man after the end of every sentence

Janis Joplin can sing alright. And on this record you can hear the same loving obsession with black roots music that fueled much of '60s rock. One foot in traditional blues and the other kicking towards psyche. It's the classic rock blueprint, fresh off the press.

Amazing, definitely listening again

I never understood Janis Joplin before this. No closer to understanding after this.

Fuck yes. Was gonna hit 4 stars, then that first live track came in. Janis for prez

Smells like 60s but still surprisingly fresh.

Very bluesy feeling Amazing album cover Great guitar Not the best production, but that’s because of the time period this album was made in Not the best lyrics either I do like the distorted feel

Janis's voice is iconic, but I prefer Pearl. I see the appeal of the rough-around-the-edges production, but it's a little too rough.

Absolutely an incredible experience. Presenting such a heavy bluesy album in the unpolished format of a live performance is a truly remarkable sound which emphasizes the nonstop assault this is. The type of album which makes you want to look up every detail about the artists. Janis Joplin deserves all the praise she gets. 9/10

Interesting to hear Janis Joplin in such a raw set of recordings. The "fake liveness" of the album is gimmicky and bad, but it was the 60's.

love dit album

This album and Pearl were in regular rotation on my parent's turntable. Always loved Janis.

I enjoyed most of this quite a bit. Love the bluesy rock. Janis screeching got a bit weary after a while though.

Definitely a classic but a bit too raucous for me.

There are some pretty incredible performances on here. Of course the star of the show is Janice Joplin. I am certain that rock music had never heard a voice of her range and emotional power. Her performance on Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Turtle Blues and Ball and Chain are seminal. Although i'm not typically a blues-rock lover this album is an exception and its all because of Janice. 5 stars

Yes.

Menihän tämä live-massavyörytyksenä. Hittibiisejä, vähän jammailua. Ihan kiva. Joplinin ääni aina makee, mut menee ehkä paikoin täällä vähän yli.

Jos tekee levyn näin vahvalla livesoundilla, levy välittyy livekeikan tapaisesti, eli toimii yksittäisenä kokemuksena, muttei kestä pitkitettyä kuuntelua. Ainoastaan Piece of My Heart -klassikko nousee tämän asetelman yläpuolelle.

Good.I like Janis Joplin’s voice and the sound of psychedelic rock even if it can go on a bit too long.

Loved this, obviously heard of Janis Joplin before but not Big Brother and the Holding Company. This album is right up my street great mix of blues rock and psychedelic. The album doesn’t have the greatest production but I think that along with Joplins vocals gives it a much more raw feel.

Great album

OMG what is this voice?!

Rock sesentero psicodélico con abundancia de guitarras y batería. Voz inconfundible llena de energía femenina. Muy representativo de la época

New artist! Not for me! 1/5

Felt like an old man listening to this. Not bad but I probably wouldn't go back to it. Previous albums were much better.

Would really be a 3.5, Summertime and Piece of My Heart are obvious highlights

Clearly, Janis Joplin is the reason this album is a classic! Her unmistakable vocals are powerful and energetic, while the band sets the tone and vibe of the record. I often overlook this album, but it's hard not to like and the Robert Crumb cover artwork is a bonus.

Gets a4 just for Summertime! Fantastic song!!

Not consistently good, but when it's good, it's very good. Piece of My Heart+Side B bump it up to a 4 for me.

We all know the classics but I thought the rest of the album was pretty forgettable. Also hot take but Janis's voice low key sounds horrible but it works

Big brother is always watching. And this album is always pogging

I've never been a fan of Janis Joplin's voice. It's good solid rock but just doesn't do it for me. Very dated sound, lyrics etc. Very late 60s summer of love type stuff. I can't bear to listen to any more (got halway)

Kova veto, Janiksella on kyl persoonallinen saundi

Super fun to hear a younger and lesser-known Janis, I always enjoyed her vocals, they seemed to be made to sing the blues.

A couple good songs. Most of it sounds the same.

Good

An absolute glorious mess. 1968 summed up in a record. Changing the world through music, messing up themselves with drugs, everything is possible and nothing is sacred. Joplin burning bright but too, too fast.

Loose and raw blues rock. The star is obviously Janis Joplin. Such a powerhouse. I can’t believe her voice sounded like this at the age of 25 — so rough and raspy. Great stuff all around. What an album cover. A few things don’t age well on it 😬 but I love the energy of it and how busy it is.

