Reviews (page 5 of 6)
Lost me a little at time
I've come to accept that there'll be stuff on this list that's unusual and that I'm not a massive fan of. That's OK. I'm starting a new job in January with a longer commute everyday, so I'll be able to listen even to the longer albums quite comfortably. It'll teach me things. I knew Spinning Wheel, obviously, but had no idea who had produced it. It's catchy, certainly. And it's nice to hear Gymnopédies I guess, which I know. These sections almost reminded me of the B side of Autobahn with the flute and everything. And the rest of the album is a bit of a mess of styles and ideas. Which is OK I guess – and it's interesting that on Cornershop's When I Was Born for the 7th Time album I love that mess, whereas here I'm all a bit meh about it. Probably a little too jazzy for me. It's OK, but I wouldn't listen again quickly.
I'm not overly sure what this is! Never dull though, unlike the albums either side of this one.
Somehow, I expected them to be closer to Janice Joplin than to Tom Jones (nope, that one song aside (and I didn’t know it was them anyway) never consciously listened to to them…)
Proto-Prog Rock, lots of weirdly familiar riffs that you can't quite put your finger on. The Hammond organ and jazzy bass are the real stars here.
I really enjoyed some of these songs. The first half of the album was on a roll, loved the upbeat catchy songs. The 2nd half bored me and it was a bit all over the place 3 ⭐️
more jazz bandy than i thought.
i can't fault something for being cornball Muppet Show pop five years before it even aired, but i can say that, if handed a nondescript studio psychedelic record from the late 60's/early 70's, i would expect it to sound like this and have something like "Spinning Wheel" on it. i completely forgot that song existed -- i thought it was something like a childhood nursery rhyme or something. still, there are parts of this record that feel very tender rather than simply corny. it's definitely a November or February feel; you can hear the leaves or slush piling on the ground on each song. it's got the same avuncular quality to it as The Guess Who or Three Dog Night -- soul to be sung from under the blondest, curliest mustache your barber will allow. there's at least a LITTLE charm to that. maybe it shouldn't have won the Grammy, but it's a nice look back at the era of dying psychedelia and a gateway to the coming era of Bubblegum and Violence.
Good musicians, but most of the time boring tunes
Very much like Chicago. Almost TOO much like Chicago. Jazz Rock fusion.. interesting arrangements, odd time signatures. Love the main vocalist's voice.
Blood, Sweat & Tears is the second album by Blood, Sweat & Tears, originally released in 1968. I never heard their debut, but I imagine losing someone like Al Kooper would be a huge detriment to their sound. Apparently the impact could be felt by the fans cause this did not get great reviews upon release. They're definitely trying to reach for a more radio-friendly sound on here. That should've been evident upon the hire of Chicago's producer to produce this record. Overall the instrumentation is pretty cool, but nothing really stands out as great. Their reach for a hit kinda held this record back.
This is an okay album, but nothing special.
Not bad but painfully inoffensive. Sometimes it seems that the singer is trying to channel James Brown and CCR at the same time but while singing melodies that could pass for children music.
I never really got how popular these guys are, but it's still a good listen.
The best thing about this band is its name. Damn, that's a great band name... Anyway, nice and pleasant album overall, it won't kill anybody to listen to it, but by the standards of 1969, it's also very common music and nothing really stands out.
A bit pointless, a colllection of unrelated tracks. Nothing bad, nothing special but doesn't hang together as a collection
Enjoyed it. Good Rock Jazz album.
Þetta var plata með... allskonar. Mér fannst ég stundum vera að hlusta á misheppnaðan söngleik og stundum komst ég í góðan fíling. Ég væri til í að hlusta oftar á þessa plötu ef það væri ekki fyrir misheppnaða söngleikinn
Ok
Good stuff but idk how much I’ll go back to it
Really nicely produced for such an old record, although the horn/trumpet (or whatever that was) sections were sometimes too long and loud. 3.5 stars
dude’s got a great voice and i dig the horns &tc, it’s a very specific proto 70s vibe
Love the blues tracks, specifically “Blues, Pt. 2.” Really enjoyed the harmonic solos in “And When I Die.” Album ranges from jazz to blues to instrumental at time. Overall enjoyed it but it was just okay for me.
I like the horn section here more than I do for, say, Chicago. Occasionally goes left with it, and dips into baroque and jazz. Mostly solid, but nothing I'm crazy about. Favorite tracks: "Sometimes In Winter"
A cool piece but I am not captivated by it
Decent album, but forgettable with the exception of one track (Spinning Wheel). Good production, but the instruments are all over the place and the lyrics aren't profound or anything. 3/5
Certainly talented in their fusion of rock and jazz, and a few standout songs embodies how well these genres can be mixed. Unfortunately, not much else stands out on Blood, Sweat & Tears by Blood, Sweat & Tears. At least it was worth it for hearing Spinning Wheel and And When I Die.
Album's a bit all over the place, and feels almost novelty at times. But there's some good tracks in amongst it!
Love the horns
Enjoyed the vibes, not crazy about it. Like the bluesy energy more than the jazzy parts
shockingly great jazz rock instincts on these boys! almost convinced me they were the real deal for a second there
2.6
solid
Juustoa taas, muttei liikaa, uskalletaan revitellä. Melkein uskallan sanoa että kuin rockimpi Stevie Wonder. Kannen perusteella odotin kantriviboja, oisivatko voineet sotkea niitä tänne mielenkiintoa herättämään? En aivan tiedä, kuinka paljon sanoituksissa on huumoria, mutta olen kuulevinani sopivasti. Vitsikkään kuuloiset hammond-soolot sen sijaan eivät olleet kovin hauskoja. Ei voi sanoa kuin monipuoliseksi.
Some good solid sixties soul, ultimately let down a bit by some filler tracks and too much organ/flute
Never heard these guys. It's been okay. I like the blues sounds mixed in with jazz. Besides the religious themes throughout it's been okay. Oh just kidding I have heard Spinning Wheel. I think 3 stars for this one.
Technically excellent, but fairly uninspiring. Good though, just a bit meh
What a weird mish mash
It was okay. Tight bass playing. Some good jazz jams. Some utterly pretentious shite.
Actually pretty great, and it's amazing that they've continued to exist until today with SO MANY members. They were completely off my radar.
