Pearl

‘Pearl” by Janis Joplin (1971) Very familiar with this album and artist. It will be a struggle here to focus on this album as an album, simply because there is so much worth saying about Janis Joplin and her times. But here goes: “Pearl” is stellar, even without context. Joplin’s soul soars in this recording, which is, almost incidentally, very well produced and arranged. The songwriting is first rate (only “Move Over” was written solely by Joplin herself), and the instrumentals of the Full Tilt Boogie Band excel. Top notch lead guitar, with some great solo riffs. Elaborate bass lines, always in concert with steady and dynamic drums. Nice colorings on Hammond organ. All very professional. But the chief topic of interest here is the vocal performance by Joplin. Her inimitable tonal characteristics are on full display. She does things with her voice that literally no one else can do. Tightly disciplined yet delicate trills. Effortless execution of singing two pitches simultaneously (e.g., hear the first word of “Cry Baby”! I actually did). Dynamic variation as an art form in itself. Listen to the constant interplay between the soft and the loud on “Me and Bobby McGee”. Few singers (or listeners) pay attention to that nowadays. There’s only one way to articulate the line “Windshield wipers slappin’ time”, and it’s the way Janis Joplin does it, though others have tried. Here we’re treated to Joplin’s prodigious range and exemplary pitch control, with vibrato that is customized for each phrase. Moreover, none of her vocal stylings are affected or artificial. It’s as if each song has been internalized, and thus it springs from her soul with minimal interference by her considerable physical singing tools. Listen for what’s going on beneath her breathing, vocal cords, oral and nasal cavities, and phonetic mechanisms. It’s passion. And passion rules over the body as the sound comes out. It’s not just ‘singing the blues’. It’s the blues emerging as song. Her frequent exclamations and extra-lyrical flourishes are not contrived. They seem unrehearsed. She is feeling, and we have the privilege of hearing what her feelings sound like. There is a maternal aspect to her singing. Mom can scold, comfort, rage, caress, and lament with abandon. So does Janis Joplin. But also, there’s plenty of eroticism—of a kind that is not bound by constructs like identity or even gender. It’s lust without heavy moral overtones. I’ll resist the urge to be more specific. This album is superb work of art. Recommend on every level. 5/5

She is a talented singer but this is the exact music your least fave aunt loves

What an excellent album, and yet a desperately sad one. She was just a kid. Such a tragedy.

Janis is a tiger shooting firecrackers. What an excellent, punchy, and fiery set of songs.

Janis Joplin is, hands down, top 5 coolest artist ever. This, being smoother and more polished than her previous work, is her at the top of her career.

Nr. 5/1001 Move Over 3/5 Cry Baby 4/5 A Woman Left Lonely 4/5 Half Moon 4/5 Buried Alive In the Blues 2/5 My Baby 3/5 Me and Bobby McGee 3/5 Mercedes-Benz 4/5 Trust Me 4/5 Get It While You Can 4/5 Average: 3,5 Enjoyed this quite a bit more than expected

Jantastic. Jop of the Pops

Really, really good. Makes you want to take a star off everything else to make it look better still.

Janis is a favorite. Bluesy, jammy, rock-n-roll with one of America’s best voices. She conveys love and torture and hope all at the same time. Backing band is great but doesn’t overshadow the star of the show. Also have a soft spot for “Me and Bobby McGee” because it won us a round of drinks at Silky O’Sullivan’s bar on Beale Street on my 40th birthday. American classic, and sad member of the 27 club...

Sexy and the voice of a chain smoking angel.

A candidate for the greatest singer of the early 70s. This is her most polished album, full of instant hits that it's a crime only two of them are modern radio staples. It's not just her powerful voice, full of raunch and passion, but the full bluesy instrumentation that energizes every line she puts in. The fast-pace ensures there's always something happening in these songs. I'm really glad "Buried Alive in the Blues" exists to back up my claim that it's not just Joplin that makes this album amazing, but it's when they combine forces when they become something else entirely. I liked how the beginning of that track sounded like the start of a 70s sitcom intro. I'll for sure be coming back to this album, probably as much as Carole King's Tapestry.

Fuck Janis Joplin is crusty. You can smell the stains on her fingers just looking at the cover. Singing is pretty impressive (especially considering all the drugs and ciggies), but wears out its welcome kinda quick. Music isn't too bad, just average rock of the time. 2.5/5.

meh

Yeah it’s good but I can’t listen to her song for more than a minute or two.

