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Big Star: Live-r Than They Ever Were
by Doug Collette
In recent years, the cult of personality surrounding power-pop pioneers Big Star has reached near-obsessive levels. Between band reissues large and small, tribute concerts and archiving of the solo work of its principals, Alex Chilton and the late Chris Bell, the devotion of the fan base has isn't likely to subside anytime soon either, so it's only natural that additional archiving work continues apace. Yet it would be a shame if these two live releases were lost in the shuffle: ...
read moreBig Star: The Best of Big Star
by Doug Collette
The Best of Big Star might be the ideal introduction to the greatest 'never was but shoulda been' band of all time. Not nearly so extensive or lavishly packaged as Keep An Eye on the Sky (Rhino, 2009) or Third Complete (Omnivore, 2016), the quick succession of sixteen tracks, a half-dozen of which are rare single edits of album tracks, presents Big Star not only as a great band of players, but ingenious songwriters and recording artists willing to experiment ...
read moreBig Star: Complete Third
by Doug Collette
In perusing the credits of the Big Star's Complete Third box set, it may be puzzling to notice only the names of original members guitarist/vocalist/composer Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens, plus, almost as prominently, producer of the Ardent Studios Memphis sessions, Jim Dickinson. And the notation of baroque strings and horns may well seem contrary, at least at first, to the Beatles/Byrds influences ( as self-conscious as they sometimes sounded) duly noted by esteemed rock writer and music lover ...
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