Big Star's #1 Record (ALBUM OF THE WEEK #1)

[luney6]

All 8 members of the pop-rock group voted, and Big Star's #1 Record was selected as the album of the week, receiving 18 points. In this thread, post your opinion of the album. Lengthy opinionated reviews and arguments are welcome! Also, please post an average rating out of 100 along with the review, which I shall average at the end of the week. Till then, you can change your rating as many times as you like. People who haven't participated in the selection of this album, or the album of the week thread are also welcome to post. Also, if you haven't heard of this album, or aren't aware of its position on AM, please don't look it up until after you post the review, as that'll help us get your unbiased opinion.

Here are the scores that each album received:

1. Big Star - #1 Record - 18 (three 4s, two 2s, and two 1s)
2. the Smiths - the Queen is Dead - 17
3. the National - High Violet - 16
4. Weezer - Pinkerton - 16
5. Metallica - Master of Puppets - 16
6. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love - 15
7. Pixies - Doolittle - 15
8. the Decemberists - the Crane Wife - 14
9. Chvrches - the Bones of What you Believe - 14
10. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the edge of Town
11. R.E.M. - Murmur - 13
12. The Replacements - Let it Be - 13
13. David Bowie - the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - 13
14. Neil Young - Tonight's the Night - 12
15. Deerhunter - Halycon Digest - 10
16. the Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

[luney6]

I'll start by posting my review of the album:

Personally, I find the album to be a really catchy pop record, which, in a lot of ways is unique. I've come to learn that the album was breathtakingly original back when it was released. However, time has passed, and many other artists, likely influenced by them, seem to have beaten them at their own game. I'm thinking of R.E.M.(which had a different atmosphere, although) and the Stone Roses especially, among other jangle pop albums. On the other hand, Big Star themselves, on some song, especially the last one seem to be channeling the influence of bands like the Beatles before them. The overall atmosphere of the album is rather positive, and enticing. I'd say it is a solid pop record, my favorite by Big Star, that deserves at least an 75 from me, on an unbelievably strict ranking system.

My favorite songs on this are Feel and the India Song

[Pierre]

All 8 members of the pop-rock group voted, and Big Star's #1 Record was selected as the album of the week, receiving 18 points. In this thread, post your opinion of the album. Lengthy opinionated reviews and arguments are welcome! Also, please post an average rating out of 100 along with the review, which I shall average at the end of the week. Till then, you can change your rating as many times as you like. People who haven't participated in the selection of this album, or the album of the week thread are also welcome to post. Also, if you haven't heard of this album, or aren't aware of its position on AM, please don't look it up until after you post the review, as that'll help us get your unbiased opinion.

I suggest that people take this as suggestions, more than instructions. Some people here already know #1 Record's ranking, only want to discuss the albums and not necessarily rate them, and do not necessarily use a 100 points scale to rate albums

[luney6]

All 8 members of the pop-rock group voted, and Big Star's #1 Record was selected as the album of the week, receiving 18 points. In this thread, post your opinion of the album. Lengthy opinionated reviews and arguments are welcome! Also, please post an average rating out of 100 along with the review, which I shall average at the end of the week. Till then, you can change your rating as many times as you like. People who haven't participated in the selection of this album, or the album of the week thread are also welcome to post. Also, if you haven't heard of this album, or aren't aware of its position on AM, please don't look it up until after you post the review, as that'll help us get your unbiased opinion.

I suggest that people take this as suggestions, more than instructions. Some people here already know #1 Record's ranking, only want to discuss the albums and not necessarily rate them, and do not necessarily use a 100 points scale to rate albums

Yes of course.

[TimmyWing]

Good first choice! I'm gonna have to sit down and listen to the whole thing again to truly judge it, but in an mp3-era way of looking at the songs and seeing what I remember of them, you've got some classics here: "The Ballad of El Goodo" and "Give Me Another Chance" are amazing, and the last two songs make for a great ending. I would say, especially on this album, that I prefer Big Star's slower, more acoustic songs to their rocky power-pop cuts, although "Feel" and "In the Street" are still great. Then of course you have "Thirteen" which is easily one of my favourite songs of all time. Innocent but not naïve enough to neglect mentioning sexuality, there are so many things about it I love which I'll quickly outline here.

The symmetry of starting each verse with "Won't you...", making it yearning but not commanding in any way. The symmetry of ending each verse with a rhyme for "take you". The way the acoustic guitars mix together beautifully. The fact that it's set in the very real world, with people that go to school and the pool and listen to "Paint It, Black". The lines "Come inside where it's okay, and I'll shake you" and "Would you be an outlaw for my love?" are superficially nonsense, but that's what lends the song poetry. Oh, and multiple reviews I've read have mentioned how the song gradually speeds up as it goes along, which is technically true - accidental, perhaps, but you'd never notice it unless you were paying attention, so that also gives it some subliminal tension. It's just...aw, it's amazing.