Blues part 2
Sometimes an album comes along that is just so much of so many things that I can’t help but admire it a little. Case in point with today’s record. Blood, Sweat & Tears seems like a band that has sort of been lost to time. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard someone say, “Man I remember how cool Blood, Sweat & Tears was. I wonder if they still do shows”. The bands that could definitely be considered their contemporaries, like Chicago, seem to have just been luckier and struck the iron when it was hotter. Maybe it was too early for a band like this. But these groups also came up around the same time, so maybe BS&T just didn’t have the appeal they needed to get big. I can sort of understand that. This album is a mess. A bit overwhelming and really all over the place. Is it jazz? Is it blues? Is it funk or soul? Is it pop rock? Are they an orchestral group? Who really knows. You can’t even attribute any one band or artist to being the inspiration for this, because this sounds like the precursor to a lot of music. That appears to be where a lot of listeners issue lie. It’s just a lot all at once. But I dig it. And I can fully get behind this. Because even if the band themselves don’t know what they want to be, they sound pretty solid in whatever it is here. This group is tight as fuck. Especially on the bass and those horn sections. Good shit that I’ll always enjoy listening to no matter who it comes from. I’ve definitely heard music from this time period that isn’t even remotely as engaging or interesting as this. I’ll give them credit for that at least. If your stuff is cool enough to make me smile, you’ve got something going for you. Rating: 6/10
Alright
Some nice tunes, and a pretty standout sound for that era, but not something super appealing to my ears.
Wow I feel like I heard 10 different genres in this. Someone said broadway jazz rock and that’s quite accurate for me. I def appreciate pt 1 and 2 of the Satie variations, Satie is awesome. Other than that it def sounds like they were havin fun with this and I’m sure they do great live shows.
Forse dovrei smetterla di ascoltare album di prima mattina perché poi non mi ricordo niente. Non so se questo non ricordarsi dimostra la mia distrazione o il fatto che l’album fosse poco interessante, in realtà durante l’ascolto ricordo mi fosse apparso piacevole… Comunque sia è l’ennesimo album Rock, qualsiasi voto io dia non stravolgerà la media, dunque 3 sia
This is like being a jam band before being a jam band was cool. Just long playing of piano, blues and rocking out mixed with lyrics when they feel like it. This album wasn’t bad but could’ve been a lot better with some direction. Felt like some songs were just being recorded to fill the album. Overall it’s good but nothing amazing. Plenty of talent in this album. 6.2/10
There are some great tracks here, namely Spinning Wheel and God Bless the Child, but they are surrounded by mediocrity. Also, some of the vocals on these tracks are really ill fitting.
Very unusual album. So many genres in one. It doesn't fully work, but it's interesting.
An interesting album. 3.5 stars
It was long but ok, kinda jazzy not what we expected but still too long. Didn't really stick with us.
I love the jazz aspects mixed in here. The parts that push that forward are the most interesting to me. The vocals don't do a lot for me but thankfully it's instrumental for a large portion. Not sure I'd listen to it super frequently but it's fun and different especially for a 60s album.
This felt like an album I should enjoy - I liked the jazzy elements, the bass, and the organ - but it just didn’t connect. It seemed too scattered and inconsistent.
Le musicianship de cet album est vraiment bon et on voit qu'ils essayaient de sortir des sentiers battus. Mais pour moi ça sonne un peu trop éparpillé. Les chansons n'arrêtent pas de changer de style abruptement. Loin d'être le pire album, je comprends parfaitement pourquoi certains s'extasieraient là-dessus. 6/10
That coy little take on Satie effectively drew me into the atmosphere. Afterwards there's a seamless blending of genres. Flutes, horns and organ all weave in and out nicely. As soon as a motif is getting stale, they change the energy level and go somewhere else musically. The rhythm section truly shines throughout the album. I don't know the first thing about jazz, but I found the drums and the bass very engaging. The vocalist is nothing special. He didn't do much for me. And the album started to really drag on the 11 minute blues jam. It felt out of place and got a bit grating. I wasn't exactly looking for their take on Sunshine of Your Love. A weak-sauce ending on a solid album, I'll say. 07. 06. 2024
Surprisingly good, had no idea what I was in for. Liked that.
Variations on a Theme Pt 1 is really pretty. Pt 2 sucks. This is very much from the Groovy portion of the 60s. It’s okay overall. Clearly good musicians, clearly trying to do something. It’s a bit heavy handed for casual listening. Feels better suited to movie soundtracks. It’s kind of all over the place. It’s okay, but I don’t see what makes this worthy of this list. Not necessary. You Made Me So Very Happy is still pretty good.
Oh, that's what BS&T is all about. The symphonic and jazz elements are interesting and I appreciate the effort to arrange it all. Seems this album is actually a toned down version of the experimental rock-jazz that was their earlier releases. More and More is the most listenable after the You've Made Me So Very Happy and Spinning Wheel staples. God Bless the Child is straight up Blues and the rest are hokey and schizophrenic in the \"are we a rock band with horns?\" or a \"jazz band with hippie hair styles?\" sense.
2.5
This is a VERY confusing album. I absolutely love about 60% of it, am distracted by the jumping of genres for about 30% of it then really dislike the last 10%.
It's like more fun Steely Dan - but not quite enough to earn 4 stars
Humourous, light hearted, ok . The sort of album you skip past time and again but when a friend picks it out, you quite enjoy it
Did I really need to hear this before I die?
Blood, Sweat & Tears' self-titled album is a blend of jazz, rock, and blues that epitomizes the late 1960s musical landscape. Released in 1968, the album features intricate arrangements and virtuosic instrumentation, showcasing the band's versatility and skill. While the album is technically impressive and features some iconic tracks like "Spinning Wheel" and "And When I Die," it can feel somewhat dated and overproduced by today's standards. Some listeners may find the fusion of genres and styles on the album to be too ambitious, leading to a somewhat disjointed listening experience. Overall, Blood, Sweat & Tears' self-titled album is a product of its time, reflecting the experimentation and eclecticism of late 1960s music. While it has its moments of brilliance, its overblown production and occasional lack of cohesion warrants a 3 out of 5 rating.
3.5
Its wildly all over the place and sometimes it's really bad, but I think when it hits its actually really good. The intro song also really reminds me of the legend of zelda video game. I think it hits as much as it missed so its a 3
For this list, probably a 3.5. Some classic songs but a very dated feel.
Decent recording, but not really my kind of music
Cool bit of musical history. I don't know if any other album references Cream and Satie in a way that works this well. I enjoyed the instrumentation and variety. It's probably a 3.5 for me. I liked it, but I don't see it going into my regular listing rotation.
They put their blood sweat and tears into this Best song: And When I Die
I like the jazzy and classical bits. My favorite tracks are the Variations on a Theme by Erik Satie and the first 8 minutes of Blues, pt.2. Although I don’t like the brass player hits.
