Reviews (page 4 of 12)
Some truly epic tracks!
Fantastic album. True hidden gem
Janis killed this!
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
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.
This was another surprise!
Solid bluesy rock album...and that voice! Liked Songs Added: Summertime Piece Of My Heart
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
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
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 :-)
This album grew on me the more I listened, love Janis Joplin’s voice
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
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.
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.
Somewhere in my childhood I listened to this over and over and over again
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.
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
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
Janis Joplin is a revelation.
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.
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.
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!
Summertime Piece of My Heart Ball and Chain
Janice’s voice is iconic
I could stare at that album cover for fifty years.
This was amazing. Never new anything aside from Janis Joplin, her voice is otherworldly and the band is the pinnacle of psychedelic jamming.
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.
Pretty good album. Janice has a unique voice and there is a good variety of solid rock on the album.
12/31/25. Janis Joplin. 7/10
I would die to hear this live, insane vocals Mrs Joplin
Some groovy tunes and Janis sounds like she’s coming from another planet.
179/1001 Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ I love Joplin's vocals on this and hadn't realised she was in a band prior to her solo stuff. This is a bit more psychedelic than the later work she did and there are a couple of tracks I recognise. A cool concept for the album adding crowd noise later on to make it sound like a live album.
Loved it.
I love Joplin and this band. It gets a bit long for me but damn she had the pipes. I think I prefer Pearl, though.
Very close to giving this 5 stars at the end of Summertime alone. This was excellent
This was fucking class. I really enjoyed it
WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very interesting album, seems like a jam and that adds a lot of coolness. Janis Joplin has a great voice. The slower songs are especially good.
Good vibes. 24 år gammel Janis Joplin backa av et band som høres skjeggete ut. Lyden av californiansk 60-talls psych. Fungerer veldig bra som bakgrunnsmusikk. Ingen dårlige spor, men Ball and Chain er for lang. Hørt i bilen med Anna på vei hjem fra Harstad 25.12.25
Bluesy stuff isn't my usual cup of tea, but I loved this...I think due to the energy of the ensemble. And JJ's voice, which is just amazing. Raw, evocative, highly listenable. Yay.
Great fun.
never listened to the full album before this but i loved it. we did a dance to piece of my heart in high school and i still really like that song
I've heard of Janis Joplin before never actually decided to listen to any of her songs this is my first time and surprisingly it's good like it's not the type of music I'm used to listen classic rock is a new thing to me I guess like I'm used to a different kind of rock like more progressive kind of fall so this is new but nothing really stand out nothing makes me feel like oh what is this melody but I do have a favorite and it's oh sweet Mary. So I don't think it's a Bad album but that's a good album I like the concept I like that it incorporates kind of like a live recording feel to it but probably just not my taste.
I really liked the "make it seem like it was recorded in front of an audience but for the most part it's not" idea and it feels well executed. Usually I'm only a fan of the live version of a song over the studio recording if I've heard the live version first, so this becomes humourous when thinking about that. Other than that I liked the arc of the album and its use of a few different genres. My favorite song is "Piece of My Heart" and I generally enjoy all the songs after the first two.
fun and energetic classic rock album i appreciate the version of summertime, even though it’s not really my favorite Gets a bit more stale towards the latter half; I’m not a huge fan of the blues songs either
Great stuff Janis has one of the best voices rock has ever heard.
- They give an “Eagles Garage Band” vibe.
how does she make those sounds
How can you hate Janice Joplin?
I'm kinda somewhere between a 3 and a 4. Let's go with a 4 because I got way too many 3s.
I love psychedelic/acid rock. Janis Joplin was on another level, and this album is a perfect reminder of how much raw talent she had. Her voice is wild and powerful in a way almost no one else can pull off. Another talent gone way too soon. The wailing guitar throughout the album gives it that gritty, psychedelic edge that fits the era perfectly. It is messy, loud, and full of character, which is exactly what you want from late 60s rock. Overall, this is just a great psychedelic record with one of the best vocalists of the 60s. And the fake crowd noise they added to make it sound like a live album was a neat touch.
Nice
Muito bom
janis!!! what a phenom she is. such energy. such voice. Love the album art. this is quintessential late 60's. Fun guitar riffs. Prog rock elements were welcome
Pretty fun live album. Janis's voice is paired well with the band and other singers. Has some classic, well known rock songs, but even the non-hits are entertaining. I would definitely go back to it!
Janis is a force of nature. This is a good vessel, and an amazing time capsule, but it has weaknesses. A bit of 60s wank that doesn't hold up here, middling songwriting there. The moments of brilliance are worth the drawbacks, but while my heart wants to give it a 5, my head knows it's a 4
You can feel every single word that is sung that isn't just random blues sounds. Wonderful guitar tone also.
