Blood, Sweat & Tears

This one's a bit of a mess but enjoyable overall, I think. It sure seems like the band wasn't sure what kind of band they wanted to be so the album bounces from genre to genre, never settling into a groove. Is it rock? Is it proto-disco? Is it pre-funk? Is it big band? Is it lounge-lizard soft pop? I really couldn't tell you. There are a few bright spots. Jim Fielder, the bassist does some serious work on this whole album. That fella is a BEAST and single-handedly carries several of these tracks. And, obviously, "Spinning Wheel" is a jam. But it's also the single most coherent track on the album. Which is saying something because that song is kinda wild. Unfortunately, there aren't enough bright spots to tip the scales into a positive score. I have to dock the album a star for the weird instrumental tracks that really don't fit. Had "Variations on a Theme" and "Blues, Pt. 2" been omitted from the album, it would have felt so much more cohesive. But they're there. And they're awful. And so "Blood, Sweat, & Tears" earns a middle-of-the-road 3 stars.

Wow dude. This is what I'm fucking talking ABOUT. Any hint of cheese that this might possess is instantly negated by the unflagging tightness prevalent across every single track. What an absolute ripper.

In 1969, I turned 19 &, still living at home, also held the first backyard party where I invited everyone I knew. I seem to remember that this album was a large part of the soundtrack to that bash. I’s copped a lot of criticism over the years for being too mainstream, particularly when compared to the band’s debut album. I just played them back-to-back & the fact is they are both great but totally different. The debut album was half written by Al Kooper, who was essentially the band’s creator, but also highlighted a bunch of songwriters who had yet to make their mark as performers - Nillson, Randy Newman, Tim Buckley. Then Al left the band & his somewhat weak vocal was replaced by David Clayton-Thomas. You could not get 2 more different voices. But the thing I’m forever grateful for are the song choices the band took on the second lp. They introduced me to such great music - I had never heard of Erik Satie. The opening cover of a Satie variation is a piece of music I’ve heard so often over the years, but this was where I heard it first. I had never heard Billie Holiday, let alone God Bless The Child. I’d never heard Laura Nyro’s And When I Die. I’d never heard the Motown classic, You’ve Made Me So Very Happy. Not to say that there wasn’t great original material here as well - especially Spinning Wheel - covered by so many artists over the years. Anyone whose ever had a child in a school choir in the last 50 years knows that song. You can hear the band’s live set from Woodstock (1969) on youtube. I do love this record.

There's a track that shows they know how to play the piano and jam but the music is very AM sounding psychedelic that didn't age well. This sounds like the soundtrack from an Austin Powers movie.

Lot of fun on this album. I'm surprised the genre only says rock because the content feels very prog to me. Definitely will re-listen to this album later.

Extremely unfocused, but when they decide to have fun, it's a blast. Best track: You've Made Me So Very Happy

Rock organ and horns? Sign me up! What I like is that it sounds natural/folk and experimental/progressive all at the same time.

well this is a new all-time favorite too good to rate

Rollicking bass and organ with jazzy horns, the perfect friend to David Clayton-Thomas’ incredible voice. This is my favourite iteration of BS&T and this one is a perfect album, simple as that.

Never heard a band like this that fuses jazz and rock so well. Liked almost every single track. Thank you to this list for showing me this album. Rating: 4.8

Well that was an absolute belter. Never heard of this band before and had no idea what we were in for but this was great. Blues, funky, rocky , it's got it all!

