Artists | Issues | CD Reviews | Interviews | Concert Reviews | DVD/Video Reviews | Book Reviews | Who We Are | Staff | Home
 

Blood Sweat and Tears

Child Is Father to the Man (Hybrid Multichannel SACD)

Review by Gary Hill

This new audiophile release is great. The sound on it is exceptional and the packaging is enhanced, too. In addition, this is a limited edition, numbered release. I was never a huge fan of Blood Sweat and Tears, but I really like this album a lot. It makes me realize that they were a much more diverse band than the hits would make someone think. The sound was full of psychedelia, jazz and more. While it does seem a bit dated, it still holds up today.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Overture

Classical music, with a bit of a jazz bent plays as some crazed laughter is heard. This is a little odd, but also pretty cool.    

I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
Killer psychedelia is combined with some blues on this. The vocal arrangement brings a real Motown kind of soulful vibe. This reminds me in some ways of The Animals. In other ways, it makes me think of War. It doesn’t matter where you hear the influences, though, this jazzy, slow moving cut is impressive. The saxophone solo is particularly tasty.      
Morning Glory
This is more of a pure jazz song. The horn section really makes this. I’m not overly crazy about the shaking on the vocals, though. That and the adult contemporary kind of arrangement makes this one of my least favorite pieces here. Still, it has enough magic to keep it interesting.            
My Days Are Numbered
A jazzy rocker, this is very classy. I think the guitar solo is backtracked. The vocal hooks are classic psychedelic rock. The horn section screams. The whole cut just works really well. This is one of the best here.
Without Her
More like a mid-tempo jazz piece, this is good, but not one of my favorites.    
Just One Smile
This is much more like jazz prog. Its got a fairly complex arrangement and lots of horns. That said, it still has some catchy hooks. It’s not my favorite here, but it’s quite strong. The instrumental section late in the piece really does have “the right stuff,” though.    
I Can't Quit Her
Now, this energetic jazz rocker is quite strong. It’s among my favorites on the set. The vocal arrangement is much like psychedelic rock. The musical arrangement has a lot of bluesy rock along with a lot of jazz. The instrumental section is nearly all jazz. It’s all cool, too.
Meagan's Gypsy Eyes
Folky guitar starts this, and the cut works out to a psychedelic rock styled ballad. It reminds me a little of early Moody Blues, really. It works out to a bit of Celtic freak out later in the piece.
Somethin' Goin' On
Bluesy jazz is the concept here. This is such a great rocker. It’s another highlight of the set. It’s simply on fire. The bluesy guitar solo is especially strong, too. The cut includes some noteworthy piano soloing, as well. It gets into more psychedelic rock territory during this extended instrumental section, but the horns keep it grounded in jazz rock.
House in the Country
There is a weird little sound effects section with some Donald Duck like talking at the start of this. They launch out into a great piece of jazzy psychedelia from there, though. It dissolves into psychotic psychedelic weirdness at the end. Then the sounds of nature are heard right before a final blast of music.
The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud
This balladic number is quite proggy. It has a lot of classical music built into it. It is a bit like a classical music meets sung poetry treatment. This is adventurous and inventive, but not necessarily all that entertaining.
So Much Love / Underture
A psychedelic rock vibe opens this. As the horns join, it really starts rocking with an almost Motown vibe to it. After that whole part of the piece works through, this turns into something a bit stranger, a psychedelic meets classic treatment. That section ends this song and the album.

              

 
Return to the
Blood Sweat and Tears Artist Page
Artists Directory
 
Google

   Creative Commons License
   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

    © 2024 Music Street Journal                                                                           Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com