[whuntva]

I'm actually glad our first selection is an album I never heard before. Isn't that kinda the point of this whole dog-and-pony-show?

I get real Zeppelin vibes from some the songs. "Don't Lie to Me" and "Feel" respectively. I like how these songs can be both heavy and soft on the album. It's just classic '60s ish pop.


You can just tell Alex Chilton is having the time of his life with this band. This is a fun album with some really great songs present.

[Live in Phoenix]

I originally acquired this maybe in the summer of ‘95 as part of a 2-for-1 CD with Radio City, after reading some glowing reviews by Rolling Stone and Spin. Between the 3 studio releases under Big Star’s name, neither publication put #1 Record at the top of the pack, but it quickly won me over and stands as my favorite. The album is more straightforward than Radio City. Maybe Chris Bell makes the difference?

The first half is strong. “The Ballad of El Goodo” was my #1 song of 1972 for a long time (until Jim Croce’s “Operator” just recently displaced it). Even though the harmonies obviously feel borrowed from the Byrds, the kind of thing I try to deduct points for so to speak, the chorus hits me hard anyway. “AIN’T no one gonna turn me ‘round.” That line fairly well sums up Big Star’s identity – even under better record company circumstances, I have no idea if their power pop would have been in step with the rest of 1972. The band had a bit of revenge long after the fact when “In the Street” became the opening theme of a TV comedy. The song actually makes me think of the later melancholy to come – “hanging out … not a thing to do” – that colors Radio City and completely swallows up Sister Lovers. Whenever I think of Big Star, I get the distinct image of a small group of friends wandering about at night, away from wherever the big activity is. So yet another song that sums them up well.

The second half is weaker in comparison, though it has its strong points. I’d call half the album great – El Goodo, In the Street, Thirteen, When My Baby’s Beside Me, My Life Is Right, Try Again – with the rest being good and a few songs I’m not that interested in. I don’t lump this in with my 5-star albums, but with the top grouping of my 4-star albums. (So, I guess, 4 ½ stars, or a 90.) Big Star don’t know that they’re flops yet, and I like the energy and simple pop of their first outing. Sounds like a hit record to me.

[BleuPanda]

I’m happy to see this made the cut, as it would have received my top vote if I was in the pop-rock group. That, however, isn’t to say it was my favorite; in fact, it was probably my least favorite. It’s always more interesting to re-explore the classics that never quite clicked than to discuss the ones you fully understand.

Big Star is a weird band for me. I know they’re considered a top act, but they don’t even register on my personal artist list, meaning not a single song or album by them places in either top 1000. As a few of the stats in the forum’s all-time song topic shows, I generally have some of the closest correlations both to the main AM list and the forum’s, so it’s always noteworthy when a band so unanimously loved in both places completely goes over my head. That’s not to say I hate Big Star; All three of their 70s records sit right outside that top 1000 zone. They are a band consistently bordering on greatness that never take the necessary steps.



On #1 Record by itself:
#1 Record opens stronger than it ends. Those first four tracks suggest a killer record that never takes off. “Feel” brings a powerful start; that opening guitar lick creates an eeriness that showcases the strange clash of style and message that permeates the rest of the album. It is the following three Chilton songs that really define the best the album has to offer. “The Ballad of El Goodo” slows the pace, a slightly melancholic track that still carries an uplifting feel that I associate with Big Star’s style. “In the Streets” is in the sad position of being more associated in my mind with a cheesy sitcom than the band it originates from, though I can easily see why such a track would be chosen for a show representing the 70s. It continues the trend of gleeful pop rock mixed with tragic thematics, a rather simple anthem for youth with nothing better to do. “Thirteen” is the much-discussed top track of the record, wonderfully painting a picture of youth. This song is perhaps the most emotionally straightforward of the introductory tracks, lacking the almost sarcastic dissonance of the track before. There is sincerity in this song that is never grandiose; as a listener, I feel a deep sense of nostalgia, even having never had such an experience. Romance is a concept oft-covered with rare success, but the raw emotion here wins out.

The following tracks are top of the line 70s pop-rock, but they never quite reach a higher level. With so many classic rock albums treated as essential, a record from that era must do something special to earn its place among those greats. It never quite experiments with the form. Perhaps a band has no reason to push the boundaries when they can master the form. In my personal experience, for a band to pull that off, I better be able to recall most of the tracks from memory; unfortunately, even “Thirteen” struggles to do so. Of all bands exploring the same style, why does this one get so much attention?