Unfocused, but clearly made by talented musicians.
While there is some quality musicianship and more than a few good tracks it also feels kind of like a soundtrack to a musical.
This was good, nothing that sticks out to me though.
A bit all over the place. Some good tunes throughout, but lacking cohesion. Great bass work.
interesting sound of rock and jazz, not as good as I thought it might be, but would like to listen some more.
Ahh yes, my favorite genre: Miscellaneous. I liked the extravagant instrumentation throughout the album -- lots of brass, some organ, and a surprising amount of flute. The Satie references were good too. That said, I did start to get annoyed by this album, especially during the 12-minute "Blues, Pt. 2."
OK boomer. And I mean that, by the way: It's "*OK*". I also say this as a huge fan of the sixties and the seventies. The thing is, this stylistically topsy-turvy album does not always manage to avoid a few self-indulgent and/or derivative moments, as tight as the "jams" on the record are, and as stellar as its performers are as well. One time the music is groovy, another time it's bluesy, then it's jazzy, then classic rock, then folk, then afro-cuban, then flute-enhanced psychedelia, then organ-laden prog, then post-classical (and not only during those admittedly sweet "versions" of Erik Satie's "Trois Gymnopédies"). It's a sort of mix (minus the jazz and classical/prog parts, and adding C&W) that Stephen Stills managed to do at least twice better for his "Manassas" project a few years after the release of this eponymous LP. The latter admittedly offers great musicianship, and it's often interesting. But it doesn't always "gel" well. Besides, the horn section makes Blood Sweat And Tears sound like a second-rate version of early Chicago. Which can't be a *total* compliment, you know... In other words, there's nothing utterly bad per se in this LP. But I doubt its supposed "essential" nature is easily translatable for today's ears. And the fact that covers take up more than half of the tracklist don't help mitigating this derivative nature I touched upon earlier--covers going from Billie Holiday to Laura Nyro, or from Cream and Willie Dixon to a Tamla Motown hit. The first proper song is an adaptation of an *outtake* from Traffic's debut album, for chrissake! Are we supposed to think it's the sort of material that can yield a transcendent artistic breakthrough? A couple of highlights still shine, I'm gonna admit it: Steve Katz's touching ballad "Smiling Phases", or the (at the time new) lead singer David Clayton-Thomas' timeless hit " Spinning Wheel". Too bad the vocal interpolation at the end, supposedly recording David's reaction to the band's recording of flutes ("that was(n't too?) good"), plus the fake laughs following said reaction sound quite cringey, actually summarizing how "artificial" the artistry comes off at times. Long jam "Blues part 1" has some great moments as well (that bass player is surely impressive on it!). But can those assets redeem the flaws found much elsewhere in this record? Like the layers of cheese on "You've Made Me So Happy?", or the unneccessary complications on that version of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child", or the lack of clear stakes on *More And More*, and on Laura Nyro"s "And When I Die". The jury's still out on this one. Wikipedia points out this is one of the first rock LPs recorded through a 16-track console. That sure explains the layering of sounds in the album, quite pristine for those times. Obviously, what we have here is a breaktrough on a technical viewpoint. The question I have in my mind now is this: does this LP represent a breakthrough on a more *artistic* level? 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. Which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 229 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 332 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 197 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 249
I did like more and more and when I die a lot. The rest was ok.
No tenía muy claro que clase de álbum escuchaba, porque no los conocía y encima tocan como un poco de todo, no me ha convencido pero le doy 3 estrellas porque no sonaban mal.
This album was a wild ride, and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. I feel like this band doesn’t know what it wants to be. It’s one part Burt Bacharach lounge music, one part Elvis in Vegas, one part James Brown, one part free jazz, one part psychedelic rock, and one part prog rock. There’s just a lot going on. And then, for some reason, they made When I Die, a weird ragtime song that could’ve been an outtake from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas soundtrack. I knew I recognized the name of this band but could not for the life of me remember why. And then Spinning Wheel came on, followed immediately by You Make Me Very Happy, and then it clicked. The former is a great song, the latter is ok…a cute, cheesy, late 60s love song. But I realized that as an older Millennial, this is sort of the definition of dad rock to me — this is the kind of stuff my Boomer dad jammed to when the Beatles got too experimental and scary for him. I appreciate what they were going for, but I’m not sure it’s really for me. The lyrics are decent, the musicianship is good, the willingness to experiment is interesting (though feels more like imitation a lot of the time) … but it’s just too much at once. It feels like a Hollywood soundtrack created by committee. 3/5
Not my jam, but not terrible.
Pretty ok
A band I seem to always have known of, but never listened to. It wasn't quite what I expected, and quite stranger mix of different music - blues, soul jazz etc Spinning Wheel is pretty good
3.4 - The whole thing reminds me of a variety show on a cruise ship — it’s certainly entertaining (especially after you’ve had a couple daiquiris). But it’s schmaltzy and pointlessly eclectic. You’re relieved when it’s finally over and you can get back to the casino and then to the all-you-can-eat French fry bar.
Ok
Good
this is all over the place but it's mostly ok won't listen again though
One of the greatest brass sections in music. Solid vocals
Poditiivinen yllätys! Tässä oli enemmän jazzia ja funkkista kun osasin arvata! 3/5
Hyvää jazzrockia, mutta ei mitään erityisen muistettavia biisejä.
Joitain kiinnostavia jazz-elementtejä tässäkin, hieman keskimääräistä parempi. 3/5
Decent enough background music? I knew “Spinning Wheel” and “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” Funny to be listening to something and then be like “Oh! That’s why this is on the list.”
Actually really enjoyed it, fun Rock/Jazz type and one of the bands who made the Woodstock 69 lineup. I don't feel it caught my attention enough though and is probably another 7/10. There are lots of covers/songs written by other artists which although not bad does dock some points. I don't know much about the genre though so whether I find better albums I am not sure but I feel 3/5 is fair. Stand out songs: Smiling Phases Spinning Wheel You've Made Me So Very Happy
Un album qui fait le pont entre le jazz et le funk Motown, l'orgue sixties, en passant par la ballade et le country. J'ai adoré la voix des chanteurs.
Litt røff overgang mellom Eric Satie og da storband-rockegreiene som kom etterpå. Ellers decent, sette pris på blåserekkene, men litt for raspete vokal
What do you get when you combine a proto rock band with a jazz quintet full of band kids? Apparently every 70’s sitcom theme song. +1 star for the jazzy bits.