"My friends all drive Porsches," sang Janis Joplin, and so did she - a 1964 356 SC Cabriolet that she bought when it was four years old and used as a daily driver. What made her car special, compared to other 356s was its psychedelic paint job, which was as flamboyant as her music and persona. Joplin is said to have paid her roadie, Dave Richards, $500 to decorate the light ivory car, portraying the "History of the Universe" in every colour of the rainbow. He did, starting with a coat of Candy Apple Red, then adding portraits of Joplin's "Big Brother and the Holding Company"band-mates and other motifs such as "The Eye of God" on the hood, and a California valley on the right door. This car is a tribute to that work of art painted by former GM designer, Nick Moskatow, for its current owner. Loved the iconic album from Janice Joplin 5/5

Certified 5 stars. RIP to the goat

I’m not big on the San Francisco psych-rock scene of the 60’s - the Velvet Underground are far more psychedelic and interesting to me than most of the San Francisco bands - but this record is proof of Janis Joplin’s phenomenal talent. Her band here is exceptionally tight and funky. Excellent musicianship all around. By every metric, Pearl is a great record.

Today I'm listening to Pearl by Janis Joplin and released in 1971. I remember being introduced to Janis Joplin by my sister when I was starting to devour good music in my late teens. And this was done by sitting and listening to Me and Bobby McGee over and over again. Then Piece of My Heart became a big deal to me. I've never actually listened to any of her albums. Another in a long line of greatest hits artists I've enjoyed. I'm definitely enjoying this album, and that voice is towering and unique and full of feeling as always. And like other albums, hearing Me and Bobby McGee just roll out of the speakers is a lovely experience. It makes me think of road tripping in the 60s with Kris Kristofferson. It's the best feeling I can imagine right now. This is all tinged with sadness of what could have been had Janis not been part of the 27 year-old rock start death club.

Honest, raw and polished in equal measure. A good listen.

TIL Janis Joplin (in conjunction with Juanita Greene) paid for a tombstone for Bessie Smith's previously unmarked grave. Bless her. Janis Joplin really helped set the template for rock singers, male and female alike, in ways that were both positive (big raspy blues-influenced voice, powerful stage presence, wild public persona) and extremely negative (self-destructive consumption of drugs and alcohol, tempestuous relationships, wild private persona). The vocal affectations can be a little OTT sometimes although generally kept under control by the firm hand of Paul A. Rothschild, a producer with a good track record of managing volatile singers. But Janis' style has been massively influential over the years, often copied but rarely bettered by others. Her live performances can be excessive -- I bet they were awesome if you were there on a good night -- but on record she made more deliberate choices that really are something. It's big and emotive and free, but she has a deceptive amount of control. underneath all that apparent reckless abandon. I wonder whether she might have gone on to use her more 'normal' voice if her career had extended. You can hear moments of it on some of the out-takes on the deluxe version of Pearl, like her snippet of 'Happy Trails' on her birthday message to John Lennon. Or maybe the damage of this full-throttle singing style and hard-living would have aged her voice into something more worn, but beautiful and expressive in its own way. The band is tight, funky, well-rehearsed and dynamic. A special shout-out to Ken Pearson on Hammond organ; I really dig his contributions. This is Janis at the height of her powers, with great material. Even though it was not entirely finished before her death, this really does feel like a complete album (instrumental track aside). The legend of Janis Joplin overshadows her actual music these days, which is part of the fetishization of trauma that is part and parcel of rock iconography. Was her personal unhappiness a result of her repressed homosexuality? Her affairs with women were well documented and not secret, but she strongly resisted being labelled a lesbian (understandable given her upbringing in Texas). Did her struggles with self-acceptance lead her to self-destructive behaviour? Janis 'earned' her iconic status with self-harm and an early death, but I am sure she would rather be a happy 80 year old (out and proud, perhaps?) than a famous dead person. I do pull this record off the shelf from time to time and always enjoy it (especially side 1). I have played 'Move Over' in DJ sets on occasion. Janis is an essential part of how rock and rock codifies itself (for better and worse), and the music is actually really great.

She has crazy good vocals.

La Joplin. Vinilazo.

La Joplin. Vinilazo.