No vocalist before or since has possessed a voice quite like Janis Joplin's. Her wild, raspy and yet soulful howl burned viciously and faded fast with her untimely death at 27 in 1970. But in just four years, she changed the game with her stunningly allruing performances and unimitable voice. 'Cheap Thrills', the second record from Big Brother and the Holding Company, is a grand showcase of Joplin's rich vocal range and sensational feeling. It's hard to believe she was only 25 when she sung on this record, giving she sounds like a seasoned veteran well into her 40s, not unlike Jim Morrison of The Doors. The best known song on this record is 'Piece of My Heart', the Burns/Ragovoy composition that became a hugely successful hit for Big Brother in 1968. 'Piece of My Heart' is perhaps one of the more accessible examples of Joplin's impressive vocal range, but there's also 'I Need a Man to Love', 'Summertime' and 'Turtle Blues' that delve further into Joplin's impressive versatility, dabbling in rock, blues and jazz. The other band members of Big Brother play their part well too, creating tuneful acid rock befitting of the late 60s, but its clear that Joplin's voice elevates this record, as she truly has a voice like no other. Had she lived longer, I've always had this strange 'what if' scenario in my head of Joplin fronting Led Zeppelin in place of Robert Plant. Now that would be an interesting performance. She lived hard and died young, but Joplin didn't need long at all to leave her mark on popular music. One of the finest voices to ever exist. Best songs: I Need a Man to Love, Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Turtle Blues
Ela 4/5, Silda 2/5, Mac 4/5. Love the female vocalist.
Full-bodied
apisteuta vocals
Really fun, esp Ball and Chain
This confused me at first as i wasn’t aware Janis Joplin ever fronted a band and after reading this i was still surprised the sound of it. I really like this. It is great blues rock with Joplin adding guttural vocals. The version of summertime is brilliant and as a 1-2 combo with Piece of my heart it doesn’t get much better. For some reason the bv and some guitar work reminds me of the Jimi Hendrix experience, which cant be bad. It’s a lot heavier than i expected but showcases the vocals perfectly
Really good, loved this
Classic Janis vocals and tunes w some better than competent blues playing.
Wow this was excellent!!
Great album, not perfect. Janis Joplin is amazing like always.
Pretty great honestly. Suffers from some of the same quirks I don’t like about most 60s rock. Looking at you not very good blues song
I have this on vinyl. Fantastic music. And Janis could sing, man. Crazy to think how young she would've been given that she eventually joined the 27 club. Makes me feel old. Cool R Crumb artwork.
I am completely in love with the guitar tones on this, on top of a predictably wondeful Joplin effort. A true gem of the late '60's. 4/5
Blues rock done right, I heavily fw my girl Janis, surprisingly heavy throughout and some truly transcendent moments. Have heard recently for the first time but honestly enjoyed even more this go around Fav song: Summertime
great!!! janis really had one of the most unique and interesting voices to come out of the 20th century. i love how dynamic her vocal performance is on this album, how it manages to transcend the static space of the recording studio through the sheer force of her energy. my only real issue is that a lot of the individual songs felt overly long. fav tracks: ball and chain; i need a man to love
Her voice is so special and really brings such a personality to the music -- which otherwise doesn't sound so different to me than any other psychedelic rock -- that makes it unique. I'm glad that I already heard a few Muddy Waters and Led Zeppelin albums before this one because they feel like different pieces of the same section of blues/rock music history and it's cool to see this band's role in that evolution.
Great album, love Janis’s voice. Piece of my Heart is phenomenal.
I put this on without looking at any info about it. On the second track I thought huh this sounds like Janis Joplin. Third track I knew it was. I learned today that she was in a band before going solo. Some good songs. Bluesy and psychedelic. Some tracks drag on in a way that would be fun live but not as great recorded
What a distinctive voice that works well for her musical style. Standouts were "Piece of My Heart", "and "Ball and Chain"
Great variety of songs in this album and Janis rocks. Favorite track: Ball and Chain other picks: summertime, I need a man to love, piece of my heart, turtle blues
Incredible guitar and vocals, I understand why this is considered a high water mark for psychedelic rock.
A Janis album I was not aware of, and delivered in that passionate, bluesy swagger that only she can. Not an everyday style for me but I can appreciate the style and give Janis her props. Rounding up. 3.5/5
Ok hand up. I didn’t know this was out there, so was kind of like an after the credits scene of bonus Janis.
You can just smell the hippie. Piece of My Heart is such a great song and incredibly performed. I usually don’t rate high for one song but this one hits me. 3.5
Janis + one of the greatest covers ever in Piece of My Heart takes this to an auto-4* IMO. The rest of the album is good, not great. What could have been... 3.5/5
Bastante guay. Me mola el formatín de hacer un falso live album con sonidos del público. La tía tiene un vozarrón obviamente y hay bangers y temas bonitos y temas graciosos. Me lo escucharé más pero de primeras me gustó.
