Reviews (page 4 of 14)
Decidedly not to my taste, but good of its kind. It’s easy to see how Janis became a star on the basis of these performances.
love that lady
Neponovljiva Janis. 8/10 = 4+
Their second album. Their last with Janis Joplin before she went solo. Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Blues. Does it get any more freakout fuck the power acid Rock than this!? Janis Joplin's vocals are gravely and aggressive, the Bluesy guitar sounds great too. Piece Of My Heart is a stone cold classic song. The faux live sound works for me. I liked and enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
It's interesting because most of the songs on this album are over 4 minutes, many pushing towards 5 minutes and even one that's 9 minutes. That's pretty exception given it was released in 1968. To modern ears, it's just rock and roll but I can see why this would be included on the list. The artwork is also kinda cool but the back story of the graphic artist only agreeing to do it if he got to pinch Janis's tit is kinda wild.
I like rock music very much but I do not really enjoy Janis for more than 5-10 minute intervals.
1.8/5 Not really style of music that I like to listen too. It was ok but pretty forgettable.
Janis Joplin!!!
this is cool, i would come back to a handful of songs here but probably not the whole album
I’ve never really been fond of Janis Joplin’s voice, though there are a few songs that stand out. Unfortunately, there was only one of those on this album. 2.5 stars.
ME ENCANTA JANIS JOPLIN ya conocía el álbum buenisima recomendación
Moody, vibey, and pulls you in. Loved listening to this album. 4/5
Just sounded like noise and instruments being bashed together, and I did not prefer the vocals in any way shape or form.
Cool album! Never heard before
Very interesting, and Janis Joplin’s vocals are great. I don’t know that most of the songs hold up that well though. Another Piece of My Heart is a notable exception.
A bit dated and I’m not sure I actually enjoy Joplin’s voice all that much. Decent enough rock.
Блюз и психоделия, отвязный звук.
Unbelievable. I get 40 albums that make me want to quit and then I get something like this pure genious
Loved this-Janis Joplin incredible
A 1001 gem
Not too sure what to make of this. Musically there's a lot to like. But there's also a fair amount of run of the mill blues rock. But then there's the Janis Joplin factor. She lifts even the most average song here to something that is interesting and enjoyable. And Summertime and Piece of my Heart are the stellar examples of that here for me. I'll definitely come back to this, if only just to wonder at that voice again. So it has to be a 4*
Joplin’s vocals on this are absolutely killer. It really makes the record. The rest is just a great time.
Lovely thrills from your Big Brother and Little Sister Joplin in that 1960s charm.
Liked it more than I thought, but greatest?
7.5/10
Not the type of music I listen to, I think that is why I was not able to appreciate it that much
- Side note before the music review begins, I really like the album art. - Uhh I really haven't had much to say. I keep going back and forth over whether I like Janis Joplin's voice, and I think my verdict is: I like it, but god, I understand why she died of a heroin overdose. - I feel like this is better than some classic rock. Most of the songs sound at least a little bit different from one another. I think a large part of this album does hinge on Joplin for me, and I do like the aesthetics of this album a lot. But again, there's only so much rock and blues I can take at 120bpm in a certain period of time, and while I like this better than yesterday's album, please give us something that's not classic rock tomorrow. It won't happen... - I think my favorite track was Flower in the Sun. I liked it was more Bluegrass than classic rock. - Interesting and notable, but not something I'm crazy about. 5/10. I think it's a two star 5/10 though, not a three star 5/10.
I had to grow up to appreciate the power of Janis Joplin. Sorry, Dad. You were right.
Interesting, rather than amazing. Fascinating to see Joplin's early style and some innovative guitar work, but i'd want to see what this developed into more. Two best songs are clearly covers. Strange to get this before any other Janis Joplin, feels like its here for historical value. A straight 3.
Combination of the Two - 4/5 I Need a Man to Love - 4/5 Summertime - 3.5/5 Piece of My Heart - 4.5/5 Turtle Blues - 3.5/5 Oh, Sweet Mary - 3.5/5 Ball and Chain - 3.5/5 Man Janis Joplin has such a distinct voice. The faux-live production of the album helps bring the low fidelity and rawer aesthetic to life and really makes it stand out. Like with all blues rock to me it starts to sound the same after awhile but this doesn't overstay its welcome too long. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Piece of My Heart
Sounds like a cat in a dryer
Really solid album, didn’t think I’d like it as much as I do. Janis voice isn’t the best ok this but th rest of the parts of the album I really enjoy. 4 stars
First time listening to Janis Joplin Wow My favorite was ball and chain and i need a man to love
This is what it sounds like every time I see a live band at Bob and Barbra’s
An incredible talent gone too soon. Such a shame to lose Janis so early in her career but what she left was absolutely classic. The band are pretty tight behind and provide some heavy power blues. Excellent album. 4
I loveeeee live recorded albums that include people's actual reactions or random background sounds. they're always so fun to listen to, and this album was no exception.
I liked it. Not much else to say, haha.
класс, хоча думала не сподобається спочатку
Rock, Blues, (Janis Joplin), 1968 -> 3
cover does not look like it would be from this year if you get what i mean
i've already listened to this a thousand times LMFAO i even have it on vinyl but i guess one more time wouldn't hurt. janis joplin is legendary and whoever says otherwise will be dealt with
3/5
Always nice to hear Janis Jopping, but I think a lot of this album is missing the intensity I like from her. There's some obvious highlights (Turtle Blues is very good and I hadn't heard it before) but yeah not sure about her with the band
Didn’t resonate with me
Very powerful bluesy rock. Wasn't really familiar with Janis Joplin, but she did have a great voice for rock music (complementary).
A lot of classic Janis Joplin on here. I had no idea she was in a band rather than a solo artist.
Big Brother & Holding Company went from semi-obscurity to becoming bonafide stars with the addition of a young woman who was raised on blues greats and found comfort in singing folk in Janis Joplin. Her voice fit perfectly on this album. This album followed their performance at the Monterrey Pop Festival which was quite possibly one on the best festivals ever. They drop this album with fake crowd noise and it’s amazing. Janis’ voice fits the playing so well. The band play amazing and switch between rock and blues throughout. This would be their last album together but at least that made magic here. I had always kind of avoided Janis Joplin because of her voice. Today I listened and understood that her voice was important to the songs and made them that much better.
Janis Joplin might have the most recognizable voice in all of music history. It’s both a gift and a curse, I think. It’s cool but can also be a little too much. Luckily this album is so short I don’t get tired of it after one listen. I am not a fan of the applause and cheering they have put in between the songs, to make it sound like a live album. The songs are pretty good, though I feel like I have heard «Peace Of My Heart» enough before this listen.
Janis Joplin, you icon with your voice that can rule out generations!
