Big Brother and The Holding Company - Cheap Thrills (1968)

Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills was the intended album title for Big Brother and The Holding Company's second record, later shortened to meet their record label's more mild taste. It comes as no surprise then that this record is a celebration of youth and freedom like only the 60s can do. A milestone album for psychedelic and blues rock coming out of San Francisco in the mid to late 1960s. Big Brother and The Holding Company were one of the first 'acid rock' bands in San Francisco. Acid rock bands were called so because they regularly played at gatherings of people taking LSD with the groovy music aiming to improve the trip of the audience.

The outdated cartoon artwork might shows its age (over 40 years old) but the music is only as young as it sounds. Lead singer Janis Joplin wails and screams in joy, pain and anguish as vintage psychedelic rock blasts out from behind her. The album opens with 'Combination Of The Two', a song that you cannot help but move to. There's songs to dance to, there's songs to sing along to, there's songs to that make you sad and songs to make you feel good. Although Big Brother and The Holding Company did little else in their short career, this album will always be remembed for it's perfect representation of 60s counterculture, like a zeitgeist moment for late 60s alternative music. Well, that and the guitar solos.

Label: Columbia

Tracklist:
1. Combination of The Two
2. I Need A Man To Love
3. Summertime
4. Piece of My Heart
5. Turtle Blues
6. Oh, Sweet Mary
7. Ball & Chain