Sweet
w album. no skips whatsoever. janis joplin is phenomenal, the band makes if all too better. never heard doo much soul from white people
rätt bra asså. jävlar vilken pipa
I have owned this album in the past and I loved it. Turtle Blues is my favorite track today although when I was younger it was Piece of My Heart. Interesting how things change over time.
No. 6 I'm in love with the cover art. The mix of rock, country, and blues is amazing in the album. I would definitely listen to it again.
In some ways, this is Janis presented at her best, and sharp but loose band ripping behind her and the chains released, she is free to cut as loose as she can. Then again, some of the more refined takes of the Pearl era are also essential Janis. Some of the usual Bay Area jam band nonsense here, including the dude singing, imagine the audacity. Anyway, a great record and a much more to come in a short life.
8/10 Favourite: Piece of My Heart Least Favourite: None
Just great! Janis Joplins voice was exceptional. Typical she was not listed as artist on the cover
das kann man sich mal merken ... 60s energy
Great album. Janis Joplin's vocals are absolutely top class and overflowing with verve, and thankfully cut through an often (unfortunately) muddy mix and inconsistent sound. An energetic set of music to jam to, basically. I actually really liked this one and would definitely listen again but I found it a little too fickle (whatever that means). Not that it's a direct influence on the sound, per se, but the signature Robert Crumb art is also incredibly cool and distinctly of its era. fav tracks: Piece of My Heart, Ball and Chain
Excellent freak out of a record. Cool album art. Had no idea that Joplin fronted a band. The recording was pretty cool as well, I thought it was a live record originally
Diese Musikstul kannte ich noch nicht. Finde den sehr Intressant. Alleine Das Cover ist Wunderbar
Great 1960s sound. Janis is insane.
Did janis Joplin always have a scratchy voice before she started singing or did she get it after she started singing? Kind of a chicken and the egg thing we got going on here. Anyway, it was very soulful and sounded like they gave a shit. Definitely not an industry plant.
Another album from the sixties, another album I remember fondly from me childhood. On this listen I really enjoyed all the instruments and the arrangements.
I really enjoy Joplin's voice with some good blues rock. Summertime is a favorite of mine.
The second I realized that Janis Joplin sounds like Marge Simpson, I could never go back to how things were before. The nice thing to note is that Janis is from Port Arthur, TX which is very close to where I am currently attending college. She even briefly attended the school before she went to UT in Austin and then I think she went to San Fran after that. She has a commanding presence that shines throughout this record, so of course she went solo. Besides the vocals, guitar work is also noteworthy. It's a shame that she flew on as Jerry Garcia put it (8/10, 4/5 on this scale)
Delightfully crusty with jams front to back, this was some quality psychedelic blues rock. Joplin's gravely voice does service over the heavily distorted blues guitar. While there aren't any standout "hits" that earworm quite like her other standout hits, this is an entertaining enough listen that really succeeds at its loosest points. Love Ball and Chain as a drawn out jam of a closer. Also really enjoyed I Need a Man to Love and the decidedly tasty take on Summertime -- love the layered guitar work trading between the monitors. For me this straddles a high 3, low 4 boundary. I'll nudge because, why not?
Very solid 60s psych with Janis Joplin wailing away all album. Piece of My Heart is a great song that I did not know exactly who it was by
A few songs in and this is certainly a raw psych rekkid. I never really fucked hard with Joplin's voice, but in the context of a whole album I must say I'm enjoying it a bit more. Loving the guitar work on Summertime. Piece of My Heart is a classic. Getting real bluesy with the Turtle. Ball and Chain is an excellent closer. Some real solid 60s psych/blues album.
Peak after peak after peak
This is great. All the things I love about bluesy, jammy rock. And I’m ashamed to say I’ve never listened to this album before. 4 stars
Great bluesy numbers. Janis' voice is brilliant, weirdly aggressive at times. Piece of my heart is incredible. There were awesome guitar sounds in there too. Will definitely listen again.
Never had heard of this group or the lead singer Janis. Really liked it! Favorite Song: Turtle Blues + Ball and Chain
Adorable voice of Janis Joplin such a pleasure to listen to. Band is not that great sounding unfortunately. This is the only reason why I don’t rate this masterpiece 5/5. RIP LEGEND!
Combination of the Two - 5/5 I Need a Man to Love - 4/5 Summertime - 4/5 Piece of My Heart - 5/5 Turtle Blues - 3/5 Oh, Sweet Mary - 3/5 Ball and Chain - 5/5 Average score: 4.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Solid acid blues rock. A few great tracks everyone's heard, and a couple unfamiliar ones that surprised me. I'd give it a 3, but there's some truly blistering fuzz tone guitar solos that kick it up a level for me
4 stars I liked it
I thought this was another punk album from the cover but turns out to be a very nice slice of psychedelic blues rock with Janis Joplin on vocals! Had a very nice time with it and would definitely return for more. Hard to look past _Piece of My Heart_ but I really did enjoy _ Turtle Blues_
Good mix of blues and rock and roll. Was surprised when I heard ‘piece of my heart’. I thought it was just a Janis Joplin solo song. Good over all album. Very appropriate for the peace, love, happiness era.
