BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS — Blood, Sweat & Tears Greatest Hits (review)

BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS — Blood, Sweat & Tears Greatest Hits album cover Boxset / Compilation · 1972 · Pop/Art Song/Folk Buy this album from MMA partners
2/5 ·
js
On this greatest hits collection BS&T displays a broad knowledge of pop-jazz over several decades and seems to be influenced more by Hart/Rogers than Lennon/McCartney. Their strong point is their inventive use of a small brass/woodwind section that is cleverly arranged and thouroughly integrated into every tune. As a sort of lounge pop jazz band BS&T may work OK, but they were marketed at that time as part of the growing jazz-rock movement. Unfortunately, to a lot of rockers they have always sounded like your parent's rock band. There is something about their flashy slick horn arrangements that conjures up images of swingin cats who work the Vegas scene when they aren't with Doc Severinson on Carson's Tonight Show. For example, dig this lyric; 'you always showed me that, lovin you is where it's at' ... groovy. In contrast, other rock bands with horn sections, such as early Chicago or Edgar Winter's White Trash, had just as much rock edge as the more guitar dominated bands of their era. I think the other problem with BS&T is vocalist David Clayton-Thomas. David is obviously a way better singer than your average bluesy shouter, but his style has more in common with Tom Jones than most rock singers.

There are two excellent tunes on this album that stand out from the others. 'Go Down Gamblin' really rocks and is reminiscent of some of Buddy Miles' better material. The other song worth mentioning is 'Sometimes in Winter', a beautiful ballad with a very original melody and arrangement. BS&T's small orchestra approach really works well on this one.

This isn't a bad album, but if you want to hear some better rock with horns try Chicago's first album, Earth Wind and Fire's futuristic jazz/RnB on 'Gratitude', or almost any of Billy Cobham's early albums (ironically enough, many of Cobham's records feature ex-BS&T trumpeter Randy Breacker) now that's where it's at.
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