2 LPs on 1 CD: GOLDEN HIGHLIGHTS (1988)/PEARL (1970).

Personnel: Janis Joplin (vocals, acoustic guitar); John Till (guitar); Bobby Womack (acoustic guitar); Richard Bell (piano); Ken Pearson (organ); Brad Campbell (bass instrument); Clark Pierson (drums); Bobbye Porter (congas, bongos); Sandra Crouch (tambourine).

Liner Note Author: John Byrne Cooke.

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 rasp conveys an aching, desperate passion on funked-up, bluesy rockers, ballads both dramatic and tender, and her signature song, the posthumous number one hit "Me and Bobby McGee." The unfinished "Buried Alive in the Blues" features no Joplin vocals -- she was scheduled to record them on the day after she was found dead. Its incompleteness mirrors Joplin's career; Pearl's power leaves the listener to wonder what else Joplin could have accomplished, but few artists could ask for a better final statement. [The 1999 CD reissue adds four previously unreleased live July 1970 recordings: "Tell Mama," "Little Girl Blue," "Try," and "Cry Baby."] ~ Steve Huey

Janis Joplin's PEARL, from 1971, is a bluesy, organ-drenched benediction for the flower-child sound of the free-and-easy 60's. It is also one of great singer's most consistent and representative efforts. Gone are the ear-shattering sonics of Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Full Tilt Boogie, the backing band here, steps in to offer a degree of polish and control that frames Joplin's vocals nicely. Yet the band still grooves hard with the fierceness her voice demands. Guitarist John Till's riffs, chords, and solos, in particular, are exciting and tightly executed.

"A Woman Left Lonely" and Bobby Womack's "Trust Me" are rain-on-the-windows ballads that come alive with Joplin's gritty vocal brilliance, while the burbling "Move Over" and "Half Moon" are among her funkiest, most driving cuts. The dramatic "Cry Baby" is offset by the tongue-in-cheek a cappella number "Mercedes Benz," while Joplin's version of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee" went on to become her signature song. Joplin died during the sessions for PEARL, making these tracks the final word on her towering talent and a superb addition to her enduring legacy.

Rolling Stone (10/31/02, p.135) - Ranked #7 in Rolling Stone's "Women In Rock: The 50 Essential Albums" - "...Joplin helped invent modern country rock..."

Rolling Stone (2/18/71, p.48) - "...The voice cut off was clearly in its prime...there is every indication that Janis was working toward a new maturity and confidence....With PEARL it's a case of a conscious attempt to make something of Janis' talent; simply having it won't do anymore..."

Rolling Stone (9/30/99, p.90) - 4.5 stars out of 5 - "...a poignancy that is as undeniable now as it was upon its posthumous release....'Me and Bobby McGee' is her greatest studio recording....frightening beauty..."

Q (11/99, p.156) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...her most fully formed [album]. Joplin was working with excellent musicians who raised her game accordingly....her voice has a new control and fluidity..."

Uncut (p.128) - 4 stars out of 5 - "PEARL was Joplin's most mature and diverse collection and suggested there was no limit to where she might have taken that extraordinary voice."

Dirty Linen (p.55) - "[A]n instant classic, featuring some of Joplin's most mature and well-played material..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.122) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[With] tight, Stax-influenced arrangements."