Customer Reviews

Pearl

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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Paul Rothchild (Doors' producer) came along at just the right time to produce this classic and historic work, which was Janis' last album, released posthumously after her tragic and premature departure from the planet. "Me and Bobby McGee" never ceases to amaze me, especially when she delivers the word "nuthin" after singing the famous line, "freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose." The way she says "nuthin" is just so flat-out REAL, you know she's speaking to you straight from her bones. (The acoustic demo of this song is available on the 3-CD box set, which sheds light on how Janis single-handedly created the blueprint for this track, just her and her guitar). "My Baby" is gospel-like and redemptive, and is my favorite song on the "Pearl" album. It's as though her voice is a gateway into another realm and sends chills thru the body. "Cry Baby" is also one of Janis' most amazing vocal performances. (I like the alternate version of "Cry Baby" available on the 3-CD box set even better, because it captures some interesting moments of spontaneity and laughter in the studio, along with a very amusing rap midway thru the song.)

What many people don't realize about Janis is that she wrote some of her own (and best) material. "Move Over" is a Janis original and rocks as hard as anything she ever recorded. She sang this song on the Dick Cavett show right before her infamous high school reunion in Port Arthur.

She also performed "Get It While You Can" on the same show, which is as much of an anthem as any song she recorded. The line, "we may not be here tomorrow," is all too prophetic. And the instrumental track of the ironic "Buried Alive in the Blues" is hard to listen for all the obvious reasons because Janis is conspicuous by her absence. (She was scheduled to finish the vocals for this Nick Gravenites tune the day she was found dead from an accidental overdose in her hotel room. The juxtaposition of the uptempo, happy beat of "Buried Alive in the Blues" is at odds with the circumstances, but it is a fitting tribute that it was included on the album, and a stark reminder that Janis was truly a force of nature and an highly exuberant (and joyous) personality, even when missing in action.)

... "Pearl" is rock 'n' roll history, a must for every record collection. There will always be a bummer element to this album because of the association of her death, but her energy and brilliance rock on and shine on, none the less. All praise to Janis---Legend, icon, pioneer---the late, the great Janis Joplin, still-reigning queen of rock.

Janis Joplin's 1971 release "Pearl" is the best album by Janis. Even though it's not a finished album but it never will be. She died before she had time to finish the album. Thats why "Buried Alive in The Blues" has no vocal, because she died the night before she was suppose to record that vocal. The rest of the album is Janis at her best vocally and musically "Move Over" a song penned by Janis is the lead track and probably the best song on the record. All the songs are great and very emotional. She left this world too soon but we do have her music. What little there is, but go get pearl it is her best.

What struck me about Pearl upon listening to it again recently, is the authenticity of the music. Some reviewer once claimed that rock merely gets stale whereas pop music rots with time. There is nothing stale about Joplin and her band on this all-time classic. After all these years, it remains a magnificent listening experience because of the quality of the songs, the band's tight playing and the impressive emotional range of Joplin's vocals. Unlike on Cheap Thrills, where there was mostly a cosmic battle between her voice and Big Brother's heavy metal onslaught, here the voice is the star. My favorites on an album of classics include the incredible Me and Bobby McGee, the tender A Woman Left Lonely, the nervous Half Moon, the emotional Cry Baby, the buoyant Get It While You Can and the plaintive/humorous Mercedes Benz. Perfect arrangements, brilliant playing and masterly vocalization combine here to create a timeless masterpiece.

This album established Janis Joplin as a singer whose range was well beyond the hard rock image. As a blues singer, this album reveals a depth that rivals any female blues singer of the last fifty years.

wow! i can't believe i'm the first to review PEARL. if your curious about Janis Joplin, then this album is your key to heaven. Her voice is really like no other--i cant even describe her. Only that she is one of the great rock artists of our time

I really think this cd was great and it really is a damn shame that Janis had to go. Man she was one gorgeous lady and an awesome artist and I'll bet you that she's rocking in heaven right now!!!

Pearl is one of those albums that deserves to linger on for generations to come. My mother had it on LP back in the day, and I have it myself on LP and CD. Every track is worth listening to. This title was released in February, 1971, a mere few months after Janis Joplin passed away from an accidental heroin overdose in October, 1970. Her vocals are excellent, and they will help to brighten your day. The album starts off with Move Over, then moves to Cry Baby (two of Janis' trademark tunes). Next comes A Woman Left Lonely, which has a dramatic sadness to it. Track 4, which is Half Moon, is a great soulful rocker, and another one of my favorite titles on this album. Buried Alive in the Blues is another great song, even though it is an instrumental. Several sources have stated that Janis died on the day that she was scheduled to supply her vocals to this song. Whatever lyrics she had in mind, or whatever soulful wails or shouts she was going to add to this song is something Janis herself would only know about and remains a mystery to fans of this lady's work and this album. Buried Alive.... is a great tune worth listening to. My Baby is another great tune. Me and Bobby McGee is another one of Janis' signature songs as well. It was stated that she had recorded this song just before she left us. A memorable tune that will never be forgotten. Next comes Mercedes Benz. This one has Janis singing, but no instruments. It was stated that this song was a first take, but the producers felt that it was worth adding to this album. Before singing, she says: "I'd like to do a song of great social and political import. It goes like this." and she slaps something to accompany her singing. When she's finished, she says, "That's it," and laughs. That is wonderful. Trust Me is soulful, as well as Get It While You Can. An album worth having. God has Janis Joplin in heaven now, but thanks to her enormous talent, her music and voice will always be here with us. Someone said that this album will forever remain unfinished, but since its release in early '71, it is a finished album. God bless you Janis!

Sorry, critics and Joplin fans, but this CD is not Janis' best. It is a very good slapped-together tribute, if anything. A lot of the music sounds identical, which is not a good sign, perhaps Janis and/or the producer were running out of tunes. This CD usually makes people think about the direction Janis was going in. Judging by this CD, she might have been going down, music-wise. Voice-wise, she sounds great! "Move Over", "Cry Baby", "My Baby", "Get It While You Can" are the best ones here. "Buried Alive in the Blues", even without Janis, is a rockin' tune and is a favorite, doing for the Full Tilt Boogie Band what "As Good as You've Been" did for the Kozmic Blues Band. "Bobby McGee" just gets old, it's so sad that's all Janis is known for. "Mercedes Benz" is a throw-away. It's a shame this album gets the bulk of critical and listener attention, because KOZMIC BLUES is the better album in all ways.