Track Listing

1. Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)
2. Maybe
3. One Good Man
4. As Good as You've Been to This World
5. To Love Somebody
6. Kozmic Blues
7. Little Girl Blue
8. Work Me, Lord
9. Dear Landlord [Outtake from the "Kozmic Blues" Sessions][*]
10. Summertime [Live at Woodstock][#][*]
11. Piece of My Heart [Live at Woodstock][#][*]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #145584 in Music
• Released on: 1999-08-31
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Import

Customer Reviews

Janis - soulful, moving and beautiful.
Listen to this album and then tell me that JJ couldn't move you to your soul! I think that 'Little Girl Blue' is the finest performance Janis ever put on record, it's so deep and beautiful. 'Try (Just a little bit harder)' swings and rocks like crazy. 'Maybe' features some of Janis's most magical flights into her high-register. 'Work Me, Lord' is the record to put on when you're feeling like you're having a 'Long Dark Night of the Soul', the closing moments are absolutely wrenching. JJ might have been having some of her hardest battles with drink and heroin at the time, but on this album she pulled out performances any singer would have been proud of.

Rolling Stone repeatedly panned Janis throughout her brief career, then eulogised her to the clouds when she died. The review of 'Pearl' was respectful, whereas 'Kozmic Blues' got a huge thumbs-down.

But come on and give it a spin. I think you'll want to keep it and replay it. Let Janis tell it to you like it is - she still moves me to my soul!

Ridiculously underrated.
Slammed at the time by dopes like Ralph Gleason, Joplin is utterly brilliant throughout and the band is smokes too. Unmissable.

Better than Pearl!
This album is full of brilliant, passionate heartwrenching songs. I especially like the fact that there are different musical styles used (blues, stax, straight ballad, rock etc). The first track sets the mood.....'Try a little bit harder' rocks with the best of them!! The band catch fire and so does Janis - big time (Play it loud!!)- vocals that send shivers down yer spine..The next track 'Maybe' is just as good (for anyone who doesn't believe Janis was a great singer, should listen to this - it showcases her dynamic vocal range perfectly)..The same can be said for Kosmic Blues, Little Boy Blue and Work Me Lord..

I'm not keen on the bonus tracks but they don't count really for me(I like to hear albums the way they were meant to be)..

What's very strange is that I've never read a good review on the Kosmic Blues album, apart from the customer reviews on this website (which are very encouraging). I understand that Rolling Stone panned it when released in 1969, mainly because of the 'intruding' brass section? Even though 'Rock bands + Brass' were fashionable that year (Doors/Soft Parade, Stones/Let it Bleed etc)...

Truly representative of the best of Janis Joplin, I would make 'I've got dem ol' kosmic blues again mama' your first purchase if you don't already own a Janis Joplin CD....