Very enjoyable album. Janis Joplin has one of the coolest and most badass voices of all time and she could sing a dictionary to my ear's content. "Piece of My Heart" is one of the best classic rock / rock songs of all time.

Apart from Janis Joplin’s amazing voice - I struggle to find anything interesting in this record - generic white blues that other white blues artists have done better.

Eh, it's fine. It turns out I like Janis in moderation. And the numbers without Janis are pretty forgettable.

i get the vibe that janis was one of the lads. no idea what that means but it was what this album made me think. some good some bad.

The vocals were grating, like Robert Plant scraping a dying budgie down a blackboard.

Janis Joplin's voice should not sound as good as it does. She sometimes sounds like she's out of breath and struggling to hit her notes, as if she's way past her prime & her voice has been strained by decades of singing and smoking. But all that just adds to the character. Couple that with the soulful blues sound & the slick guitar work, and you have a beautifully sultry album that exudes the word "cool." The only improvement to be made here is to have produced it better - the live album illusion was a nice attempt, but these songs need the clear and crisp quality that proper production could've offered. The record still stands strong though. Standouts are Summertime, Piece of My Heart, I Need a Man to Love, and Ball & Chain.

As raucous blues sung by a proper legend goes this is pretty much up there.

Painfully overrated.

baita som, janis joplin e pa

Bluesy, Rocky, Janisy

I can't be the first person to have this realization but I think Robert Plant bases a lot of his vocal stylings on Janis Joplin? Just another thing Zep stole... This record is great! Imagine hearing these people live. They're really going for it.

Take another piece of my hearth is geweldig. Janis joplin heeft een iconische schreeuw.

Janis Joplin op haar Janis Joplinst

Enjoyable album. Unreal vocals and graet backing band.

3 Fun!

4/11, 36%

Great album ! Vocals 👌🏼 Brilliantly produced

Joplin's voice *chef's kiss*

More a curiousity item (with Janis) than a great album

Lot of good songs, so much power in Joplin’s singing. Moving

Interesting album

I almost wish I didn’t see the R Crumb album cover before listening to the album itself. The racial caricatures aren’t cool. Janis’s vocals are superb, a surprise to no one, and the band highlights her voice well. The guitars are fantastic, it’s the early days of the fuzz pedal and you just don’t hear tone like that anymore. You can feel that they’re pushing the boundaries of the music that’s currently available to them. I could do without the tanbura (or super sparse sitar?) on “Oh, Sweet Mary,” but I can’t fault them too much for wanting to experiment. Overall I’m super glad I listened to this, no complaints about the music.

genuinely didnt know that janis was in a band before listening to this album, but it’s excellent. her vocals are, of course, amazing. the instrumentation falls a bit flat for me at parts, but it’s an album i’m going to come back to

Prefs: Combination of the Two, Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Oh, Sweet Mary, Ball and Chain Moins pref: Turtle Blues

det var ganska lame

Soort van psychedelische bluesrock met een dijk van een zangeres. Heel goed album!

This was a nice rocky album, though only a couple of the songs reached out to me. I have to say that some of the raspy vocals were quite grating on my ears, but maybe it's just the recording technology of the 60s. Favourite: Roadblock

Glad to have heard it, but not one I'm likely to return to. The cover is fantastic, some of the coolest illustrations to ever grace the cover of an album. Joplin's voice perfectly matches the scratchy, wild guitars. 20/10/22

Vocals✅ Too loose

Janis didn't need these fuckers. She shines brighter on her solo work, which is saying something considering how much she stands out here (especially on the iconic "Piece Of My Heart").

Janis Joplin was an amazing talent. Loved this album.

These songs are so intense, this is what I imagine a cocaine high to feel like. Janis really brings the heat on the vocals, and some of the guitar solos are just scorching. Honestly, I have a hard time getting into this but I respect it nonetheless.

Dripping with soul. The fake live sound is odd but believable. Would have been a spectacular live show. Not something I'd put on everyday, but the passion in their playing is undeniable.

Carried by Janis Joplin. Fine music but beyond "peace of my heart" it was just okay for me.

Belting. Janis Joplin and that guitar tag team.

Janis Jopis is historically great, but this just doesn't do much for me...

