Blood Sweat & Tears – BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS*****

Variations On A Theme By Erik Satie(1st & 2nd Movements)/Smiling Phases/Sometimes In Winter/More & More/ And When I Die/God Bless The Child/Spinning Wheel/You’ve Made Me So Very Happy/Blues Part II/Variations On A Theme By Erik Satie(1st Movement)

This follow up album from this noted jazz-rock ensemble featured David Clayton-Thomas on vocals as replacement for departed Al Kooper. Blood Sweat & Tears includes three US hit singles, You've Made Me So Very Happy, And When I Die and Spinning Wheel, all coincidentally peaking at No. 2. (US:1 UK:15)

"The heart of the album’s popularity was its three hit singles. You Made Me So Very Happy, Clayton-Thomas’ smooth vocal and the big brass sound enabled it to become a pop classic. Clayton-Thomas only wrote one track but it was the album’s stand-out. - Spinning Wheel had a number of tempo changes and a staccato vocal delivery. The most creative track was their interpretation of Laura Nyro’s And When I Die. The harmonica introduction, the bouncy melody, and then some frenetic vocals moved it far from Nyro’s original intent."

"Probably the cream of the crop for jazz-rock, a genre that is usually pretty over-thetop and more than a little self-indulgent and that's the case here as well. However, David Clayton-Thomas has a strong and unique voice and the rest of the band plays pretty well. It's not going to turn me into a jazz-rock freak but this is quite a good album for what it is."

"Gone are the psychedelic effects of the debut, and in its place is simply great, accessible jazz rock."

"Not as good as their first album, but this is still pretty good. A combination of well known tunes and some pretty interesting jam sections. Just a great band playing a really cool mix of different styles."

"It's over 40 years old but it seems every time I listen to it it's as if it's brand new. I am transported back to NYC circa 1969 again and again. This album has everything: pop hits, blues, jazz, even classical. This is an album in which you play it whole, not merely for the hits."

"This is an awesome album. It has so many different styles of music. It has blues, rock, jazz, soul and a bunch of others. I really enjoy listening to it."