I always think that Blood, Sweat & Tears are a folk rock band - like The Byrds or The Band - and then am always reminded that in fact they're actually more of a pop rock mainstay. My 16YO's show choir band played "Spinning Wheel" last year and she got to handle the bass line, so I kind of love the two singles on this album a lot now, but the rest is very of its time.
Somethings up with me because I really did like this. I thought it was really nicely put together and just good music overall. I think if it were a little shorter so less for me to commit to I’d consider voting even higher but I definitely liked this a lot more than I thought I would’ve.
Not bad. I liked some of the songs
Fun band. 6.5
Too jazzy at times. But their hits are recognized and respected.
Weird but alright
Really good
Formados a finales de los 60 BS&T comenzaron realizando el prototipo de música que triunfaría en el tránsito entre décadas, mezclando musicalmente elementos clásicos, jazz y rock. En este su segundo disco continúan ofreciendo una sobresaliente colaboración sonora entre instrumentos de viento y teclados. A destacar también la voz quebrada de David Clayton-Thomas. Me gustan especialmente "More and More", "Spinning Wheel" y "You've Made Me So Very Happy".
Makes me think of CCR. Seems to be the source of at least one well known song that I have heard of.
Clownish af at times, and it struggles quite a lot in the middle but those two final songs are worth it… and then there is the final track lol
Sort of good, sort of bad
It was ok. Definitely outdated
3.5, loved the jazz influence~~
Interesting to hear sings from this group other than When I Die & Spinning Wheel. The other stuff isn't too bad. I never was big fan and this won't convert me, but it improved my impression of this group.
De här digga ja! Skönt album
3.4/5 Best Track: Sometimes in Winter
Some songs are a little too jazzy but I like the others
Solid stuff. Typical music that you hear sitting in a diner and go "Oh yeah, this is a cool song." And then you move on with your life.
70s pop / blues / jazz mix … Some good songs were included …
Habs gut in Erinnerung, muss es aber noch mal anhören
So that's where those lyrics come from. I've heard Spinning Wheel before but didn't know where it came from. Otherwise this was an interesting album. Kinda disjointed overall though.
It changes genres a lot, but it's nice overall
Wat onrustig, maar eigenlijk toch toffer dan ik had verwacht.
Lekkere seventies vibe.
Beetje vreemde mix van stijlen. Ik hoor wat meer rock-achtige dingen, zoetsappig spul, maar ook Jesus Christ Superstar. Al met al best interessant.
Balances between genres beautifully. It’s a little blues, a little rock n roll, and an altogether tightly wound package. Much to much of the vocals are cringe but the instrumentation is without any doubt fantastic.
A few big classics on there but not every song was great,
Not the sound expected from the name Blood, Sweat & Tears. This is a rocking jazz album with a phat brass section. Most of the album sounds like it could be from a movie soundtrack. The most popular song on this album is surprisingly Cream's Sunshine of Your Love.
Pretty enjoyable, older sounding but well composed in bigger band style
Le directeur artistique était mort depuis combien de temps ? On peut savoir Robert ??
Que faisait Manzarek en tant qu'infiltré sur cet album? Comment a t'il réussi à passer le dispositif de sécurité extrêmement serré de Blood, Sweat & Tears, pour venir user de son orgue de merde sur la dernière piste de l'album ? Le mystère reste entier
Enjoyed the B side far more than A!
I had heard maybe three or four of their songs in the past and I remember liking them ("And When I Die" comes to mind -- always liked that song), but I never explored their music any further or owned any of their albums, so I'm glad this project served up this one for me today. They are more interesting to my ear than I knew, and there is a lot of talent in this group as composers and performers. Love that the album kicks off with a beautiful Satie piece! Some of the numbers have a lot of soul, too.
melange de rock et jazz. quelques chansons plus plates au milieu but overall pas mauvais 7/10
I'n not a big fan of this style of jazz-rock-blues, but you can hear echoes of ELP and other 70s prog-rock bands. Contains their hits "Spinning Wheel" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (a cover of a Brenda Holloway song). I liked their "Variations on a Theme" (an adaptation from Erik Satie's "Trois Gymnopédies") before the first version went into a weird big-band jazz style. I also quite liked their cover of Traffic's "Smiling Phases". The track "Blues – Part II" interpolates "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Spoonful".
Out of the gate I hated this album. Jazz-rock? WTF? But it really picked up steam. Some soulful (for a white guy) vocals, funky brass section. Kind of a Tom Jones vibe at times. Enjoyed it more than I didn't.
The first track took me back to my drama classes at middle school. They’d put it on for us to “relax” and I HATED it. The rest of the album was quite a revelation!
This is the first album that we've been listening to that I skipped a song half way through. I'm familiar with a few of the tunes on this album and they are definitely classics. This jazzy style of music isn't something I enjoy, most of the time. I've heard enough forms of jazz music to last me a lifetime working for a Jazz festival. 🤣 It's good, but also just meh for me and occasionally it was nails on a chalk board. Coincidentally, that's exactly how I feel about jazz music. We have a complicated relationship. 😂😂😜
Me arrulló machín.
I felt like this album should have worked better than it did for me because it was fun jazz mixed with a little rock but it felt like something was missing. It picked up a little bit with god bless the child but everything else was just mediocre to me. Maybe if it was made like a half decade later and there was more of an Issac Hayes influence I'd have liked it more idk. Side note: it was weird to hear the sunshine of your love chord come out of nowhere at the end of an 11-minute song.
Nice mix of classic and funky music
Albums from the 1960s are weird for me. Sometimes they feel timeless. I feel that way listening to a lot of the Beatles songs or even Jefferson Starship. It's too bad that this album just feels old. While there are decent songs, I don't see myself listening to this at all outside of this list. What really makes me sad is that their album, "Child is Father to The Man" has some insane highlights, while this album is all around okay. Best Songs: Spinning Wheel Worst Songs: Sometimes in Winter
I get Rotary Connection vibes from this odd set of covers and jams. But done in a completely different style of course. Or styles, rather. I'm confused, but I think I'm having a better time than the last album this all over the place, by Peter Gabriel. Oh! I recognise this version of Spinning Wheel. You Made me so very happy is a song with a lot of versions, many of them absolutely fantastic, Lou Rawls probably my favourite. This one is so so. The culmination of Blues is very good. Yeah I'm going down the middle.
It’s fine. Not really doing much for me personally. I’d rather listen to the Animals or Box Tops for something similar but harder hitting. The Chicago-ness of it all is off putting at best. Tom Jones + Byrds is a combination that doesn’t age well.