Perhaps it is my own expectations that are failing me. This specific style feels so familiar that nothing has quite reached the classic level for me; I might need to step back and realize Big Star is the definitive act in a genre I take for granted.

Rating: 7.8/10 (up from 7.5 before the most recent listen)




After going through and writing all this, I do feel a bit stronger about the album, especially “Thirteen.” I should consider adding “Thirteen” to my top 1000 songs, but #1 Record comes just short (with my numerical ratings, a 9/10 is in my top 250 and 8/10 is my top 1000). Still, this is probably a sign I should give another listen to Radio City and Sister Lovers.

[ordinaryperson]

#1 Record was an album that didn't sell a lot back when it came out. It's hard to tell why; the sound of the album fits in with The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, in fact it feels like it might've been influenced by Led Zeppelin IV with it's blend of hard rock and almost folk style music. And on the tracks "The Ballad of El Goodo" and "The India Song" seem to have an influence by The Beatles.

Those first four tracks suggest a killer record that never takes off.

I feel this way about the album too. Although I would say the first side is the best part of the album. I'm not a big fan of the lyrics on this album especially on the track "When My Baby's Beside Me" which is written like a throw away pop song. Over all it's a moderate album, not something I would recommend or something I would tell you to stay away from.
Favorite Track(s): "Feel", "The India Song"
Least Favorite Track: "When My Baby's Beside Me"

Final Ranking: 65/100

[Jirin]

It's hard for me to sort out my feelings on #1 Record because I didn't hear it until I had heard the 70s Show theme song (In The Street) several dozen times. And that's a show that I enjoyed in the first season but that soured on me quickly even though I kept giving it a chance, so my emotions for #1 Record get mixed up and conflated with my feelings about That 70s Show.

Nonetheless, it's a solid catchy pop rock album at the exact center of what you would call the '70s rock sound' (Maybe why they chose it for the TV show). It's always floating around #500 or so on my best albums of all time list. It never climbs up any higher or falls any lower. But while it's fun to listen to, most of the songs aren't all that memorable after a few minutes. I always enjoy listening to it but other than the aforementioned theme song I have trouble remembering any of the songs on it. The songs are well constructed and well produced but lack the intangible quality of 'Specialness' that defines truly great rock music. The melodies are endearing but the lyrics and feel all seem custom tailored to popular youth culture at a specific period in time, and thus a unique voice never emerges. The music feels locked in its own time rather than being universal to the human experience, and music like that tends to have a short expiration date.

Rating: 84/100.

[Listyguy]

It's hard for me to sort out my feelings on #1 Record because I didn't hear it until I had heard the 70s Show theme song (In The Street) several dozen times. And that's a show that I enjoyed in the first season but that soured on me quickly even though I kept giving it a chance, so my emotions for #1 Record get mixed up and conflated with my feelings about That 70s Show.

Wasn't the Big Star version of the song only used for season 1 though? Didn't It switch to Cheap Trick after that? Maybe that had an influence on your opinion of the show

[Pierre]

I'll be experimenting an unnecessarily complicated evaluation system for this review, and if I'm satisfied with it I may stick to it.

I do know that all of Big Star's albums are considered groundbreaking, but I have to say that personally I think "#1 Record" benefits a lot from their legacy and the narrative of Alex Chilton's career for it's an album that very strongly relies on their influences. In fact, it sounds to me as if it was 60s British pop-rock (channeling the Beatles in particular in composition and use of harmonies, with touches of mod rock like on "Don't Lie to Me" or "My Life Is Right") played with Byrds-esque guitars - maybe that's the exact point that makes the album so groundbreaking in the first place, I can't say.

There are several characteristics that do give an identity to the album though; first-of-all the emotional contrast featured on the album: the album is divided between very moody, almost melancholic tracks on complicated relationships and spirituality as a mean to escape human weaknesses (basically the Chilton-led songs) and fierce rockers (mainly the Bell songs). The album does hold together well however, finding its unity more in its sound, composition and the quality of the performance (aside from "The India Song" which sounds a bit like an out-of-place novelty track, the one I like the least) than in its lyrics which, aside from varying in the summoned mood, are also ranging from framing for the upbeat tracks ("Don't Lie to Me", "Feel", "My Life Is Right") to the more elaborate and evocative of "The Ballad of El Goodo" or "Give Me Another Chance" (a few rhymes seem somewhat laborious though - "I've been looking for to find Something to believe in my mind" for instance, but they are the exception more than the rule) to the pedestrian (the George Harrison-esque "Try Again" or "ST 100/6").

