"…Finest In The World…"
If you can't get your grubby
paws on the April 2004 'Hybrid SACD' release of both 'No. 1 Record" and
"Radio City" by BIG STAR (2LPs onto 1CD - see separate review) – a
stunning audio treat on Stax/Fantasy/Universal SXSA-60025-6 (Barcode
025218732369) that also contains a standard CD layer – then opt for the
Universal/Concord Music Group 2009 stand-alone CD reissues.
Each carries a very
reasonable price tag, half-decent liner notes from the Editor of the superb
Zig-Zag Magazine and uber-fan KRIS NEEDS (a six-leaf inlay) and best news of
all - that same awesome audio done by GEORGE HORN at George Horn Mastering in
California. They even sport a relevant bonus track.
If you're a newcomer - you've
probably heard of their legend - or clapped your ears on one of their ballads
that frequent so many Indie movies as badge of cool (like say Nick Drake or
Patti Smith). Musically – it beggars belief even now that BIG STAR famously
didn’t fare well at the box office – barely scraping above chart position No.
400 on initial release in 1972 and 1974. Their record company suffered
distribution problems (Stax was on the wind-down) and even knowledgeable record
stores found it hard to procure copies. Years after its release - it was still
something of a hushed collectable. Like so many hard-luck stories of bands that
'should have been huge' - BIG STAR really were the very definition of
'criminally overlooked'. Here are the big details for the CD reissue of their
wonderful debut album "No. 1 Record"...
USA released 14 September
2009 – "No. 1 Record" by BIG STAR on Universal/Fantasy/Concord Music
Group, Inc. 0888072315730 (Barcode 888072315730) features 2004 Remastering, a
Bonus Track and plays out as follows (40:01 minutes).
1. Feel
2. The Ballad Of El Goodo
3. In The Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don't Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch The Sunrise
12. St 100/6
Tracks 1 to 12 are their
debut album "No. 1 Record" - released June 1972 in the USA on Ardent
Records ADS-2803.
BONUS TRACK:
13. In The Street (Single
Mix)
NOTE: their second album
"Radio City" followed in January 1974 on Ardent ADS-1501 – but
neither LP received an original UK vinyl release at the time. However, they
were both clumped together as a budget-priced double-album package on Stax SXSP
302 in July 1978 - their first official British release on record. There have
been various CD reissues of the albums ever since - most notably by England's
Ace Records on their subsidiary label Big Beat and Rhino's superb 2009 American
4CD Box Set "Keep An Eye On The Sky" which features outtakes and
alternates from both of these recording sessions.
As I said before in my
review of the 2004 'Hybrid SACD' reissue - the big news here is a beautifully
sensitive GEORGE HORN remastering that has brought a warmth and delicacy to
already gorgeous music.
Lead singer and Guitarist
ALEX CHILTON had been in THE BOX TOPS and along with CHRIS BELL (Guitar and
Vocals), ANDY HUMMEL (Bass and Vocals) and JODY STEPHENS (Drums) - they wrote
all their own songs (mostly Bell-Chilton compositions except "The India
Song" by Hummel and "My Life Is Right" by Chris Bell and Thomas
Eubanks of 'Rock City') and made a glorious racket.
Back to the audio - the
bass, acoustic guitars and sublime harmony vocals on "The Ballad Of El
Goodo" for instance are thrilling to hear as is the sweetness of
"Thirteen" - surely one of the loveliest Alex Chilton songs. The
jangling power-pop guitars of "When My Baby Needs Me" sound fantastic
and "Try Again" reminds me of a band I loved called
SMITH-PERKINS-SMITH who made only one album (a self-titled debut) in 1972 on
Island Records (yet to make its way onto CD) - a sort of CSYN alternative. In
fact the musicality on display here brings in mind that other tragic band
BADFINGER.
Their record company tried
two 45s in the USA - "When My Baby's Beside Me" b/w "In The
Street" on Ardent ADA-2902 in August 172 - and a belated "Watch The
Sunrise" b/w "Don't Lie To Me" on Ardent ADA-2904 in April 1973
- but neither charted. Songs like "My Life Is Right" are upbeat
jangly rockers that straddle Country Rock and Pop - while the ache in
"Give Me Another Chance" is just plain beautiful and moving. And to
this day both "Thirteen" and "Try Again" make me weak at my
ageing knees...
BIG STAR were always a
little bit special and hold a cult status to this day that grows with the
passing of time - like NICK DRAKE, JUDEE SILL or JOHN MARTYN.
"...Won't you tell your
Dad...get off my back...tell him what we said about 'paint it black'..." -
Chilton sang on the beautiful acoustic adolescence song "Thirteen".
You and me kid against the
world...