I absolutely love the classics on here, but what was up with the rest? It was like folksy music you'd hear at a play? So weird. Their soulful music is top notch, though.
I knew a few of these songs, and they were nice to revisit. But as for the rest of the album? Hard no.
Ganska kul. Jazz.
The hits - Spinning Wheel and Happy are outstanding. And When I Die is weird. The rest is okay or just meandering.
This was an alright listen. 3*
Novel experience to hear a band figuring it out as they go. Definitely a scattershot listening experience that drags in places, but the core of the LP’s songwriting and the skilled instrumentation carry this wild ride over the finish line.
Not quite a 4 overall, some of it was on the boring side. Spinning Wheel, Smiling Phases, and More and More are good. Not a fan of the God Bless The Child cover.
Thought there were a few good jazzy/funk tracks on here but I didn't enjoy the ones that slowed everything right down. Blues Pt. 2 really goes all over the place and I was not a fan of the annoying organ for the first 3mins. Overall okay, wouldn't listen to it again but I did quite enjoy the highlights. Highlights: Smiling Phases More and More Spinning Wheel
3.75
The first few songs on this album were pleasant and not what I was expecting. Towards the end though it started to get more of that random musical freestyle stuff that is cool but not really something I want to have on for 11-18 minutes at a time...
70'er rock, og så alligevel? også lidt poppet, funket, bigband - et par gode numre indimellem dog
A strange album that can't quite make up its mind of what it wants to be, but gets really good when it goes full jazz.
the usage of the horns makes for a satisfying listen. blood, sweat & tears' self-titled shines when infusing rock and jazz. the song "blues, part ii" exemplifies the fusion beautifully. the eleven minute track even veers toward the progressive genre, and i'm not upset. the usage of other songs in this nearly instrumental track was inspired. that deep, bluesy bass sound of "sunshine of your love" was delightful. i'm honestly disappointed that most of the album contained covers! the songs bs&t covered were not bad, and i am always excited for steve winwood to pop up, but considering what was created with their original sound and three covered songs in "blues, part ii", i expected more from them. still, for what it's worth, an enjoyable listen. 3.5
This album jumped around a lot, genre-wise, in a way that seemed to lack some cohesion. It was still enjoyable, but I would say the lack of conveyed vision muddied it a bit. I will also say that it was, at the very least, a unique listen; nothing else has shown up on this project quite like this album. Jazz mixed with rock is definitely one way that I prefer my jazz, though! I don't feel compelled enough to give this anything beyond an average score. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't great. Props for the unique stylings, though!
Some good tracks: "And When I Die", "God Bless The Child" Very listenable.
All over the place but kinda engaging jazz rock (I guess?)
This album won the Album Of The Year Grammy over Abbey Road, which ia is like Forrest Gump beating out Pulp Fiction for the Best Picture Oscar.
ranged from an ok listen to "why am I listening to this". weakest of 3s
Oikein mukava ja tästä tuli hyvälle tuulelle. Tykkäsin.
Some really great tunes but also a bunch of meh filler.
Strange and all over the place with different styles. Some of it sounds good, then all of a sudden, it's something else entirely. It's okay. It works sometimes. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes in Winter.
An odd one to place. Sometimes I enjoyed their interpolation of music that they're covering and sometimes it totally fell flat. More good than bad. 3/5
Quite unbalanced album, containing some nice material.
Jazz rock has always been a mixed bag for me. There are some cool tunes in here but I feel is inconsistent.
This album is bookended by two unusual pieces, it starts out with a cover of Eric Satie's Gymnopedies and ends with Blues Pt 2. The intro seems really out of place and the outro is very prog and the organ reminds of Keith Emerson of ELP and I like how it gives a nod to Deep Purple at the 8 minute mark. I suspect that they were inserted to show how eclectic they were. The band is very tight particularly Jim Fielder on bass and the Canadian David Clayton Thomas is a strong lead vocalist and is also one of the highlights. The songs in the middle are generally similar sounding though: Brass-Prog-Jazz-Rock with hints of Chicago (the band). I see that the producer David Guercio was also working with Chicago at the time so perhaps that's not a surprise. I do like And when I die, with its nod to Aaron Copland's American Western soundtracks and of course everyone's favs Spinning Wheel and You've made me so very happy are good, but the other songs are not as memorable.
Variations on a Theme by Erik Satie♥
A stylistically weird stew of pop, classical, big band blues and jazz that has its moments but frequently doesn't land anywhere meaningful. From the jump, BS&T wants you to know that yes, this is a serious band that can play all the styles, which is fine. But from there the band just kind of wanders around to nowhere in particular. I can see they're going for a kind of loose and improvisational sound, but much of it comes off as calculated and self-indulgent. The band's strained attempts at playfulness also feel somewhat hokey today. There are several of the band's best known hits on this album, which are interesting enough to listen to. And the classical bits are quite pretty. But mostly this just made me want to go off and listen to CTA, who did the big band sound so much better. Fave Songs: You've Made Me So Very Happy, Spinning Wheel, More and More, And When I Die, God Bless the Child
It was nice but outside of the one known song I won't be listening to this again.
aight
3.5/5
2 good tracks
Ok
Leaves me somewhat cold. If I want to listen to big band jazz I would stick to the giants of the genre. Doesn't reel me in. No denying the talent of the musicianship and the arrangements 3 stars
I bet marching band teachers love this album
3 Interesting
3.5
Environment : work Attitude : green tea buzz, optimistic Review : Jazzy with a touch of pop
3.5
Several songs or at least parts of them sounded familiar. It wasn't bad. It wasn't great. I will round up.
Really enjoyed this 🩸 🥵 😭
It's kind of a jazz rock thing, but definitely more poppy than, say, Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I think I like ELP more, but this sounds good and the instrumentation is great.
Intriguing at times, experimental, but still cohesive, and in the end just average album by Blood, Sweat and Tears. Great compositions in intro and outro parts, few interesting piano solos, great bass line over the course of the album, a part here and there sounded like an awesome jam session. Otherwise, average vocal, and quite boring songs in-between. All in all, average experience.
Perfect jazz classic 70s for the beach.
I had never listened the an entire B,S & T album and I'm assuming this is their best. It contains some of their classic, well-known tunes I've previously heard on the radio and many songs I hadn't. Overall, the hits really are the best tracks and the rest of the record didn't keep my interest. A range in styles and genres that were fine, but really, a lot of it felt like filler.
Weird mix between jazz, rock, and folk.
