Reviews (page 7 of 13)
So good. Joplin vocals are on point. Classic jam band + blues-y feel. The good tracks are great. The filler tracks are not bad. I bet this sounded amazing live.
Liked Summertime and Turtle Blues. As I get older, I'm less into Joplin screams. Good album, not sure I would pick it to randomly play, but I wouldn't hit skip on most songs. The whole here is probably greater than the sum of its parts. Very cohesive. 3.5-4/5
Enjoyable listen. I haven't listened to a ton of Joplin. I'm mostly familiar with "Piece of My Heart." Would listen to again.
Hey there is a song on here I know! Love the bluesy songs... and who knew that Janis was in a band before she was solo? This a surprisingly great album.
I thought I was going to be a lot less in to this than I am. I just assumed it was pretty bluesy and not for me. Bluesy it is for sure, but it's also pretty fuzzed out early acid rock. It's messy and psychedelic and loud. Janis Joplin is a pretty great vocalist on these songs as well. There is a great vibe to the recordings. I get why this record has had such staying power for 50+ years.
I enjoyed this
Brilliant. Never heard of these but was instantly into it. Janis' voice is phenomenal. Think it could have done without the bonus tracks, ending where it was meant to. No absolute stand out tracks, one to listen to as an album for sure.
Cool beans 8 out of 10
One good song. Otherwise pretty jam-bandy
Southern Comfort and Cigarettes
Great album start to finish. Great guitar and Janis on vocals is hard to beat.
I'd give five stars to Janis Joplin, though. Her voice is unbelievable on this album. I wonder how many times Led Zeppelin listened to this record.
This is a fun album. I think is like to give this another listen at some point in the near future.
There are some cracking live renditions on here. Pure raucous West Coast blues rock. Good stuff. Especially Janis.
Good shit. Janis had the voice of a chain-smoking demonic troll, and used it to wail her heart out in the best possible way. She was a treasure and I love listening to her.
Killer album. Summertime gets me rock hard. 8.5/10
JJ has such a great voice. Great guitar work, psychedelic and hard rock. Modern and timeless sound
Amazing amazing amazing album
Enjoyed that. Bit like Jimi Hendrix with some folk and bits thrown in
I already knew I liked this; my father played this and other blues albums all the time when I was a kid and I imprinted early.
Janis Joplin with her most known song (for me) on this record. Rough, raw and rocking, great record.
Wow! I can confidently say that Cheap Thrills is one of the most thrilling and electrifying albums to come out of the 1960s. Big Brother & The Holding Company, fronted by the powerhouse vocals of Janis Joplin, have delivered a raw and authentic record that captures the essence of the counterculture movement. From the opening track "Combination of the Two," listeners are immediately drawn in by Joplin's emotive and soulful delivery, which is perfectly complemented by the band's gritty and bluesy instrumentation. The album's standout track, "Piece of My Heart," is a tour de force that showcases Joplin's incredible vocal range and emotional depth. Cheap Thrills also features several other gems, including "Summertime," "Ball and Chain," and "I Need a Man to Love," which are all prime examples of the band's ability to create powerful and memorable songs. Overall, Cheap Thrills is a must-listen for anyone interested in the music of the 1960s and the evolution of rock and roll. It is a timeless classic that continues to inspire new generations of musicians and music lovers alike.
Janis be killin it. I enjoyed this one a lot
This was the first time I'd listened to anything Janis Joplin sang so it was interesting hearing an artist I'd heard of but never made the effort to listen to. The first song was a little bit much for me but as I got further down I enjoyed it a lot. I think Ball and Chain was my favorite song.
Love janis joplin's voice. Really good album
I honestly never knew Janis Joplin was the member of a band. I always thought she was purely a solo act. So starting up this album and hearing her unmistakable vocals was a pleasant surprise. If you told me I would enjoy the singing of a woman who sounds like she gargles gravel, I would never believe you. But for Janis, it just works. Her voice is so full of raw emotion, you can't help but be sucked in by it. And the album art from R Crumb is the cherry on top.
When I listened to Janis Joplin's Pearl in this project, I was so amazed and wondered why I had it in my head that I wasn't really a fan of hers. Then I listened to this album and remembered. Now, I have grown a real appreciation for Joplin that I didn't have before, but this really reminded me that in the past I thought she sounded like a cat with its tail being stepped on. I suppose that's the quality some call "raw" and I do appreciate it more now. This album and this band has such an intense quality to it that is both jarring and exciting...if not totally unhinged. I'm not in love, but I'm in awe.
Cool, another band that I feel like I should have more knowledge of. The tracks were a bit more raw and loud than I tend to love, but it was some good stuff. Rockin'!
Havent heard a ton of Joplin, really enjoyed her on this. 3.5
Cool hearing early Janis stuff. The album sounds live and not live.
Nice loose grooves and Janis + a bonus point for the R. Crumb album cover.
It's a great blues album, from the Crumb artwork, to the amazing guitar tone, to Janis Joplin's incredible voice. It would be a five save for two gripes. One - none of the songs needed to be more than 4 minutes long. I'd be excited and thrilled, but by the end of a lot of tracks I was fatigued and bored. And two - whoever the male vocalist is... If you have Janis Joplin, maybe STFU and stick to backing Vocals innit.
Love Janis Joplin and this era of music. Very nice
Semi Faux live album but I think the energy it brings is great.
Janis Joplin has a voice that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you just know she’s pulling emotion from the depths of her SOUL. She elevates what would otherwise be unremarkable blues rock into jagged-edged paeans to love, freedom, and the eternal search for happiness.
Absolutely knackered after listening to this Janis Joplin has such wrath in her voice. It is absolutely superb.