Janis can sing! What more can be said about this legend. Great album with plenty of character!!
I didn't know this was Janis Joplin before I started listening. Suddenly, I thought, damn this singer is cool. So I guess I am a fan of her. Blues rock at its finest. 60s psych prog at its finest.
Some pretty fantastic playing here -- and Janis is Janis. But it bogs down under its own fuzzy weight in the back half. Still worth a listen.
Fantastic Psychedelic rock. Rough but powerful voice from Janis Joplin
7/10
Good listen, Janis Joplin’s vocals are great and Piece of My Heart is a classic. At times I was thinking some of Tom Waits’ higher pitched vocals sound reminiscent of JJ here. This was always going to be up my street with bluesy guitars and those late 60s vibes. Cool album artwork too.
So good
Cheap Thrills is a unique, energetic psych/blues album. Honestly, between Janis Joplin's wailing, soulful vocals, hard-edged, noisy guitars, and a rhythm section in conversation with it all, this almost bridges the gap to the hard rock of the '70s. This is very much a darker, grittier take on psychedelia. If Sgt. Pepper is like doing acid at The Philharmonic, cheap thrills is like dropping a tab then walking down the street. This isn't an album that uses psychedelia as escape, in fact it almost seems to use it as a lens to amplify the world as it exists. This is mirrored in the confrontational, unmistakable R. Crumb album art, which honestly helped this album grab onto me. This is one of the more intense, unique rock albums of the late '60s, and it's stuff like this that cemented Janis Joplin as a rock legend in just 4 years, with as many albums.
01) Combination of the Two - 8,5 02) I Need a Man to Love - 8,5 03) Summertime - 10,0 04) Piece Of My Heart - 10,0 05) Turtle Blues - 8,0 06) Oh, Sweet Mary - 8,0 07) Ball and Chain - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,79 (88/100) Current ranking: 84/693
Another example of an album that Van do what it does really well for about half the run time. I was with the psychedelic blues and Joplin's voice at least thru Turtle Blues, but then it starts to devolve into stuff that might play better live it in the background but feels too formless for focused attention. There's solid musicianship here, but Joplin obviously elevates it, or rather, transforms it, into something primal desperate.
Always a classic. Love Janis, love the psychedelic rock tunes and big bluesy rock riffs. First listened to this about 10 years ago and fell in love with it
Janis Joplin. Nuff said.
Janis Joplin is a fantastic singer but the mixed quality of production lets this down a bit 4.5*
I dig this album... played a bunch of it on a recent road trip. I'm actually putting it on my discogs wantlist for the cover art. Janis is so good on so many tracks.
I’d not heard this before and enjoyed it enough that I think I’ll listen to it again.
i love her voice so much
I love the grit and soul. This album is here to make you feel something.
Janis Joplin, what a talent. This was great. Fire album cover and a great introduction that hooked me in immediately. You got a fair amount of bangers throughout the album that made this a solid listening experience. Psychdelic blues is a near perfect way to describe this. Full of emotion, never lackluster in sound, and deeply adventurous. While I will say Side A's peaks are way higher than Side B's this was still really good. Top 5: Combination Of The Two, Summertime, Piece Of My Heart, Ball and Chain, and Catch Me Daddy no bad songs 3.75-4.00/5
Pretty blues-ey, pretty sexy, great vocals.
what do you mean that i got janis's solo album the day before yesterday and a big brother and holding co. album today? the ball and chain is not lucky. the piece of my heart is taken. 4/5
The soundtrack to Hannah Botterman and Ellie Kildunne beating your Canadian ass.
Oh, Sweet Mary, Summertime, Ball and Chain
holy shit they're cooking
This was great
Great voice, great musicians, great songs and a great album!
“Four gentlemen and one great, great broad.” Everything about this album is so of its time, including the intro and art work, but at least no one was pretending that Janis Joplin wasn’t the star attraction.
Probably the closest we have so far, to a time machine back to 1968
Very good
Good
Reeks of minstrelsy
Syg nok stemme hende Janis. Piece of My Heart er det åbenlyse højdepunkt men jeg kunne rigtig godt lide det hele
Bliver virkelig løftet over lignende plader fordi hendes stemme er fuldstændig vanvittig, men bandet er også fedt!
Janis Joplin är otroligt häftig och musiken väldigt bra. Lite tråkig och inte riktigt min smak men coolt album.
Powerful performances here from the band. Janis’s voice is on full display. Adding the live elements are an interesting production choice, especially for the time period, but adds so much to the album since Janis’s voice really works best with a bar band/jam band vibe.