I am a big fan of the Jazz/Rock bands of this era and BST is one of the best

So I have commented numerous times, that most bands have their good tracks spread out over a number of albums, so it is much rarer when you come across one that is loaded up with goodness… The “Blood Sweat & Tears” album is just one of those, as it seems like their most well-known tracks are on this album… First off, the quality of the recording for 1968 is exceptional, as I have listened a number of albums from the late 60’s – and many of them just don’t have a solid audio quality to them at all – but this one was excellent… As for the songs themselves – not sure what the purpose was for the opening and closing “Variations” tracks, but they kinda felt out of place to be honest… Best songs on the album IMO were the run of – “And When I Die “ – 6-stars out of 7 “God Bless The Child” – 5-stars out of 7 “Spinning Wheel” – 5-stars out of 7 “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” – 5-stars out of 7 “Blues – Part II” is also a very interesting track with multiple sections – 0:00-3:00 – The organ intro section reminded me of early ELP (i.e. maybe something off of Tarkus?) 3:00-4:30 – The obligatory bass and drum solos – ugh… 4:30-8:00 – Was a great sax-led jam, and the best part of the song… 8:00-8:50 – Was a reprise of Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love” – not sure why that was on here… 8:50- End – Was the only blues singing on this track – which was fine, but suddenly ends – very odd… Wish this had been more of a 6-8 minute song of that great sax-led instrumental – or perhaps the organ opening, followed by the sax-led jam – but the rest really didn’t fit – but that’s just me… This is better than a 3, but not quite a 4 – but if I could, I’d give it a 3.50 for sure - but I can't, so it's a 3…

The first time I listened to this album must have caught me on a bad day, because I feel like I've fallen in love this time. I can do without the Variation tracks, but understand their inclusion. But the energy, swing, and soul on all the other ones are fantastic. Favorite track: Blues, Pt. 2

Marvellous

Much needed vibrs after all the rock albums

TRes bon, je ne connaissais que de nom et j'ai été époustouflé surtout pour l'année. Je réécoute certainement. un 5

5-

Really varied album, lot of jazz elements, good lyrics, bluesy, great fills. A surprisingly great listen. It’s my kind of all over the place.

This is such a weird album. Wikipedia categorizes it as jazz-rock but I feel most songs aren’t the intersection of the two genres but instead different sections that alternate between classic rock and jazzy horn solos. More jazz and rock than jazz-rock. And the album is bookended by variations on a classical piece. In the end, a decently fun listen. 7/10

This was actually really fun, I'm surprised I'd never heard of them before this

Nice 60s jazz and r&b and folk rock.

Pretty good. Some radio rock staples but overall it's just not something I could find myself reqply getting into.

Swell throughout. The closing Variations of a Theme sounded like The Legend of Zelda, which I enjoyed.

One is all for jazz flavorings in rock and supports outright fusion, but this is unsubtle in the extreme. The Satie opener and closers only add to one's wonderment that this was a top-seller and Grammy winner. It's fine, if too loud, too effortful and over-emoted. The primary strength – the lead vocals – are also its greatest weakness (or annoyance). Dude had a great voice but way oversells it. "God Bless the Child" is the most interesting cut, if only because it's the one least bulldozed by too brassy brass and least bludgeoned over-the-top vocals.

A bit all over the place, but a good listen overall.

Blood, Sweat & Tears Variations on a Theme sounds pretty schizophrenic, which sort of encapsulates the whole album. It's messy, but not in a totally uncharming or unpleasant way, although it never quite seems to catch fire and fuse all its disparate parts into a fully realised whole. The cover of Smiling Phases starts off as a fun bit of rolling rock/soul, but then it descends into some kind of prog rock jazz club, with a A LOT going on, before picking the first bit back up. Sometimes in Winter feels vaguely out of place, it has the same jazz elements, but feels more like lounge music, and the vocals are quite nondescript in comparison to the normal lead singer, although again its not without a kind of slightly gentle charm. More and More is fun in a funky jazz way, And When I Die’s riff feels quite Sesame Street, especially with its stop start nature, definitely something slightly children’s entertainment about it. I’m not familiar with the original so not sure if it sounds similar? God Bless the Child’s horn arrangement in the intro sounds a bit like the Welsh National Anthem and He Ain’t Heavy, but it’s a nice enough version even if musically a bit heavy handed. Very nice and controlled vocal though. Spinning Wheel is probably the standout. I only know Shirley Bassey’s version, but it's a great bit of blue eyed soul with a nice tight arrangement. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy is a lovely song, and again, this is a nice version, particularly the more upbeat parts. Blues Part II, not sure about this, p robably a bit too much prog jazz and just too much happening in 11 minutes to get any sense of it, although I do like the Sunshine of Your Love bit, and it’s better than some of the Yes type songs we’ve had. Overall there’s a lot going on in pretty much every song, which although fun, does make you wonder what this would be like with a more focused approach. But then on the flipside the jumping around, time changes and jazz excess (Jazzcess?) seem to be done out of a sense of fun and enjoyment rather than po faced seriousness, so it might lose the appeal it does have. A nice little oddity that I enjoyed, but will probably not come back to - 3. 🩸🥵😢 Playlist submission: Spinning Wheel