Soulful, fun. Lots of long guitar riffs that transport me to a blues bar with a live band Janis Joplin’s voice kind of sounds like Marge Simpson and I’m not mad about it
It's remarkable what an impact JJ left in such a short time. 3 albums during her life, 21 after her death.
Very nice psychedelics rock
Love it, great album
JANIS JOPLIN EVERYONE super hippie vibes super 60s lsd sweaty yellow smoke filled rooms and people saying man after the end of every sentence
This album and Pearl were in regular rotation on my parent's turntable. Always loved Janis.
Yes.
Good.I like Janis Joplin’s voice and the sound of psychedelic rock even if it can go on a bit too long.
Loved this, obviously heard of Janis Joplin before but not Big Brother and the Holding Company. This album is right up my street great mix of blues rock and psychedelic. The album doesn’t have the greatest production but I think that along with Joplins vocals gives it a much more raw feel.
Rock sesentero psicodélico con abundancia de guitarras y batería. Voz inconfundible llena de energía femenina. Muy representativo de la época
Would really be a 3.5, Summertime and Piece of My Heart are obvious highlights
Clearly, Janis Joplin is the reason this album is a classic! Her unmistakable vocals are powerful and energetic, while the band sets the tone and vibe of the record. I often overlook this album, but it's hard not to like and the Robert Crumb cover artwork is a bonus.
Gets a4 just for Summertime! Fantastic song!!
Not consistently good, but when it's good, it's very good. Piece of My Heart+Side B bump it up to a 4 for me.
Kova veto, Janiksella on kyl persoonallinen saundi
Super fun to hear a younger and lesser-known Janis, I always enjoyed her vocals, they seemed to be made to sing the blues.
Good
Loose and raw blues rock. The star is obviously Janis Joplin. Such a powerhouse. I can’t believe her voice sounded like this at the age of 25 — so rough and raspy. Great stuff all around. What an album cover. A few things don’t age well on it 😬 but I love the energy of it and how busy it is.
Very enjoyable album. Janis Joplin has one of the coolest and most badass voices of all time and she could sing a dictionary to my ear's content. "Piece of My Heart" is one of the best classic rock / rock songs of all time.
Janis Joplin's voice should not sound as good as it does. She sometimes sounds like she's out of breath and struggling to hit her notes, as if she's way past her prime & her voice has been strained by decades of singing and smoking. But all that just adds to the character. Couple that with the soulful blues sound & the slick guitar work, and you have a beautifully sultry album that exudes the word "cool." The only improvement to be made here is to have produced it better - the live album illusion was a nice attempt, but these songs need the clear and crisp quality that proper production could've offered. The record still stands strong though. Standouts are Summertime, Piece of My Heart, I Need a Man to Love, and Ball & Chain.
As raucous blues sung by a proper legend goes this is pretty much up there.
baita som, janis joplin e pa
Take another piece of my hearth is geweldig. Janis joplin heeft een iconische schreeuw.
Janis Joplin op haar Janis Joplinst
Enjoyable album. Unreal vocals and graet backing band.
Great album ! Vocals 👌🏼 Brilliantly produced
Joplin's voice *chef's kiss*
Lot of good songs, so much power in Joplin’s singing. Moving
genuinely didnt know that janis was in a band before listening to this album, but it’s excellent. her vocals are, of course, amazing. the instrumentation falls a bit flat for me at parts, but it’s an album i’m going to come back to
Prefs: Combination of the Two, Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Oh, Sweet Mary, Ball and Chain Moins pref: Turtle Blues
Janis didn't need these fuckers. She shines brighter on her solo work, which is saying something considering how much she stands out here (especially on the iconic "Piece Of My Heart").
Janis Joplin was an amazing talent. Loved this album.
Belting. Janis Joplin and that guitar tag team.
amazingly soulful
Didn't expect to enjoy that
That janney jormplin broad is pretty good 4
Nice guitar work and vocals.
Great if you like SMELLING your rock & roll, and you prefer its scent to be patchouli and the weed of the era. There's no denying Janis was one of the greatest belters, and she certainly put her whole self into it. Good performances all around, even inventive for its time. A cover that doesn't even remotely work today, but which used to take heads a whole album just to read all the panels.
Pretty iconic stuff. Sick guitar and obviously nasty vocals
Points off for the addition of crowd noise on some of the tracks, but offset by extra points for the awesome Crumb cover. A great example of am uneven masterpiece. The highs, Janis' exceptional instrument, Piece of My Heart and Summertime are enough in my book to justify inclusion on one of these best of lists.
Cheap Thrills shows us why, even with a tragically short career, Janis Joplin will always be in the conversation for best singer in rock history. She exudes raw power with her screams but also has some tender moments here too. The band is pretty great too, while this is not the most complex stuff, the band is dynamic and supports Joplin well throughout the album. "Piece of My Heart" is a rock classic that is still great every time I hear it and "Summertime" was a cool reinterpretation of a standard. The one thing I could have lived without was the fake crowd noise inserted here.
Amazing album
Energetic, noisey, chaotic rock n roll. May be a bit abrasive for some. Musically relatively simple although played with gusto. Janis is just one of the most charismatic singers to grace the planet. She was a huge fan of Otis Redding and you can tell - she always had a more soulful bent imo and is a little bit wasted in this sort of band where she basically shouts through the set. Very lo-fi recording, little bits of filler here and there. A bit too frenetic to really settle into. Joplin's solo work albums are better examples of what she can do but the album has a mood, has Janis and does a good job of passing 50-odd minutes. Groovey, sexy and has Cr mb illustrations on the cover. Great bit of 60s psych hippy funk rock with a competent band and a generational singer
Awesome guitar!! Janis is a good vocalist. Insane for 68. Blackface :(
great album
Stellar record, a real surprise. Great tunes.
