Customer Reviews

Blood, Sweat And Tears 3

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What a great LP. Diverse and exciting, this is every bit an equal to their previous recording. But the CD reissue has problems. On THE BATTLE, CBS has chosen to try to eliminate tape hiss during the harpsichord solos and it sounds very muffled. In fact, I question whether the original master was used at all, especially when I A/B this CD with my original vinyl.
The BIG travesty, especially for a "collector's Series" is that NONE of the cool photos from the original gatefold LP are included. Neither is the back cover which had the reflection of the front cover shot. Very poor decision making on CBS' reissue department. Maybe they will get it right on an SACD release!!!!!

This is one of my favorite BS&T albums. (The others being the 2nd album, "Nuclear Blues" and "New Blood"). The musical ideas are pretty diverse and the arrangements are always terrific. Sure, there's great material here (Gerry Goffin & Carol King's "Hi-De-Ho," James Taylor's "Fire & Rain," Laura Nyro's "He's A Runner" and Joe Cocker's "Somethin' Comin' On"), but it's the ARRANGEMENTS which always set BS&T apart and made their work sound so GREAT!! Not a lot of people know, because the arranger credits don't appear on their albums (except for those by members of the group), but BS&T had some MAJOR LEAGUE arranging talent help them. Guys like Bill Holman, who wrote for everyone from the Fifth Dimension to Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. On the subject of CREDITS, I agree with one of the earlier reviewers. Couldn't they have printed BOTH SIDES of the jacket to show the musicians, writers, producers & running times ?? What the hell happened to Columbia Records after Sony, anyway ?? The band is the same group as on the 2nd album: Bobby Colomby,drums/ Jim Fielder,bass/ Dick Halligan,keyboards, trombone & flute/ Steve Katz,guitar/ Jerry Hyman,trombone & vocals/ Fred Lipsius,piano & alto/ Lew Soloff & Chuck Winfield,trumpet/ and of course, David Clayton-Thomas, vocals and front-man.

Some of the best arrangements they ever did are Dick Halligan's adventures with the Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil," which developed into a major work in (9) movements with everyone's help; also David's tune "Lucretia Mac Evil," likewise augmented by the group into "Lucretia's Reprise" and Tony Klatka's amazing juggling act on "40,000 Headmen," which blends a varese by Capaldi with a Steve Winwood song and ties them together with a little Bartok and a riff by Thelonius Monk !! (Try THAT, you music theory students!!). To my ears, this album was the peak of the group before DCT's first departure. If you love BS&T or music of the 70's, this was a LANDMARK album in rock and roll, jazz and pop, just like the self-titled album before it. BUY THIS if you don't have it... (you can borrow the liner notes from some ol' fogey who still has the VINYL, and COPY them). It's WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT of your money and your listening!!!

I have fond memories of this album from when I was a teenager. I had read the reviews on Amazon that complained of a lousy remastering job, but thought "how bad could it be?". Well... it's bad. It's really bad. The sound is really flat and dull. Now I wish I had purchased the mobile fidelity version for 4 times the price of this piece of crap.

I still think the music is great though. The arrangements and musicianship is top notch.

I logged on hoping that Sony had finally gotten around to reissuing this... no such luck. _Blood Sweat & Tears 3_ is the last of the four major BST albums not to not receive a decent remastering job, and ironically, it's the one that most needed it. Sony's mega-cheapo "Collector Series" reissues were an embarassment when they came out, and are even less excusable today, boasting horrific sound, shrunken cover art, and no liner notes or booklet of any sort. _There's a Riot Going On_ by Sly Stone and _Having a Party with Southside Johnny_ are two other classics that continue to suffer this fate. Wake up, guys!

I feel very sad about this reissue, because there is one final note missing. On the original vinyl, there was a soft sound of music box's lid closing at the end of 40,000 Headmen. Without it, the album can never be complete. A fatal omission.

For this 3rd release, BS&T music became more accesible, that means, pop oriented, cutting the jazz interludes of their previous efforts (eventhough Symphony for the devil is as ambitious and complex as anything from the first two albums). Still, they keep a recognizable style. The horn section is as strong as ever and Clayton's voice is just great. The problem here is the CD release. The sound quality is very good. For anyone who would like to have the music only, it's OK, but for serious collectors is kind of an insult (The cover says "Collector's Choice"!!!). There's absolutely no information besides the track listing. No production credits, performers, studios... everything is missing. If you want the credits, try to find the vinyl. This album should be reissued with full credits.

I feel very sad about this reissue, because there is one final note missing. On the original vinyl, there was a soft sound of music box's lid closing at the end of 40,000 Headmen. Without it, the music can never be complete. A fatal omission.

This is one simmering album for fans of the 70's horn rock sound -- my personal favorite from BS&T. Though most of the tunes are cover songs, the arrangements are what make the album great. The horns are blowing like crazy (with an especially insane trumpet solo on Lucretia MacEvil), David Clayton Thomas is screaming, guitars are wailing... well, you get the idea.

While the recording quality of this c.d. is nothing to write
home about, I don't think it sounds anywhere near as bad as
previous reviewers have made it out to be. The volume is lower
than most of my c.d.s, but the brass is bright, voices clear,
and bass acceptable. Also, being that this is the only form this
c.d. is available in right now, I can't see the wisdom in going
without this great music all together! It is well worth the
price. I don't think this was their best release,but it is very
good. If you are familiar with this band, there is nothing else
I can say that you don't already know. If not,they play great
brass rock with good vocals. Average song writing, and a lot
of this release is covers from other bands. However they are
done well,and the originals contained on it are very good.
I'd like to give more, but unfortunately they left out most of the information
with it, only a list of songs. Very annoying!
If you like this band, I would like to recommend that you check
out the band OSIBISA.
Thank you,
Tom

I listened to this and their 2nd album a lot as a kid, so finally hearing it after all these years probably made me give it 5 stars. But you can't beat those arrangements either! Their take on 'Sympathy for the Devil' is quite interesting. But really David Clayton-Thomas was da man! For a guy who gets real down and dirty on 'Sympathy', so soulful on 'Hi De Ho' he is so tender on 'Lonesome Suzie' and those aren't even my favorite tracks. His falsetto on 'Lucretia' or is it 'Lucretia's Reprise' is just crazy. The band of course do their usual switching from swing to Latin and at times approach the avant garde even. Really enjoying this.