Broadway jazz rock is not my bag, but I hope it enriches others here. The chunk of “Sunshine of Your Love” indicates how big a deal that riff was to that generation - Hendrix kept throwing it into sets, Skip Spence savaged it for his terrifying outro to “War On Peace”, and I’m pretty sure most guitarists coming after that generation learned that riff first. There’s also the amazing funk cover. Requiscat Jack Bruce.

This was quite familiar, although not in a particularly good way. Almost as if someone decided to make a record satirizing the hoariest blues, jazz and '60s musical cliches all together at once. Not bad really in a technical sense, but not very enjoyable either. ELP without a sense of humor, in some parts

Ugh! Pop jazz. BS&T and Chicago - hated the sound and the instrumentation then, still sucks pond water today. Not sure there was a good reason for me to listen to this - again. But I did.

This one was all over the place, I think I liked 2 songs maybe? 3 tops? The fact that I can't remember sums up my opinion. I'd give it a 1 but thanks to M.I.A. my standard for a one has plummeted.

Blood, sweat, tears & shite. Mostly shite.

Búin að hlusta þrisvar í gegn í dag og var farin að skæla af fullkomnuninni í lokin. Þetta ættu öll að hlusta á, og virkilega *hlusta á*. Ég meina það.

Fantastic

Groovy and fun. Really loved this listen!

Great

Really good album. Great vocals and playing. Horns in rock is a plus for me. And, if you played Woodstock you're in the eternal pantheon of badass.

Blood, Sweat & Tears isn’t a group I know outside of the hits, but I always love their groovy intensity. This album is no exception. I dig the horns and organ, and those deeply urgent vocals. And When I Die, Spinning Wheel and You’ve Made Me So Very Happy deserve their hit status and are brilliant! But I also loved songs like Sometimes In Winter, More and More that showed some other sides to this band. Great stuff!

Those horns! This is fantastic! Great example of how well Jazz and Rock go together so well! Standouts: And When I Die, Spinning Wheel, You've Made Me So Very Happy, Smiling Phases, God Bless The Child, Blues Part II, 4.5

Truly magnificent. This was a mixture of like 5 genres?? Folk, jazz, rock, bluegrass, soul? I LOVED IT

I don't think I've even been so into jazz fusion. The whole thing was wonderful top to bottom

Holy cow. I just have to note that sunshine of your love is buried within Blues Pt 2. This is the album I was waiting for. An out of the blue banger. I was listening while working and really enjoyed Smiling Phases and then my ears perked up at And When I Die, existential song wrapped in folksy cowboy ragtime. I loved the genuine lyrics on You’ve Made Me So Very Happy, sent that one to my wife. And then I had to pause because I had some presentations today at work. Now here I am in the evening and started back up on Blues pt 2 and got lost in it, had no idea it was 11 mins, I was so concerned it was part of the deluxe version because it felt so out there but that song is on the regular album so that just catapulted this one for me. Jazz, 60’s pop rock. A mix of mountain music CCR and Dave Brubeck and blues too! God Bless this Child has western harmonica moments along with a giant Tito puente jazz fusion number. Been a while since I’ve done a 5 star but this needs it.

This album is quite interesting. Sort of a jazzy feel mixed with 70s. Instrumentals include horns, which is a big plus for me. Some of the instrumentals even give me the feels of Christmas instrumentals, but that might just be because of the jazz sound in it 😁 They even got a jazz flute!! 😃 Hey what do you know?! I know some of their songs (Spinning Wheel & You've Made Me So Very Happy) 🥰

Have to give this one a 5 just to acknowledge the sheer ambition of it. Jazz, rock, classical...this album has it all. DCT was a stellar vocalist and the band was so talented, horns and rhythm section. Great songs including "Spinning Wheel", "And When I Die" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" compensate foe the digressing and diversions.