Classic. sometimes too indulgent
Yer old rock, timeless
Fun album. You can imagine the performances unfolding in front of your eyes. Definitely will listen again. Get LP.
This is a fine piece of music. Joplin's voice is phenomenal. Didn't hear this album before. It is great, but has some weak points at least for my taste. Musically it has much to offer though, so I'll give it 4 stars.
Not my usual jam but good
Was surprised at how many songs from this album were familiar (via covers or remakes)
Come for Piece of My Heart, stay for the acid rock Gershwin number. Best track: Piece of My Heart
A pleasant album reminds me of being in a BBQ joint in the South. I am a big fan of the guitar work from the late 60s and 70s and this filled that for me.
Wasn’t too into this one early on
I was sceptical at first.. but boy oh boy was this album a pleasant surprise! The overall mood mixed with the uniqueness of Janis Joplin's vocals was just perfect.
Some great hits but my metal has not aged well
Great
Janis has such a stylized voice that sometimes I just don't want to listen anymore. She was clearly different and powerful, but ultimately, I wonder what level of success she would have achieved has she not died so yound.
Janis Joplin makes this album, the rest it’s purely decorative
God damn Joplin can sing
Never been a huge fan of Janis joplin, however this version of Ball & Chain still gives me chills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1zFnyEe3nE Also if you don't know who Robert Crumb is, I recommend a wonder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Crumb (Warning - his work is NSFW) Overall: I would loved to have lived through this time and lost the plot at this smoky concert with friends. I give it a solid night on shots of tequila.
Pretty boppin' & upbeat. Listened as background music while working.
Okay tunes but Janis pushes this one up to a 4 for me
Brilliant stuff in there
LP
I liked all the blues in this one.
Janis Joplin Carries 7.1/10
white woman but p good
Super relaxing after a stressful day
I’ve herd of Janis joplin can’t say i’am familiar with her work… The album starts with the song combination of the two I love how this song sets itself up as the opener to the album, it’s an odd song but I don’t hate it and yeah Janis is screamy as fuck but not as bad as I thought she would be. It’s an odd song but I don’t hate it. When Janis isn’t screaming she sounds like a singer who has passed her prime ( sadly ironic huh) this is first shown in the second song I need a man to love; the song sounds nice in the background but it lacks the gravitas of most songs of the 60’s. Summertime is the first song with any real substance instrumentally the verses remind me of the sonic “feeling good” ( I’am not sure who that song is by definitely not Buble or muse) with different guitars. It’s great though honestly the vocals are a bit grating but it’s good to have unique vocals in a decade that lacks distinctive vocalist ( even if they’re not good). The album goes more traditional rock with piece of my heart, I don’t know this song that well but I do recognise the “ come on’s”. It’s really good that section actually is a bit before it’s time a very strong vocal performance loved it! Turtle blues just kinda feels awkward for her vocal style I don’t know Janis Joplin doesn’t suit piano simple as that. The album moves on though to oh sweet Mary actually a party male done song I actually love this, it seems like the start of the rambunctious verse overly slow chorus technique of other bands. Also love the guitar break in the middle. The main album ends with ball and chain (and that’s where I’ll stop) a nine minute long blues style track with the dirtiest of guitars. I love her vocals on this track specifically the way she sings along with the way she pronounces her words works perfectly here. It was good I was kinda left wanting more ( but I guess that’s what the bonus songs are for) anyway I liked it.
4.25
Although I've never heard of Big Brother & The Holding Company, Janice Joplin was easily recognizable. I'm not generally a Joplin fan, and perhaps it is because my exposure to her body of work has been reduced to a few performances of a few songs that I've heard often enough. I enjoyed Cheap Thrills, much more than I thought I would have considering that I generally try to avoid Joplin. For a live performance, the audio and sound of the band was well recorded. I'm not sure if I would remember to come back, but I could come back and listen to the album again.
I love Janis. Ball and Chain has been one of my favourite songs of hers for a while, but I’ve never listened to this whole album.
A lot of raw energy here. And Janis. Joplin's. Voice.
Loads of jams in this. Very stonery. This opens up great. Blues influenced. Janis stretched vocals hit hard but are quite stretched. This can't be good for her throat. Riffs are top. Was a fun time capsule.
I will always love Janis.
listen carefully...
7/10. Not bad, but nothing crazy
I like it, I just don’t love it. 7/10
Genre: Blues Rock 4/5 This was a fucking blast. Big Brother and the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills, led by the incomparable Janis Joplin on vocals, is one of the best rock albums from the late 60s, and I mean that. Once the album kicked off with Combination of the Two, a 6-minute instrumental blues jam that gets almost to Led Zeppelin territory in terms of heaviness, I knew I was in for a great time. Loud, bombastic guitar riffs and drumming, with Joplin's powerful brand of vocals (I can't believe she was only 25 when they recorded this), as well as some added production elements that makes this thing feel and flow like a live album, Cheap Thrills is one of my favorite albums I've listened to since starting this exercise. While Piece of My Heart is the big hit from this album, and a great tune overall, it's their cover of Summertime that puts this album to the next level. All Janis Joplin does here is sing her fucking ass off, rendering one of music's most popular standards into one of the single best blues ballads I've ever heard, and one of my all time favorite versions of the song by far. And ending it all with the 9-minute blues epic, Ball and Chain, another classic Joplin put her own unique twist on, was the icing on the cake. An outstanding piece of work, and one that I assumed I'd enjoy just fine, but came out of with newfound respect for Janis Joplin and co., and also came out of it with a new album to play on a random day this summer. Really good shit.