There are people who like Janis Joplin's voice and then there's me; when she hits the high notes, a cat in heat comes to mind. And yet, I think this album's decent in spite of that. The band is terrific, and the record sounds good. The album cover (illustrated by Robert Crumb, one of the best album covers of all time) says "live material recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium" but this is a big, fat lie with a band introduction and crowd noises added in post. Only "Ball & Chain" is a live performance (from Winterland Ballroom, not Fillmore). In any case, it does have the loosey-goosey, raucous feel of a live performance (although the outtakes compilation Sex, Drugs and Cheap Thrills showed us it took quite a few attempts to achieve that vibe). A few of the slower songs focus too much on Janis histrionics for me to enjoy, including the nine minute "Ball and Chain," but "Combination of the Two," "I Need A Man To Love," "Piece of My Heart" and "Oh, Sweet Mary" are twenty minutes of good music where Joplin feels like part of the group rather than the main feature.
The live recording isn’t the best and there’s too much screeching on the guitar for my taste. But boy it’s hard to beat the voice of Janis. The R. Crumb cover art is fun to look at also.
I didn’t like the album cover, no need for a racist cartoon Janis! Ended up googling her and it made me feel a bit sad :( solid women rock gotta love it
Yaknowwhat I really enjoyed revisiting this, more than I thought I would actually, I think because it's got a rawness that feels way more real than a lot of the other 60s stuff that's been on this list. There's a genuine murky intensity to the guitars that the greats like Hendrix and the MC5 had but many many others couldn't muster, and Janis Joplin just had the charisma and vibes that so many of her contemporaries were just cosplaying. RIP Janis you would have loved the simpsons.
A lot of fun with Joplin's iconic voice.
Overall a fun and playful album with some good vocals and fun riffs. Production wasn't all too well but it still sounded good enough. 5.5/10, Favorite Song: Ball and Chain
Notable for early Janis Joplin. 3.2 stars.
This album felt like coming home to your wife after a blue collar 9-5
done
Godkjent
Some classic music from Janis Joplin
Such a great album and such a great cover by Crumb. I was surprised to learn that Ball and Chain is the only actually live track, but what a scorcher that one is. The whole album has withstood the test of time.
I’ve got memories tied to this album that seriously affect my rating of it. I remember looking at the cover aa a kid and feeling it was ugly and sad, and gave me bad feelings. Probably because it reminded me of some of the people my mom hung out with, and I didn’t like those people. It felt like a reflection of a scary and painful time growing up. That is a hell of a burden to lay on a blues album, of course! Layer it in with the fact that I just don’t like this music anyway, that Robert Crumb gives me ick vibes, and that Janis would be dead in two years and I just have a hard time viewing this album objectively at all. The production is also pretty muddy. And that wasn’t her natural singing voice.
Combination Of The Two
Good opener, ultimately failed to hold my interest for long as a broader album.
Great record. RIP JJ
Nothing about this grabbed me. Not even the classic track.
Low 4 Enjoyed this a lot. Most "Woodstock core" albums tend to get very pointless and "jammy". This resists that for the most part. Sucums in the tracks "ball and chain" and "roadblock" in the second half But most of the songs sound different!
Enjoyable enough
A pretty good rock album, but man I did not like the vocals.
gritty blues led by one of the most powerful vocalists, tracks like “Summertime” and “Piece of My Heart” are classics.
That Robert Crumb album art tho! Anyway, I've never been much a fan of Janis Joplin's voice, but when it works, it works. And here? It works! Mostly! I enjoyed it well enough, but probably won't come back to this any time soon.
One wonders if Janis had lived would she be so well represented on this list. Yes she died way too young. Yes she did some interesting and even good stuff. But take out the trauma and you have an excellent blues belter who never quite reached her potential. Should she be on this list? Yes. So many times? …. Eeehhh 2.3. Rounded down.
I knew a guy named Zorro. His real name was Michael Gregory, but his Dad was Spanish and so early 70's blokes naturally named him Zorro. He's still that. I like that fact. He could surf too, still can. I like that. He had this record. I fucking hated it then and I really fucking now. At least in 1974 I was stoned out of my gourd. This bog ordinary, shit band. And her voice. I'm still on medication after that Anthony and the Johnsons voice (why did I mention that..) but putting Joplin back on after all these years, cripes. A fucking overrated shit record that really grinds my gears. That said I hear they speak highly of me.
Just last week I was gifted a pile of records from someone's grandmother who had passed away. This was a common occurrence in the 1990s which explains why I own so many Frank Sinatra albums. This collection was typical for this type of collection; records from the 1950s through the 1980s tending towards the mainstream (with lost of easy listening) and mostly in very worn condition. Not worth anything on the re-sale market. I picked out a few records that appealed (some Elvis records, Songs of Leonard Cohen, John Barry's soundtrack to 'Beat Girl') and skipped over records that I already owned, including Cheap Thrills. (I bought my copy cheap from Impact Records in Canberra (RIP) in the early 90s, which I am pretty sure was an unofficial pirated pressing). I suggested that Hal, my 20 year old record collector son, see if there were any that he wanted. He almost passed over Cheap Thrills, because he didn't realize that it was Janis Joplin. I recommended he take it. I love this record. There is a lot of 60s psych rock that I find unfocussed and noodly and pretentious. But Big Brother could really rock. It was a smart move by the producer to dub crowd noise over some tracks to give the impression that much of the album was recorded live, which would possibly explain the rough-hewn quality of much of the playing. But I like that live intensity. they were a loud and muscular band with a well-rehearsed (but not over-polished) live set. They were clearly a powerful unit. Not technically great players, but they are tight enough to project but ramshackle enough to feel dangerous. And then there's Janis, at the height of her powers (on record, at least. Some contemporaneous reviews thought she was better live, but, given she died before I was born, I will never know for sure). She is a powerful, charismatic and emotive singer and she really set the template for what a rock and roll singer should be. Her rendition of Summertime is up there in the pantheon of must-hear versions of this classic song (and there have been a few outstanding recordings of this track). I love this record; it is perfectly imperfect.
powerful voice. in your face. blues? rock.
6/10
Niet helemaal afgeluisterd, maar chill blues tunes. Grappig 'live' effect. Rauwe sound, voelt echt
Some excellent tunes on here, I’d never heard “Turtle Blues “ before - loved it, Janis Joplin’s voice - 🤩
Excellent rock album
Blues rock sensation, very impressive. A legend.
Nope
I liked the songs I already knew on here, and a couple more. The problem for me was I didn't really like the band much, and any time anyone other than Janis started singing the whole thing became kind of unpleasant.
Nice jams, the hits and Janis' voice are great to be reminded of. Turtle Blues is one I'll add to the playlist, whole album worth another listen soon. Repetitious vocals at times annoyed my wife during dinner (stir fry).
