Keep An Eye on the Sky.. [Box set, Original recording remastered]

I'll get the one (minor) gripe I have with this collection over first, and that is this: when I bought the title from Amazon, it arrived somewhat flattened - the outer slipcase is a bit on the flimsy side for a four CD set and a sumptuous booklet. For over £40, I expected something a little more substantial. Beef over, it must be said that 'Keep An Eye on The Sky' does so much more than yoke together the Big Star recorded oeuvre. It's an excellent collection that enthrals and entertains, and because of the presence of many demo recordings and alternate takes of the bands' material, shows how songs were ultimately finessed and tweaked into the aural majesty that was their first two albums. The 'difficult' third album always divides opinion, but its rather more subdued and at times blurred contents makes for a stimulating contrast to the earlier stuff. The superior sound quality means that the rich meshing of the guitars is even more defined, chords ring and clang, acoustic guitars are crisp but resonant, and the bottom end has more presence. The great stuff is still great; the bonuses are pre-Big Star recordings which reveal in places a great debt to Revolver era Beatles, but much is there that would be refined and honed in Big Star.

Big Star is a project that Alex Chilton has come back to from time to time when he needs a few bob from a tour. He rarely speaks about anything these days, let alone Big Star, but 'Keep An Eye On The Sky' tells you all you'll need to know about Big Star, and that's plenty enough.

The first time I stumbled across Big Star I was certain there had been a printing error. It said 1972. This cannot be, I thought. The sound is so crystal clear and the music so fresh and powerful that this just cannot have originated from the early 70s. Even the band members didn't look like they were of those times. When I learned there was no printing error I still found it hard to believe I was hearing something that was created almost 40 years ago. Through the years indulging my musical passion I have heard Big Star namechecked by so many artists, most noticeably The Replacements, and covered by others, most noticeably The Bangles. Having always been a sucker for a punchy, clear and precise sounding hook I knew I had to check out Big Star and duly acquainted myself with No.1 record and Radio City. I cannot remember how many times I have played these albums but I know it's many and their consistent ability to move me never dwindles. As soon as I learned of this box set, and knowing that the involvement of Rhino would ensure its quality, I was intrigued. How could a band who never enjoyed huge success financially or commercially be viable for a project like this? 4CDs is a lot to fill. Sure enough though, Rhino have pulled of one of the finest collections in their history bringing together pre-Big Star recordings, key album tracks, unreleased and alternative versions as well as a whole CD devoted to a fine sounding live performance that was supposedly made on a bad day (not that you would realise this). Put this together with a wonderfully researched book containing an intro from John Fry, founder of Ardent, as well as photos, recording notes and all the facts you need to know. Ardent Studios were ahead of their time technically and the Big Star recordings have often been described as some of the best sounding of the 70s. I'd go a bit further and say they are of the best sounding ever! The dynamics and intricacy of the performances are as pure as they can get. They are the utmost joy to listen to and surely a lesson to those in the music industry who continue to compress and distort modern music. This is how music should sound. Rhino have employed the talents of their long-standing mastering studios, Digiprep to ensure the sound is treated with the respect it deserves. The result is tremendous with even the earliest of the recordings sounding full and natural. Only the SACD of the first two albums betters this but that is purely down to the format and not the mastering itself and not a great amount of people will have the facilities to play SACD.
The music itself is a mixture of radio-friendly power pop and acoustic forays into heart wrenching and emotional balladry. Beatlesque melodies and intricate layering of sound. These guys knew how to use the studio to create and enhance. The drums are one of the key elements of the music. They are nothing short of momentous and really drive the sound. So rare to hear a backbeat as powerful as this.
The tracks from the era following Radio City show a man (in the form of Alex Chilton) really losing his desire to create. There are few moments of inspiration and instead a sound of someone falling apart musically. They are worthy of inclusion because they are a key part of the BIg Star story but they do not leave an impression in the way the earlier recordings do.
The live CD is a truly wonderful performance. No tricks, nothing false. It's proof that they had the ability to recreate the sound in a live setting and this fine example is enough to convince you that maybe if they had not suffered the curse of the music industry they may just have been huge. They weren't but this only goes to prove that you don't have to be huge to be legendary. Big Star are legendary and their influence continues. Those early REM albums (when Stipe had hair) are the only example you need to know to realise how important Big Star were.
The story of Big Star is a tragic one, not only because they were cruelly robbed of their chances by an incapable distribution network but because Chris Bell, bitterly disappointed by the failure, did not live to see the recognition he deserved finally come to pass. This boxset is a tribute to him and to Alex Chilton who could have done so much more with his ear for a melody and attention to detail.
I cannot recommend this boxset enough. Don't even think twice.
Agree with the previous reviewer about the packaging. Mine too arrived slightly squashed. Amazon need to address this as it's a costly product.

I can't fault this collection at all - anyone familiar with Big Star will know what to expect and it does not let you down, the fact that there are so many unreleased gems (even if many are remixes/alternate takes rather than undiscovered songs) means it's far more than just a repackage of the 3 70s LPs. I say I can't fault it, and for what it is I can't, BUT it still isn't the whole story and I foresee a time when a proper box set with everything on it will arrive at which point this masterpiece will seem redundant. There are other live concerts out there, some released (the rykodisc 'live' set from radio, the 'nobody can dance' cd ) then there's the high quality bootleg of Cambridge Mass 74, plus many from the more recent incarnation, and there are earlier radio sessions like the one from 3rd lp era memphis (rough, but important) - then there are more Icewater tracks, the whole Rock City CD, The belated Chris Bell LP, many more demos that appeared on the 'Whats going aahn" bootleg (and several that didn't), Eubanks era stuff - the list goes on.... even film of the original four piece has appeared on you-tube, and the 'nobody can dance' gig was filmed too, let alone the more recent memphis dvd. It would be possible to compile something like a ten or more CD box set without too much trouble. I guess it's down to completism versus a taster, but when one goes to this amount of trouble and care (and Rhino cannot be faulted on this, its wonderfully done, cover notwithstanding) it seems to me one may as well go the whole hog - the full band studio 'motel blues', the electric 'alligator man' 'another time another place' the Lesa Aldridge single... I could go on - they all deserve a proper release in a context like this. Of course this is great, not a poor song on it and many many absolute treasures amongst the rarities but there is so much more out there - maybe a second volume eh????

And I'm not surprised Chilton gets sick and tired of having to talk about this stuff - his solo output (and that with the panther burns) is so rich in itself that its like Dylan having to play 'blowing in the wind' nearly 50 years on - except nobody much heard Big Star first time around! On the rare occasions he has written a new song recently they have all been superb and he never fails to give a unique twist to the beauties he unearths from elsewhere (Patti Girl? - the collaboration with Teenage Fanclub should be here too!) - give him a chance to grow outside the shadow of Big Star... Someone should give him a proper budget and leave the Boxtops reunions for fun rather than necessity.... I hope this set makes them all rich!