I probably have heard this album in my youth. My dad was a big fan of Janis Joplin. I was probably a little young for this music, though, and I haven’t really listened to any Janis Joplin other than the occasional song heard on the radio. As I grew older I kept thinking I should change that but never got around to it. I’m very excited to listen to it now. This album is incredible. “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Mercedes Benz” I knew well going in to this, but those incredible songs barely scratch the surface of this album’s contents. From start to finish it is hard to fathom how a person can put so much into these songs. They are powerful. They are emotional, they are incredible, they are fun! I teared up on several occasions. How could you not during “A Woman Left Lonely?” There is incredible exuberance captured on this album and I can’t help but feel happy hearing songs like “Half Moon.” But could there be a sadder moment than “Buried Alive in the Blues?” Such a funky song. Such a sad song. Maybe the bitterest sweet as I listened and never heard her voice as she died before it was completed. I was quite glad that the writer of the song turned down the request to have him perform the vocals on it in tribute. The song sits in the middle of the album in sad tribute to the loss of an incredible performer. How about that album cover?! That smile. That drink. Those feathers. Such great spirit captured by that image. Fortunately we have Janis Joplin’s incredible music to give us a little of that today.

I've been a fan ever since I was little. Both my parents are huge fans so the you have it. When I found that Bobby Mcgee has her greatest hit couldn't believe it! then I found out that Janis had quite more than I believed. this is an awsome and gorgeous record. Cry baby always tears my heart. Thank you Janis for your work

Definitely a unique voice but really enjoyable

Strong record! Bluesy, raw, great lyrics.

Pearl Apart from Me and Bobby McGee I wasn’t really that keen on this on first listen, although the playing is much tighter and more professional than the band on Cheap Thrills it feels pretty soulless as it cycles through rather generic overly slick AOR blues rock tropes. I started to like it a bit more on repeat listens though, when the band turn up the organ and turn down the guitar and it can be pretty good; Trust Me reveals itself as a great little tune, Get it While You Can has a nice smoulder to it. Even Move Over, which I disliked on the first listen, improves on repeat, eventually settling into a nice groove. And of course Me and Bobby McGee is just an excellent song, by far the best thing on here, a great bit of bluesy country soul. Mercedes Benz is kind of fun and Cry Baby’s ubiquity has dampened it’s overwrought charm a little, but it's still a good track Looking back at our reviews of Cheap Thrills I think I’m a bit more partial to her voice than you both and I think it does sound really good here, particularly as the more conventional production showcases it better then the fake-live sound of Cheap Thrills. Overall it’s a decent listen, one I might try again, but I wasn’t into it enough for it to trouble the 4s. Solid 3. 🦪🦪🦪 Playlist submission: Me and Bobby McGee

Bueno

it features a blues rock singer wailing wommannnn and yet it's still fine. good job Janis.

Not great not terrible. Honestly, I do not think her voice is as legendary as people say. It's her attitude and vibe.

Respectable. Lively voice.

Would I listen again: no Best track: My Baby Worst track: trust me Surprise awesome track: Move Over Weirdest track: none really stand out Lyrics: mostly blues type lyrics. Nothing super deep but tons of memorable lines. No skips?: no Cover art cool?: no Notes: I am saying this out of the gate that I am not expecting much from this album. I totally respect Joplin and recognize her place in history but I just don’t think for whatever the reason that I am going to find this entire album to be something worth listening to again. I hope to be proven wrong. Full tilt boogie band is killer. What a great tight band. But same Blues rock shit over and over again. It’s fine but it’s not particularly memorable musically.

Brutal. Uno de los grandes álbumes femeninos de la historia.

A masterclass of soulful energy. I think sometimes Janis Joplin gets characterized as a 60's gimmick but really I think she is pure authenticity. This album is short and intense and I really enjoyed it from start to finish.

I loved this album. Janis Joplin's voice is so raw, so sublime. Me and Bobby McGee puts a smile on my face every time that I hear it, as much for the way that band life the tune as for Joplin's singing. This album is bluesy and jammy and the Full Tilt Boogie Band are really tight.

Fabulous, Fantastic, powerful

Exceptionally raw and powerful performance from Janis and the Full Tilt Boogie Band. Janis's vocals are the clear highlight, and for good reason.. there truly was no one else alive who could deliver that specific type of grit in such a thunderous way. RIP... gone way too soon. The Full Tilt Boogie Band are no slouches either, all incredible musicians who get their chance to shine as a comprehensive, cohesive musical unit throughout the album.

Funky, Soulful, and Punk all at the same time. Joplin truly was one of a kind. Great way to mark 300 albums. 9/10

Maybe not the best JJs album but then I don't know which one is the best

Decent album. Liked Half Moon, Buried Alive In the Blues and Mercedes Benz.

Classic Janis.

Increíble álbum. Si los discos anteriores de Janis Joplin eran ya buenísimos en mayor medida gracias a la presencia faraónica de Joplin, este álbum eleva esa calidad a su máximo posible al incluir un productor y una banda del mismo calibre. Y es que todo en este álbum es impresionante: las composiciones, la producción, la instrumentación, el despliegue vocal de Joplin, la actitud, su transfondo histórico y hasta, debido a él, las canciones que se quedaron sin completar. El mejor álbum de una de las mejores voces de la historia del rock. Exuberante en todos los sentidos.

