B.J. Thomas - In Remembrance: Love Songs & Lost Treasures

by Kevin Wierzbicki

Here's a real nice keepsake for fans of Thomas, the late hit maker who died in 2021. Instead of presenting versions of Thomas' big hits like "Hooked on a Feeling" and "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," this compilation offers 18-tracks of which 13 are previously-unreleased. Thomas worked in a lot of different styles and many of those are to be found in these until-now unheard cuts; "Meet at My Heart" is a brassy, Vegas-style rocker, "When the Hero Dies" is hopeful Americana, "No One Else on Earth" is soulful pop with a great chorus augmented by sexy saxophone lines and "That's the Thing About Love" is jazz-tinged pop. It should be noted that this compilation doesn't go way back to B.J.'s early days; most songs were recorded either in the '90s or in 2007. Among the previously-released cuts are two that bookend the set; "Expression of Faith" at the top of the album and "America the Beautiful" as the closer. Fans will also appreciate Joe Marchese's essay in the CD booklet.

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