Power. Raw, groovy, dramatic power. That's what Janis Joplin encompassed. And that's exactly what she delivers on Pearl. Sure, these songs, recorded with The Full Tilt Boogie Band, might sound a bit more polished than anything she put together with Big Brother and the Holding Company, but it doesn't matter how many layers of paint you put over a brick wall, you're not getting rid of all those wonderfully stony nooks and crannies. Even if the rest of the album sucked, Pearl would still deserve a place among the most essential classic rock albums for its inclusion of "Me and Bobby McGee," the defining anthem of the 70s. But no, the other tracks are damn good, too. Whether it's the rowdy, disco-tinged "Half Moon," or the confrontational ballad "Cry Baby," Pearl is an aggressive, rollicking tour de force of pure Janis. What else would she have been able to accomplish if her life hadn't been cut short? The better question, after listening to her final offering, is what else would she have needed to? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDIaDS9HhMw
