Cheap Thrills

Loved this, obviously heard of Janis Joplin before but not Big Brother and the Holding Company. This album is right up my street great mix of blues rock and psychedelic. The album doesn’t have the greatest production but I think that along with Joplins vocals gives it a much more raw feel.

Dripping with soul. The fake live sound is odd but believable. Would have been a spectacular live show. Not something I'd put on everyday, but the passion in their playing is undeniable.

Enpä tienny että Joplin oli tehnyt näin rokkilevyä! Varsin hyvä kokonaisuus, 3/5.

Not sure this is essential, but it's an interesting time capsule of hippie-era San Francisco.

listen carefully...

Not a big Joplin fan (one of the most overrated 60's artists). Enjoy Piece of my Heart but could pass on the rest. would never choose to listen to this 2/5

just don't really care for Janis Joplin.

To me this feels like a weaker Janis Joplin vocal record. Piece Of My Heart is one of those rock and roll songs that will stay forever. But this album is mostly the blues. I still don't see what people find interesting about the blues. Janis's vocal tone is one in a billion, which you hear right in front on Ball And Chain.

Not a big Janis Joplin fan. There are some things I can appreciate - Piece of My Heart is a classic and deservedly so, but in a lot of cases her voice grates on me. For example, her rendition of Summertime is supposed to be a classic but I couldn't stand her voice on it and even the fuzz guitar was annoying me. I liked a bit of the first track, "Combination of the Two" - it was half good sixties heavy rock and half hippy time. "I Need a Man to Love" had some good funk going on, but it also made me feel that this album is very much of its time. The best albums are timeless. I found Joplin's voice grating again on Ball and Chain, which is a shame because I really like Big Mama Thornton (her original version of Hound Dog blows away Elvis). Not sure if a link will work, but here's how Ball and Chain SHOULD sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbdUjHmCHA4 ...take it away Big Mama. Have to call this album a 2, unfortunately.