🤌🏻
WHY AM I GETTING SO MUCH SO GOOD ALBUMS WHAT IS HAPPENING
Janis Joplin alone elevates this album with her voice. I enjoyed the old-timey blues track"Turtle Blues". "Piece of my Heart" was a nice surprise to pop up amidst the other tracks, this is a song that I can remember when I heard it first and how it made me feel then still resonates today when I heard it. Overall the album was less than perfect if only because the sound was somewhat raw and at time sounded a touch amateurish.
Janis's voice was killer! Like its own instrument.
JANIS FUCKING JOPLIN.
Solid album. Interesting and rockin. Janis is great.
Janis rocks this raw and powerful blues rock anthem to the 60s. Love her or hate her, you've gotta respect her power. Crumb's cover has not aged well, imo.
Cheap Thrills sounds like a band barely holding it together and that’s the magic. Joplin pours out every ounce of herself, and the imperfections are what make it unforgettable.
Very nice instrumentals, loved the long guitar solos and the groovy rythm.
Klassista hyvää rokkenrollia. Nautin! En tienny alkuun et tältä levyltä löyty piece of my heart, se oli kova. 4/5 -A
This was a great chaotic 60ss rock, an all-around rocker.
TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART
WHAT A VOICE!
Janis's vocals lowkey carried
Love it, Janis's voice so unique and absolutely incredible.
Stunning voice, great blues licks. Would have been so good to see live.
Love a bit of Janis, and the bluesy feel of the album really works well.
love it in theory, in practice it's just never quite hit me right I suppose
Awesome
Janis Joplin just adds gravitas to this. This is the kind of album that I'd have dropped everything and headed to San Francisco to be part of the scene. It just feels like a time capsule, and it pulls you back.
Janice Joplin is a powerhouse. Her performance is quite something, ripping you out of your seat with her rock’n vocals. Never heard anyone else with such an impressive sound. Sounds like she went through so much. Impressive.
Solid album. That singer is really good, wonder what happened to her.
Yes
It is an immersive journey into the late 60's San Francisco scene...Janis gives it all...for the best. Legendary artwork (Crumb)
Janis Joplin has always freaked me out because she’s just too much: too soul, too rock, too in-your-face, too not-beautiful, too stoned. But this album is simply incredible. The chemistry with the band is fantastic. It’s raw, it’s intense, and they totally own it. A string of classics mixed with a few wild trips that probably only make sense on certain substances. A gem so dense it’s hard to take in all at once.
The songs which are not on greatest hits albums are much more entertaining for me. There are good old freak-out hippy guitars and so on. As a band, they were great.
Very much enjoyed! Some starts were a little drawn out for me, but the guitar riffs at the end always hit on the nail.
This is a musical time capsule. All the dirty psych rock of the 60s embodied in a single album. The (artificial) crowd noise really lifts this album out of the studio, and it makes you feel like you're out in the field tripping balls with the rest of them. Like you're a part of something bigger. Joplin's vocals are obviously at their height here, in all their wild, weird, impassioned force. It does get a bit exhausting after a while-- e.g. I'm not sure if I like the cover of "Summertime" or if I'm just a bit annoyed. Either way, I respect it. But what I did not expect was the insane guitar tone through the album. So many delicious fuzzy riffs and dimed amps. It's not the best from a technical sense, but the emotional force is there (case in point: "Ball and Chain"). R. Crumb album artwork: 5/5 stars.
I wasn't expecting much, and I think I was rewarded for it. I loved this record from the very first track all the way to the end. Favourite Track(s): Summertime, Flower In the Sun, Catch Me Daddy Least Favourite Track(s): Roadblock
Haha, my mom used to roll her eyes every time Janis Joplin came up on tv or in conversation. She just never understood the appeal, I guess. My mom’s a lovely woman, but her taste in music has always been questionable (to be fair, while she'd roll her eyes, she also wouldn't change the station on me, which was nice. She suffered through a fair amount of music I know she wasn't necessarily into because she recognized that I was). Anyway, Janis Joplin is a legend. So much passion, so much grit. Cheap Thrills is largely a really fun record. I love the guitars, and when the band opens up, it's easy to imagine that Big Brother and the Holding Company would be an entertaining and energetic show. But Janis easily takes center stage. 4/5
8,5/10
Fun. Very 60s but very progressive. Good vocals.
Immediately liking the energy of this as I listen to it. Haven't listened to any of this album, I don't think so, but rock is more my vibe. Favourites: Summertime, Ball and Chain
Take me to CHURCH Janis! I'll repeat my previous statements on Ms. Joplin; she had the single greatest voice in rock n roll history, and this album really is nothing without her massive presence. Nothing against the band here, they're wonderful, but this album doesn't feel like much of a team effort.