I fear Janis Joplin's voice has been permanently ruined for me by Jenna Maroney's impression of her in 30 Rock, but there's some really good material on this album. Most of the musical breaks show a lot of impressive musicianship and there's a lot of obvious blues influence that comes out in a pleasing way. I think Turtle Blues and Oh, Sweet Mary ended up being my favorite tracks. Last note is I don't really understand why they apparently artificially added in the crowd noises in most of the tracks to make it sound like a live album despite most of it being done in a studio. I feel like I'd rather just have a normal studio album.
Honestly I really liked it at first and it was a solid 5 for me. But as the album continued I just felt it begin to drag more and more. By the end I was just happy it was over. First five songs are great and will probably make their way into my rotation in some way or another though.
I didn’t know Janis Joplin was in a band?!
If you want to know what the 60's were like, start with this album. ;-)
Decent record, love the cover so much
Music is good, but oh my god. Janis's Joplin hoarse voice is terrible
I literally had no idea this was more or less Janis Joplin until i started listening and a few minutes in I was appreciative of this treat dropped into my queue. The guitar is equally crunchy rock and soulful, and Janis' voice, it's all there, it's all great. I'll end up docking it a star for the following: * I'm not generally a fan of live recordings in the first place and this is actually a pseudo live album, which pushes the kitsch a bit too far. * The production value in general is not that great. * Some of Janis' ad libbing goes a little too far. But really it's really a kick-ass album otherwise and we are treated to peak Janis energy.
Was there ever a luckier bunch of guys than Big Brother and The Holding Company? A fair to middling blues rock band - just another band in on the West Coast playing Psychedelia and they pick an unknown woman who turns out to be one of the great rock vocalists of all time. They play Monterey, cause a sensation, record an album that's a benchmark for blues rock even today and then they're gone, leaving behind this. Of course, it's the Janis Joplin show. Her voice is a raw miracle. The closest thing to it is probably Robert Plant, but Joplin makes Plant sound as smooth as Engelbert Humperdink, so smokey and emotional is her voice. Whenever the album goes without her, in Combination of the Two or Oh, Sweet Mary you realise that they're not much without her. The end of Ball and Chain - where she sings unaccompanied- makes you realise just how little they mattered. She's everything, with or without. Of the five songs on the album where she sings lead, I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart and Ball and Chain are amazing. Her vocals are transcendent. Summertime is transformed from Gershwin's beautiful number to a slow, tortured blues. It's good, but not the greatest performance on the album. Turtle Blue is an acoustic blues in the style of Bessie Smith or Mephis Minnie. It's pretty good, even if it stands out completely from the rest of the album. The bands backing to Janis's singing is, perhaps, more enthusiastic than tight. At times it's downright sloppy as only 60s Psychedelia can be. After this album Joplin left the band and burned brightly through a brief solo career. But what a performance she left.
First of all what's up with the racist album cover?! The vocals were hard to listen to on certain tracks like summertime and I need a man to love. The guitars were great
good
Start with the cover, pretty awesome art! The music is straight late 60's biker boogey. Love Janis' voice, the band is tight. Mixed in crowd noise to appear live, not a fan of that. The music does sound raw and what I would imagine they sound like live though, so that is good production. Her singing really does carry this, the music is good but there is so much feeling in her voice.
Solid album. Always like Joplin's voice, but I prefer her solo stuff.
I'm not really into Janis Joplin, but there were some songs I liked. Piece of my Heart is amazing. Summertime is a classic. Other than that, it was a pretty freewheeling blues-rock album. Probably one that I'd put on in the background, but not an album with much more than that.
obv janis is insane but this (what seemed to be) live record wasn't my jam. a few parts but im not really recommending this to anyone even though for the time it was probably super sick! just not my style
Listened while driving. This was a surprise for me. Don't love Janus's voice but found myself enjoying this one a lot. It started strong and got weaker as it went.
Joplin is overrated and I've always found her vocals to be grating rather than profound. "Piece of My Heart" is the most well-known track, but honestly, this album is a product of it's time, and nothing stands out as particularly redeeming today.
I very much enjoyed this album listen from Big Brother & The Holding Company! I loved the psychedelic rock and blues vibes of this album and Joplin is such an electric and iconic singer. It must have been a trip to experience Joplin and this band back in the day. Overall, I enjoyed this album and would listen to it again!
I don’t have much to say. This album was pretty underwhelming. I didn’t like any of the songs but didn’t outright hate them either. Both the instruments and the vocals were very forgettable and didn’t catch my attention at all. 5/10
good production
Janis’ voice is striking. The group sound like they’re having a good time. Not much it for me in particular.
Janis Joplin is super important to rock history and women's role in it. However. I don't like this album. This is like, music that plays while you're using the bathroom at a gas station on the way to L.A. Music to get lectured to. It sounds like home but not in a good way.
Favorite Song: Piece of My Heart
4.5 stars... Not perfect, but better than most!
Wondered what this was until "Piece of My Heart" appeared. A decent listen as Janis Joplin certainly sings from the heart but it didn't quite jibe with me for some reason.
Album 19/1001. Listened 2/16/2026. I could listened to Janis for most of the day, not all day long. That lady's voice is just mind blowing. No complaints about the music, either. A classic.
Powerful and energetic
It was probably great hearing some of these songs live but as an album, not really my thing.
Pretty, pretty, good.
Janis Joplin's the kind of name I'd make up for an alien pretending to be a human.
I'd always associated these songs with just "Janis Joplin", not this band name. Great bluesy rock.
é cada uma que a janis joplin inventa né
Like her voice and guitar. Good listen even though obviously some cover versions
Appeciated the R Crumb cover having just taken a deep dive into him and documentaries on him. A little less into this Music, together with the recent Jefferson Airplane think I find Crumb a More interesting figure of the SF counter culture than either of those two bands.
I enjoyed this even if it is over heavy. TBH, I had no idea of its existence before being served this listen. She has such a distinct gravelly voice which glues everything together nicely.
Cool album! The hits are great, the rest are too.
It’s Janis. Classic record
A story. In the mid-90s, I was at Washington State University. I walked along the Glen Terrel Mall through campus many times a day over those years. Holland Library is on one end of the mall. A small family of evangelicals appeared frequently near Holland, preaching things that one would likely think of as evangelical: premarital sex, substance abuse, and abortion all as sinful, devilish behavior. One of their shticks involved the preacher’s wife, Sister Cindy Smock (why can I remember their names 30 years later when I can’t remember why I walked into the kitchen?), pushing her fingers hard through a condom to show how easily they break. Persuasive. I stopped occasionally to listen to the Smock family but usually just brushed them off. One day, Brother Jeb and Sister Cindy were out railing against the influences of popular culture, music especially. This is when I won myself a personalized copy of Brother Jeb’s jeremiad, _Who Will Rise Up?_, when I correctly answered the name of Big Brother & the Holding Company’s first album. _Cheap Thrills_ is the answer. He gave me the book and went on to preach against the influence of an album that was almost 30-years old at that point. It's probable that Brother Jeb thought I was a soul lost to the hippie drug culture that his mind still fixated on. The reality was that I had worked at music stores for the previous seven years and had sold and stocked thousands and thousands of albums, including albums by Big Brother & the Holding Company/Janis Joplin. I had never heard the album, only knowing “Piece of My Heart,” the classic rock radio staple from the album, until today. _Cheap Thrills_ is today’s 1001 albums to listen to. It’s . . . a snooze. Joplin’s vocals and the music are old hat by now, white people making money from black music’s past.
