Then comes a big chug-CHUG-CHUG buildup to Janis’ vocal, reminiscent of those fine, socking arrangements behind Otis Redding - except that Janis’ band falls completely on its face. The trumpet solo consists mainly of excruciating pauses where he was hung for ideas that never, alas, came. The tenor sax solo, while empty, is somewhat less embarrassing. Snooky Flowers plays the worst baritone saxophone solo I have ever heard, discounting only a handful of amateur performers at jam sessions in people’s garages. “As Good As You’ve Been To This World” finds the band back in their accustomed groove: incredibly stiff ensemble passages which sound for all the world like a college marching band at half-time doing their big Swing routine. (Disconcerting reminders of Canned Heat intrude late in the arrangement, however.) At least the rest of the band is relaxed on this track, even if they add nothing. “One Good Man” contains perhaps the only instrumental blessing on the whole record, wherein Sam Andrew plays a tolerable bottleneck introduction and obbligato to Janis’ vocal. On “Try,” they stutter along like Stax rejects, thudding out a 16-to-the-bar quick-step so metronomic it defies you to pat your foot, let alone get up and dance. The only answer is to get super-familiar with what they’re doing so you can ignore it.
Those sons of bitches can’t do anything really right. When (and if) you get hold of this record, my suggestion is that you listen really hard to how awful the backup is - everything from the arrangements to the level of musicianship.
I GOT DEM OL KOZMIC BLUES ZIP FULL
Janis herself has never sounded better on record, but it took me four full listenings to the LP before I could hear her.
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