Hendrix in the West - 1972
Artist: Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix in the West is a collection of extremely good live Hendrix performances between 1968-1970. Three different concerts are sampled on this 1972 Polydor/Reprise release, one of the few official live Hendrix releases following his death. Standouts include "Red House" and "Voodoo Chile" from the San Diego Sports Arena, a great rendition of... Read More

The Apocalypse Chime
Artist: James Byrd
Only After Dark
Artist: Mick Ronson

The do-nothing-halfway attitude of David Bowie's managerial arm (MainMan) vaulted him to glory, but netted his colleagues no commercial bonanzas. These reissued albums by his star guitarist didn't break the trend, but offer timely reminders of Ronson's towering musical prowess. "Slaughter on 10th Avenue" is an outstanding example, though not... Read More

From Pumps to Pompadour: The David Johansen Story
Artist: David Johansen

Drawing from all three phases of David Johansen's career, From Pumps to Pompadours: The David Johansen Story is a comprehensive of the hard rocker's career. Only three songs date from his influential days with The New York Dolls ("Trash," "Personality Crisis," "Babylon"), but that has been the most well-documented period of his career. While his... Read More

18 Essential Songs
Artist: Janis Joplin
Community Score: 2.83

18 Essential Songs is a one-disc distillation of the triple-disc Janis box set. Running 70 minutes, it is a more extensive best-of than the ten-track 1973 Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits album. But it is denied "first pick" status because, unlike that album, it does not contain the hit version of Joplin's only number one single, "Me and Bobby... Read More

Pearl
Artist: Janis Joplin & The Full Tilt Boogie Band
Community Score: 9.58

Janis Joplin's second masterpiece (after Cheap Thrills), Pearl was designed as a showcase for her powerhouse vocals, stripping down the arrangements that had often previously cluttered her music or threatened to drown her out. Thanks also to a more consistent set of songs, the results are magnificent -- given room to breathe, Joplin's trademark... Read More

Hoy-Hoy!
Artist: Little Feat

Perhaps realizing that Down on the Farm wasn't the proper swan song for Little Feat, the group persuaded Warner Brothers to release a compilation of rarities and overlooked tracks as a swan song and farewell to fans. Filled with live performances, obscurities, album tracks, and a new song apiece from Bill Payne and Paul Barrere, Hoy Hoy is a bit... Read More

Feats Don't Fail Me Now
Artist: Little Feat
Community Score: 9.00

If Dixie Chicken represented a pinnacle of Lowell George as a songwriter and band leader, its sequel Feats Don't Fail Me Now is the pinnacle of Little Feat as a group, showcasing each member at their finest. Not coincidentally, it's the moment where George begins to recede from the spotlight, leaving the band as a true democracy. These... Read More

Dixie Chicken
Artist: Little Feat
Community Score: 8.00

Following Roy Estrada's departure during the supporting tour for Sailin' Shoes, Lowell George became infatuated with New Orleans R&B and mellow jamming, all of which came to a head on their third album, 1973's Dixie Chicken. Although George is firmly in charge - he dominates the record, writing or co-writing seven of the 10 songs - this is the... Read More

Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits - BONUS TRACKS
Artist: Janis Joplin
Community Score: 4.50

A solid, if skimpy, ten-track best-of that gathers the most important songs from Janis Joplin's solo career, as well as her stint with Big Brother & the Holding Company. The compilation 18 Essential Songs offers a wider selection, but does not include the original version of "Me and Bobby McGee," which makes Greatest Hits the better purchase for... Read More

The Collection
Artist: Janis Joplin

For the second time, Sony issued the three best albums in Janis Joplin's catalog -- I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama, Pearl, and Big Brother & the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills -- in a slipcased three-CD box; the difference is that this latter package contains the remastered versions of those three albums, which were released individually... Read More