I really wasn't sure what I was expecting going into this, but I was surprised when I enjoyed the experience. The guitar just sounds so good. I generally wouldn't like the vocal, but it pairs so well with the rest of the sound. Everything feels like it goes together, like a puzzle set. Favorite track: Summertime
This is a pretty good '60s album. I'm not sure if it's entirely my thing though because I probably won't listen to anything on it again other than the one that comes on the radio every once in a while. The singing is the highlight, with Janis Joplin giving an incredible performance on vocals. Highlights: 3, 4, and 7.
I really liked the few Janis Joplin songs that I new, but never went out of my way to listen to her band. I really liked this album as a unit. It was really enjoyable to listen to and scratches that classic psychedelic rock itch very well. No one who has ever lived has had a voice quite like Janis Joplin's.
This is acid rock alright. The bluesier, harder cousin of psychedelia best exemplified by Clapton's Cream. It's incredibly raw, inspired by garage and jam bands of the time. Most psychedelic tracks are "Summertime", "Oh Sweet Mary", and "Ball and Chain." Janis is a fantastic frontman, her raunchy vocals compliment the chaotic screeches. There's a pop hit "Piece of my Heart" to pull in skeptical listeners. Hopefully Janis's reputation is enough reason for most people to give this acid rock landmark a fair shot.
More Janis. - second day in a row l. Luckily I live it - lots of fun to listen to.
Was good, need a bit of drugs though.
Beautiful blues-rock and Janis Joplin's vocals? Amazing. Most songs probably worked better when performed live, though, because they don't have a lot of structure.
A lot of blues, a little prog and the best female rock vocalist ever. Gershwin's Summertime and 'Piece of My Heart' get the proper love and respect Janis' legacy deserves, but the cover of Big Momma Thornton's "Ball and Chain" rounds this out as a great slice of Americana. 4.5/5.
Janis Joplin's vocals are just insane: wild, raw and exploding with power. Don't fuck with her.
Good stuff. Some uninspired instrumentals, but overall a very great sound and an awesome voice on that Janis. That's a 4 damn. "Summertime" really fucking slaps.
A fun and powerful listen! I've seen this album cover a few times before (it is possibly the coolest art from an album on this list so far which says a lot), but I had never heard of the band. It came to a pleasant surprise that Janis Joplin was the lead vocalist; while I am not too familiar with her work, her voice is so distinguishable that I knew immediately that I had heard it before. Her vocals might not be for everyone as they can be a bit too much at times, but I enjoyed them overall throughout this record. It brought a sense of creativity and spark that the music might not have had without her. I did recognize one track going through this one: 'Piece of My Heart'. That song is really great and was probably the most upbeat song on the record, but the whole album was very consistent with its blues rock style and energetic instrumentals. The one weird thing that stood out to me was the use of fake crowd noise throughout the album. I was fully expecting live material based on the initial cheers in the first song as well as the message on the cover stating "Live Material Recorded at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium"; however, it was obvious right away that this wasn't truly live as the crowd would come and go throughout every song. This wasn't "fake" in the way that the album 'Alive' by Kiss is as that album attempted to recreate the live experience; with how this one was laid out, I am not sure exactly what they were going for as it could have just been a very solid studio recording. Odd, but it didn't ruin it for me at all. I had a great time listening to this one, and I would give it another shot for sure. 3.5/5 (but close to a 4!).
Impressive vocals, fun to listen to. Favorite Songs: Combination of the Two, I Need a Man to Love
Some of it isn't exactly my style, but a handful of the songs are truly great.
This was pretty good actually
When in the mood, this is killer
Offensive album cover but Janis is a queen of rock.
great album. The vocals of janis joplins i was familiar with but the energy of this album is much more than that
EXCELLENT! I loved this, it sounded great live and what an amazing talent Janis was! I loved the cover of Summertime and Take Another Little Piece of My Heart Now Baby. LOVE the Crumb cover, of course! Will definitely listen to this again.
liked the album, smth to say you like to listen to when talking to a music expert (almost sreaming, kinda shit quality audio adds to the effect, old guitar and ddrum backround, kinda riot girrrrl but not really tho
"We are ugly but we have the music". (from a song L. Cohen wrote about his time with Janis) Summertime, Piece of My Heart and Ball and Chain are classics - sure Ball & Chain is a bit too long but it is legit live rather than aspartame live. Summertime provides a unique experience since it's not too often you can listen to a song that Billie Holiday also covered and say "Yup, this one is better than Billie's version." The guitar licks to start and throughout that song provide a quintessential psychedelic feel while Janis' vocals are poured into every word. While the highlights are all covers, some of the original songs, like I Need a Man to Love and Turtle Blues are also good. It's interesting that this album is faux live. I like Janis but always thought studio Janis was a mere fraction of what live Janis would be. If the customer wants a live album, here you go, sort of.
I like the renditions of Piece of My Heart and especially Ball & Chain – the video of her/them performing it at the Monterey Pop Festival a year earlier, where she blew away the crowd, is something else. Janice was a decent song writer as she showed later on her solo albums and here on Turtle Blues. They take a bit of a detour (from Blues Rock) on Oh Sweet Mary, which sounds like it’s from another album. On that and the opening track, where the vocals are handled by Sam Andrews there’s no doubt that they he has the world’s greatest back-up vocalist. Their decision to pump in crowd noise on many of the songs was a bit weird, and the introduction of “4 Gentlemen and one great, great broad” would have seemed out of date even in '67. Love the Album Cover.
This was much better than expected. I was never a fan of Janis Joplin but after listening to this full album I have a much better appreciation of her now. Summertime and Piece of my Heart are a wicked one-two punch and Ball and Chain is the knockout. I’m not crazy about the Robert Crumb artwork but I guess it’s iconic and emblematic of those hazy hippie days. After listening to this for the second time my 3 gets raised to a 4.
Can’t go wrong with Janis
Janis Joplin's vocals are just timeless, the heavy guitar tone are to die for.
Love Janis Joplin. Her voice is such a treasure.
