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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A million column inches in the press, a biography and, apparently a film in the making have all been devoted to the Big Star story in the thirty-odd years since they first released a note of music. Of such things are musical legends made, I guess, but when you get down to it, the truth is in the sound they made. Of their three albums, I reckon this, their debut album, is probably the best; main writers Alex Chilton and Chris Bell seem to have a unity of purpose, and the magnificence of the music is there for all to hear. In terms of melodic appeal, song structure, and the brilliance of the production values, this record is in a field of its own. Successive remastering has done much to reveal the layers of double-tracked guitars, richness of the vocal harmony work, and how very well-produced it was in the first place. #1 Record is almost impossibly perfect, and is as fresh and invigorating as it was when first released.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The news of the unexpected death of Alex Chilton at the age of 59 in New Orleans this week has just filtered through. Many people will be crushed by this. Already MGMT have dedicated their London show to him and REM are planning a tribute concert at SXSW. Big Star are the ultimate cult band and this in itself is a source of shame since they deserve a wider and massive audience. On three incredible records they can lay claim to greatness. Last years brilliant compilation box set "Keep an eye on the sky" set out in all its glory the titanic work of Alex Chilton and Chris Bell on classics such as "September Gurls" "The ballad of El Goodo" and "Thirteen". Bands like the Replacements, REM, Whiskeytown and Teenage Fanclub could not have existed without them. Big Star's own song has written his obituary
"Take care, please, take care
This sounds a bit like goodbye
In a way it is I guess
As I leave your side
I've taken the air
Take care, please, take care"
Big Star - Take Care (Third/Sister Lovers)
Godspeed Alex
"Take care, please, take care
This sounds a bit like goodbye
In a way it is I guess
As I leave your side
I've taken the air
Take care, please, take care"
Big Star - Take Care (Third/Sister Lovers)
Godspeed Alex
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Memphis-based Big Star are a band that sold a relatively small number of records when together but who have subsequently become recognised as a seminal act and major influence on bands such as R.E.M., The Replacements and Teenage Fanclub.
Recently the subject of a lavish 4CD Rhino box set (Keep an Eye on the Sky the best entry points to their work will always be the first two albums - reissued by Concord as separate CDs for the first time with a bonus track apiece.
The albums originally made it onto CD in 1990 as a "2 on 1" by the pioneering Big Beat label. Recorded at the legendary Ardent Studios, with a vibrant and sparkling production by John Fry, they always sounded terrific, but the new remastering certainly seems to have added an extra clarity - as a result the sound is crisp and fresh and makes these the definitive versions to pick up.
Although they fitted onto a single CD, the albums actually work best as individual titles. On 1972's "#1 Record" they were a four-piece, with the song writing dominated by the Alex Chilton / Chris Bell partnership. Bell would leave the band before the release of 1974's "Radio City" (where most tracks were written solely by Chilton) and sadly didn't live to see the band he'd started get its due recognition as he was killed in a car crash in 1978.
As Kris Needs rightly states in the sleeve notes, Big Star are usually summed up as "power pop pioneers" but this really doesn't do them justice. Their sound is quite hard to pin down, but they were clearly inspired by The Beatles and had a very different style to most bands in an era that was dominated by Led Zeppelin and progressive rock. It's hard to argue with Needs' "great pop songs, bolstered by Memphis soul spirit" description.
"#1 Record" is a mixture of ballads (notably `The Ballad Of El Goodo' and the gorgeous `Thirteen') and fiery pop-rock (`When My Baby's Beside Me', `Don't Lie To Me' and `In The Street' - the single mix of the latter is included here as a bonus). Other notable influences that can be heard in their output include The Band, The Byrds and Badfinger.
Despite some encouraging press, Stax's distribution system failed to get enough product to the shops and, even after Stax signed a deal with Columbia, the band got lost and the album stalled. With Bell gone, Alex Chilton, bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens then regrouped to record "Radio City".
Recently the subject of a lavish 4CD Rhino box set (Keep an Eye on the Sky the best entry points to their work will always be the first two albums - reissued by Concord as separate CDs for the first time with a bonus track apiece.
The albums originally made it onto CD in 1990 as a "2 on 1" by the pioneering Big Beat label. Recorded at the legendary Ardent Studios, with a vibrant and sparkling production by John Fry, they always sounded terrific, but the new remastering certainly seems to have added an extra clarity - as a result the sound is crisp and fresh and makes these the definitive versions to pick up.
Although they fitted onto a single CD, the albums actually work best as individual titles. On 1972's "#1 Record" they were a four-piece, with the song writing dominated by the Alex Chilton / Chris Bell partnership. Bell would leave the band before the release of 1974's "Radio City" (where most tracks were written solely by Chilton) and sadly didn't live to see the band he'd started get its due recognition as he was killed in a car crash in 1978.
As Kris Needs rightly states in the sleeve notes, Big Star are usually summed up as "power pop pioneers" but this really doesn't do them justice. Their sound is quite hard to pin down, but they were clearly inspired by The Beatles and had a very different style to most bands in an era that was dominated by Led Zeppelin and progressive rock. It's hard to argue with Needs' "great pop songs, bolstered by Memphis soul spirit" description.
"#1 Record" is a mixture of ballads (notably `The Ballad Of El Goodo' and the gorgeous `Thirteen') and fiery pop-rock (`When My Baby's Beside Me', `Don't Lie To Me' and `In The Street' - the single mix of the latter is included here as a bonus). Other notable influences that can be heard in their output include The Band, The Byrds and Badfinger.
Despite some encouraging press, Stax's distribution system failed to get enough product to the shops and, even after Stax signed a deal with Columbia, the band got lost and the album stalled. With Bell gone, Alex Chilton, bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens then regrouped to record "Radio City".
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Big Star # 1 Record.
Big Star.
I Keep hearing the word "Underrated",perhaps this
could be because they were an average band,
with a couple of memorable songs.
It's U.S, M.O. Read more
I Keep hearing the word "Underrated",perhaps this
could be because they were an average band,
with a couple of memorable songs.
It's U.S, M.O. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Watch That Man
The first Big Star album...
Rating: 8/10
Best tracks: `Thirteen', `Feel', `In the Street', `The Ballad of el Goodo', `Give Me Another Chance', `St 110/6'
Big Star had a rotten run of... Read more
Best tracks: `Thirteen', `Feel', `In the Street', `The Ballad of el Goodo', `Give Me Another Chance', `St 110/6'
Big Star had a rotten run of... Read more
Published 13 months ago by New Gold Dreamer
Truly a #1 record
There are hundreds of "cult" bands that people tell you you should listen to. Most of them are pretty good. Some of them are great. A handful are really up there. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Alex T
masterpiece
possibly the greatest debut album ever. with the sad death of alex chilton maybe this will let people hear his genius at last.
Published on 25 Mar 2010 by Joseph Scotland
Good but not quite a classic
I bought this album on the premise that it was regarded as an unsung classic. Well, it almost is. The opening 3 tracks are totally blinding. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2009 by T. Ball
Music you just want to listen to
The saga of Big Star is fairly well known in inner circles by this point. Alex Chilton's various recordings after the band's demise are also beginning to surface to the delight of... Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2009 by Billy Cross
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