A great singer, a disjointed album. The mood of the album fluctuates so much and never quite lands but the energy and passion is clear.
This reminds me of a cross between 'Chicago', with the jazz rhythms and interludes, and the rock opera stylings of 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Also, the singer sounds a lot like Judas from the 1970 motion picture. Those are both great musicals and although Judas gets a lot of bad press, he does have a cracking set of pipes. So in my book this is a good review. Not a record to be taken seriously, but weirdly enjoyable overall. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Spinning Wheel Date listened: 29/06/23
Not convinced by this one. Usually, I'm all for genre mash-ups. This one just doesn't feel like a coherent whole though. It seems more like an automated spotify playlist of pleasant but not noteworthy background listening tracks from different styles.
I dig the vibe.
This was both familiar and new at the same time. Pure songwriting and great musicians.
I always think of BST as a disco group, probably getting mixed up with Earth Wind and Fire. I listened to this in the car with my Dad and it was a nostalgic listen for him, so this was a positive listening experience. They seem like another of the long line of 1968/69 generic country-blues-jazz-psychedelic rock groups that evolved into prog and 70s easy rock.
I had really high hopes liking the 3 major hits. It's a mix of rock, funk, jazz, and much more. "And When I Die" has bluegrass, and "Sometimes in Winter" is a classically-infused prog. For innovation, it's highly impressive, coming before most prog and jazz fusion bands like Chicago and King Crimson. It's bright and lush, but the compositions feel rushed and all over the place. Let's look at one song: "God Bless the Child." What the hell is with the transition at the 2-minute mark? It doesn't even sound like the same song. Then a minute later it suddenly turns into a Latin jazz dance craze. Abandons that Latin when the horns break in, then returns to that beginning theme, and having a weird bluesy ending. It's complex and impressive but feels meant for people with short attention spans. They throw all these ideas together and hope it turns out ok. "Sometimes in Winter" feels like it belongs on a prog album like Jethro Tull or Moody Blues but has no right being sandwiched between these high-energy jazz tracks." The only similar tracks are the Erik Satie opener and closer. There are plenty of cool moments I enjoyed, even in the weaker tracks, but most of that is due to the varied instruments that come in and out suddenly. "Blues Pt 2" is an extended jazz jam session that's mostly boring and at times feels like they're messing around with instruments, eventually deciding to become a funk song near the end, but there was some moments that grabbed my attention. On the bright side, none of the songs were forgettable, with each having things that stood out and left an impression. Best songs are the technologically impressive "Spinning Wheel" and the emotional "You've Made Me So Very Happy." The song "Spinning Wheel" shows what they were trying to do but failed with the other songs.
Just fine. But some real shining moments in the more orchestral parts.
Decent classic rock album.
Honestly didn't enjoy this as much as I expected to, and it had all the ingredients that would go into an album that I would absolutely love. It was still quite good, and I'm not even sure entirely what was missing for me. Just one of those things where it didn't fully connect for me
Interesting and refreshing music but ultimately fails to leave a lasting impression
1968 is never a cause for celebration here, cover doesn't give anything away. Beatles-esque nonsense? Ok no it's definitely American, like a jazzy take on the pop music of the time? Not too bad, but got boring and became background noise after a while. 3/5.
Decent bluesy rock. Most of it kind of drifts on by without making much of an impression though. 5/10
Rock
Some weird cross between dad rock and...
Taking the fact that it's from 1968 into consideration, this was relatively enjoyable. It did get a bit bland and repetitive after a while, though. I was hesitating between 2 and 3, but I'll give this a benevolent 3 to average it out a bit, as my group is taking the piss with rating this a 1
La banda que millor va saber fusionar jazz i rock. Com a mínim en la seva versió més complexa, ja que Steely Dan li va donar un toc comercial i melòdic que B,S&T mai van assolir. Aquest segon disc excel.leix per les versions que fa de clàssics de Traffic, Billie Holiday, Laura Nyro i, sobretot del 'You've Made Me So Very Happy' de Brenda Holloway. A més, una intro i outro obviables, i alguns temes propis interessants, inclós una jam de jazz rock de gairebé 12 minuts
I’m very confused it kinda sounds like the music from the legend of Zelda gone wild
It was pleasant enough, but unremarkable.
I just found this really middle of the road to be honest 3/5.
A bit too eclectic and not enough hooks. Still a good listen but not one I’m yearning to return to.
pretty cool album. I didn't know some, but I knew a few by heart (Spinning Wheel, You've Made Me So Very Happy)
Disco sesentero con canciones tranquilas y relajadas. Instrumentalmente, con predominio de instrumentos de viento. En ocasiones, un tanto psicodélico
- Never heard of Blood, Sweat & Tears before - Enjoyed it, a good mix of different genres - Got a bit repetitive towards the end - Fav songs: Smiling Phases, More and More, Sometimes in Winter
3/5 This was the Jazziest Rock I've ever heard. I didn't like the beginning tracks, but I did like the songs I knew. It felt like it started off as one album, but ended as a completely different one. It definitely had levels which some albums don't, but it also felt all over the place. I will probably only ever listen to one song off it again.
I found this to be weird. It started out with classical music but then evolved into some kind of mess. Erratic and scattered album, not fully horrific but not to my taste.
its a fun, schlocky classic rock meets 60s game show music album. the vocals are strong and vibrant. mellow meets energetic, abounding energy, fuck the extra live tracks. you wont be disappointed or overwhelmed. lifts its head from the run of the mill by a tiny margin.
Technically a jazz album, but Blood Sweat & Tears spice it up with elements of rock and folk plus a robust brass section. They’re not reinventing the wheel, though there’s a pleasant time to be had regardless.
This was not what I expected. It did not meet expectations. One of them sounds like Tom Jones. Another one sounds pretty. Another one sounds rock. I dunno. There are some good songs, but it's just a mixed bag. I don't like the gospel sound. It's still a technically good album, I just don't really like it.
When I first saw this album was next up I rolled my eyes. Don’t know much about BS&T but I didn’t have high hopes. I gotta say, I really liked a few of these songs. And When I Die had a movie soundtrack feel vibe to it. Like that one slot. Spinning Wheel was the only song I was familiar with and it’s solid, but goofy. More and More was another great one. I’ll take that drum/organ solo over jazzy stuff any day. Smiling Phases is just….fun. Until it got jazzy. I’m just not digging the jazzy. A couple of boring songs, a couple of jazz songs that I’ll skip in a heartbeat in future listenings, too. You’ve Made Me So Happy is half good/half gross. It ends with Blues #2 which is just jazz and just not my thing. Overall, I half dig this, half hate it, lol. So it gets a 3. The good parts get a 4, the bad parts get a 1. Overall, 3 from me, dawg.