The production is quite clean and pop-oriented on most of the tracks (the influence of Chris Bell, said Chilton), although it doesn't dilute the energy of the rockers. Aside from "The India Song" again, there aren't real missteps on this aspect, although the mimicking of the Beatles sometimes goes to far and gets in the way of originality, like on "Try Again" which sounds too much like an "All Things Must Pass" outtake. As many pointed out already, however, the track sequence is unbalanced, with most of the strongest tracks being piled up on Side A, which diminishes somewhat the impact of the album when reaching the end, although "ST 100/6" is a good closer with a beautiful melody that strengthens the lyrics it carries.

Overall, it's a really solid record, but not as innovative to me as some say. Its interest primarily lies in its mood and the performance of the band, which is really passionate, the guys were really pouring their heart in it. Although Bell is a good lead for the fierce rockers he chose to perform, it's true that the broken voice of Chilton is chilling, so different from his raspy performances with the Box Tops, and although it's unfair to forget Bell's contribution, especially given his involvement in the production, it's no surprise that indie circles primarily remember Chilton's legacy. His moody numbers leave a longer-lasting impression in the end, at least to me.

Lyrics: 7.5 (vary in quality but most do the job for a pop record)
Music: 8 (strong melodies throughout with only occasional genius moments, although I don't like "The India Song")
Originality: 7 (their influences are too present to deserve a higher mark, but they're channeled well)
Performance: 9.5 (they could hardly get any better than they did)
Production: 9 (very effective overall, with enough muscles on the rockers and emotion on the slower tracks)

Total: 8.2

[GucciLittlePiggy]

Number of listens: 4

4. Thirteen
2. The Ballad of El Goodo
11. Watch the Sunrise
1. Feel
3. In the Street
12. ST 100/6
8. My Life Is Right
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
5. Don't Lie to Me
9. Give Me Another Chance
6. The India Song
10. Try Again

This was my first time listening to this album and was also my introduction to Big Star altogether. I really enjoyed the record, so I'm quite excited for their other releases which many seem to think are better. As for many, Chilton was at the helm of my favorite tracks, but for the most part I thought Bell's rockers were better than Chilton's ("When My Baby's Beside Me"). Two of Chilton's tracks get extra love from me anyway simply because I've known them for a long while. This album's lyrics didn't do much for me, but I put lyrics toward the bottom as far as my priorities go in music. I very much appreciate great lyrics and songs that have them surely get a boost from me, while poor lyrics can drag a whole song down. In this case, though, the lyrics were just good enough to not draw focus away from the music which, aside from the Replacements, is the best power pop I've heard. The energy from Bell, the sincerity in Chilton's voice on the ballads, and the kind of jangly guitars were the key points of interest. Unfortunately, I feel pretty indifferent to the last two songs in my ranking above. "The India Song" takes me out of the album a bit, which is never a great thing. I don't think it's a bad track but I keep thinking it's a b-side from The Village Green Preservation Society. And "Try Again" was just purely ho-hum.

overall score: 83
all-time ranking: 257 (new entry)

I've never been a huge fan of aggregating scores for albums because of how different everyone's scoring system is. I mean, Jirin gave the album a 84 but based on his comments I think I'm much more enthusiastic about the record while only giving it a 83. (I should admit, however, that I did use Metacritic a lot for recommendations before discovering this site and I keep an eye on Megacritic now.)

[luney6]

Number of listens: 4

This was my first time listening to this album and was also my introduction to Big Star altogether.

I am really happy to find that you've been able to discover a new artist, that you've liked, by this means. I hope that other people who've not heard the album yet will listen to it, and offer their feedback as well.

And thank you everyone else for participating.

[Nick]

I really, really, really want to add my thoughts because this is the album I nominated and an album I love. But sadly, graduate school is kicking my ass right now, and it looks like I might not be able to

[notbrianeno]

I was excited to give this a listen, as I had never heard a Big Star record in full, but really love "Thirteen" and "September Gurls." Unfortunately, I found Chris Bell's songs to be a major negative of the album, often sounding like lackluster imitations of Paul McCartney's bluesier contributions to Let It Be. I feel his vocals are also both very forced and very faceless.

Luckily, Alex Chilton comes to the rescue with a stone-cold classic in "Thirteen," as well as handful of other good tracks like "The Ballad of El Goodo" and "The India Song". His clear, crisp vocals were a big positive for me, equally suited for a touching ballad or a 70s FM rocker like "When My Baby's Beside Me". I thought the guitar work for the most part was great, which is no surprise considering how much I love that style of bright guitar tone.