Fav- I need a man to love (3/5)
Great stuff here. Live jam-band feel, makes for a fun listen. Joplin's voice blows me away every time. Andrew's guitar playing is phenomenal. "Turtle Blues" is the favorite here.
not bad, it's kind of rocky, kind of jazzy, kind of led zeppeliny?
I loves it when Janis is Jopling.
Favorite songs: Summertime, Piece of My Heart
her voice is pretty powerful
2026.02.18.
60’s rock Janis
Wailing’ Janis
Glad to see Janis again, and I had no clue she’d been in a band. Didn’t like this as much as Pearl, but it’s on the higher side of 3. I really liked the cover art until I noticed the racist caricature which is blatantly not how the artist draws other people. It was cool to have all the songs represented on the cover like this; shame they made that decision which taints it a bit.
Cheap Thrills sounds like chaos captured at exactly the right moment. It is raw, loose, and completely unfiltered, an album that feels alive in a way very few records ever manage. There is no polish here, no attempt to tidy anything up, just a band playing on instinct and emotion, and trusting that intensity to carry everything through. What elevates it to something special is the sheer force of personality at its centre. Janis Joplin does not perform these songs so much as tear through them, her voice sounding ecstatic, wounded, reckless, and euphoric all at once. The band matches that energy, never smoothing the edges, never pulling back, letting the music lurch and surge like it might collapse at any second. Tracks bleed with feeling rather than precision, and that is exactly why they hit so hard. By the time it ends, Cheap Thrills feels less like an album and more like a moment that could only have happened once. It captures freedom, excess, vulnerability, and abandon without ever feeling posed or self-aware. Everything here feels necessary, immediate, and true to itself
I had no idea Janis Joplin fronted a band before her solo career so I was surprised to get this album since I didn't know that fact and had never heard about BB&tHC. Their songs though? yeah, i had heard them before. This is a raw and dirty blues rock record, even going so far as to put live sounds as if it were a live recording. The guitar sounds as if it was just assembled with parts found by the side of the road leading to the gig. Her voice, as raspy as ever, somehow fits perfectly with the songs and the band. Summertime and Piece of my Heart are incredible songs.
Good album. I can see why Janis is held in such high esteem.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
I love Janis Joplin
Okayyyy !!!
ja ik ben niet de grootste fan van Janis Joplin. Wel leuk, deed niet heel veel.
Piece of my Heart is such a phenomenal song. Joplin has an incredible voice, and the instrumentals still hold up despite being quite dated! The album cover is... interesting.
oh heerlijke plaat. top vocals en love de piano in eigenlijk elk nummer. bonuspunten voor de cover
HEERLIJK !!! lekker ouderwetse rock, janis joplin op volle toeren (rippie), topplaat. jammer van het racisme in de albumhoes, want het is ook een banger kunstwerkje verder
Of the era production but it’s got some screeching guitars that are way heavier than I expected. Shame the production sounds like a live show and not as clean as it could be. Still Janis vocals on some songs are wild. Good but not great, important for sure
I listened to the original release. The album cover is clever and informative. Other than “Piece of my Heart”, the remaining tracks are new to me. It seems they took old tunes and made them psychedelic or rock/hard rock, which was novel in 1968. The album is ok so let’s go with three stars.
Wow, I watch Big Brother every summer (and one time there was an alliance called "The Moving Company"), yet I've never heard of this! Pretty wild! But I have heard of Janis Joplin (a.k.a. Janice from the muppets), and apparently this is a band she was in. Fine. In theory I like that the album cover is a comic, but in practice, I hate it very much. Other things I hate: "incorporated recordings of crowd noises to give the impression of a live album". Real live albums are bad enough, you don't need to laugh-track it! All told, I like this a little better if I pretend it's Marge Simpson, but I still don't like it very much. Highlights: 'Piece of My Heart', 'Turtle Blues'
Har alltid syntes at stemmen til Janis blir litt masete i lengden, og det står jeg fortsatt på. Mye kult som skjer instrumentalt og plata har en del høydepunkter, som f.eks. Summertime og Piece of my heart. Aldri likt Ball and Chain, masete og alt for lang.
Круто, энергично Лучше чем лед зепелин. Может быть немого скучновато Хиты есть 3.5
Good album. A 3,8 for me
Really enjoyed this album, confirmed to me that Janis Joplin is just awesome. Her voice is just fantastic, big fan. Bonus points for the amazing album artwork. Favourites: Piece Of My Heart Oh, Sweet Mary Catch Me Daddy
Boring
Couldn't get past the fact that this is quite clearly Marge Simpson in a rock band. 'Piece of my heart is alright', which I imagine she wrote during that time she was fantasizing about banging Ned Flanders. All in all, middle of the road, a feature from Abe or even Moleman would have bumped it up an extra star.
Not entirely bad, but I didn't derive any joy from it whatsoever.
This just got on my nerves. Shouting does not equal soul.
Janis Joplin’s vocals are incredible. Heard a few songs of hers but never a full album listen. The band and her play off each other perfectly. Great screeching guitars throughout and some really catchy songs. Ball and Chain was my favourite
I don't really like Janis Joplin's voice, just like I don't like the racist caricature in the top right. Besides those flaws this album is ok. Every song here basically sounds the same. Low 3.
Really liked this. Not the stuff I usually listened to but the instrumentals were incredible, as was Janis Joplin’s voice.
Best songs are really good and others are okay. 4 stars or B.
Super duper interesting sound and Janis Joplin’s vocals are quite literally out of this world. She has no right having such a cool voice along with equally as cool sounding music. A bit experimental for my taste but some songs were extremely vibey. Overall really cool stuff and didn’t know anything about Janis Joplin.
JAY to the AYE to the EN EYE ESS!! 5
I can almost hear Janis' bangles jingling in the background. Great tunes
Some truly epic tracks!
piece of my heart is a bop janis's vocals are amazing, uplift the album significantly fun, but quite a few boring slow songs 7
Hot garbo
Pretty enjoyable, like a dance party in Golden Gate Park. Not something I'd probably revisit (vocals were harsh and the vibes weren't something I'd look to revisit very often) but wouldn't walk away if it was playing.
