Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Blood Sweat & Tears - Greatest Hits CD (album) cover

GREATEST HITS

Blood Sweat & Tears

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

2.77 | 16 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

clarke2001
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars My first encounter with the music of BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS. And so far the only one - but this is saying more about my lazyiness than about my taste. I like this one. It's not the music to die for, but it's certainly pleasant. If you don't mind overall easy listening attitude and you're inclining towards jazz-rock, this might be for you.

Songs are warying from "not bad" to "great". They get a tad boring at the moments - some predictable r'n'b/soul/blues moments here and there, but most of the time it's just fine. At it's very best, this compilation contains some really cunning arrangemets, complex chords progressions, unusual solutions - but it's all brilliantly packed in the pop package. Another band that was able to blend two oppisite sides of music is QUEEN, and in fact I can imagine Freddie & Co. singing and playing some of the BS&T songs, such is "I Can't Quit Her". Withot the brass section of course. This is testifying the band's quality. But don't take this comparison too literaly because it might be misleading, two bands have nothing in common, that was only my impression.The band that could be compared - and often is - is CHICAGO. If you like it you may like this band as well, it's just more powerful and daring.

It seems that BS&T discography is hiding many more gems - that are much less pop oriented; it also seems that compilations are always on the poppier side. If so, this band is cetainly worth investigating; if you are fan of jazz-rock, 70's rock, or simply good music. I gave this one a spin after more than 5 years and yes, now it sounds "progressive" in my ears. There's a hint of MOODY BLUES in beautiful blues "I Love You More Than You Will Ever Now"...and a few other trick up the band's sleeve...some chord progression are simply a killer...while the main brass them remains quite simple. A sweet moment worth mentioning is in "Go Down Gamblin'", their hard rockin' tune: a tuba solo! Did you ever heard a tuba solo before?

For the end, I will mention "Sometimes In Winter": it's one of my top 10 most favourite songs of all times. It's beautiful. It's perfect. Flute, drums, melody. Vox organ.(?) Reverb. Some hippie feeling. Some melancholy. Great.

Well, if the band's catalogue is hiding one or perhaps two more songs that are just half as good as this one, and if they were equally daring and less mainstream in the early years, I'm more than willing to check BS&T's discography out. Because of overall poppy orientation of this compilation, I won't rare it with four stars, but this is really worth checking.

clarke2001 | 3/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.