Janis!

Really solid psychedelic and blues album. Really good.

amazingly soulful

Didn't expect to enjoy that

That janney jormplin broad is pretty good 4

Honestly, wasn't expecting this to be that good. Never heard a thing from Janis Joplin before, really only knew her from her image being painted on numerous hostels when backpacking Europe and news articles about The 27 Club. Must say she blew me away with those vocals. The instrumentation is also top notch and although not live according to Wikipedia, it feels right at home at a den or a cavern type theatre full of smoke and booze. Nice little variety too for blues which can be repetitive at times from experience. Got great solos, reliable rhythm section and some slow acoustics too. I guess the thing I find odd is that the songs themselves feel secondary to the performances. I didn't come away point at a particular song and say "This was the shit" or alternatively "Well that was shit". But if the performances were so good that you can view this record as an album, then who cares. Also the artwork, very creative and innovative instead of an image of the band or a model. Love how the comic style features images of each song along with the band members. Only bad thing about it is a couple of the images not aging well (*cough* Summertime *cough*).

harsh twangy gritty blues. soulful screeching and smoky backroom parlor vibes. note: the last 4 tracks are bonuses, hence the drop in quality

Nice guitar work and vocals.

I'm struggling to find words for how much I enjoyed this album. I really didn't expect much from it which is why I was caught off guard, I guess. I forgot that Janis Joplin used to front this band. Joplin was an absolute powerhouse of a presence, though. She was one of those singers who never holds back and just leaves everything on the stage. And the rest of the band ain't slouches either. Overall, an utterly riveting performance from top to bottom. Super great. Instant repeat. Saved to listen to later again and again.

Cheap Thrills is the second album by American rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company. It is a blues rock album and the producer added recordings of crowd noise to give the impression of a live album. Although the final track "Ball and Chain" was recorded live. The album was well received by critics and the general public, and remains a staple of blues rock and acid rock. This was the last album by the band to have Janis Joplin as the lead singer before she went on her solo career. I liked the music somewhat (blues rock isn't always my groove) and just wish the album was a little longer.

one of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time . 10/10

Needs more time Cover art 4/5

rnr

Janis showcase. She was so good.

Great if you like SMELLING your rock & roll, and you prefer its scent to be patchouli and the weed of the era. There's no denying Janis was one of the greatest belters, and she certainly put her whole self into it. Good performances all around, even inventive for its time. A cover that doesn't even remotely work today, but which used to take heads a whole album just to read all the panels.

Janis Joplin. What more needs to be said !

no offence but her voice is really aggravating to listen to. yoko ono over janis joplin anyday of the week, thats what i say. "Pieces of my heart" was surprisingly decent. overall, this sound isn't for me. i don't like it and i really, really don't like janis' vocals here. this is a real drag to get through.

Pretty iconic stuff. Sick guitar and obviously nasty vocals

Points off for the addition of crowd noise on some of the tracks, but offset by extra points for the awesome Crumb cover. A great example of am uneven masterpiece. The highs, Janis' exceptional instrument, Piece of My Heart and Summertime are enough in my book to justify inclusion on one of these best of lists.

Screaming guitars Angela growling vocals. I loved this

Cheap Thrills shows us why, even with a tragically short career, Janis Joplin will always be in the conversation for best singer in rock history. She exudes raw power with her screams but also has some tender moments here too. The band is pretty great too, while this is not the most complex stuff, the band is dynamic and supports Joplin well throughout the album. "Piece of My Heart" is a rock classic that is still great every time I hear it and "Summertime" was a cool reinterpretation of a standard. The one thing I could have lived without was the fake crowd noise inserted here.

A serviceable rock album with a great Joplin lead. Does get a bit stale by the end due to a lack of melodic variation (and really, this LP is just an excuse for guitar noodling and theatrics), but maintains enough raw power to remain interesting.

