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90Artist: Big StarAlbum: Complete ThirdLabel: OmnivoreRelease Date: 10/14/2016
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Big StarComplete ThirdAlbum Reviews | December 6th, 2016
Big Star holds an almost mythical status inthe world of underground rock. Belovedfor the songwriting brilliance of AlexChilton and Chris Bell, the group’s soundwas rooted in the jangly pop of the Beatlesand the Byrds, but would break newground and had a tremendous influenceon R.E.M., Wilco, the Replacements, theJayhawks and many others. Though theynever gained the radio play or recognitionthey deserved, Big Star garnered a cultstatus that has only grown with time.
Drew DeNicola’s 2012 documentary,Nothing Can Hurt Me, brought theirunderdog story to the masses via Netflix.Now, Omnivore Recordings’ Big StarComplete Third provides another piece ofthe puzzle. With 69 tracks and 28previously unheard session recordings, thelistener gets the total picture. Expertlyproduced by Jim Dickinson, this collectionshines a light on the creative process byincluding demos, roughs and final masters. Extensive liner notes illuminate the innerworkings of Chilton’s fraying mind during the making of the record, while fans likeSteve Wynn (Dream Syndicate) and sometimes band member Ken Stringfellow (thePosies) provide insight into Big Star’s lasting impact.
With vocal and acoustic guitar stylings that recall George Harrison, “Stroke It Noel” has
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a loose rhythmic swagger offset by a tight, classical string section. Apparently areference to Chilton’s drug of choice, “Downs” begins with steel drums, Stonesy guitartwang, and plonking piano that is almost avant-garde. Chilton effectively captures allof Nico’s vocal fragility on the Velvet Underground’s “Femme Fatale.” Again channelingHarrison, “Thank You Friends” is a lovely pop tune augmented by female backgroundsingers that takes a turn for the weird with warbling vocal trills towards the end afterwhich Chilton can be heard remarking, “I did something wrong.”
Throughout the album, there is a sense of things becoming increasingly unhinged. Themood becomes even darker with the chronically depressing “Holocaust.” Chilton sings“Your eyes are almost dead, can’t get out of bed, and you can’t sleep. You’re sittingdown to dress, and you’re a mess. You look in the mirror.”
The band picks up the pace with “Jesus Christ,” perhaps the best Christian Rock songever, though it’s hard to know Chilton’s true intent given his state of mind. Excessivedrink and drugs were beginning to take their toll. Of the tunes he says, “I don’tremember much about writing any of them. I think the whole process was just kind ofautomatic, free association. If you take enough bad drugs and drink enough, you’regonna be writing some pretty strange music.”
Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” receives a proto-punk treatment thatthreatens to tear it apart at the seams. “Kangaroo” is a standout track that staggerslike a drunk about to fall face first. Of all this madness, writer Bud Scoppa recalls,
“Alex reacted to the commercial failure of the first two LPs by jettisoning much of whathad made them so beloved by those few who’d been exposed to their musicalalchemy.”
Chilton’s deliberate decision to incorporate controlled chaos into pop song structuresopened up new musical possibilities and paved the way for countless bands to come.While at times a challenging listen, Complete Third further explains what made Big Starso innovative and influential.
-Mike Cobb
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