OVERALL SCORE: 65

I thought this was a solid album. I'll always be a huge fan of "Thirteen," and the aforementioned Chilton tracks will get some spins, but I can't imagine myself eager to listen to the album as a whole in the near future. Like I said before, Bell really brings down the record as a songwriter and vocalist in my opinion. Wouldn't stop me from exploring their discography in the future however.

[Honorio]

If I find time I'll try to comment on the albums of the week including some regular items (packaging, context, songwriting, production, Top 3 songs and rating) and some other items that can be added in particular cases. Probably in many cases I won't be able to post my comments during the "week" but I'll try to do some catch-up later. If I can…


1. Big Star - #1 Record



Packaging (name and cover art)
A kinda neon rebus on the band's name, a neon sign with the word "big" inside a star, simple but effective. And a title, "#1 Record" (that doesn't appear on the cover), obviously related with the fact that it was the first album of the band but that maybe hinted at the possibility of being #1 on the charts. Poor guys, they never got to #1 (it fact they sold fewer than 10,000 copies), they never made it big, they never were stars. And that takes us to the second point, the…

Context
Alex Chilton met abruptly with success early on his career, his very first professional recording (Box Tops' "The Letter") was a worldwide smash hit when he was only sixteen. After the disbanding of The Box Tops, tired of being cheated by managers, lawyers and promoters as a teen band, Alex Chilton returned to his hometown, Memphis. There he joined Ice Water, the band of Chris Bell, an old friend of his (both shared their love for British pop music, especially for the Fab Four), Andy Hummel and Jody Stephens. After changing their name to Big Star they became the most significant band of a particular Memphis scene created around Ardent Studios, "a Mecca for eccentrics and oddballs who didn't fit in musically with the popular perceptions of Memphis music, (…) for all these young disenfranchised Anglophiles, (…) a bunch of Memphis boys trying so hard to sound British and be so devoid of any indigenous musical elements." (1)
During the early 70s no one else seemed interested anymore in 3 minute pop songs combining pop melody and rock nerve following the Beatles-Byrds-Kinks tradition. "Most attention was being paid to increasingly ambitious (and complicated) rock production and politically conscious lyric-writing, as well as the newly burgeoning singer/songwriter genre" (2) and pop bands like Big Star were probably seen as old stuff too reminiscing of the (recent) 60s. This fact, united to problems with the label, a then disintegrating Stax that made a poor promotion and distribution of their first album ("fans were unable to buy it as Stax could not make it available in many stores," 3) made the band an act completely ignored at the time. Big Star quickly disintegrated, with Bell leaving after the first album, Hummel after the second and Chilton and Stephens disbanding after a third album that was not going to be released until 4 years later.
But the sound the band created during his brief lifespan ("their inspired mixture of sixities pop, powered interplay and irrestible melody," 4) was the cornerstone of Power Pop style and foreshadowed many of the sounds that dominated the Alternative Rock scenes of the 80s and 90s. R.E.M.'s Peter Buck once stated that "Big Star served as a Rosetta Stone for a whole generation of musicians," The Replacements named one of their songs "Alex Chilton" as a tribute and bands like Teenage Fanclub modelled their sound on the Memphis band. Big Star became the quintessential cult band (after The Velvet Underground obviously). At least (and at last) they finally became alternative big stars.

Songwriting
About the lyrics on the album please let me simply add some quotes taken from the Internet: "The songs are pure teen frustration and boy-girl heartache: lyrically, hanging out ("In The Street"), bust-ups ("Don't Lie to Me"), parents ("Thirteen") and the Vietnam draft ("The Ballad of El Goodo") loom large. Permeating the music, no matter how poignant or melodic, is a sense of dread." (5) "The record reflects a small-town, adolescent mindset. The attitude of the album oscillates between "Who gives a s—-?" and "I really give a s—-." One minute, singer Alex Chilton is pouring out his soul and apologizing to God in an all-is-lost sort of way, and in the next he's singing, "Wish we had a joint so bad." Whether intentional or not, I found this to be an accurate representation of the teenage moral and emotional state." (6) Maybe Jirin is right and the lyrical themes are not universal enough but I prefer to think like Micah Loewinger: "This album is timeless: it cuts deep to a time and place that everyone can relate to." (6)
About the songwriting (in the music department) we find two different songwriters, Chris Bell and Alex Chilton, although some songs are collaborative efforts. Well, three if we include Andy Hummel, the writer of "The India Song," probably the lowest point on the album (although maybe we should'nt be too harsh on him when it's his only credit as a sole songwriter ever). Despite the common belief that assign to Chilton the role of Lennon and to Bell the role of McCartney the distribution of the songwriting here does not seem to fully confirm it. Or well Bell decided to impersonate the rocker-side of McCartney because he was responsible for most of the fiery tracks ("Try Again" was his only ballad on the album), while almost all the acoustic ballads fall on Chilton's side. Anyway they complement each other perfectly, the A-side of the original album alternating Bell rockers and Chilton ballads work wonders.

