Search - B.J. Thomas :: The Scepter Hits and More 1964-73

ESSENTIAL B. J. THOMAS CLASSICS~BRAVO!!!

Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 09/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was clear from the mid-sixties when the Hank Williams classic "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" was released by B.J. that this singer possesses one of the most gorgeous male voices ever with emotion that cuts to the core of a song...what a stunning debut and this great collection is filled with sterling performances with the best sound yet on recordings from B.J.'s classic Scepter Records era. Thankfully this collection goes past the chart hits to reveal lost gems thanks to Ace Records in U.K. who produce quality releases of classic artists such as B.J. Thomas that include extensive well researched liner notes. Early jewels when this great singer fronted B.J.Thomas & The Triumphs are raw and soulful with "Treasure Of Love" and "Mama" being real standouts that are timeless in their appeal. "Wisdom Of A Fool" is sung with vocal beauty and heartfelt passion making it clear from the beginning that this is a singer who is a cut above the rest and the real thing! "Hooked On A Feeling" with its great lead guitar along with Billy Joe's soulful vocal plus a great driving rhythm track made this the first mega-hit that finally took B.J. to the top of the charts although this should have happened with "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"!!! Another great passionate vocal performance make "It's Only Love" a incredible listening experience that requires the use of the repeat button as it is too great to hear only once. New York songs usually are great and "The Eyes Of A New York Woman" is no exception and "Most Of All" is fine and mellow. "I Just Can't Help Believin'" is the masterpiece that set B.J.Thomas apart from everyone else as a true original classic and Billy Joe Thomas is still singing great to this day! A catchy "Skip A Rope" with its unique hand-clapping rhythm and haunting message make this an unusual stand-out that should have been a hit but strangely wasn't while another engrossing message song "No Love At All" did become a hit. Both Elvis and B.J. give masterful performances on "Suspicious Minds" and this five plus minute version is a classic while "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" belongs to B.J.Thomas alone as this memorable performance is pure magic along with two other Burt Bacharach compositions that B.J. also weaves his magic spell on making all of these Bacharach efforts magnificent. "Everybody's Out Of Town" is engrossing and the haunting "Long Ago Tomorrow" is a overlooked classic and both of these incredible songs should have been huge hits as I have several worn-out 45rpm copies of each to illustrate this!!! A rocking gospel-edged "Mighty Clouds Of Joy" and the sensual "Sweet Cherry Wine" are wonderful vocals that nobody but B.J.Thomas could have done so compelling and gorgeous and Stevie Wonder's "Happier Than The Morning Sun" is given a stellar performance from the lost masterpiece "Billy Joe Thomas" album that features B.J. Thomas at his peak! Also featured from this lost masterpiece is the mesmerizing "That's What Friend Are For" and the classic hit "Rock And Roll Lullaby" which close out this wonderful musical treasure chest of classics that are arranged and sung to perfection. Anyone who cares about when a legend like B.J. Thomas is not given their just due and deserved recognition by the music industry should write to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and The Grammy Award foundation and recommend some deserved honors to Billy Joe for an incredible body of work that is still growing!!! Thank You Billy Joe Thomas for such a rich musical treasure and for sharing the gift of that gorgeous voice all these years and please keep those classics comming..."

All The Scepter Hits On A Single Disc

60's | Hong Kong | 04/21/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"All the B.J. Thomas smash hits are here like "Hooked On A Feeling", Raindrops Keeps Fallin' On My Head", "Most Of All", "Rock And Roll Lullaby", "I Just Can't Help Belivin'", just to name a few plus some rarities like "Skip A Rope" and "Suspicious Minds". His 70's ballad "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" is not included here. If you want a complete hits collection, you can get the greatest hits released by Rhino Records back in the 90's with excellent sound quality."