Ok, right back round to the subject of Jazz and Prog. Because this album is a GREAT way of showing how to make music that's sophisticated and smart and yet perfectly accessible to normal people like me. The songs are all over the place but they always return to a central idea and make it easy for me to go oh yeah, that's the song. Full of passion and variety and dynamic songwriting and performances. This was a 5 star album. It's dated in the best way. You can hear it came from the 60s, but it still sounds fresh and vibrant and alive. If it came out today it would just be called retro. The vocals were a particular standout. Makes me want to step my own singing game up. WOW.

What did I just listen to? I mean that in the best possible way. Trying to define this by an established genre feels impossible. Classical? Not entirely? Jazz? For some parts, sure. Rock? Definitely in there. Gospel? You could argue. Folk? I think that’s mostly the underlying theme here. I loved this. I loved it for its complexity, its variety, and its soul. I loved it for the tightness of the band and for their clear love of music, for its energy, and for the sheer force of will that is David Clayton-Thomas’s voice. I don’t even know what to say. This is an easy five stars. Just absolutely fantastic. A masterclass in feel and variety, in band tightness and togetherness. I even listened to the live tracks at the end because I had to hear how they were live and they didn’t disappoint. They’re the real deal. I must heard more. Standout Tracks: Smiling Phases, More and More, And When I Die, Spinning Wheel, Blues, pt. 2

Hell, I'm so burnt out on indistinguishable 4-piece rock groups from this era that even if this album was just an hour of some guy playing a mildly-impressive kazoo, I'd still be looking up vinyl prices right now.

10/10 Among the other albums I've already listened to there this one is a pure joy. So many sounds, instruments, expressions. It really impressed me, absolute glory. Blues, Variations and God bless found place in my heart!

Finally another album where I know some of the songs! I figured this would be "Spinning Wheel," "And When I Die," "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and the rest filler. Nope, I'm very surprised how solid this was besides the first couple of boring minutes and the last couple. Really jazzy, I loved the drumming especially. The one song where the other guy sang wasn't as good as the rest. The main singer has a Tom Jones quality to his voice, so it might sound a bit lounge singer-like, but I like it. The three songs I knew all made me feel all warm and nostalgic, and that's surely going to bring my rating up. This album made me so very happy.

Thoroughly enjoyed this one even though I was sometimes flummoxed by unexpected changes in tone. (A salsa break in the middle of God Bless the Child? OK...) BS&T has a unique sound and interesting takes on other folks' stuff.

Lovely. A little bit of everything. We love the blood, sweat, and tears.

Not perfect, but really good. I'd rate it 4.5-stars if I could. Jazzy. I love the horns. Grew up playing trumpet, so makes sense.

Probably one of the best bands that you've never heard of

Excellent

When I Die, Spinning Wheel &’You Made Me So Very Happy are favorites of mine- going way back.

Loved it, loved it all. Great blend of rock and jazz elements. The Satie bookends are beautiful, can’t go wrong there. 4.8/5

HOLY SMOKES. I had extremely low expectations for this album. The band doesn't have many monthly listeners, which has previously meant that the album really isn't worth it. BUT!! WE ARE FOOLS!! This album is SO good. I loved every minute of it.

That first track is just the tip of the iceberg. Great album.

Blood, Sweat & Tears is one of the best bands of this productive age of music that combined so many influences. Their debut is also one of their best albums. While you don't really need the Satie variations (so many did them before and after it), the original tracks are amazing. 'Spinning Wheel' is just full of energy and 'You Make Me So Very Happy' too. These songs just want to makes the biggest loner have a big party with his family and friends on a long summer evening.

Amazing! 4.5

Genre: Rock, jazz rock 1968 What a sound! Standouts: And When I Die, Spinning Wheel, You've Made Me So Very Happy, God Bless the Child, Smiling Phases, Blues Part II 4.5/5

Groovy. The Erik Satie cover is cool

This one really hit the spot for me. I love this era of music. I love how passionate each song sounds. I love the structure of the album, with the instrumental intro and outro, really giving it a sense of completeness.

Version of Smiling Faces too long but other than that it is a great album

Thanks for reminding me about this great album

Another interesting, eclectic album. I quite enjoyed this mix, both the music that was new to me and the wonderful classic hits.

