Tag: B.J. Thomas

Reissue: B.J. Thomas’ complete Columbia singles

 in New releases, Reviews

By Ken Paulson–

We’ve written in the past about B.J. Thomas’ continuing vibrancy as an artist, most recently during his appearance at the Franklin Theater in greater Nashville this spring.
His concert longevity has been fueled by multiple decades of hits, as we’re reminded by the new Real Gone Music release New Looks from an Old Lover: The Complete Singles.
Thomas had his first hits on Scepter Records in the ’60s, piled up more hits in the ’70s on MCA and ABC and then gracefully moved to Columbia in 1983, where he had several more hits, largely on the country charts. On top of all of that, he had a highly successful career in Christian music.
None of this new collection is “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On my Head,” but it’s well-crafted and throughly enjoyable pop music by one of the genre’s best vocalists.
Highlights include “As Long as We’ve Got Each Other,” (Yes, from Growing Pains), “New Looks from an Old Lover,” “Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned-Love,” “Two Car Garage” and “Rock and Roll Shoes” with Ray Charles.

 

Music legend B.J. Thomas at the Franklin Theater

 in Nashville music, Reviews

B.J. Thomas described himself as “crabby” during his appearance Friday night at the Franklin theater just down the road from Nashville. It was an evening of awkward silences and some irritation with the lighting.

But it really didn’t matter. B.J. Thomas has always had a great pop voice and he ably performed songs from throughout his career, including his first hit – a 1966 cover of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – and his final number one record  “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” from 1975.

In that nine-year period, Thomas was rarely off the charts and on Friday he showcased all of the big hits, including “Hooking on a Feeling” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.”  This may have been an off night for B.J. Thomas, but you wouldn’t have known it from the music. – Ken Paulson

Reissues: Mark Lindsay: The Complete Columbia Singles

 in Americana Music

By Ken Paulson
Mark Lindsay: The Complete Columbia Singles is a another fine reissue from Real Gone Music.
“Reissue” may be a misnomer here. Although most of the material has been released before, collcting these largely overlooked singles in one place would have been a daunting challenge for any record collector. This is a singular collection in more wys than one.
Lindsey is an underrated rock ‘n roll frontman, and Paul Revere and the Raiders really don’t get their due as one of the most dynamic bands of the ‘60s.
Interestingly, on The Complete Columbia Singles, we hear how effectively Lindsay distanced himself from the rock ‘n’ roll band that made him famous. His solo work focused on ballads and engaging pop, similar in many ways to B.J. Thomas’ best work.
The big hits are here, including “Arizona,” “Silverbird” and the somewhat dated “Miss America.”
The most interesting covers include Neil Diamond’s “The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind” and Bacharach and David’s “Something Good.” Lindsay clearly enjoyed the challenge of more complex arrangements.
The singles collected here hold up well, capturing early ‘70s pop in all its melodic glory