What a voice! Contains some of my favourite Janis Joplin tracks such as "Move Over" and "Mercedes Benz", plus her hits "Cry Baby" and "Me and Bobby McGee".

I love Janis. I could listen to her wail like a banshee to the background of blues music for hours on end (Zena has previously complained about that actually happening). I enjoyed this so much, I’d like to officially change my ratings of Nirvana and Derek & the Dominoes (Layla is a bit overrated in my opinion) to four stars. This is the new five star standard.

Bloody cracking. Gets a 5 simply for the Mercedes Benz song. Will definitely be listening to this again. I hadn’t previously listened to anything by Joplin but this really was a delight

I've never listened to this album before and I didn't think I would give a 5 to anything on first listen but it's just brilliant. I feel like every other female rock singer before and after is trying to sound like this. There's also a kind of whiskey/motorbike coolness to it. Plus she died of heroin overdose making it, so it's only respectful to round it up to 5.

Treasure

Absolute classic. Het singing is so raw and emotional.

Lovely Janis. What to say? She was one of the greatest and in this record you can listen why.

This album was a wonderful surprise. I loved all the songs, and I wish I were around when it came out.

Holy shit, one of the most amazing voices in all music..It is hard to know what her death at 27 denied us, but she will live forever through her music. I've always loved hearing her belt out tune. This was true when I first heard and appreciated her as a teen and it is still true 35 years later. There isn't anything that I can say that hasn't already been said, except thank you. If you cannot feel moved by this voice, you no soul. This is a hill I'm willing to die on.

The Good: We get a Pearl! The Bad: Unlike a diamond, a pearl is very fragile… The Ugly: nothing really… except for the damn hair! What an absolute joy! My wife hated it, as she doesn’t like JJ’s voice… I guess we will have to agree to disagree, because a divorce is really expensive… Though I am uncertain about the exact first time I heard Janis her voice come exploding through some speakers, I believe I had not reached the gentile age of 10 yet. My monther bought the “Greatest Hits” album, and I recall being fascinated by the chopper… go figure. Highlights? Try the entire album… even the Mercedes Benz song, which, depending on my mood, can actually get a little on my nerves… Bobby McGee… best song ever! Off to spin the record again! 5*

Powerhouse

NEED IT. WANT IT. NEED IT. WANT IT. She got it while she could. RIP.

I apologize Janis Joplin, I was not familiar with your game.

Holy hell this woman can sing, had me standing up and everything. Scared me with the first note she sang. Might just damn-well be the most talented blues singer I've ever heard, and this might just damn-well be a 5 star album.

Janis Joplin has my heart. My favorite blues rock out there.

Brilliant! What a crime shame she died so young.

Vermächtnis einer großartigen Sängerin!

Good music with a sharp glassy edge

Janis's final gift to the world. Yep I'm in the camp that loves her voice.

It's got that blues, that rock-n-roll, and that so distinctive voice of Janis. This album is so powerful and emotional. It's one of the best of it's time period.

A classic album that I had never really given much Creedence to. First time fully listening through a Janis Joplin album and I really enjoyed it. Not just her voice, but the backing band was extremely impressive and tasteful in how they complimented it. Every track was unique and shared a story. Its bluesy, its loose, its Texas, its San Francisco. Its Janis and I'm here for it. 9/10

Pearl is the second and final solo studio album by Janis Joplin. Unreal voice. Outstanding soul, rock.

Oh my - Janice - gone to soon!

Great!

One of the best albums in rock!

I knew she was popular, was cherished, was missed when she passed. But wow. This is incredible.

Fantastic album loved it.

Now we’re talking! A voice like no other. I was used to Janis Joplin’s more soulful heartbreakers, but I didn’t realise she had such heavy grooves on her albums. This was an utter delight to listen to (I went through it multiple times today) and I’ll be returning to listen to the bonus tracks on the expanded edition soon.

So much heartache behind that singing. No wonder she did not live long.

def fav album so far.iconic, rocky, jazzy, funky

Her voice is phenomenal, that gravel and the way she controls it, can hit notes that seem impossible, a master of blues and gospel. This is a posthumous release, an excellent album that you can replay again and again

I had Adele's 25 album yesterday and today I get Pearl by Janis Joplin. Two very powerful and distinct voices, but unlike Adele, Janis sings with a fervor and a passion that is missing from Adele's album. Janis is on fire with this one. My oldest sister was a huge Janis Joplin fan, so I got to listen to this one a lot when I was young. Such a talent gone too soon.