I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. This was amazing.

Oh, this opens with one of my favorite musical pieces ever. Okay. (I wake up to Satie's Gymnopedies every morning and haven't gotten sick of it.) I've never thought of myself as a jazz rock person, but I can dig this. It's fun and a bit campy, almost dramatic in moments. It reminded me of musical theatre a bit, in moments. And the horns sound great. I'm honestly a little surprised by how much I like this album. Highlights: Smiling Phases, Sometimes in Winter, More and More, And When I Die, Spinning Wheel, You've Made Me So Very Happy

Excellent!! No question that I will listen to this one again.

Realized as I started listening to this that it was one of these bands I had in my head as a thing with no clear or examined idea of what they were actually about. Just a disconnected name. If you'd played me the two well-known songs off this LP blind I couldn't have told you who they were by. Anyway pretty odd, maybe. Little too show-tuney quite often for my tastes, but I generally liked it, and an extra point for unabashed wierdness.

More familiar with this band and album than I initially thought. It's great, it's got that big chaotic big band jazz and rock fusion thing from the 70s going on and shares a lot of the same space as the music from Jesus Christ Superstar which I aboslutely love. Had a great time listening to this.

Another band I never knew existed until this album popped up on my screen, but I'm happy they do exist. There's some real crap in here, I'll be real with you. But if you ignore the 12 minutes of Blues, Pt. 2 then it's a very solid album. You've Made Me So Very Happy is one of my new favorite songs, the vocals are actually a very interesting gravelly sound that fits with the jazzy orchestra sound behind. The surprise factor always helps with the rating in these cases, and I'm eager to come back to the album at a later time.

No idea where this was going one minute to the next. Constantly surprising

I don't know why, but not at all what I expected. I had the wrong idea about Blood, Sweat & Tears. Oh wait, maybe I was thinking of Earth, Wind & Fire. Anyway, good stuff. Great voice. Weird, good, stuff.

A fun weird one that kept me on my toes.

A firm entry into the Dad Classics genre. Rock and jazz together, you say? I'm there! Literally my only complaint is that Lucretia Macevil isn't on here.

Variations on a theme by Erik Satie - wow i had no idea this song was that old, it is an incredible song that just hits in pit of your stomach, but I can’t explain what emotion it is that I am hit with it’s a strange mix of happiness and sad. Smiling Phases - this is some swinging jazzz. I don’t have much to say about this except that I dig it and it is jamming. This band sound sounds similar to CCR, maybe CCR was inspired by this band’s sound? Sometimes in Winter - this one sounds like a whole bunch of different popular bands mixing together. This is a really good song. Just overall a great piece, and is extremely different from the one before. more and more - we are back to the CCR sound, and to the swing jazz. Very fun to listen to, and another big hit. I don’t understand why this band isn’t more well known they are so good. And when i die - with the first second I already know that this is a good song. Country can’t go wrong! This is another great song. God Bless the child - this one is a soulfully slow song, very nice a calming. This is my favorite kinda Jazz/Rock where the kinda march along the beat (dun-dun-DUN, dun-dun-DUN). I don’t know exactly what the song is about, I sound very sweet at the end. Spinning wheel - yo that song is popping man. I especially love when the singer harmonizes his voice with the horn. You made be so very happy - i finally released that this singer reminds me if the band America. I really love these love ballads, good jazz is unexplainable. It is just good, and I groove with it. OOOH, and then it switches from the love ballad to that rocking jazz that hits you in the soul, it makes you feel alive. Blues Pt. 2 - this almost like a jazzy orchestral arrangement, both in style and in length. It starts with this haunting organ almost like a haunted house, but then the organ breaks into a jazzy rhythm in the second movement. Reminds me of the bit tunes they would use in the boss levels in videogames. And then there hs a slight pause before moving into the third movement which just sounds like a different rhythm than the second, but then it fires out with all these other jazz instruments. And then settles into this nice Electric Bass groove until it lets up, and then the drums that were just whispering in the background just fly out and now it’s their turn to show their stuff. Then it get into the funky groove, and all the instruments so far come together in this exciting funk paving the way for the explosion of the brass. And then they settle down letting the sax do its thing With the bass and drum as their rhythm. Then eventually it all shifts to a slower beat and quieter dynamic. And it sounds a little bit more romantic and an electric guitar is whispering in. I feel a little bit of a tension in the way that they staccato all the notes with big spaces and hard accent, and then sometimes very familiar starts. First quiet then it blasts in your ear. And then it settles into the blues, and here the lyrics start. Oh man is this a good blues song, with incredible opening. Variations on a theme pt 2: this fades in from the previous song and closes out the album. This one have fuller sound that the first one since it has more instruments. I very nice way to end out the album. More and More (live) - this one rocks a little bit harder than the recording, I like it. Smiling Phases (live) - they made this one a really grand piece. It starts put classical then shift into a slow jazz, that eventually transitions into this battle rhythm with the drum, and then it brakes out into the main song. Then they just really expand on the instrumental interludes of the original. It gets really crazy in the middle because they start taring the song down to a slow pulse a then builds it back up in a matter of seconds. To clarify the taring down is really long and then they build it up fast. It was incredibly good. Even the audience had to applaud them when they built it up so fast. I really love this album, it switches between very different styles of music rock, classic, jazz, folk, country, and the do it incredibly well. I love it when they step back from the lyrics and just let the instrument shine with blazing glory!!! This gets a very strong 4 stars.

