What turned out to be
Stetsasonic's parting long-player, Blood, Sweat & No Tears may have disappointed those expecting another In Full Gear, but there was much to love here despite a long-winded, partially deflating running time. Starting out with a devastating instrumental, "The Hip Hop Band,"
Stetsa sounded fresher than ever on "No B.S. Allowed" and the funky groupie tribute, "Speaking of a Girl Named Suzy." "Go Brooklyn 3" sounded surprisingly reminiscent of West Coast hardcore, but the very next track, "Walkin' in the Rain," was a smooth ballad that sampled the 1972
Love Unlimited hit (and re-created the oh-so-sexy
Barry White phone conversation). As a band,
Stetsasonic still had plenty of ties to funk, dropping expressive party jams like "So Let the Fun Begin" and the
P-Funk name-dropping "Don't Let Your Mouth Write a Check That Your Ass Can't Cash."
Prince Paul, then coming off the success of
De la Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising, hardly dominated this record; Bobby Simmons and
Daddy O each produced as many (or more) tracks as he did (most of them great), while
DBC and
Wise also contributed. If it lacks the classic status that In Full Gear instantly commanded, Blood, Sweat & No Tears was still a fitting last hurrah to one of the golden age's most diversely talented combos. ~ John Bush