Published on May 15, 2001
Well, what can I say about the ultimate cult album by the
ultimate
cult band? Only that Big Star’s third album is part
entertaining,
part moving, part annoying, and totally fascinating.
First, a little background for the uninitiated: Big Star was an
obscure Memphis-based rock band in the early 70’s. Led in the
beginning by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, they recorded three
albums and then disbanded. However, like the Velvet Underground in
the 60’s, rock musicians had great admiration for them (most
notably Peter Buck of R.E.M.) and through word of mouth, they
became a big cult band, long after they had called it quits. If you
are a fan of the television sitcom, “That 70’s Show”, the theme
song is a cover of Big Star’s “In The Street”.
Big Star’s first album,
#1 Record, was their most commercial sounding work,
influenced by the music of the Beatles, Byrds, and the Kinks, but
adding their own particular stamp to it. However, the album tanked
commercially, in part due to distribution problems from the record
label. Bell left the band, and Big Star temporarily broke up. They
were persuaded to regroup (without Bell) and recorded their second
album,
Radio City.
With Chilton as the sole leader, this album was quirkier, less
polished, but still included some great pop songs.
Radio City was
also a commercial failure prompting bassist Andy Hummel to
quit.
These further setbacks set the stage for a frustrated Chilton to
start
work in 1974 on the band’s third album, alternately titled
Big Star Third or
Sister Lovers. If
Radio City revealed a quirkier, more cynical side to Big
Star, it seemed tame compared to the music on the third album.
With
Third, Chilton seemed to have set out to make an anti-pop
album. Gone are any concessions whatsoever to making commercial
pop-rock music, and in its place Chilton poured his heart out,
taking the listener on an emotional rollercoaster that, depending
on your point of view, is either a masterpiece or self-indulgent
crap.
The first three songs alone on
Third show the wild mood swings that Chilton was
experiencing at the time. The album opens up with “Kizza Me”, which
like the opener of the first two albums, is a rousing rocker,
although this time there is an oddball minor key piano part that
floats in and out of the track. This plea for love is sung by
Chilton as if his life depended on it.
The mood changes to sarcasm on the next song, “Thank You
Friends”, a sort of a thanks for nothing tribute with Chilton
displaying the right amount of venom and fake humility. This is
followed by “Big Black Car”, a slow, piano based dirge. This stark
tale of isolation is chilling, and it is easy to see how he
influenced a later generation of alternative rockers.
The rollercoaster ride continues with the religious song “Jesus
Christ”. There is nothing in the lyrics to suggest irony, but
the jaunty horn arrangement suggests a lack of seriousness in the
subject. This is followed by a dead-on cover of the Velvet
Underground’s “Femme Fatale” which, thanks to Chilton’s expressive
singing, improves on the original version. Chilton’s songwriting is
more abstract than Lou Reed’s, and the next song, “O Dana”, is
proof of that with its cryptic lyrics.
Finally, we come to “Holocaust” which is an incredibly
depressing song. Like “Big Black Car”, its a piano dominated tune
that moves along slowly and sadly. This song is about a lost soul
coping with the death of his mother. With not an ounce of hope, the
song ends with the line “You’re a wasted face/You’re a sad-eyed
lie/You’re a holocaust”.
The song “Kangaroo” is just plain weird. Not quite as slow paced
as “Holocaust”, but the arrangement is dense, including what sounds
like cowbells as percussion at one point, and a feedback guitar
arrangement that is more creepy than noisy. The lyrics are no less
dense, as I really do not understand what this song is about.
Then suddenly,
Third takes a sharp turn. The skies clear up and the
album turns sunnier. Four out of the last five songs of the
original
album turn out to be touching ballads, the exception being
the Who-like rocker, “You Can’t Have Me”. The sunnier section
begins with “Stroke It Noel”, which has an irresistable string
arrangement and finds Chilton in a good mood, wanting to dance with
his girl.
Drummer Jody Stephens contributes the song “For You”, and this
would probably have been my choice for the single because it is
very typical of soft rock songs of that era, sounding like a lost
Moody Blues ballad. Chilton shows he can write a pretty ballad
himself with “Nighttime”. Only a little of the album’s earlier
melancholy creeps into this song.
However it is the next song that I feel is the highlight of the
collection: “Blue Moon” is an achingly pretty song, boasting
a gorgeous melody, and sweet, tender lyrics. It is hard to believe
this is the same guy who earlier sang “Holocaust”. “Take Care”
closes
Third, thankfully ending this wild ride on a hopeful
note.
But wait, there’s bonus tracks! Big Star show off their musical
knowledge with three covers spanning the decades. “Nature
Boy”, a hit for Nat King Cole in the late 40’s, always seemed like
a song ahead of its time and actually fits neatly on this release.
They also do a faithful cover of the Kinks rocker, “Till The End Of
The Day”. However, their cover of Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta
Shakin’ Going On” doesn’t compare to the original.
There are also two original bonus songs, the eerie “Dream
Lover”, and the experimental track, “Downs”, which boasts using a
basketball as a snare drum. Both are interesting in their own way
as bonus cuts with neither of them really adding or taking away
from the album. Kudos toproducer Jim Dickinson for creating the
right mood for each of Big Star’s many moods.
Third was not released at the time it was recorded because
their record label went under. Available as an import album several
years later, it wasn’t until 1992 that Rykodisc Records released
Third in the States. By that time, it had gained legendary
status. The amazing thing about
Third is that it pretty much lives up to its hype. Despite
its flaws, I’m giving it a high grade because when it does click,
which is certainly more often than not, it is about as satisfying
as any album I’ve ever heard.