Oldy man singing style, I like it. Some songs got samples from this album which makes it fun to listen to. Reminds me of Frank Sinatra 3/4****

Jammin' all over the place

verta ja hikeä ja kyyneliä ja pissaa ja paskaa ja räkää ja mutaa ja kuraa ja spermaa ja sylkeä ja liejua ja mömmöä ja sohjoa ja hyytelöä ja mätää ja mömmöä ja visvaa ja smegmaa ja likaa ja tököttiä ja limaa ja tahmaa ja mönjää ja loskaa ja blues pt 2

The 60’s & 70’s were a hell of a time to be a horn player. Some fluff here but overall a great album. 4/5

Except for track 1 this is a great album of funk rock

interesting

Good album. Both sound and lyrics. Combines a wide range of insturments genres. Rock, jazz, blues, country etc. It doesn't feel formulaic and has its own charm.

Jazz rock. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

A little bit bonkers and incoherent but in a fun way. It's jazzy, and rocky, and bluesy, and folks and everything inbetween. Pretty impressive for the 60s but I'm not sure I'd revisit it often, and it seems to have been slightly forgotten by time. A diamond in the rough overall. 21/11/23

местами очень хороший, местами слишком авангард, надо привыкать)

Hell yeah, this record is FUN. It’s absolutely all over the place, but the energy pulsing through the veins is electric. Have to knock a star for how jarring all of these songs sound together on one record but there are some bangers in the mix. Jazz rock absolutely bangs. Solid 4

The time in the late 60's where the jazz audience, the cool soul frogs, the blues birds and the hippies all came together and listened to a very stoned David Clayton-Thomas. Because there are so many styles on this album and it jumps from compact jumpy songs to long experimental instrumentals, the album does have a somewhat ambivalent character. But there's something for everyone to be found on this album.

The compositions - really, the whole composition - has a thrown-together quality that is hard to shake, even with the deft early piano and late fades. It also works, in the way good live jazz recordings can. This isn't that, near as can tell: Plenty of artifice. But it's Canadian artifice in service of something compelling.

LP

Some good 60s jazz rock

Good mix of sounds coming together as one.

Very cool old school album. Would love the vinyl for dad's house

Klinkt origineel en vernieuwend, goed geproduceerd, totaal onverwacht deze. Niet alle nummers waren even sterk.

Vrolijk jazz-plaatje. Wist niet echt wat te verwachten, maar positief verrast

Enjoyed

I was familiar with the song "Spinning Wheel" before this album came up on my list. I enjoyed the varied styles that this band devised for the album. Pretty cool.

I liked this

Crazy unique album that I had no idea where it was going to go after the first song. Really like the jazzy symphony beginning that then turned into sounding like Deep Purple. Then finished off with the absolute banger of Blues pt2. The drum solo and jazz mix was awesome and I think there was even a Cream sample thrown in