Hell yeah. Call me pleased.
Great form from Janis. Excellent closer as well. I think that if I lived during this I would've loved a performance of this more than the album itself.
Blistering acid rock. Janis Joplin absolutely steals the show with her insane yowl. I could take or leave some of the jamming, but overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. Good highway music. Favorite tracks: "I Need a Man to Love", "Piece of My Heart", "Ball and Chain"
Really enjoyed this one, not sure what else to say. Surprised it's from the 60s
I like it, I like it a lot.
This hits like a ton of bricks! I didn’t know anything at all about Janis Joplin before and had her in my head as a folksy Joni Mitchell type. How wrong can you be. The soul and psych stuff on here is amazing, it all sounds so fun and exciting. Very nearly got a 5 star but for one too many blues tracks which are really not to my taste. Definitely going on regular rotation though.
Une très belle campagne de mobilisation contre les dangers de la cigarette offerte ici par Janis Joplin, qui ne cesse de choquer par sa voix absolument détruite par le tabac. Les esprits sont marqués, on espère que cela servira de leçon aux jeunes auditeurs du générateur.
yup
Lo fi as fuck production, but this album is a revelation. A freight train of awesome blues rock power. What it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in power and energy. Janis Joplin slays on the vocals and it’s so good that even Eminem sampled this record.
Prachtig album met de bekende hit pieces of my heart, erg vet live gevoel
8/10
I've never been a huge fan of Janis Joplin, but this was a great album.
Weird record. It’s poorly recorded. The songs aren’t all that good. The band is bar band grade. The singer has more chutzpah than talent. And yet it’s still oddly compelling. It holds together. 4.5.
Amazing funk party music but still laid back
11. Cheap Thrills - Big Brother & The Holding Company. Hadn't heard of the band before despite obviously knowing Janis Joplin. Looking at album I recognised no songs, but when they play you know them. It's quite course or rough in sound, but that's just her bluesy/rocky style. It's a good album. 4/5
An explosive album with phenomenal vocals from Janis Joplin. My biggest gripe is that it was not produced or mixed well.
Very good, worth another listen
Soft 4 stars. My first experience with Janis Joplin. I can wee why she was immensely popular at that time. She can wail! Anyway, it doesn’t earn 4 stars because the ‘acid rock’ sound isn’t at the top my my list.
Classic album. Janis is wonderful as always. Love it.
Wow. Much better than I expected. I was not sold on Janis Joplin until now. What a voice. Honestly mesmerizing. The instrumentals were neat, too. ;)
often i dont like albums that feel like theyre blending into each song bc theyre so similar but i really like the way this album is so cohesive. favourite tracks: road block, piece of my heart Janis <33
Joplin is the standout on this album with an emotionally soaring voice on hit tracks Piece of My Heart and Summertime. I was blown away by the vocal performance on Turtle Blues. Some of the jam tracks don’t measure up to her vocals. This was her last album with this band before going solo and her dominance shows. Her voice is so unique that she is in the pantheon of great singers like Aretha, Etta James, Whitney, etc but we’ll always wonder what she could have accomplished had she not died so young.
Well I got an education. Janis Joplin always seemed to get mentioned on her own but she had just as many album with these guys as solo. Man, that voice. One of a kind. Huge plus and makes the song something special on I Need a Man to Love and Turtle Blues. But at times the album was too self-indulgent, like the opener Combination of the Two - aimless guitar work and warbling. Ditto for Oh Sweet Mary. But I didn't mind any of it on the longest track Ball and Chain - 9 minutes wasn't enough and Joplin was electric. I'd put it right up there with Piece of My Heart, which is an all-time great, gives me chills everytime.
3.5/5. Pretty good, definitely a little out there. The singers voice was also a little out there, but that’s not a bad thing. The album art is also interesting.
raw
Janis was a goddamn national treasure. It's a shame she died much too young. Great album from the psychedelic blues era. 4 stars.
Awesome classic rock / blues with Joni Mitchell's amazing voice!
An album is only as strong as its weakest link. If that held true, this would be a TWO STARS package. Alternatively, if this album was to be judged as 'best ball' it'd receive a solid FIVE STARS based solely on 'Summertime' because Summertime cooks. The sound of the guitar on this album is absolutely incredible, deep, bossy, full of lazy rough distortion that you can sink your teeth into. The opening to Ball and Chain is soooo gooood. Oh Sweet Mary has a great start, but then syrup-voice starts the singing and just ruins it... I want Janis. Ohhh, Janis, you are the wings to my angel. Your voice and that guitar are such a sweet combination ...or so I'd think. The songs that are good, are REALLY good. The guitarless Turtle Blues, old time piano and Janis... beautiful. Piece of My Heart ... classic power, and, have I mentioned 'Summertime...?' But then there are these mediocre and less than adequate songs like the opening track, Combination of the Two, Flower in the Sun and Roadblock that don't belong and drag the rest of the album down. But the ones that cook... Summertime, (have I mentioned Summertime) I could listen to on repeat for hours...
Such a great album. Janis Joplin's serrated voice cuts through the fuzzy guitar. Bluesy and at he same time psychedelic. Everyone has probably heard the hit on this album but the rest of the album is just as good in my opinion.