Really enjoyed this. Completely new to me but love how real it sounds
"Producer John Simon incorporated recordings of crowd noises to give the impression of a live album. . .Only "Ball and Chain" was actually recorded live in concert." Thanks. I hate it. Just that decision though. The album itself is really good. The guitar and bass playing is great. And it's obvious why Joplin gained fame as a solo artist before her tragic passing.
Decent but gotta be in the mood for it
🎵 A synonym’s just another word for the word you wanna use… 🎵 Fun psych blues rock.
A bit rough around the edges and I don’t care for the faux live elements but Janis Joplin shines, particularly on Piece of My Heart
Awesome sounds. A band so in tune with each other creating a raw emotive soundscape. I'm not a fan of the - pretend it's live - gimik.
Early Janis Joplin album, with a pretty great acid rock style backing band. The standout track for me isn't "Little Piece of my Heart" but rather "Ball and Chain" which just taxes Joplin's voice to the max, and delivers a very raw and emotional performance.
Gotta say I enjoyed this one. I didn't know Janis Joplin was in this band before her solo career. I enjoy her vocals.
I liked this album, even though it's not really my style. The style of music in this album kind of reminds me of another band, but I can't remember the name of them at the moment. I believe they were from the 1970s. But there were some catchy rhythms and such, and some songs had some interesting lyrics. I think my favorite song would be "Combination of the Two."
Amo este álbum, muy psicodelico.
Never knew she had such a voice. Not really my thing, but I respect it!
I listened to the BB&THC album prior to Cheap Thrills, and they really did not know what they had with Janis. They only really let her off the hook with Cheap Thrills, and it is absolutely to everyone's benefit. They're a so-so band with one of the best and most emotional vocalists of all time.
Wow Janis went hard on this one. Such bluesy grooves
Janis podrá haber tenido los mil defectos posibles, pero su voz se calaba en los huesos con su entrega, este álbum desde otra visión no hace más que destacarla desde otra vision
Janis Joplin was a phenomenal talent and her voice carries almost all these songs but the sound of the album itself is a side of 60s music, I rarely listen to. It’s a nice detour.
Great album
Janis Joplin's vocal is so ridiculously powerful. There's a great soul / rythm and blues feel to it, whilst still being guitar-forward a lot of the time. The use of crowd noise like this is something I've never heard on a studio album before. It gives the record a different energy entirely and paints a picture of a smoky late 60s / early 70s live show in my head. Really like the version of 'Summertime' on this — although the album artwork depicting this track has aged like milk. Same goes for 'Little Piece of My Heart' — which might be the only track I'd previously heard from this recording, although not knowingly. As the album goes on, the guitar starts to feel more and more self indulgent. The shredding has its place for sure, but this record is at it's best when it's kept simple. The whole record has got a great groove to it. Two live tracks at the end of the version I was listening to, which prove that the free and easy studio recording captured their live sound really well.
Combination of the Two 3.7 I Need a Man to Love 4 Summertime 4.1 Piece of my Heart 4.4 Turtle Blues 3.8 Oh, Sweet Mary 3.4 Ball and Chain 4.3 Score: 3.957142857
Janis!
Piece of My Heart is a 5 but a lot of this album overall got too jammy for my taste
Absolutely fantastic album. The moment I heard the singer's voice I felt like it was familiar to me. Come to find out, Janis Joplin was a part of a band and was not solely a solo act. Piece of My Heart I have heard before (and love), so I was excited to see what the rest of the album had in store. It didn't disappoint. Joplin's voice is phenomenal and so unique. Her raspiness may not be for everyone, but to me it is absolutely addictive. This is the album that brought her to stardom and what a great album it is.
I've never heard the whole album before. I can't say it was unexpected but it was pretty good.
Never heard but very bright and energetic
Classic 60's SF rock with outstanding vocals from Janis. Well worth the listen.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit, but I’ve always liked Janis Joplin. I had heard a few of these songs that made it onto the Best of Janis albums I’ve heard, but quite a few of them were new to me. I’m interested enough to try and look into some of the other Big Brother & The Holding Co albums just to hear their works before and after Janis. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
Fierce acid blues rock, featuring ear piercing guitar solos and Janis Joplin's immortal vocals in turns soulful and screeching. It's a lively, loud album (even louder and lively on the live tracks) but there are some subtle shades for contrast. It does rock but tends to meander, meaning you have to be in a lysergic stoner mood to fully appreciate. The best tracks are 'Summertime' and 'Piece of my Heart' and the cover artwork is pretty awesome.
Never heard this album before, it's awesome! Outshines other blues rock of the time (I'm looking at you messrs Plant and Page). Fabulous album cover too.
I am loving the growling vocals of Joplin's decidedly alternative delivery. This is the definitive version of Another Piece Of My Heart for me. It's a shame that's it's mostly covers and that she died so young as this album is passionate and exciting.
Iconic artwork by R. Crumb! This album is quite out there in a psychedelic bluesy way. Too much to take in on a first listen, will need to revisit in future.