Production (and playing)
And now let me add my personal experience. When I began to compile "best-of" lists (that was even before discovering the wonderful Henrik's site) I saw the album "Radio City" on many lists (now it's "Sister Lovers" their most acclaimed album). I bought the Big Beat compilation CD with the two first albums because of "Radio City" but I got hooked on the first album instead. I included it in my all-time Top 100 and that was the comment I wrote for the AM albums poll of 2007: "Critics tend to prefer the tortured albums, the records that show the internal turmoil of the artist. That's why the most acclaimed albums of Big Star are the second and the third. But what's wrong with Big Star first album? It's an awesome piece of music filled with pop gems and rock tracks, with Californian harmonies and shouted harsh voices, with naturally played acoustic and electric guitars."
But what's got to do the last paragraph with production and playing? Well, I'm aware that a big part of the appeal (and the influence) of Big Star are the guitars. The power chords, the jangle playing and the clean but crispy sound, all this comes mainly on the second album (the electric guitars on "Back of a Car" or "September Gurls" could be good examples). The first album was a much more rehearsed and polished affair, probably thanks to the Chris Bell involvement (the following albums commanded by Chilton were increasingly erratic, not to mention his solo career). But it was precisely the meticulous but energetic playing, the attention to sonic detail the thing that attracted me so much, the "ethereal-yet-strained upside-down harmonies and angular playing that accompanied the self-absorbed lyrics" (1) and the "glorious mesh of British-influenced pop, Los Angeles-styled harmonies, taut edginess and studio expertise." (5)
Apart of the guitars, an special mention to the vocal harmonies by Chilton, Bell and Stephens (on the live albums without Bell you can listen how Jody Stephens harmonized very well while playing the drums). Jody Stephens (the only original member still alive) is a very good drummer too and his tight playing was a capital part of the band's sound.
Also capital was the engineering and executive production of John Fry, head of Ardent Studios and Ardent Records. In my opinion the best recorded acoustic guitars ever are in this album, the sound of the acoustic guitars during the solo on "Thirteen" is absolutely amazing.

Top 3 songs

1. Thirteen (Bell-Chilton) 2:38
My #90 favourite song of all-time and a masterful ballad about the innocence of the first love. Cradled by crystalline-sounding acoustic guitars, the song features an interesting crescendo on the lyrics. The 13-year-old narrator begins cautious, insecure and tender on the first verse with "Won't you let me walk you home from school / Won't you let me meet you at the pool / Maybe Friday I can get tickets to the dance / And I'll take you, ooh." On the second verse the narrator gains confidence, shows his rebellious side (probably the kid is a rocker not too appreciated by the girl's dad) and suggests the girl to get rid of her family and even dares to hint at some sex: "Won't you tell your dad 'Get off my back' / Tell him what we said 'bout "Paint It Black" / Rock & roll is here to stay / Come inside girl, it's OK / And I'll shake you." But the third verse "introduces a darker element (…), with the singer accepting that his crush may not love him back" (6): "Would you be an outlaw for my love? / If it's so, well, let me know / If it's 'no,' well, I can go / I won't make you." According to Bill Janovitz, "the gentle guitar picking on "Thirteen" can be heard audibly quickening in tempo after the song's instrumental bridge. Whether by design or by accident, the effect is to add even more nervous tension to the third verse, wherein the narrator asks for a decision from the girl." (7).
Some reviewers had taken this darker element much further: "But if the protagonist of 'Thirteen' is of a similar age, why must the girl be "an outlaw" for them to be together? Why is he asking the girl to tell her Dad to "get off my back"? His invitation to meet her "at the pool" is the kind of thing you’re warned about at school." (8) I obviously prefer the "innocent" hypothesis.
Two masterful production details: the pristine equalization of the acoustic guitars during the solo (as mentioned before) and the backing vocals sounding like waves (run through a rotating Leslie speaker).