Janis! Holy cow! This once again exposed the gaps in my music knowledge. I did not know the names of any of Joplin’s backing bands, and since this one doesn’t bear her name I didn’t realize it was her at first. Then as I listened, I thought that remarkable voice sounded familiar. And sure enough, this is the band that launched Joplin’s career. After plunging deep into her tragic story, which I really only knew the end of, I went back and listened to the first Big Brother and the Holding Company album, and the next one she made with a new band. You can definitely hear the progression in her style and confidence as a singer. Bluesy, awesome classic rock. They may have been dirty hippies in the height of Haight Ashbury, but damn can Janis Joplin sing.
groovy man
-I particularly like "Piece of My Heart" and "Roadblock" -I also enjoyed "Ball and Chain," "Catch Me Daddy," "Magic of Love," and "I Need a Man to Love" -I kind of felt that these tracks just weren't as strong and energetic as "Piece of My Heart" -This is one of the strongest 4 albums I'd say, but it just didn't have something that really made me want to push it to 5
Nice, kannte die Band von Janis Joplin bislang nicht
Good old rock album - didn't get through the whole thing, but it's a good rock album
26th May 2021 In the living room on the speaker while working. I loved this, right up my street. Not listened to Big Brother and the Holding Company before and didn't know it was one of Janis' bands but the raw energy (enhanced by the fake crowd noise put in production) is amazing. It sounds like they just hit record and went for it which I love. I Need a Man to Love, Turtle Blues, Ball and Chain, loved. Want to send an email to the Blues Kitchen podcast and hope they play one of these classics.
Очень рад, что встретил этот альбом - я встречал песни с него на других релизах, но приятно закрыть пробел в образовании и узнать первоисточник.
Not my usual style but I actually liked it. Recognized some classic songs, and I learned a bit about Janis Joplin reading about this album. Lots of emotion in her voice which was I think why this album worked for me.
Love it! Janis is a real powerhouse! Interesting to hear some live crowd noises added even though it’s a studio album.
Such a voice. Maybe not the definitive versions of songs but still very good
Fun. pretty janis joplin forward in a fun way.
Sound quality up and down (live recording), but fantastic energy and JJ on form. Bonus points for MAD-like album cover.
Shit my notes didn't save. Great album. "Piece of my Heart" and "Ball and Chain" are the highlights. Great fuzz tones on guitar. Makes me want to be in warm weather walking around aimlessly.
my views on JJ are somewhat conflicted, but i really enjoyed this one. ball and chain is definitely the standout for me. also, i fucking love the album art.
Really enjoyed it especially not knowing what to expect.
This rocks! I honestly don't know how the whole Joplin thing passed me by, I've never really heard much of her music. One tiny complaint, this album does go on a bit too long. I could have happily lost a couple of tracks, but yes, that Joplin chick is pretty great! It was fun to spot that Eminem sample in there too, like a little cameo spot.
Blues rock. Best Tracks: Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Ball and Chain,
Awesome. Would have been incredible to see live
Enjoyed that. 4/5
First up. Piece of my heart is bloody majestic. have always love it. love this (presumably first) version. The rest of the album is great fun without ever reaching the glorious heights of the song it was built around. 4/5 mostly for Piece of my heart.
First Joplin experience- she has some lethal chirps. Loved the lead guitar too. Pretty chaotic album. Piece Of My Heart a cracker. Almost a 5, just a bit chaotic
Blues rock. Con Janis Joplin.
Didn't realise this was Janis Joplin on vocals at first. Pretty cool album with some solid tracks.
Piece Of My Heart es la más reconocida y explica perfecto este disco. La música es muy buena, las letras son buenas pero Janis hace que todo explote y llegue a niveles estratosféricos. No por nada es el segundo y último disco de Janis con la banda. Combina grabaciones de estudio con sesiones en vivo. Gran disco, sin lugar a dudas.
Damn good. Didn't even know Janis Joplin had projects outside her solo work. Way better imo.
Pretty great
Si no hubiera leído la historia del disco, me habría ido con la finta y pensado que fue grabado en vivo. Un detalle muy interesante de la producción del disco. El grupo me agradó mucho, y me sorprendió saber que fue de donde surgió Janis Joplin. Me hubiera gustado estar en uno de los conciertos de Big Brother, pero al menos con este disco podemos tener una probadita de lo que hubiera sido. Creo que es un poco desafortunado que Janis como solista haya eclipsado al grupo, pero es entendible: su voz y su talento eran demasiado. La canción que más me agradó fue Ball and Chain, pero todo el disco es un placer de escuchar.
4.5 | Con este disco aprendí algo del pasado de Janis y de Robert Crumb y sus dibujos problemáticos. La música me gustó más de lo que esperaba antes de saber quién estaría cantando; me gustó mucho también la canción en la que hay una voz masculina acompañando, creo que debieron hacer más de eso. Mi favorita del disco (que siempre creí que era de solista) es Piece of my Heart.
What a time to be alive
Fun! I didn't realize that Piece of My Heart was Faith Hill covering Janis Joplin. Cool.
Some classic songs
Jesus Christ, Janis Joplin.
cool cover, I think it's Robert Crumb
The more I listen to this, the less I like Janis Joplin and the more I appreciate the musicianship of Sam Andrew and Co. 3 Boolean: 🤷♀️ not null, I guess True
I don't get why everyone loves Janis Joplin. Her vocals aren't bad, but her voice is a bit too raspy and screechy for me. And without loving Janis, this is just another ok late 60s psychadelic album.
It’s fine. I don’t particularly like Janis Joplin, but I didn’t hate it.
I don't know if this is a hot take or not, but Janis was always a female Robert Plant to me
Ach das war nett, hat mich irgendwann verloren weil alles relativ repetetiv klang, aber hat Spaß gemacht. Die Entscheidung das als Fake Live Album zu verkaufen finde ich aber fragwürdig.