Incredible rock/jazz/blues/soul album. It is all of those things. Joplin is a fucking animal on this thing. The voice of a much older woman truly, idk if it's because of whiskey or what but she definitely has a Marge Simpson quality to her meandering, mixed with like a more fucked up Ella Fitzgerald. When I mean soul I mean like Janis is pretty damn preacher-shamanic like on this album. The band is good and tight but her voice is the real entertainment. Big Brother just keep the party going and pick it the fuck up when they need to with intense, speedy grooves like on Roadblock. There's a beautiful proglike nature to the unfolding of these tracks, prime for late 60s blues-soaked psychedelia. This album was for sure a pivotal cornerstone in that era. It's got piano ballads, sweeping cinematic passages, and a truly soulful improv quality that makes it all feel like a true live album, even if it's only partially live. Peace, love, and Marge Simpson man.
Bluesy, experimental and original.
God this album is so much fun. It makes me want to dance all around. Janice Joplin's voice is iconic and soooo great! This was a fantastic album and it felt live at points which was cool!!! Great all around album! "Everyone close and go home!" Liked Songs: "Combination of the Two" , "Summertime" , "Piece of My Heart" , "Turtle Blues" , "Ball and Chain" , "Roadblock" , "Flower In the Sun" , "Catch Me Daddy" , "Magic of Love"
Very good album phony audience sounds aside. Janis Joplin sure could scream.
What a strange album. Why on earth they decided to make a studio album and add audience and even more strange: an MC to it? Why didn't they just make a proper live album? Or a proper studio album, instead of an album that has loads of flaws in sound quality - most absurd in 'Roadblock' (an outtake later added, but indeed a studio recording) The quality is very inconsistent, not just the sound quality. Best songs are of course 'Piece of my heart' but even more so 'Summertime'. That's vintage Janis Joplin. But on the same album we find 'Turtle blues'. Pfff.
Janis Joplin! This was cool. Didnt get to fully finish.
Raw blues rock. Exceptional vocals.
Day549 - this is an album i’m glad is on the list and i’m glad to listen. janis’ voice is amazing
*** 1/2 Thrills me
Really cool album. I love Janis Joplin. I didn’t really like the faux “live“ sound of the album, and I thought there were some awesome rock and roll moments that get washed out by the end of the song
Never heard this album before but when I saw that Janis Joplin was the singer I knew that it would be excellent. Some of the songs are familiar to me, "Piece of My Heart" is, of course, a classic. The music is pretty much what you would expect for this time period, it's the vocals that make it stand out. She was just brilliant and I love listening to her sing.
Janis Joplin invented social liberalism.
Didn't realise Joplin had such a good voice.
Clásico rock hippie de fines de los 60s (un sonido que se consolidó en los 70s). La voz de Janis Joplin es extraordinaria. El hecho de que sea en vivo le da la crudeza necesaria para este estilo de música, además de que la interpretación es impecable. Me gustó mucho el track "Ball and Chain".
I really liked this album. New to me as well
Good:)
She Joplin on my Janis till I company
4/5 good
Really good stuff, I liked it a lot
Trippy. Janis sounding like Marge Simpson
Janis sounds great
A good album, I liked Piece of My Heart and Turtle Blues the most.
Really good. Like it al lot 4/5
It was great, but I didn't just immediately love it as I was expecting like I love Janis Joplin's solo albums. Also, I had heard most of the songs from their live albums before, so there were no surprises, really, which is my favorite part about slogging through this challenge.
I didn't know this band existed. Piece of my Heart is iconic and so is her voice. Weird cover and I like the way this album goes. Cool listen. You can feel the cultural shift in this type of album.
The album cover and the band name hitting me at the same time had my head spinning. I didn't know what I was getting into. Well, Piece of My Heart is a classic. Didn't know where it came from. The Blues vibe throughout the album got me. I'd like to try and dig deeper in the future. Maybe jam along with it.
That opening track boy howdy
Büro, Heidenheim, Deutschland Sehr gut, wie immer wenn Joplin mitwirkt.
3,7/5
Some hits that I recognize. I enjoy listening to a band that later launched a solo artists career
love it - should be a late night listen with a drink in hand
An excellent singer with an average band, is still worth it, it’s Janis after all.
Not sure why I didn't know that Janis Joplin was anything but a solo act. I usually hate live albums, but this is undeniably great. Just pure energy.
1001 ALBUMS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE #11 (10 Word Review) A rock album that isn't afraid to shows its age. Overall Score: 85 / 100
I really love Janis voice
Solid.
3.5
i guess i didn't know what janice joplin sounded like - the woman performs like a deranged muppet on this album. you could slap some of this audio over footage of sy snootles wailing jizz for an audience of bounty hunters in jabba's palace and nobody would think anything was off. not complaining, by the way. it's excellent. love the announcer at the end of the live bonus tracks letting us know the electric prunes will be playing the venue soon. hopefully jabba drops them into the rancor pit in the middle of "the toonerville trolley"
Big Brother was a pretty poor backing band from a pure expertise standpoint, but this is still a good historical record.
