NEW CITY

"Hey guys, I'm back.. Wait a minute, I don't know anybody"

In 1975, David Clayton-Thomas was persuaded to rejoin the Blood Sweat and Tears line up for a one off show. Jerry LaCroix had left the band after just one album, but Jerry Fischer was still on board and Luther Kent had also been brought in resulting in the band having three lead singers. Fischer and Kent both left before recording commenced on this album, leaving DC-T in situ as the sole lead singer.

The band he rejoined was very different to the one he left a few years previously, with just Bobby Columby remaining from the original line up. The musicians now in the band were essentially the same as those who had recorded the previous "Mirror image", an R&B based album with little in common with those DC-T had previously appeared on.

"New city" is therefore something of a crossroads album. The R&B influences are still there, but the familiar vocals instantly remind us of the band's glory days. The tracks are split roughly 50-50 between compositions by members of the band and covers of other people's songs. The outside writers include Randy Newman, John Lee Hooker, Janis Ian, and the Beatles. The first couple of tracks are decent if unremarkable brass rock numbers. It is only when we get to bassist Ron McClure's instrumental "No show" that we find something of real value. This piece starts out as gentle symphonic jazz developing via some synthesiser (played by Bob Mason) into a jazz/fusion workout. The track is a one off in terms of the album though, the others all focusing on the vocals of Clayton-Thomas.

The softer "I was a witness to war" is an ideal vehicle for DC-T's fine voice; it is more ballad than rock, but the arrangement of the track is superb. Clayton-Thomas provides the arrangement for a sparse interpretation of John Lee Hooker's "One room country shack", a simple blues standard. The mood remains downbeat for the highly talented Janis Ian's "Applause", at almost 8 minutes the longest track on the album. While the extended length offers the band the opportunity to jazz things up again, the song is not a great choice, and certainly not one of Ian's best.

"Yesterday's music" reverts to the slower, big sounding arrangement which lends itself so well to the music of the band. The song has great live written all over it, with a sing-a-long style (DC-T even intones "Sing the song with me" at one point), and repetitive chorus. Randy Newman's "Naked man" bizarrely sets out as "Eine kleine nacht muzike" before descending into a barroom comedy routine. The song is mildly amusing and certainly a radical diversion from anything the band have recorded before. Taken in the right context, we can perhaps forgive the band for letting their hair down here.

In an obvious effort to regain credibility, a cover of Lennon/McCartney's "Got to get you into my life" follows. The brass rock arrangement suits the song well on this otherwise faithful rendition. The album closes with Bobby Colomby's brief instrumental "Takin' it home".

While it is good to hear David Clayton-Thomas voice on a BS&T album once again, the line up changes since he left took with them much of the band's originality and inspiration. This is an enjoyable album, but it is also a very safe and generally commercial collection of songs, with little sense of adventure.

On of the legendary bands that I alwys mention when these two bands are metioned: Chase and Chicago. Even though the band was well known in my country with its hit "I Love Yo More Than You'll Ever Know" but actually they have good music overall. I can say that Blood, Sweat & Tears was at the forefront of the brass rock music. This album represented the return of its legendary lead vocal David Clayton-Thomas' who departed the band in 1972.

In my opinion about this album is not bad at all and in fact I can see that the compositions are much heavier and jazzier than Chicago. Look at "Ride captain ride" that contains heavy horn section and very nice and jazzy interlude. The song has excellent energy and harmony. I really like the jazzy interlude. The following track "Life" is also a good one. The third track "No show" could be considered prog and it has no vocal line. "I was a witness to a war" emphasize more on vocal part with music as background only, in jazzy mood. On thing that quite surprised me is the fifth track " One room country shack".

The album is more on brass-rock type of music with some fusion with jazz. Overall, this is a good album worth collecting. Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

I clearly remember the day when I at the tender age of 10 picked up this album from my father's collection, putting it on the turntable and going into the kitchen to have a snack. When the first track, Ride captain ride, came on I swear I felt like losing my mind to an eternal groove. It swept me off my feet and keeps on doing so. This is jazz-rock with a slight emphasis on jazz, a good dose of slick funk and a big wallop of rock. The end result is one of my favorite albums and in my opinion the best from B,S&T.

While "Ride, captain, ride" is a jazz-rock kick in the head, "Life" is a decidedly funky affair with great wah-wah and a rolling groove that is amazing. "No show" and "I was a witness to a war" are great, mellow stuff of the highest pedigree. The cover of John Lee Hooker's "One room country shack" is superb and ends the first side of the vinyl in the best way.

Side two opens with "Applause", a song about a performer who's entertaining but really feels lonely. A fantastic song, sad but epic in a jazz-rock way. "Yesterday's music" is a straight forward pop//rock song but a terrific one. Then comes the humour, "Naked man". An oddity but very entertaining and nice melody. The cover of the Beatles song "Got to get you into my life" is inspired and everything draws to a close with the beautiful "Takin' it home", thus ending a wonderful album.

Not many people seem to like, no love, this album as I do. I think it is very underrated, inspired and vibrant record showcasing all that's great with the genre. There's jazz, rock, funk, blues, folk, hard rock and then some. Of special note is the fact that George Wadenius is the guitarist on the album, as he had been for some time in 1975. Being swedish I find it especially cool that one of my countrymen, and such a brilliant one aswell, is part of this album's greatness. I love it, from start to finish. It is an amazing album. Complex, beautiful, accessible and entertaining.