THE COLLECTION

Blood Sweat and Tears albums are even today very difficult to find on CD in the UK. Indeed, it is only in the last few years that Wounded Bird record have released their later albums on CD in the USA. Compilations such as this 1993 UK release by Castle Communications therefore offered fans of the band the compensation of at least being able to obtain a cross section of their material, and at a sensible price.

This is actually a pretty good overview of the band, taking in all their albums from the Al Kooper led "Child is the father to man" right through to their final album for CBS/Columbia, "More than ever". This means that the only albums which are overlooked are "Brand new day" and "Nuclear blues". The latter was not in any event considered a genuine BS&T release, even though it bore the band's name.

Inevitably, the selections are the more commercial ones, the band's ventures deeper into jazz rock being largely ignored. The tracks therefore include hit singles such as "You've made me so very happy", "Spinning wheel" and "Go down gamblin'". Seven of the tracks are rightly taken from the second and third albums, generally recognised as the band's peak. This still leaves plenty of room for at least one track from each subsequent album, the inclusion of no less than three from "New blood" perhaps being on the generous side.

The songs are presented chronologically, demonstrating well how the band's style moved from jazz rock deeper and deeper into R&B. The changing lead singer role is also well documented, with David Clayton Thomas arriving after the first album, leaving after the fourth, and rejoining for "New city".

The one exception to the chronological presentation is "I love you more than you'll ever know" from the first album, which bizarrely is the nineteenth track. It would make sense if the similarly titled "I love you more than ever" from "More than ever" had been the intended track here, but far be it from me to suggest that a mistake was made!

For those in the UK who do not wish to go to the trouble of importing the band's albums on CD or seeking the LPs out at record fairs, this is a pretty good summary of their more commercial songs.