Blood Sweat & Tears have long been considered one of the frontrunners of the jazz-rock-fusion movement of the late 60's alongside bands like Chicago and Brian Augers Oblivion Express. After selling millions of albums throughout the 70's, the band split up in 1978, only to be brought back from the grave in 1980 by singer David Clayton-Thomas. Spinning Wheel documents a show from Halifax in the UK on that particular tour, and sees the band, with mostly all new members, in fine form. Their mix of jazzy horns, funk grooves, rock firepower, and pop hooks all come together on songs like "You Made Me So Very Happy", "Lucretia MacEvil", "Spinning Wheel", and "Hi De Ho", each one a bona fide classic in the annals of rock music. Clayton-Thomas' bluesy vocals add the perfect star element, allowing the band to really cook behind him. While the horns, flute, keyboards, guitar, and drum work is all outstanding here, it's the humongous bass grooves of David Piltch that really impresses on each and every track. Check out his dexterious and complex licks on the rampaging instrumental opener "Overture", a real workout for the band that shows their true prowess as a killer fusion act. There's even an interesting take on the Jimi Hendrix classic "Manic Depression", as the band drops in their jazz elements into this psych/hard rock staple. And if there is any doubt that at the heart and soul of BS&T lies a raging fusion monster, check out "Spanish Wine", a stunning instrumental with searing guitar solos, stabbing horns & reeds, and intricate rhythms. While the performances of the band are quite good, the video is spotty at best, with some odd camera angles, grainy sections, lights that are too hot, and haphazard cuts. The audio is pretty decent, so despite the lackluster video quality, this is a must see for BS&T fans.
Track Listing
1) Overture
2) Nuclear Blues
3) You're The One
4) God Bless the Child
5) Lucretia MacEvil
6) Hi De Ho
7) And When I Die
8) Spinning Wheel
9) You Made Me So Very Happy
10) Spanish Wine
11) Blood, Sweat and Tears Blues
12) Manic Depression
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