Honestly couldn’t have told you what they sounded like before listening. Not my favourite but worth a go.
This sounds like the soundtrack to a musical that was written for Tom Jones to star in.
Kinda confusing listen. Start with a classical rendition of Erik Satie then we go into Jazz Rock? Why? Just start on "Smiling Phases". Is it a "Aha, gotcha!" moment where the listener expects more classical-type music due to the instruments? Didn't work for me, but maybe cause it's not 1968 anymore.
This album reminds me of Chicago's sound and I am not sure who came first. There is a variety of sounds on this album and it feels pretty unfocused.
the sound itself is great, but the album is sooo all over the place that it's not as enjoyable to listen to as it would be otherwise. also just not crazy about the guy's voice in general
This was all over the place and relatively unremarkable, but it was solid and I enjoyed it for what is was. It also put me in my feels because Gymnopedie No. 1 is on the Barnard playlist I made my senior year of high school so that I could envision myself walking through Morningside Heights to my Women in Revolutions class, headscarf in hair and matcha latte in hand, as I listen to the Velvet Underground through wired headphones. Oh what could have been.
This is one of the those 3's that I'll play non-stop for days, addicted to it. It'll remain a 3, but this sucker took me for a ride. What a great album.
5/10 I liked it a lot at first (the horn arrangements are cool!) but after awhile it started to sound really…gimmicky I guess?
ima dobrih stvari, ngl
A couple great songs that I knew but most songs were just "too 70s" for me. Which is odd because I love the 70s
With their original bandleader Al Kooper gone, heralding an near-constant revolving door of line-ups, the nine-piece Blood, Sweat & Tears make an ambitious, confounding album that barely holds itself together. Restless, convoluted and virtuosic, it's certainly a fun listen but also a frustrating one at times. Many of the songs here are covers, and so a main draw of "Blood, Sweat & Tears" is hearing them interpreted by a large brass ensemble and a group of very talented session musicians. Sometimes this works well: the rocking cover of Traffic's "Smiling Phases", or a concise and reasonably faithful rendition of "You've Made Me So Very Happy." However, other times it's a little bit hackneyed. Erik Satie's "Gymnopédie" is a lovely piece in its own right, and I'm not sure how much I needed to hear it on classical guitar and flute, bookending the album. Later, an incredibly bombastic "Sunshine for Your Love" and "Spoonful" both make appearances in the yawning "Blues, Pt. II", while Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" is extended with an aimless jazz-rock jam crowbarred into the middle. Covers don't usually bother me, but in this instance I end up with a nagging suspicion the band had to rely on other artists' work before sprucing them up with their technical chops and passing it off as an "improvement". This comes across most of all on "And When I Die", a beautiful song which I'd never heard before. The original recording by Laura Nyro (she wrote it at 16!) is profound, moving and already displays impressive musicianship. This one gets a little lost in showing off, as the band butcher it into a hokey Broadway cabaret tune with baffling tempo changes and pregnant pauses. All style and no substance, foreshadowing Yes's treatment of Simon and Garfunkel's "America". With principal songwriter Al Kooper gone, the originals are also a mixed bag, and it's perhaps telling that they weren't the biggest hits of the album. However, while "Sometimes In Winter" is maudlin and distracted, I did enjoy "More and More" and "Spinning Wheel": both good fun, with tremendous use of the brass section. For all my quibbles on the song selections and treatments, I really can't fault the performances here: they're all very strong, particularly the rhythm section who contend with changes all over the map. Bobby Colombey's jazz-influenced drumming patterns and Jim Fielder's all-over-the-place-in-the-best-way bass are two of the record's strongest assets, and of course the brass section gives the band a signature sound to set them apart from many of their peers. David Clayton-Thomas's searing lead vocals give some much-appreciated bite. Overall this is a good listen, if a bit uneven: the arrangements are so dense and complex that they will likely grow on me more with time, and I wouldn't be opposed to hearing it again.
It’s an ok album as a whole. My mother lists the band as one she liked in her youth. I knew Spinning Wheels beforehand, but I never listened I to this or any of their albums.
👍🏻 6.5/10 qsy
197. ok
Bit all over the place
They really did just play the same thing for over an hour. The theme was cool, but not for that long...
Hm nah I appreciate the idea of the album, but it didn't hid it right
Just wasn’t feeling it as a whole experience. Songs are fine on their own but as an album it kinda sucks
ugh
The instrumentation is great, but there's better versions out there of everything they attempt here. Bit of a skip, nothing stood out to me apart from Blues pt. 2.
no thanks. as much as I love a playful organ its a little too much. It annoys me, because I know my argument is going to sound stupid. There is just too much music going on in here. Also this ethereal storytelling psychadelic rock type stuff just loses me so quickly. I really do appreciate aspects of the production, the organ, harmonica, percussions all sound great.The horn section comes in hot, even though it sounds like a marching band at times, but it completely eclipses the yell-talking of the vocals, and the lyrics themselves are nothing really to write home about. And When I Die was probably my favorite song here, and I wish this was the tone they stuck with, even though its a little ragtimey.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I certainly wasn't expecting this bizarre lounge rock confection. It has bits of every kind of music jumbled together and coated in layers of cheese. I guess it is never boring, but I can't say I enjoyed it. And why did they open and close with bits of Erik Satie, a composer whose sparseness could hardly be further removed from this excess?
Best Track - "You've Made Me So Very Happy"
Sounds like a movie theme. Not unpleasant but quite hard to find a mood for this. The variation theme is a known one
Didn't do much for me beyond the first track
Experimental in ways good and bad. You can hear the genesis of something like prog rock in here, but it’s incredibly unfocused and doesn’t really cohere as an album. Way too many cases of them just kind of noodling on their instruments to seemingly no real end, some deeply cheesy vocals even by the standard of the time. Glad I got to listen to this one and kind of fill out some music history, but probably not one I’m coming back to.
Dad rocks final boss
I've come to the realization that I don't really care for Blood, Sweat & Tears
I like the hits I know, the others not so much.
Variations on a theme had me worried, it reminded me of the day someone got a classical music cd by a disco orchestra for my dad by mistake (we laughed a lot that Christmas). This is middle of the road easy listening (and i like easy listening a lot)
Nestled amidst the well produced jam sessions turned songs, there is little here to revisit. I can't decided whether the philosophical, homespun, folk religious ponderings are serious though weak, pretentious and false, or parody. And in the end, I didn't care.