Janis Joplin is a talent like no other. She’s in her own league. ‘Powerhouse’ feels like an inadequate description of her vocals. There’s a rawness to her emotions when she sings. It’s guttural and primal, and somehow beautiful and expressive at the same time. And this album is a perfect showcase of her power. Oh, and the band is incredible too! The music is a stunning blend of soul, gospel, and hard rock. The songs have a great, live in the studio feel, all fantastically produced. I love that organ too! 🙌

Really incredible album with great performances by everyone involved. After hearing the guitar solo in the first track, "Move Over", I actually re-played it and then started to look up some tabs/sheet music so I could learn it because it's so impressive. Great phrasing, flow, and technicality. "Me and Bobby McGee" is a classic, and possibly Janis Joplin at her best. She somehow has both a huge, soaring, powerful belt, and also a sweet, natural, and friendly voice, and she showcases both on this track. I love it so much. "Get It While You Can" is a great album ender. It's fun, it grooves, it's romantic, and playful. I think Janis Joplin and her band have some of the best buildup / releases in the history of rock music. They are so good at slowly adding layers of tension and not hitting the climax too soon. I think most musicians can learn from them. Loved listening to this, it's a 5/5. What Jimi Hendrix did for guitar, Janis Joplin did for vocals.

It's an imperfect classic; iconic voice with some signature tracks here. Maybe could've benefitted from being finished properly? It is still however a classic.

Top trop bon j’adore

Such a high energy and soulful album. It's such a bummer she died so young. I wonder what would have happened in the Grateful Dead community if she didn't die so young. Makes me wonder if she would have been more involved with the band. She has an amazing voice and you can just tell she has an amazing live presence.

Every time I listen to Janis Joplin I get sad. Her voice, her style, her band was all so good. She was gone too soon. I'm grateful for this record and her work with Big Brother, I just wish she was still with us making killer music. I think what's so good about her style is that its so close to delta blues. Its the natural progression from Muddy Waters, which is the progression from Robert Johnson. Its not that far removed, so she is able to harness that energy and spirit from early blues music and take it in her own direction. I would argue that most blues artists after Janis (and her contemporaries) were appropriating blues rock, they were taking what she and others had done and building on it (which is incredible in its own right!) But it's different. The raw energy in this record. The songs of love, heartache, poverty. Every song cuts to the core, and every song is its own journey. This is a really unique record and one that I can listen to over and over again.

My Rating: 5/5 Torn Vocal Cords of God Janis doesn’t “sing.” She erupts. Every note on Pearl sounds like someone duct-taped her heart and threw her into the booth yelling “Go.”

really good!!

JANIS MY BELOVEDDDDDD!!!!!!<333333 what!!!a!!!voice!!!! not many can do it like her. another favourite artist of mine who was gone too soon unfortunately, though still grateful that she put herself out there and we get to enjoy her absolutely insane vocals.

This woman could really sing! What a voice! raw, edgy, great range and musical as well. Not the kind of music I listen to generally, but respect for what she gave us. Move Over and Me and Bobby McGee iconic of the era.

Klassiker. 5/5

I love this album, her voice belting. classic

I absolutely love this album! Always have and always will.

Very pleasantly surprised

So so so good. Janis is one of my favorite voices. Had to listen to this one three times in a row. 10/10

Her voice is so good and the melodies are so catchy

This one has been in my collection for a long time and gets regular spins. This (along with Cheap Thrills with Big Brother and the Holding Company) is the Joplin album to own in my opinion. Me and Bobby Mc Gee and Cry Baby hit like a sledgehammer and you can just feel that she is putting it all out there. Mercedes Benz is Janis at her cheeky best and the whole album just resonates joy rage and pain. Love it

Now we"re talking! She comes right through the speakers and grabs you.

Hot damn Janis. Where has this album been all my life? Just beltin' it.

I think I'm going 5 on this one. Probably actually more like 4.5 for me. But I'm a sucker for late 60's hippie music. Joplin is the embodiment of that age. Such a vibe.

Grew up listening to this album. Janice is amazing!!

Love this album

A true classic, gone way too soon

Hell yeah. Janis is one of the greatest to ever do it. Some have the voice, some have the soul, but only rarely does someone have so much of both. And to complete the trifecta, Pearl is a fantastic, well produced record. High 4 / low 5.

What an amazing voice, so strong and forceful but with nuance and soul and a crackle. The band is great and she is great and the album is great. For me, her version of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee" is the star here. I normally shy away from the big hit and the obvious but she puts everything in to this one and it slays. What a triumph.