There is only so much Janis shrieking I can take. This album tests this limit. But there's still some great blues in there, too.
cool cover
bluesy, stem past er goed bij. niet voor mij
I've never been huge into Janis Joplin despite loving acid rock. I didn't really get the link--she always just seemed more blues or folk than someone like Jefferson Airplane, Hendrix or The Doors. This album was actually a pleasant surprise as a result, I kind of get it a little better. Definitely tracks like Combination of the Two and to some extent Summertime. (Recognized a sample Eminem used there). Ball and Chain in the extended album version was good too. Oh Sweet Mary was excellent. Anyway, still not sure these guys come close to some of the best of the era. I think because Joplin died around the same time as Hendrix and Morrison, she gets compared to them. But I'm not sure the impact on music is anywhere near as huge. If Grace Slick had died and not Joplin, well then the comparisons would be just. 3/5
Bruh how does she sing like that
appreciate it but overall don't really loooove psychedelic rock. piece of my heart is a banger of course
Listened
Favorite tracks: I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart
Been a while since I've listened to anything from Janis. What a voice
Thought I’d enjoy it more than I did. Was a middling 3.5 besides my fav Piece of my Heart, Janis is great but not as great as I thought she’d be. Rounded down
Not bad 🤷♂️
Important band, short lived JJ
I liked this. I like Janis Joplin. I love Piece of my Heart and I really like her version of Summertime. I didn't like all the songs though. Some were a little too bluesy for me.
Bluesy rock and roll with gravelley Janis Joplin vocals. Still a little empty sounding.
This record is alright but I don't love it, I prefer Janis Joplin's later solo work (and I'm not a huge Joplin fan period). I'm kinda over 60s rock bands playing paint by numbers blues songs. Their cover of Summertime is actually pretty good.
It was fine
Early Janis Joplin.
not really for me but pretty epic, reminded me of helter skelter in across the universe
not bad
Cover art almost made me skip this album 😂 Glad I didn't. Pretty good. I like the bluesy vocals 💙💙 Thx
3.4/5
I almost skipped this because it started like a live album and I hate live albums.
Cool cool album. Ive never been a few fan of Janis Joplin, i have one of her older records and didnt love it, but i really loved her expression and power here. Fun rocknroll album, 4 stars. Oh sweet mary was amazing.
Morceaux préférées : 3 : Summertime 7 : Ball and Chain
Oh, hello Janis (“hello”)
Not my favorite, but the vocals went crazy. Sound absolutely banged, but it wasn’t the kind of music I would usually seek out. Still pretty cool and pretty classy I will say
marge simpson
Joplin and backing acid rock blues musicians. Some standouts like 'summer time' and 'I need a man to love', it's a good album but I can live without this.
Not a huge Joplin guy, but this was a good listen with surprisingly awesome guitar work.
Not a fan but I have to give it a three I guess.
I like the cover a lot better than the music.
I'm starting to realise as someone in their 20s I'm ok probably notably you get than most people leaving reviews on this site
Piece of my Heart and Summertime are my favorites, RIP Janis, 3 stars
Vary loud and energetic but at it feels like Most of the songs shows all it has to offer immediately
Another one that's clearly a decent album but does absolutely nothing for me.
I like Janis Joplin a lot, but I like her a lot more when she's doing her own thing a year or so after this.
Started good, but towards the end I began to find the singing to be getting grating
I like what this represents and I know it was revolutionary at the time, just never really cared for Janice.
I imagine this had some cult status in the 70's. Pretty enjoyable listening, considering it's from '68 too. The mastering (at least on Apple Music) is incredible, and you can tell they're having fun with the fact its stereo. Overall I actually liked it a fair amount. Not stuff I'd listen to every other day, but I can respect the curation of their image/sound and that at the time this would have been aaaawesome
Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:✔️ 3.5💗
Decent, bluesy rock but Janis’ vocals weren’t working for me on some of the tracks. Probably not something I’d listen to again all the way through.
What a voice, a lot of talent in this band and very of its time but in a good way. It’s not a massive repeat listen for me - outside of the massive massive hit - but it’s not a bad record in any means. 3.5/5.0 Best Song: Piece Of My Heart
It's a fun album, i like the more garage vibe tracks though. They are clearly a very good band, and she had such a unique voice for the time. It was a good album but don't think its the kind of thing i will rush to put on again
Cheap thrills it's the last album recorded with Janis Joplin as vocalist before she went to pursue the astonishing solo carreer we remembering today. One of the most impressive and weird things about this record, it is the fact that Paul Simon incorporated crowd noises making you think that it's a live record, when in reality it is not. The band indeed recorded at Bill Graham Fillmore Auditorium as you can see in the cover (designed by cartoonist Robert Crumb) still only one song was recorded entirely live. Singles like Summertime, Piece of my Heart and Ball in Chain gave this record a massive success in terms of popularity since the year before the band held a massive performance at Monterey Pop Festival making them even more famous than they were. Woodstock 1969 saw Janis became a mega star launching a "best of" concert with all of these songs with the Kozmic Blues Band, making her a star and the great vocalist we've always known. Cheap Thrills was the album was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and was preserved into the National Recording Registry for the 2012 register. Everything you need to know about this record it is probably on this last statement. It is without a doubt, the epitome of Blues Rock and an amazing journey through one of the most decorating and beautiful records from the 1960's. Acid rock at it's finest. No more, no less.
Kinda sloppy, hippy blues … but oh, that singer
Blues rock with Janis singing. Great blues singer, songs are ok.
There's a couple of tracks that most musos will recognise, and there's a few tracks which might new new to some, but the album is spoiled by the fake live atmosphere. JJ has a powerful voice, but I found it grating after a while.
Love the Crumb artwork and boy does Janice sing her little heart out. Overall an enjoyable listen without being mind-blowing
Amazing vocals from Janis. A solid album.
3+
No doubt it's good and led to a lot, but Piece of my Heart will always be the standout track on the album.
nice music but not such good production.
I listened to this while drinking an iced coffee in traffic, but I feel like it would be better appreciated on a giant hi-fi absolutely ripped on acid.