2. The Ballad of El Goodo (Bell-Chilton) 4:18
After that sweet ballad with only acoustic guitars and voice let's go to a power ballad with the complete band in full gear. A song about overcoming that includes some religious tones ("at my side is God") and even "takes as its refrain a line from an old spiritual-- "There ain't no one going to turn me 'round"-- which had become locally prominent as a civil rights slogan." (9) Too many things to highlight here: a wonderful chord sequence (love this A chord on the word "odds"), an excellent interplay of guitars (a rhythm guitar with a flanger or phasing effect and a 12-string acoustic guitar as the basis, with additional guitars punctuating some moments with hard strums or jangly arpeggios), an splendid bridge (love this "hold on" part), superb "ethereal-but-restrained" harmonies and a great work from the rhythm section (special mention to Jody Stephens' drum fills). Gorgeous.

3. My Life Is Right (Bell-Eubanks) 3:05
The first two were easy choices but not the third. I could have well included a third Chilton ballad (the sublime "Give Me Another Chance") but I could not do this to Chris Bell. And which song should I select? "In the Street" or "Don't Lie to Me" featured a lot of songwriting input from Alex Chilton. So I've chosen a song that Bell even recorded with his band Rock City in 1971 with an arrangement almost indentical to the one released by Big Star a year later. This previous recording shows that the Power Pop sound of Big Star was mainly Bell's idea. Sadly his problems with drugs and alcohol and his struggle with depression (that ended with him entering the infamous 27 Club after his death in 1978) truncated what could have been a promising career.

Rating: 90/100, my #79 favourite album of all-time

References:
1. Rick Clark, "Third/Sister Lovers" CD liner notes, Rykodisc, 1992
2. Bill Janovitz, review of "In the Street" for AllMusic, 2009
3. Jeremy Simmonds, "The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars," Chicago Review Press, 2008
4. Brian Hogg, "#1 Record/Radio City" CD liner notes, Big Beat, 1986
5. Tom Pinnock, "Big Star: What’s Going Ahn," Uncut, 2012
6. Micah Loewinger, "You've Never Heard Big Star's '#1 Record'?!," NPR, 2011
7. Bill Janovitz, review of "Thirteen" for AllMusic, 2009
8. NME Blog, "9 Creepy Pop Lyrics You'd Never Get Away With Today," NME, 2012
9. Stephen M. Deusner, review of "#1 Record/Radio City," Pitchfork, 2009

[Pierre]

awesome stuff, as usual

Ladies and gents, Honorio did it again. Always such a delight to read, and dwarfing everyone else. Thanks a bunch Honorio

It's been a great thread to read so far, although it turned out to be more a reviews aggregation than a real discussion, but all posts were worth reading! The most interesting parts were the divisions between people who liked the Chris Bell tunes more and those like me who were more inclined toward the Chilton tracks, and more surprisingly between the pro and anti-"India Song". I personally don't get this one at all, but it seems to have its supporters. It shows how tastes vary between people.

Also, I agree with Honorio's opinion that the intended Lennon-McCartney collaboration mimicking doesn't reflect that much in the final product, as Chris Bell's songs are often very different from Chilton's. I didn't bring it up but I'm glad someone else did, because it comforts me in my opinion. But I agree also that the whole product feels, well, like a whole, despite its shortcomings. I was unaware that Chris Bell was a member of the 27 Club, as I didn't push my exploration for my review this far, but now I feel a bit sad for him, although I believe that his songwriting was weaker than Chilton's, he showed enthusiasm in his singing and talent as a producer, and probably deserved better. The reviews for his lone album, "I Am the Cosmos", seem to indicate that he matured a lot between "#1 Record" and the former, so I think I will have to give it a spin.

[JWinton]

As I'm new to this I won't be going into much detail but thought I'd give a few words on what I think. If it wasn't for the recommendation this probably would've been one of those albums that I'd never get round to listen to but I actually found it a really great listen. "Feel" is a great opener which really gets you in the mood for the rest of the record though Big Star are best in the slower tracks like "Thirteen" and "The Ballad Of El Goodo" for me. I'm expecting "Thirteen" to do well when I finish off my all time rankings for songs.

Rating: 82/100

Looking forward to the avant-garde selection, where I'll give a full review

[Sweepstakes Ron]

First-time listen, and I'm definitely on the Chilton side. Bell's tracks lean a bit too close to "generic radio rock" for me. "Thirteen" definitely strikes a chord with me, maybe not because I relate to it, but because I feel so isolated from these feelings that I have once longed for... or do I still long for them? Anyway, I'd be very happy to re-listen to this soon. I can't believe the guy singing "Thirteen" is the same guy who sang "The Letter" 5 years prior.