Anything with Janis Joplin banging the vocals out is top notch, so this gets full marks
Fantastic album. True hidden gem
god this cunt is insufferable
One of the best albums from the 60s hands down. Showcases the unique and amazing talents of Joplin. Fun jangly guitars. Live. Can't be beat. I don't usually go for the summer of love nostalgia records, but god damn.
Janis killed this!
Just a great rock album. The "live" feel makes it feel dated just as studio production technology was leaping forward, but the songs are strong and the performances, especially Janis Joplin's vocals and James Gurley's guitar, are amazing.
This album is produced to sound like a live record. Whilst that gimmick might seem strange at first, the loose playing of the band and the feeling that everything could come off the rails at any given moment makes the concept work. The whole record feels like a party. Most of the tracks are covers, but they make them their own. 'Piece Of My Heart', 'Summertime' and 'Ball And Chain' are all essentially Big Brother & The Holding Company songs despite them not being written by them. If Janis Joplin's gravelly vocals aren't your cup of tea, then Cheap Thrills might not be a great time for you. Joplin's screams makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and the distorted guitar parts are loud and sleazy. These guys channel the blues better than Led Zeppelin ever could (I say that as a big Zeppelin fan!).
I don’t know how much of it is studio trickery vs actual live recordings, but the opening tracks come at you with a persuasive energy and enthusiasm that makes you feel like you’re in a crowded, sweaty ballroom. Most credit goes to Janis Joplin herself, who gives performances that are powerful, affecting, even devastating throughout. (Some credit also probably goes to our old friend John Simon…but I have to admit, now that I’ve heard the entire Porgy & Bess soundtrack, and the subtleties in that score, I can understand why a traditionalist like him would go on to say he doesn’t care for rock music). But back to the main story: once the impact of that explosive opening wears off, Joplin stays strong but the rest of the production just starts to feel like any other 60s band from Frisco. Also, I get that R. Crumb is a big deal, but I don’t care for his racist caricatures posing as edginess or expression. The group would’ve been better off if Columbia had let them stick with their original idea of the musicians naked in bed together. But I guess nudity is more offensive to customers than bigotry?
I was one of the listeners who was fooled into thinking this was a live album. Upon completion I thought "I liked the live tracks the best" but my usual post-wiki read revealed I had been hoodwinked. Sloppy playing for a studio release. If it were live I would've thought it was emotion and spontaneity but as a confined and "sterile" recording I expect a bit more polished playing. Who am I kidding, I'm just embarrassed. Great opener track, had me dancing while sitting down. The rest of the album was a bit of a downer, besides "Piece of My Heart" and the psychedelic groove of "Oh, Sweet Mary" 3.5 rounded up for the soul
Its not something I would normally listen to, but impressive rock vocals from Janis Joplin.
Ikke hørt om dette bandet før. Blues rock. Janis Joplin med mikrofonen i hånda, og den holder hun med autoritet. Dette er SKIKKELIG bra, spesielt med tanke på at det ble gitt ut i 1968. Har hørt Piece of Heart (“I want you to come on, come on (…) and TAKE IT!”) før, men de resterende låtene er nye bekjentskaper. Eksempelvis minner Oh, Sweet Mary om en tidlig Joy Division-utgivelse, mens introlåten Combination of the Two gir gode surfevibber. Alle låtene, både energibombene og de mer trøtte variantene, falt i smak, så her titter vi på en femmer. Top 3: Ball and Chain, I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart
The thing I don't understand is why they wanted to make a studio album sound live. Why not just record it live? Recording in the studio and adding crowd noise seems fake (bacause it is). And if you're in a studio why not use the facilities to get the best sound possible. That being said, this was listenable, but I think it could have been done better and I didn't like being conned.
Album #37: Cheap Thrills - Big Brother and the Holding Company Genre (W): Blues rock, acid rock, psychedelic rock Singles: Piece of My Heart I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts?: Rest in Piece, Janis Joplin. I love how this album sounds like a live album, but is really a studio album. Janis Joplin’s voice, while not the smoothest, has a lot of power behind it. I think the power shaped rock music from this point, I can hear Robert Plant’s voice in Janis Joplin’s. Favorite songs: All of it!!
So good
that acid psychosis making you think you're a rockstar
Easy 5 stars right here
Helt ok. Blues er ikke min greie, men denne er innafor, men det blir likevel fort bakgrunnsmusikk for min del.
Ene so ok, ene mi ful niso
3.5/5. Janis Joplin’s vocals on this album are great, it feels like she was made for this type of bluesy music. Was also an interesting choice to try and make this sound like a live album even though most of it isn’t, the crowd sounds are edited in which is kind of funny to me. Not an all time favorite for me but I enjoyed it and I’m glad to got to hear it.
Fun album, although the best track in my opinion is still the single everyone knows, Piece of My Heart. I also couldn't help but notice on some of the softer tracks/quieter parts that Janis Joplin starts to sound like Marge Simpson. And then I couldn't get that out of head. Anyway, this album was perfectly good, but I didn't love it.
How many cigarettes did Joplin smoke?
I don't think ever listened to Janice Joplin but now I'm wondering, are the 70s and 80s classic rock singers trying to be Joplin? What a signature sound. The shock value of having never heard them before has this elevated to at least a 4.
It took me a while to lock in on this album and appreciate it on its own merits. I think that is to its detriment as I wonder if this isn't just too locked in to a particular time. It's a good representation of it, but it may require more comfort with it's sound than I have to give it.
Janis Joplin with her band.
Interesting but not great
This was another surprise!
Enjoyable, Janis' voice was something else. High 2s.
Начало, будто ты в каком-то баре, не супер студийная запись, мне такое нравиться. Совершенно не надоедает, а 3 песня даже пошла в альбом любимых. Смесь рока и блюз джаза.
It’s Piece of My Heart and ten B-sides. Stick to the greatest hits. Great album cover though.