Enjoyed - some of the tracks a little long and meandering, but some great songs as well - good voice
Loved the vibe. Really enjoyed the canned live audience sounds surprisingly. The one-two punch of Summertime and Piece of My Heart really brought the whole thing together but I also really enjoyed Turtle Blues
Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t that! … I liked it 👍
Cheap Thrills was recorded live in the studio with an audience — which explains the clapping, and also the energy. Janis Joplin performs like the room is on fire. The voice is the thing. Raw, cracked, whiskey-and-cigarettes, every note costs something. People call it one of the great rock voices. I kept thinking of Marge Simpson. This is not a knock. Marge has real emotional range. The music around Joplin is genuinely good. But once the image is in your head, it stays. 3/5 — distinctive, emotional, unmistakable. Also: Marge.
This one was pretty good. Was hard to tell if the lead singer was a man or woman tbh
One of those sixties classics that hasn’t aged well. Janis has a good voice Blues based songs. Ball and Chain: outstanding. Long songs with lots of jamming. Average album: three stars.
It was ok
Mag die Energie, die psychedelischen Elemente und die kratzige Stimme von Janis Joplin. Das Album ist ne richtige Zeitreise. Auf Albumlänge zieht sich das ganze aber für meinen Geschmack, die Gitarrenriffs sind manchmal ein bisschen zu viel und generell sticht kein Song richtig raus. Außerdem ist vor allem die erste Hälfte des Albums besser.
🍄🎸🐬🌸✨
Some of the sound mixing was iffy but cool vocals
Cool album but the long jams don’t really do it for me. “Summertime” is great though.
a period piece - overblown psychedelic guitars, the love-in vibe, and Janis giving her all, especially on the all-out attack on "Piece of My Heart", all wrapped in a Robert Crumb cover.
A classic.
Enjoyed this and it's not a part of Joplin's career that I was familiar with.
eh
⭐⭐⭐+ Blues rock/Psycadelisk rock. När jag började lyssna på albumet trodde jag att jag skulle gilla det mer än jag gjorde. Det är bra men det är inte fantastiskt och jag tappar lite intresset under albumets gång, tror att det kan bero på jag tycker att spåren i många fall har en känsla av att flyta ihop i ett långt jam. Kan lyfta med lite mer tid och lyssningar och kan mycket möjligt ge det fler lyssningar i framtiden. Janis Joplin är det som lyfter albumet till en svag 4a men flera gitarrpartier är också bra. Bäst är Summertime, Piece of my heart, Ball and chain, Roadblock
I had never heard of Janis Joplin's first band. Until now, I only heard of her as a solo artist. This is the Janis show, and some of the best songs on the album are recognizable Janis hits that I already knew and loved. Great to hear them in this context. +1 point for the R. Crumb album artwork.
really great initial impression but i think it got a little old a little too fast for me. still good music but i may just not be in the right mood for it. some tracks i really enjoyed on here though! super unique vocal tone and some pretty great guitar, ill definitely give the later tracks in the album another try when im not in the office.
This is another one I did the original vinyl release. Combination is a hell of an opener with its fast paced drums like a freight train and psychedelic guitar. Love the woo woo vocal line as well. The lead vocals weren’t doing much for me. Track two has Joplin front and center which is electric. A real powerhouse of a singer. Can’t be group vocals are a bit annoying but the guitar makes up for it. Summertime has such a memorable guitar part that always sticks with me. And the vocals have a lot of pain that is beautiful. And the center piece of this is outstanding. Mainly for that catchy chorus and those outrageous vocals from Janis. This bluesy number is decent enough. Musically it’s pretty basic but Joplin owns the track as usual. Sweet Mary has some great drum work. The guitar is solid too. And then the monster Ball and Chain has everything I’ve written about but at length. The length is a bit much at times.
Ok album, lærte at janis joplin er med…
my boy just b doin anything
I think I underestimated Janis Joplin bc her voice is insane
Janis Joplin carries this to 3 stars. Not my jam, but certainly unique.
It's always a pleasure to hear Janis Joplin. There are very soulful songs in here.
I am not old enough to like it more than three points.
Take another little piece of my heart oh babyyy
First half was forgettable. Second half was actuslly pretty decent. No one cna deny she's got a unique voice.
3.5/5, but could see this moving up.
Not exaclty my thing but still very cool. Piece of My Heart rips. RYM: N Saved a song: Y
Muy bueno. Siempre me lo cruzaba y nunca me puse a escucharlo. Blues hermoso, con Joplin a pleno. 6/10
Friday, 19 June, 2026 Juneteenth! This album is good, and fine. The band is very skilled. They just don’t stand out as unique. Of course Janice Joplin stands out! The recording of “Piece of my Heart” is my favorite of hers.
Interesting to hear a female main vocalist in a rock band from the 60s. Decent listen.
Fine. I'm quite new into these albums and it seems my taste is too modern.
Es ist ein raues, ungeschöntes Dokument der späten Hippie‑Ära: viel Energie, viel Chaos, viel Janis Joplin. Die Platte lebt von ihrer unmittelbaren Live‑Attitüde, auch wenn sie größtenteils im Studio entstand. Joplin trägt das Album praktisch allein – ihre Stimme brennt, kratzt, fleht, besonders in „Piece of My Heart“ und „Ball and Chain“.
Janis has some pipes doesn't she?
I like Janis' voice fine, but "Piece of my Heart" aside, there's just not too much here to care about. A bit too much blues, not enough psychedelia, and they're not doing much to change my view that Jefferson Airplane is the only San Francisco band worth caring about.
As with jazz, I find some blues tracks have a good starting idea that soon gets lost in too much self-indulgent, repetitive looping. This album has some of that, but also some genius tracks too. Where it’s good, it’s great. Where it’s not it’s tiresomely turgid. A good example of where less can be so much more.
Janis Joplin is overrated