I can't listen to that kind of music, I'm not sensitive enough, don't understand, not in my field of interest, just no.
People got it right with Chicago lite. Chicago is already a two don from soul groups of the day with their neo-soul masked as pop. This is just a more boring version. It was a time of exploration.
I had been aware of this and seen it in used record stars as long as I can remember, but had never listened. It was fun to recognize the sample for Public Enemy's "Nighttrain" on the ooookay "Spinning Wheel," but I pretty much completely agree with the Rolling Stone review by Jon Landau: "The listener responds to the illusion that he is hearing something new when in fact he is hearing mediocre rock, OK jazz, etc., thrown together in a contrived and purposeless way."
Spinning Wheel is decent, the rest is pretty meh. I'll go 2.5 - round down because 3 is too high.
Kind of interesting, in a this is exactly what people think of the 60s kind of way. But exciting enough for me. The best tracks were the Satie rendition and a version of 'You Make Me So Very Happy' which is far inferior to Alton Ellis'.
Too bombastic for my taste, guess I like lower key jazz. Did enjoy And When I Die though
C+
60s vibes
1. erik - 3 2. zmiling - 1 3. uuinter - 2 4. more - 1 5. die - 1 6. child - 2 7. uuheel - 1 8. happy - 3 9. bluez- 2
Aimless circus music. I liked Blues Part II tho and can’t deny the talent.
Very eclectic and ambitious album. But doesn’t do anything for me.
wow they really just didn’t have to make this … and yet they did! what correlation do any of these songs have to each other? they’re not even distant cousins… i’m so confused. musically there’s a lot of talent but i just don’t know what i’m meant to be feeling when i listen to this and that kinda frustrated me.
Last thing I needed was a soft jazz version of In A Gadda Da Vida fronted by the guy from The Commitments.
alright, not my thing
Strong start but this really didn’t hold me, learning that was the original spinning wheel was nice though!
This was really fun
Not sure this aged well
This became annoying really quickly. There's one and a half good songs here, surrounded by self-indulgent tedium. I will always maintain that there is no place for a drum solo on any studio album, it's just there to waste time.
I found this mostly forgettable and occasionally annoying. The hits were all well and good, but the mid NOLA jazz and some of the cheesy covers brought this down. 2.4/5 -> 2/5
Just solid late 60s classic rock. Nothing special. A few hits. 2.85
I’m sure someone likes this kind of music but I don’t
I really hear different facets of this band’s sound depending on my mood. I can appreciate the soul influences and the big band/ brassy orchestral flourishes in spots, but today it just sounds like Tom Jones or some other Vegas schlock.
Only knew Spinning Wheel, didn’t care much for the rest of the album.
Meh
I don't fully understand what is going on with this album. There doesn't seem to be any sort of cohesiveness.
An all over the place album. It has enjoyable moments overall but lacks cohesion. It was a fairly interesting listen. 7/10 [DROP]
This was just... not for me I guess, usually I would be all over the jazz influence and genre mixings but it felt quite flat here tbh. 4/10
What a strange and unappealing album. I don’t get it. It’s all over the place with some not so great cover versions and the odd classical interludes. I mean good for them and they’re clearly good musicians but it does not make a good album. Baffling
I thought I would love this. But I didnt.
A mix of an album. Some good and some not so good. 2 stars. Fave track. Spinning wheel
First and last songs were good, everything in between was not interesting
Inoffensive jazzy rock.
Umm... no. I don't want to spend all this time just to listen to "You've Made Me So Very Happy", which is the only truly good song on the album. The whole thing feels like Tom Jones with a full orchestra, and everyone gets a solo, the songs stretch on too long and don't go anywhere. My rating: 2/5
Nothing could sound more 70s a.m. radio riding around in Mom’s 10 Chevy nova than this. Doesn’t resonate with me. It’s professional. I am going to check out the Al Kooper led debut to see if it’s got a little swing and grit to it but if has this seventies sheen then it’s in the toilet for me.
I was very confused when this album opened with my alarm song. The WFH moments didn’t stop there. Rocking out, then switch to some quiet flute. Throw some country into a jazzy track. Spinning Wheel is a BST original? So confused. Some great musicianship on display, but I’m not into it. 2/5
This is Emerson Lake and Palmer for jazz fans, and it is very mediocre throughout.
Couldn’t really get into it. I appreciate it but I more so appreciate I’m not into it
There’s something a bit charming about this, probably in large part because of Spinning Wheel (and its place in the heart of all CanCon lovers) but still, it’s kinda silly. And the performances are so tight - rhythm section admirably so - I don’t get the sense they were entirely conscious of how goofy it is.
bronk bo bonk bor bo ronk brooo aaaa aa aBRAAHH BRONK BOMNKKK
This record left me mostly indifferent, although I can't really explain why, since it should be right up my alley on paper. The band is certainly talented, but getting through the whole thing felt like a chore, I just didn't vibe with it. Maybe I couldn't get past the stylistic mess - they seem to be trying pretty much anything and everything to see what sticks, and can't make up their mind about what they want to do. Each musician is pretty good individually, with solid drums and competent vocals. There are also some tight arrangements all through the album, no doubt about that. But the jazz, country, soul and psych rock parts never really come together in my opinion, they just alternate from track to track with no clear direction. Spinning Wheel and Blues Part II are pretty much the only songs I truly enjoyed. I might give the album another try in a few weeks, but I'm not optimistic. 4/10
Ist mir zu durcheinander, nicht mein Ding.
Album má zaujímavé momenty, ale asi sa k nemu už nevrátim.
I am gonna love this when im accepting social security checks
Occasionally catchy, but still soulless cheese, really.
This is definitely an album on this list.
More jazz similar to temptations but too long , I’m not a big jazz guy.
nah
Not really sure what to make of this. It's really all over the place. Starts off with an instrumental relaxing song, then goes to some soft rock? This album doesn't know what it wants to be. Although I had a total blast listening to And When I Die. Best song: And When I Die
A little too jazzy for me. Favorites: And When I Die, You've Made Me So Very Happy Would I listen to it again: No (except the two songs above)
Meh, too much boring brass. Parp!
What in the Tom-Jones-meets-Chicago is this? Throwing Satie at the top is such a strange flex.
Did not do much for me, but can see it grow
Matige pop songs verbloemd met jazz intermezzos en solo's. Het is niet boeiend. Nog wel twee sterren omdat muzikanten technisch goed zijn.