Nous sommes en 1968, et pour moi qui suis né en 1970, c’est une année de préhistoire, mais c’est surtout l’année où le rock a commencé à sentir sérieusement la sueur, le stupéfiant de contrebande et le soufre. On s’attaque aujourd'hui à "Cheap Thrills" de Big Brother & The Holding Company. Alors, posons les bases : "Cheap Thrills" c'est du blues-rock psychédélique enregistré (ou faisant semblant de l'être, merci la production maligne de l'époque) au milieu d'une foule en délire. C’est gras, c’est lourd, et c’est exactement ce qu’il fallait à l'époque pour secouer les puces des mignons petits hippies de San Francisco. Ma note ? 3 sur 5. Pourquoi pas plus ? Parce qu’on sent que le groupe est à la traîne. Janis Joplin est une force de la nature, une tornade de douleur et d’extase qui hurle ses tripes comme si sa vie en dépendait. Et derrière ? On a des musiciens qui font le job, certes, mais qui semblent parfois ramer pour suivre la cadence infernale imposée par leur chanteuse. On est à mille années-lumière de la Janis impériale qu’on découvrira plus tard, une fois débarrassée de ce carcan parfois un peu poussif. L'album s’ouvre sur « Combination of the Two », mais soyons honnêtes, tout le monde attend le plat de résistance. « Piece of My Heart » est là pour nous rappeler que Janis n'était pas là pour faire de la figuration. Elle ne chante pas, elle supplie, elle engueule, elle explose. C'est viscéral. On sent déjà que Big Brother est devenu trop petit pour elle. C’est le syndrome classique : une étoile filante qui s'apprête à quitter l'orbite d'un groupe de bar, aussi bon soit-il. Il y a bien sûr la pochette de Robert Crumb, ce génie irrévérencieux qui a parfaitement capturé l'esprit du disque : un joyeux bordel coloré, un peu vulgaire, totalement culte. C’est l’esthétique de Haight-Ashbury condensée en un carton carré. Au final, "Cheap Thrills" reste un document historique fascinant. C'est l'acte de naissance d'une icône et l'acte de décès (artistique) d'un groupe qui ne s'en remettra jamais vraiment. C'est le brouillon génial d'une carrière qui allait devenir légendaire et tragiquement courte. On le garde sous l'oreille pour la ferveur, pour « Ball and Chain » qui te retourne l'estomac, et pour cette impression d'assister à une explosion en direct. Mais pour la suite, on sait tous que le meilleur – et le pire – restait à venir.
No. 353/1001 Combination of the Two 3/5 I Need a Man to Love 4/5 Summertime 3/5 Piece of My Heart 4/5 Turtle Blues 4/5 Oh, Sweet Mary 3/5 Ball and Chain 3/5 Average: 3,44 I actually didn't know Joplin was in a band. Nice blues songs, was an enjoyable listen.
Could've done without listening to this, another album that I have no understanding why is in here.
Good blues rock stuff, ofc Janis Joplin has an amazing voice but the instrumentation here doesn't do much for me.
te amo janis
Solid bluesy rock album...and that voice! Liked Songs Added: Summertime Piece Of My Heart
Eh
SUMMERRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTIIIME. Cool album, not my fave nothing stuck out. But I was also working.
That vintage sound is money… but still only a 3/5 but me
Janis Joplin! I probably wouldn’t listen on the regular, but it was a fun diversion. 6/10 Pretty Good
Like Roadblock; more beat driven Not a huge Fan of the 60s rock sound Like the parts that sound more blues-y, as opposed to the straight rock Don't love the screaming The whole thing has a slightly unhinged feel about it; there's not a lot of dynamics, just a wall of sound in each song
I don't have much to say because I don't really have any memories of this for the most part. I liked listening to it though.
539/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
An actual interesting album that came out in some of the best years to make music and experiment. Janis Joplin last album before pursuing a solo career and dying a few years later. Powerful voice, similar to Robert Plant. Standouts (two covers): -I Need a Man to Love -Summertime -Ball and Chain
This was my first time listening to the record as a whole. I was familiar with Piece of My Heart as it is an on repeat classic radio staple that pops up in bars, gyms, and grocery stores. More interesting was how remarkably consistent the songs on this recording are. Janis’ vocals are emotive as always with the expressive performance you can feel the words hitting you with their power. But it is all made possible with the equally impressive and expressive musical performances particularly the guitar work which at various times matches Janis’s vocals. This is best exemplified in Ball and Chain where the back and forth between guitar and vocal turns the tune into an epic poem set to music. At more than 9:00 minutes in length, the song flies by trapping you in the story- mesmerizing. On the whole, this is a remarkably well constructed record that still holds up after 60 years. Honestly, I can’t say that about too many records. Deserving of its place on this list. It may not be your thing - it’s not mine, but I appreciate the genius in both the musicianship, Janis and whomever produced this recording. 4/5
Best - need a man to love Worst - turtle blues
I don’t know much about Janis Joplin. This was fun to discover. It has a feel of led zep about it, but the songs aren’t quite there.
I was able to make it exactly 2 1/2 songs through before I wanted to rip my ears off. Janis Joplin sounds like a fucking Skeksis from The Dark Crystal. Her voice was like nails on chalk board. I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to put this dying woman with her scraggly raspy ass voice as the lead vocalist but they should be shot. Shame as the musicians sounded good but man I just wanted Janis to shut the fuck up anytime she would start with the death rattle wailing. Fuck. 1/10
Not bad
This is Janis Joplin going all out, and I love it with every ounce of passion she poured into it. The music more than holds its own, too: there's some stellar guitar work here. The songs themselves are fairly straightforward, but the performance elevates them into one of the era's defining works.
Again this is a live album, shouldn't be on this list. But it is very good in places and Janis's voice is absolutely amazing live. First time hearing a live recording of her and just wow. Are there any female singers out there that sound this strong instead of singing like 8 year olds ?
The best thing about this album is its bright and unusual cover. The same can't be said for the music; it's simply uninteresting. No, for its time, everything sounds incredibly organic; I'm sure the recording process was like this: they went into the studio, got some joints, started jamming, eventually chose the best options, and off they went. That worked perfectly in California in the 1960s, but not anymore. The main thing is I don't like Janis Joplin's vocals (who went on to a solo career after this album, but for obvious reasons, not for long). It feels like she's in two states: either she's screaming her head off, or she's talking like Marge Simpson. It's a matter of taste. I understand why this album made the list, but I don't plan on listening to it again.
First thing, I love the album art! Really cool Second thing, I love Janis Joplin, one of my favorite singers. This album doesn't quite hit the highs of her solo work. It doesn't feel like she's going quite as full into it, but is rather working with the band. That makes sense, but it downplays the part that I like. I care a lot less about the run of the mill late 60's psychedelic rock than I do about hearing Janis Joplin take it all the way to the limit. I know they were trying to recreate a live sound in the studio, but the production is not my favorite. A bit muffled. about 3.5 stars that I'm rounding up to 4 because of the R. Crumb art.
Luistert lekker met Janis Joplin
Not my vibe but a good jaz vibe
I actually was more impressed by this album than I was expecting. It has a raw, kinetic energy that greatly pairs with Janis Joplin's thunderous voice. It was also far more of a blues rock album than I was expecting, Big Brother being an early example of a psychedelic band and all- it's interesting to compare this with the Donovan album we'd listened to, which is a very different approach to the genre. The tracks composed by the band are great, but Joplin truly shines on the old standards. Also influencing my score is the R. Crumb album cover, which Joplin apparently insisted on. A solid entry to the list from one of the greats of the 60's. Favorite Tracks: "Summertime", "Piece of My Heart", "Ball and Chain" Least Favorite Track: N/A
I actually don't think I've ever listened to Janis Joplin from before her solo days. This was fantastic, and honestly makes me sad the band didn't stay together longer with this lineup. Obviously Janis belting it out across the album was great, but I found myself most interested in the guitar production and harder rock elements that are pervasive throughout. It has a bit more bite than other psychedelic rock music from the 60s, and the blues influence is so apparent (and preferable, imo).