[luney6]

Average Score: 80.6

[TimmyWing]

Damn, I'd been listening to this album all week but I completely forgot to come back and rate it!

Basically, this is a killer album - a smorgasbord of moods and classic rock styles. For me, I can only ever think of it in the shadow of Radio City and Third/Sister Lovers (which for future reference I'd give a 9.4 and a perfect 10 respectively), but as I stated before, there are many songs here that are indispensible. Upon listening again, there are outstanding musical moments in songs I previously thought generic or dull (the saxophones coming in on "Feel"; the fantastic guitar runs on "When My Baby's Beside Me"), and musically the whole thing is brilliant. Lyrically, okay - it's easy to have qualms with the album. Personally, I think some of the lyrics are Big Star at their most direct. Later on their turns of phrase became more surreal, but here the lyrics are quite understandable, if a little basic.

It's interesting how divisive "The India Song" is here - it's a favourite for some people? Who knew. Personally I'd agree with those who think it's the worst off the album, as it sticks out like a sore thumb stylistically. BUT the sentiment is a relatable one! Yeah, who wouldn't like to be in India, just lazing about and sipping gin and tonics with the sun shining down? It's a nice thought, and the song isn't really a dud at all. The songwriting and performances are just so consistently great on this album that "The India Song" falls short just a bit. While it is a shame #1 Record didn't fulfil the prophecy of its title, what would've happened if it did? Would this incarnation of the band have stayed together longer? Could they then have ever made something as unconventional, as chaotic as Third/Sister Lovers? The anti-commercial bent of that album is what makes me adore it so much. That said, whether it's in hindsight or not, this is a wonderful album, and one I'll cherish just as much as Big Star's other works.

Rating: 8.7

[Honorio]

I'm surprised to see that many of you never heard "#1 Record" before. Definitely there is a generational shift in the Forum. So probably there will be many more surprises for many of you (of us), especially in the Avant-Garde, Jazz and Classical groups.

I really, really, really want to add my thoughts because this is the album I nominated and an album I love. But sadly, graduate school is kicking my ass right now, and it looks like I might not be able to

Well, why not? Luney6 has the last word on this but I hope everyone could add their thoughts later, I suppose it's not necessary to do it during the week.

Always such a delight to read, and dwarfing everyone else. Thanks a bunch Honorio.

Many thanks, Pierre, you're so kind. But I can't agree with you about the "dwarfing." Every review was interesting in his own way because it carried your personal opinions, I learned a lot from them. It just happened that this first week features an album I absolutely love and moreover I did some research on it and included some quotes.

I was unaware that Chris Bell was a member of the 27 Club, as I didn't push my exploration for my review this far, but now I feel a bit sad for him, although I believe that his songwriting was weaker than Chilton's, he showed enthusiasm in his singing and talent as a producer, and probably deserved better. The reviews for his lone album, "I Am the Cosmos", seem to indicate that he matured a lot between "#1 Record" and the former, so I think I will have to give it a spin.

It sounds a lot like the equivalent of "Third," the sound of a soul falling apart. But in my opinion it lacks the brilliance of Big Star's third album, even having some peaks like "You and Your Sister" (Bell's own "Thirteen").

[luney6]

I really, really, really want to add my thoughts because this is the album I nominated and an album I love. But sadly, graduate school is kicking my ass right now, and it looks like I might not be able to

Well, why not? Luney6 has the last word on this but I hope everyone could add their thoughts later, I suppose it's not necessary to do it during the week.

Yes, I think that's all right. Maybe every 10 new ratings I'll revise the aggregate score.

[Pierre]

I really, really, really want to add my thoughts because this is the album I nominated and an album I love. But sadly, graduate school is kicking my ass right now, and it looks like I might not be able to

Well, why not? Luney6 has the last word on this but I hope everyone could add their thoughts later, I suppose it's not necessary to do it during the week.

Yes, I think that's all right. Maybe every 10 new ratings I'll revise the aggregate score.

luney6, maybe you should do a history thread, like for the Acclaimed Music Forum Chart, where you would post links to each album of the week. This way we can keep track of the albums already nominated, and people can go back and add their thoughts if the thread sinks in the meantime.

[luney6]

luney6, maybe you should do a history thread, like for the Acclaimed Music Forum Chart, where you would post links to each album of the week. This way we can keep track of the albums already nominated, and people can go back and add their thoughts if the thread sinks in the meantime.

OK. I'll do that.

Edit: I am unsure as to how I should hyperlink the text itself to the page. I tried to do it the way you do it with html, but it doesn't work. Does anyone know what I can do? I'll edit the post after I find out.

[luney6]

The average score has changed.