Amazing vocals by Janis, instrumentals were pretty good but didn’t quite understand lyrics

Amazing album

Energetic, noisey, chaotic rock n roll. May be a bit abrasive for some. Musically relatively simple although played with gusto. Janis is just one of the most charismatic singers to grace the planet. She was a huge fan of Otis Redding and you can tell - she always had a more soulful bent imo and is a little bit wasted in this sort of band where she basically shouts through the set. Very lo-fi recording, little bits of filler here and there. A bit too frenetic to really settle into. Joplin's solo work albums are better examples of what she can do but the album has a mood, has Janis and does a good job of passing 50-odd minutes. Groovey, sexy and has Cr mb illustrations on the cover. Great bit of 60s psych hippy funk rock with a competent band and a generational singer

These are superb musicians and of course, Janis' voice is unmistakable and wonderful. I like the raw, garage-rock, surf-rock, blues-rock style of most of the tunes. Sometimes gets a little to late-60s trippy sounding -- the kind of late 60s sound bands would use to make themselves sound psychedelic that I just personally don't like much -- but overall, this is an album with grit, heart, and soul. Still one of my all-time favorite renditions of Gershwin's 'Summertime'. Beautiful, soulful, and at times even a little unsettling in a good way. (If you like that song, go to YouTube and check out the version Billy Strings and Marcus King did for Carter Vintage Guitars. It's inspired by Doc Watson's version but they really make it their own.) Janis. Love her. And, oh WOW, what an INCREDIBLE album cover by Robert Crumb. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Awesome guitar!! Janis is a good vocalist. Insane for 68. Blackface :(

I can't stand Janis Joplin's voice.

Before Janis Joplin hit is big with her solo career, she lent her voice to Big Brother & The Holding Company for some classic psych rock tracks. Big Brother came about around the same time as Quicksilver Messenger Service and Grateful Dead, so be ready for some jams. "Jams" is a neutral term in this context, as it would have lengthy improvisation parts that were usually instrumental. The band is good. Joplin is not. I've never liked Joplin; I've found her voice to be too scratchy for my liking. Aside from Joplin, I don't love the band. I think they have some good stuff going for them, but the overall product didn't grab me or leave much of an impression.

great album

Stellar record, a real surprise. Great tunes.

"Cheap Thrills" is the second studio album from Big Brother & The Holding Company and the last one one with Janis Joplin. The band and producer, John Simon, incorporated crowd noise to give the impression of a live album; they been a big success at the 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival. I was not a big fan of this audience noise. The album cover was supposed to be the band naked in bed but they were forced to use something different and went with a Bill Crumb comic strip which Rolling Stone rated at #9 for best all-time album covers. I wonder what them naked in a bed would have rated. The album itself was a huge success spending eight weeks at #1 in the US Billboard charts. The music is classified as blues rock and acid rock. I'm mixed on this album. The highlights for me were the decent combination between and sometimes within songs of blues and pyschedelic music and Joplin's vocals. I did not like the muddled sound and production and at times the music and band were just sloppy. The album starts with the created audience noise and "Combination of the Two." It's chaotic, pyschedelic and generally sloppy. It changes into a more soulful song than goes back to the pyschedelic. Side one ends with probably their two biggest songs, both covers. Joplin's soulful voice steals their rendition of Gershwin's "Summertime." The pyschedelic guitar and dual guitars are also pretty cool. Another great guitar intro on "Piece of My Heart." A Jerry Ragovoy/Bert Berns' written and Erma Franklin sung cover. Joplin's vocals tear this song up again. Side two begins with "Turtle Blues" and maybe Joplin's best vocal performance. A bluesy piano. The album ends with another blues number "Ball and Chain." A cover of a Big Mama Thornton song. The searing guitar is a highlight for me. The only song recorded live. This album obviously captured a big audience back in the day. Some real high points here with Janis Joplin and the guitar at times. The sloppiness and production prevented me from really, really liking it.

Almost Zep feel, heavy influence on later music. Why didn't I know more

Janis at her finest

Kind of reminds me of the Allman Bros' At Filmore East, but (a) it's not actually live (they added crowd noise to the studio recordings), and (b) it's not as good. "Piece of My Heart" is of course the standout, and "Summertime" is a pretty good cover. I guess as a paragon of the late 60s San Francisco scene it deserves some credit, but it's just a lot to get through if you "weren't there, man."

Combination of the Two: great groove I Need a Man to Love: blues, I guess Summertime: more blues - bad vocal Piece of My Heart: the single Turtle Blues: oof. blues. Oh, Sweet Mary: some psychedelia Ball and Chain: BLUES

It was OK - bit of history I suppose

Great vocal performances and production. Favs: Piece of my Heart, Ball and Chain

Classic. sometimes too indulgent

Not so much

Janis has a belting good voice and the band is tight. Hard for me to judge otherwise as this jammy style of hoe down rock just isn't something that excites me

Classic 60s Janis.