This album is a raw, wild ride. Janis Joplin absolutely tears through every track with her gritty and soulful voice. The band's loose, psychedelic garage soundis rough in all the right ways. It feels alive. A couple of tracks drag a little, and the jammy bits aren't always for me, but when it hits, it hits with some electric solos. A classic piece of late-'60s San Francisco rock that still sounds great and energetic after all these years.
Overall really good, I think I just can only appreciate Janis in smaller doses. Easily a 4 star though
If not for Janis, this would be a slightly-above-average blues/soul/rock album. Janis elevates this, but not enough to get it to 5 stars. 4 stars.
This album surprised me in multiple ways. First was the most obvious- I had kinda forgotten Janis started with a band. Second was with the production style- I actually really liked the crowd atmosphere and other sound effects added to the tracks. It gave it a more engaging overall vibe that I enjoyed a lot. Third was the change up on Turtle Blues- it was a saloon piano song? And somehow, probably the best song on the whole album (to me)? It felt like Janis' voice really was at home in a way that it wasn't on the rest of the tracks. That's not to say her other vocals were off in any way. She's really got the iconic tone down pat here. It sounds almost like she is fighting with her voice the whole time, forcing it to submit to her will and produce the sound she's known for. It sounds rough and gravelly, but that works to give the music an edge it might not otherwise have. But somehow, it kinda shines in a more pleasant way on with the simpler piano/acoustic track, like they're working together instead of fighting each other. I also really liked the music and instrumentation. It lacked polish in a garage-like way that I thought made it more authentic. Aside from Turtle Blues, it was all pretty much 60s rock. It was guitar heavy, but not annoyingly so. And, in my opinion, it just sounded cool. They also managed to change things up a few times to keep it interesting. The Piece of My Heart-Turtle Blues-Oh, Sweet Mary section was my favorite sequence, and I felt like they were all very different songs. To point out the negatives, first I have to mention the cover art. There's some fairly racist imagery on there. It seems like the artist is known for satire/commentary, but I don't feel like that's a reason to excuse it. It makes me not want to own a physical copy of the album, which I'd otherwise want to do (I would still be interested with an alternate cover design). I also note that three of the seven tracks are covers/not-original, which takes it down a few notches (even if they were all good, even great, versions). As a whole, I thought this was really good. There were plenty of aspects to it that could've made it bad, but somehow everything worked together to make a really memorable record. There are some issues with it that keep me from ranking it higher, but I would definitely listen again. Overall: 4/5
Some classics, overall a great album, but I was reluctant to give it full marks - I'll stick with 4, to see if I can “escape” this hippie era a little :-)
Decent classic rock album. Probably ideal for a segment of driving through Kansas?
Fine
The instruments and beats were good but I need some lyrics not some yelling please. Good if you want just music.
Некоторые треки не плохие, но налюбителя
Do not like Japlin's voice at all. Lowkey ruins some of the songs. The songs themselves aren't very memorable. Would not listen to again.
This album grew on me the more I listened, love Janis Joplin’s voice
This was the real deal. Excellent stuff
ey chimba de álbum, más larguito que otros pero igual no tan grave. ya conocía un tema de ahí y pues re bien, mi única queja es que si tiene un par de skips y tiene dos o tres temas así muy largos tío 5-7 minutos y i don’t fw that at all
Enjoyable enough. Janis is amazing. But I don't think I'll be inclined to listen again.
I really enjoyed this album. In fact, I think I liked this better than any of Janis's later work. I don't know why. Shame that R. Crumb was selected to do the album artwork. I'm very much not a fan. Anyway, I have nothing useful to say other than, I'm giving this a 4.
I had never heard it besides the big single. I liked the heaviness of it and the bassist and drummer made me happy. I needed a few more moments on it for it to make a dent in me, and I thought the production was very weird. The guitar is super reverb’s and far away with drums and bass WAY more present. It was distracting. Enjoyed it overall.
This might deserve a five just for "Piece of My Heart," one of the best songs ever. (Other wonderful versions are also out there, particularly the original by Aretha Franklin's sister Erma and a cover by Dusty Springfield. Even Sammy Hagar's cover isn't bad!) But while the rest is very good, for me its jam-oriented approach holds the album to a 4. And most of the live audience sounds are apparently studio additions, which is a little weird.
It was good.. hated vocals loved the tunes
Somewhere in my childhood I listened to this over and over and over again
janis??? UH <3
This was a real surprise, I don’t know why, but I assumed it to be cheesy 60s and was surprised by the amazing singing and almost proto punk or garage vibes!
wooooah! this is is a wild ride - gritty and raw … I’m here for it as a high energy listen!
I do love “piece of my heart” but didn’t know this was by them.
Not for me. Piece Of My Heart was ok.
Personally, I am NOT a fan of this type of music. I genuinely don’t understand how people can listen to this routinely.
Janis at her finest!! If you like her it’s a must.
3.5
So and so
Janis Joplin
Lot of fun, old school big band rock
kind off a lot of screaming, but it works really well really interesting and the effect of being the audience of the show is intriguing
Perfectly adequate, though Joplin sometimes resembled Marge Simpson
Not heard this album before and like a lot of reviewers have said, wasn’t aware of Joplin’s pre solo career, but think this is great. Every track fab. Particularly like the slow blues-y numbers, great boomy, lazy bass lines and grumbling guitar, matching Joplin’s expressive vocals. Will defo listen to this a lot more and look out other albums too. Never sure when finding albums on Spotify if they are as originally released, it anniversary albums with bonus tracks - which always kind of disrupts how the original album was designed to be heard. assumed last 2 live tracks are addition, actually looong at the 1001 book, the albums originally finished at track 9. Still waiting for the magic album to trip over to a 5. Very close to this one. Number tracks: 11 (originally 7) Fave track: # 7 Ball and Chain
3 würde ich sagen. Solide
Janis Joplin is a revelation.
Great taste
Folks, it's Janice. It's the early days of blues rock. It's so, so good. Obviously not her best work, but you can hear it in there. Influence 4. Quality 4. Hits 3. Intangibles 4. I love Janice 5.
I will never get the appeal of Janis Joplin but yeah 27 club and ""soulful voice""(for people who wont listen to soul) or whatever 🙄🙄🙄
What a shame that her talent didn’t get to have more time. I’m surprised with how much I enjoyed listening to this
Some good music. Too much jamming
Right off the bat, raw vocals and loud. Funky tones and psychedelic vibes. Crazy strings. Turtle blues has a very soulful feel. Feels so raw and emotional. Distorted funky blues. Very unique and original at the time. Janis Joplins voice was insanely powerful and reached out to many people I’m sure. Overall the album was unlike anything I’ve heard before. Definitely not my cup of tea but I can appreciate the art and the music as a whole. The album definitely has a specific group of people who enjoy it. Glad I got to try this genre and hear something new.