Loose, gritty, blues driven old school rock and roll. Sign me up!
I had no idea Janis Joplin was in a band prior to her solo work. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but you get pretty much exactly what is advertised; a Janis Joplin fronted psychedelic blues band. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it’s probably not something I’m going to reach for all that often.
I had no idea that Janis Joplin was originally part of a different band and that Piece of My Heart is technically by Big Brother & The Holding Company. Anyway, I enjoyed most of the music. Combination of the Two may have been my favorite. All in all pretty solid.
Their energy is so great. And the live crowd sounds are actually pretty convincing. Interesting factoid that those were a studio trick. Janis is incredible, but kinda like Faces, Queen, or the 90s Bulls, the rest of the team can hold their own! Killer total package.
Hyvät vibat, hyvää musaa
8/10.
Anybody else clock the crazy racist cover art for Summertime
Janis Joplin is a great singer whose voice just grates on me. That being said, this was still a great listen. Knew a few songs but several were new to me. 3.5/5
cool album
This is a great well rounded psychedelic rock album. Sometimes they can be alittle heavy handed and dramatic and this album has those moments but I think they are well balanced with a variety of other sounds. Honestly I was really impressed by this album. My only real problem is I find Janie can be a lot, like her vocal delivery is very distracting from time to time. I’d say this is probably my favorite of her albums. Her self titled would be just under this album just cause this album has more to offer.
good
It’s so interesting for them to have added the crowd noise after and was mainly a studio album. Really great energy and vocals. Nice groove and rhythm. Sometimes, would actually prefer a less strained vocal eg ‘Summertime’. Enjoy the guitar runs and also changing tempo and energy. Great selection/order of songs and flow throughout. So much soul and heart. Raw, energetic and broad.
3.5 -- enjoyed.
Oh Janis. Qué cosa hermosa de la vida. No hay mucho que decir. Sólo conocía summertime y piece of my heart, pero el resto no se queda para nada atrás. Al fin puedo puntuar bien sin dudar. Nota: 4.0
4.0/5.0: Great
5/15/25. Wow, completely blown away by Joplin's vocals, her voice is really like another instrument. Solid songs as well.
I had no idea what to expect, I really enjoyed this in particularly the Janis Joplin lead tracks which were dirty bluesy
I never realized Janis was part of a band - I even thought that some of the songs on this album were her solo stuff. Pretty solid album, overall! Great singer, and really good backup band. Definitely a 3.5 - round up.
Šta se dobije kad se pomiješa fenomenalna blues psych muzika i vjerovatno najgori glas koji sam u životu čula? Nešto što mi nimalo ne smeta, začudo. Ne bih sad uvijek slušala ali mi se sviđa.
One of the greatest blues album by a white band. Janis is spot on. And BBatHC is magnificent. A classic. 4/5
I enjoyed this album more than I thought that I would. I know Joplin’s voice is a bit much for some, but I like it. Guitar was pretty good overall.
Janis was brilliant. She's one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time and it's a shame we never got more from her. Backing band is pretty good too. A lot of late 60s American rock music is over-rated dreck but this is really good.
Janis Joplin sounds like a female Robert Plant who smoked 2 packs a day. What a voice and what an eclectic album.
I Had never heard of this band before but obviously immediately recognized piece of my heart. I also had heard on Janice Joplin but did not realize she was in this band first, its a very good album with some great songs but is just a little lacking to call it a five star album for me personally.
Joplin rules
Enjoyed this, didn't realise Joplin sang the blues
I loved this album honestly, the vocals kind of give it so much vibe+ the guitar solos and just the guitar all over the album,second track which was actually a jazz song The Brother covered but Janis turned it into a whole another song with her incredible vocals, I loved it.
Lotta hits, some though arent as good and can get repetative
Yeah goes pretty good. Probably the best Janis album
Very good upbeat Added Magic of Love and Piece of My Heart to playlist
This was a new experience for me, as I've not heard much of Janis Joplin. Her vocals, in accordance with what I'd heard, are excellent, and this album was a good bit of fun to listen to. I still don't think I'm into psychedelic rock but this was a decent listen.
some great tracks, rest in peace janis joplin
Album 753 of 1089 Big Brother & The Holding Company - Cheap Thrills (1968) Rating : 4 / 5 Awesome album. Some of Janis' solo stuff is better but this album is a banger. There are a couple of weaker tracks but not weak enough to take away from the overall listening experience. She outgrew them.
Очень здорово, классический рок, женский вокал, неприевшаяся мелодия, но знакомая оранжировка, мне понравилось
Excellent album!
So Joplin had stuff before her solo work? There you go, who knew! And the style of the recording, really rugged, matches her rugged voice perfectly. Great album.