This album slaps so hard, oh my god. The album cover, from R Crumb's hand, is super cool and a super creative way to present the band and songs. Apart from the... you know...

Nah, pillows desk

Liked the music on most tracks a lot, even if I dont like Joplin's voice

I liked Piece Of My Heart, Turtle Blues, Ball and Chain (9 minutes, phew)

Yer old rock, timeless

Fun album. You can imagine the performances unfolding in front of your eyes. Definitely will listen again. Get LP.

Excellent album. Though there is a clear sound (Joplin's singing voice is quite distinct) throughout there is enough variety and energy in each song that you'll find you skip barely any.

It's a wonder I haven't heard this one early. With my recent enamoring with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather. These bands feel like future successors of Big Brother & The Holding Company. It's also easy to see how this band fit right into the counter culture movement and hippie scene in San Francisco. If this is Janis Joplin in her early and inexperienced, I can't wait to listen to more as she grew as a person and artist. Favorites: 'Summertime', 'Oh, Sweet Mary', and 'Piece of My Heart'

This is a fine piece of music. Joplin's voice is phenomenal. Didn't hear this album before. It is great, but has some weak points at least for my taste. Musically it has much to offer though, so I'll give it 4 stars.

Not my usual jam but good

Was surprised at how many songs from this album were familiar (via covers or remakes)

3/5 Sounds like it was at least 10 years ahead of its. Interesting to listen to in that respect, but otherwise not amazing. Really lacked any sort of dynamic, probably due to when it was recorded.

Come for Piece of My Heart, stay for the acid rock Gershwin number. Best track: Piece of My Heart

A pleasant album reminds me of being in a BBQ joint in the South. I am a big fan of the guitar work from the late 60s and 70s and this filled that for me.

Wasn’t too into this one early on

I was sceptical at first.. but boy oh boy was this album a pleasant surprise! The overall mood mixed with the uniqueness of Janis Joplin's vocals was just perfect.

Not a fan of Joplin's voice, and instrumentation is a bit rambly for me

Buenísimo, te lleva a los inicios del rock & roll de los 70's

this is cool overall. Never really listened to Janis Joplin - she’s powerful. The songs and music itself is a bit uneven. 3

Stuff of legends! Dem pipes, dem pipes.

Solid rock n roll

I haven’t participated in this as much as others but this is the first album that I actually really liked. The amount emotion in Joplins voice is palpable. It’s impossible to not be moved by it. She’s one of the best rock singers ever and this album exemplifies it.

Some great hits but my metal has not aged well

Normally like Joplin - overall not feeling this album though

Great

Cheap Thrills is a groovy little listen and I always love Janis Joplin's voice. You hear a fair bit of this on other stuff but I guess it all started here, easy high 3/5.

I shouldn't like Janis Joplin's voice, it's way too gravelly and it feels like she pushes every note too hard, but I really do. There's so much energy to this, and a couple of real stand out songs - Piece of my Heart is the best, with Summertime not far behind. Solid 3/5, but it's not consistently good enough for a 4.

Janis has such a stylized voice that sometimes I just don't want to listen anymore. She was clearly different and powerful, but ultimately, I wonder what level of success she would have achieved has she not died so yound.

Excelent!

Janis Joplin makes this album, the rest it’s purely decorative

I can understand why this made a splash at the time, and the Janis-ites love it, but not for me.

The arguable peak of blues rock, Janis Joplin’s voice is absolutely vibrant and aggressive. You can almost smell the late 60s on this record. 👍

piece of my heart is ok

Finally found the spot to rate old albums. Enjoyed this, in contrast to one of us, I think that the sound is amazing for 60s live. If lacking crowd mic. That is until the final two tracks which were not needed, in my view. I can see why they added them tho. And I can see why Janis struck out alone. She certainly got pipes

God damn Joplin can sing

God damn, Janis was good. I never knew which of her hits were actually part of Big Brother and the Holding Company vs. solo. But there are some big time classics on this album. And you've got to love this album cover.