Not bad. I enjoyed listening to it but I probably won't do it again
Pretty reasonable bluesy rock, but I don’t get the adoration for Joplin’s voice. There are points where she ends up sounding like Marge Simpson
a very funky and artsy album… i loved janis vocals and how raw and complete they sound all throughout this album. lyrics are really good and it sounds really fresh even tho it came like decades ago… there sre some tracks i’d def go back to! favs: i need a man to love
Great guitar track to launch off the album on the right foot. The combo of Janis Joplin and The Holding Company is very strong, almost like some crazed hippie party that I got dragged along to. A great, energy-packed atmosphere, reminiscent of Merry Clayton hollering along with the Stones the following year. Joplin is such a bright, intense, powerful figure of the counterculture movement that you sometimes forget her output can be this rough around the edges. God, I love Joplin's voice. Who wouldn't? It can alternate between melodic smoothness and utterly crazed from one track to the next, and yet it's always unquestionably her. Many times throughout the album, I was blown away by how freaking gnarly her vocals were. But the earliest such instance was in I Need a Man to Love, an ultra-bluesy track with equally matched lead and backing vocals. Joplin is completely deranged here, and I adore it. Another highlight of the album is in Piece of My Heart, which emanates "classic" energy. The interaction between the two vocals creates a pretty rambunctious sound, but it's jolly good fun. The guitar lines are also easily worthy of high praise. Ball and Chain is an excellent, if lengthy, way to end the album. Multiple contrasting sections in a song have an extremely high chance of pleasing me, and this is no exception. In contrast to all the other songs, Oh Sweet Mary feels a bit directionless and all-over-the-place. Which isn't in itself a bad thing, but I feel it doesn't work in combination with the self-assured, powerfully positive blues leading up to that point. 4/5 Key tracks: I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart, Ball and Chain
Blues-based acid rock at its best. Punctuated with the visceral wailing of a banshee possessed, this is Janis Joplin at her best as well!
Ball and chain, summertime are my favorites. Love Joplin thorough enjoyed every song
Summertime Piece of My Heart Ball and Chain
Janice’s voice is iconic
This one was alright, I wasn't a huge fan of the vocals but besides that a lot of the songs sound great. Favorites: Combination of the Two, Roadblock
I prefer Janis Joplin when she was solo compared to this earlier group stuff but it was still nice to hear her.
I could stare at that album cover for fifty years.
super fun! good energy, needed it for a time like now.
Better than I thought it would be
Not bad. I liked the vocals and most of the music, but it wasn't anything spectacular. 3.5/5
This was amazing. Never new anything aside from Janis Joplin, her voice is otherworldly and the band is the pinnacle of psychedelic jamming.
Awesome album, crazy Janice Joplin voice Song I like most: Summertime, Piece of my heart, I need a man to love, Ball and Chain
I love Janis Joplin, but I’m not sure I love her enough to sustain a full album. “Ball and Chain” has become one of my favorite songs.
A lot of bombast despite the age. Sounds like it was a lot of fun to record
This album is a time capsule of the late 1960s. The R. Crumb cover art, the fuzzy blues/acid guitar rock, and Janis Joplin's amazing voice. Close your eyes and you can almost imagine you're in the middle of Haight-Ashbury. Beyond that, Piece of My Heart is an incredible song and one of my favorites. The rest of the album is also pretty great.
Some gnarly stuff, but I just don't think I'll listen to it again
Combination of the Two I Need a Man to Love Summertime Piece of My Heart Turtle Blues Ball and Chain
I don't know, it's not really for me, summertime is amazing tho
Janis joplin? Phenomenal. The music? Eh.
super bluesy and angsty record, loved all the live components! “flower in the sun” short and sweet one but personal fav. janis has such a unique tone go off.
we love
why is this song so fucking long
Yeah I like this one
I'm honestly not sure why she sings like that, ignorance of music history accepted. I think it works for the Blues-ier and tracks but loses me otherwise. One I want to come back to, I don't feel like I can fully grasp it in one listen and that's all the attention I care to spend on it.
Pretty good album. Janice has a unique voice and there is a good variety of solid rock on the album.
No standouts
liked turtle blues a lot, the piano and the lyrics. think its cool how they made it look as if they were playing live.
Couple good songs, Janis is unreal
2.5 (37:11, 7 tracks, 2nd album, 1968) Blues Rock 2nd and last album Janis Joplin was with BB& the HC. I mean this is a classic album, just Piece of Heart alone brings it up to 3 but it's hard for me to love this album. Throughout I felt like someone must have said 'we have enough room for one white guy and one white girl to sing raspy blues rock, we're already got Robert Plant anyone know a female version?) Best parts of the album - Robert Crumb doodles, great cover. Worst parts - poor production, Janis screeching more than singing overpowers the music at times (works on some tracks, gets old by the 37 minute mark and it's a short album). I'm not a musician but I swear some of this is out of tune. A faked "live" studio effects (why?). I'm glad Janis went solo, there wasn't much more she could do with a sloppy (at best) band. If this was a REAL live album I'd understand (even appreciate their musicianship) but for a studio album with funding it is poorly done (probably why the fake 'live' audience.) If there wasn't Piece of My Heart I would have two'd this album. I'm still very glad I listened to it before I died. 1. "Combination of the Two" 5:47 2. "I Need a Man to Love" 4:54 3. "Summertime" 4:01 4. "Piece of My Heart" 4:15 5. "Turtle Blues" 4:22 6. "Oh, Sweet Mary" 4:16 7. "Ball and Chain" 9: 02 (and too long)
Album #1,008 Janis Joplin is either a great or terrible singer depending on your tastes. I kind of like it. I gave her solo album a 5/5. The stuff on here is sometimes really good, and then sometimes rambles on aimlessly. All in all, above average, plus it's got Piece of My Heart. I think I like their first album a bit better.
Finally, the first great album of this year! Cheap Thrills is Janis Joplin's last album with Big Brother & The Holding Company and includes her signature song “Piece of My Heart.” It features a slightly overexcited Janis (during her solo career she developed an even stronger, somewhat clearer voice) and the well-known Hendrix-style band. This makes me think once again that it would have been only natural for Janis and Jimi to team up - if they had only lived through the 70s...
It's a very standard blues album. Joplin does an amazing job on vocals the writing is on par too and the instrumentation is decent AOTY rating: 83
Very interesting and fun. I loved the heavy blues songs. Ended up liking 4 out of the 11 songs.
Nice female rock voice
Fantastic vocal and guitar
ok gitara
I really didn’t liked it, nor my style at all. I only liked I need a man to love but the rest of the album was hard for me to listen