Never been a huge fan of Janis joplin, however this version of Ball & Chain still gives me chills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1zFnyEe3nE Also if you don't know who Robert Crumb is, I recommend a wonder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Crumb (Warning - his work is NSFW) Overall: I would loved to have lived through this time and lost the plot at this smoky concert with friends. I give it a solid night on shots of tequila.

some enjoyable tracks but mastering/production rubbish in parts with balance of instruments and vocals

Heavy distortion on guitar. Prominent bass. Joplin's voice is great.

Lots of 12 bar blues here, reminds me of going to parties with dad when I was a kid and the types of live bands that would be there.

meh 2.4

Pretty boppin' & upbeat. Listened as background music while working.

Interesting listen. Janis’ vocals are great, though a bit rough at times. I wasn’t crazy about the songwriting or the instrumentation but really enjoyed the rawness of it. Favorite track: Piece off my Heart

I don't like Janis Joplin all that much, so I won't find myself going back to this one often. However everything else with this album is good enough to keep it it at 3 stars for me.

awful. can’t believe this made any list

It was meh outside of the hits

Okay tunes but Janis pushes this one up to a 4 for me

The vocals grew on me after a couple listens but overall it's not the sort of thing I will be coming back to regularly. Favorite: Oh, Sweet Mary

Wel ok!

Dit vond ik wel gaaf. Lekkere jaren zestig sound en die rauwe stem van Janis.

Deze muziek vind ik echt leuk, maar dat gekras van Janis gaat me op den duur zo tegenstaan...

not sure about this one blues sounds good tho

whatever

Brilliant stuff in there

3.2 - love Janis’s voice, but psychedelic rock just feels a bit stale these days.

LP

I liked all the blues in this one.

Ha ha cheap thrills

Meh...guess I am just not into Janice Joplin. Seems sacrilegious.

Janis Joplin Carries 7.1/10

Janis Joplin is the star of the show and she overshadows the instrumentation. Good record overall

white woman but p good

Joplinin parhaimmistoa. Rouheeta bluesrockia ja kansi on mainio!

Magee solisti tietenkin ja pari mukavan letkeetä biisiä.

Enpä tienny että Joplin oli tehnyt näin rokkilevyä! Varsin hyvä kokonaisuus, 3/5.

Old school rocky vibes, some great vocals. Take another piece of my heart the highlight

Cheap Thrills zdecydowanie zasluguje na swoj tytul, bo chyba pierwszy raz slysze album studyjny, ktory sie koloruje na livowy, bo przeciez zwykle jest w druga strone, drugi krazek bandy Big Brother & The Holding Company rocznik 98, z ktorej kojarze jedynie postac wokalistki Janis Joplin, bo szybka kariera w szybkim zyciu, wiec stala sie pewnego ikona silnej kobiety potrafiacej dobrze grzac po kablach, przynajmniej tak zawsze o niej myslalem, a po przesluchaniu tego cheapowego krazka jestem o tym jeszcze mocniej przekonany, bo o ile sam plan stworzenia krazka studyjnego, ktory bedzie imitowal wystep na zywo nie tylko surownoscia, fejkowymi efektami z widowni, ale na skupieniu wokol postaci wokalistki, ktora gra tutaj pierwsze skrzypce swoim glosem, ktory w tym przpadku juz tak nie cwierczy jak na wczorajszym picku, ale potrafi wrecz zawyc, to chyba cos srednio wysokiego, ale efekty specjalne plyty dodaja tutaj dziwne odczucia, bo nie wyobrazam sobie takiego naturalnego wokalu miejscami, gatunkowo jest to podobno kwasowe rokowanie lub bluesowy rock, z bluesa zawodzenie sie zgadza, ciezkie zycie kobiety nadal motywem przewodnim, z rokowania instrumental w twarz rowniez wiec wiki jakas racje tutaj ma, gdzie tu szukac psychodeliki w tym nagraniu, nie jestem w stanie stwierdzic, bo to 37 lub w wersji rozszerzonej 56 minut bardziej zacheca do walenia po kablach niz kulturanego czilowania, na plejke dodam roadblocka, ktory chyba najlepiej oddaje energicznosc pani Joplin na wokalu, gdy jest wspierana z troche bardziej spokojnym meskim wokalem, wiec fanem nie zostalem, ale przynajmniej przekonalem sie czemu jest to postac legendarna, bo sama big brotherowa banda pozostaje gdzies w cieniu jej postaci

Super relaxing after a stressful day