Big Star

The name of the band ended up being one of the worst ironies in music history, because when #1 Record came out the band were anything but a "Big Star". It's unbelievable that #1 Record wasn't more popular, but then again this was around the same time that Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin were ruling the rock airwaves along with James Taylor. The band in between couldn't fit in for either side, but if they had come out just five years earlier during the heyday of the British Invasion they would've been giants.

There are many highlights on the album, with Chris Bell and Alex Chilton being an amazing songwriting team.

1. "Feel" is the perfect album opener, epic in scope.
2. "Ballad of El Goodo" is a ballad, one of the first that starts to bring tears to your eyes.
3. "In The Street" was made famous by being the theme song for That 70s show, which may be the greatest accomplishment for the show, as the show introduced people to a great band they had never heard before.
4. "Thirteen" is on Rolling Stone's list of greatest songs of all time, and beautiful.
5. "Don't Lie To Me": More of a rocker, and while it is alright, The Raspberries (Another band you should check out) give this song competition.
6. "India Song": Alright but one I usually skip over.
7. "When My Baby's Beside Me": Pure classic.
8. "My Life Is Right": A ballad that doesn't reach as high as the others.
9. "Give Me Another Chance": Powerful.
10. "Try Again": While "Give Me Another Chance" brings you half the way there, "Try Again" completes it.
11. "Watch The Sunrise": A long instrumental before a song that is nice but not as good as the two before.
12. "St 100/6": Almost like "Because" by The Beatles, but with an acoustic guitar in the background.

"Radio City" was clearly made after the band was abandoned, and the absence of Chris Bell is visible at points.
1. "O My Soul": Okay, but not great. "Feel" it is not.
2. "Life Is White": Rocks in the best way possible, slow but with strength.
3. "Way Out West": The band has the same British Invasion flavors, but this song shows a voice evolving. Great song by the bassist Andy Hummel who wrote "India Song" on the #1 Record, definitely better and one of my favorites on Radio City.
4. "What's Going Ahn": Similar to the ballads on #1 Record, but different with a great repeating guitar line.
5. "You Get What You Deserve": Won't make you cry, instead is a beautiful frustration filled song that rocks, Lennon would be proud.
6. "Mod Lang": Instead of Beatles here there is a Stones influence, heaviest song on the album.
7. "Back Of A Car": Genius.
8. "Daisy Glaze": Could easily be a later period Beatles song, can almost see a haze rising up. Then the song picks up like one of the best multipart Beatles songs.
9. "She's A Mover": The Beatles theme continues, reminds me of "Taxman" at the beginning.
10. "September Gurls": If you haven't heard this song before, you'll be blown away. If you have, you'll look forward to hearing it again.
11. "Morpha Too": A piano song for the first time on the record, another slow ballad with great harmonies.
12. "I'm In Love With A Girl": The perfect closer, acoustic and longing like many of the songs on #1 Record.

Great albums that anyone should own, too bad more people don't.

2 historically important records for the price of one! Some great stuff
here and some truly mediocre junk too. You can see the potential in these
guys and its too bad Chris Bell died young and their record label was a
bumbling bunch of idiots. Some "American Idol" clown should adopt some of these songs - they would sound as good today as they did 35 years ago.
This CD comes with a lengthy insert that is worth it just for the history
lesson. For further reading check out the internet article titled "The
Sad Life & Death of Chris Bell" - very poignant and well-written.

O my soul, my life is right, when my baby's beside me........

No, no, no, scratch that; massive disappointment.

This is like listening to a garage band, with minimal talent, trying to cover songs by the Zombies and the Beatles, but unable to convey a sense of memorable melody &, at least in terms of The Zombies, stellar lyrics. And this man's voice, my god, this voice is on par with James Taylor in terms of it's degree of nerve clawing.

Elliott Smith covered them, and for some reason they're cited as being insanely influential; HOW? This is nothing new, not even for it's time, not even close to be remotely original, and more importantly, not even close to being important.

Give it up, geezers, it's just nostalgia calling when you claim this as the greatest rock album of all time.

What I mean is, I have listened to the entire disc twice in the week or so that I've had the disc. But I've played #1 Record over and over too many times to count, it's OUTSTANDING, way better than I expected even after hearing about Big Star for years. It's excellent power pop.

I came around to Big Star through Chris Bell's only CD, I Am The Cosmos. That record made me a fan of Chris Bell. The only other thing he recorded was #1 Record. Those 2 discs are not enough of a legacy, there's no telling what kind of impact on music Bell could have had if things had gone better.

#1 Record by itself makes this compilation essential. But Radio City is also strong, with several excellent tracks. (And for the record, Bell did help write 2 songs on that one - O My Soul and Back Of A Car.) If you think you might like this after hearing the samples...don't worry. You will. This is about as great a CD of its kind as you could hope for.

How come I never heard of these guys? Well, my father did me a huge service in getting this double album for me for Father's Day (I'm that old to have kids of my own) a few months back. He said, "give it a listen, let it swirl around a few days, give it another listen, and I guarantee you you'll not be able to stop". Well, he was right. He also just sent me Sisters & Lovers the other day as a follow up saying that I was "ready" for Big Star's final masterpiece. As a testament to how cool this album is, my wife, who's rediculously picky about what she listens to, is right alongside me in proclaiming its perfection.

Big Star-Third ***1/2

One of the most melancholy albums of all time. Third, Big Stars final album plays as an album of eternal sadness. But by the end of the record you feel that there is a glimmer of hope for our heroes, namely Alex Chilton, but ironically the group would never make another album so this would not be hopeful.

So after releasing to fantastically classic albums to absolutely no success Chilton and grew purposely made the most noncommercial album they could. They nailed it, but at the same time they made one hell of a record.

'Femme Fetale' is startlingly good, and 'Kizza Me' is obnoxious, while 'Jesus Christ' is the least offensive track the album holds.

While not Big Star or Chilton's greatest achievement Third is a worthy addition to a collection.

~ This is arguably the most beautiful rock record ever made. Anyone with working ears who'd argue otherwise probably needs an MRI scan. Even considering the darkly bizarre descent into self-indulgence and madness (on the orig. side two--see below) which is inherently redeemed by "Thank You Friends". Score.
Unfortunately, although this Ryko set contains the most comprehensive collection of tracks from these sessions to date (incl. all but two cover-rockers that fit in nicely), the haphazard redux running order c/o Chilton is an absolute disaster which imparts NONE of the impact and greatness of the orig. PVC album release from '78. It seems the label got it right, he didn't. I'd hate to think what my experience with it would have been without that crucial reference point. This re-master even clips the brief studio intro on "You Can't Have Me" which is now lost forever on CD.
[...], snag this...then permanently re-figure it w/ the extras as preferred, just for history's sake and your own precious salvation.
Big Star rules. Revisionist Digital Technology blows.
Jesus Christ, indeed.

A haunting and disturbing record, yet also comforting and surprising ("Do you wanna dance...?") this record is a bit of a miracle and I use my cliches lightly. And it often sounds as if ALEX CHILTON is having a breakdown. Certainly his band was falling apart, their record label, and some would claim CHILTON's career... Yet listening to this album will be one of the experiences of your life, not just a good listen. The content of these brilliant ethereal songs is bitter, yet the rich tunes will seduce you and in loving these songs, you will experience a necessary education about any artist's statement. You may realize that this record is also for anyone interested in the sound and substance of much of the last 25 years... though the record itself dates to nearly 35 years. By a band most noteworthy for what some have called Power Pop, (but apparently influenced New Wave and even Grunge) like all of BIG STAR's few records, SISTER LOVERS is one of the pioneering albums that recognizes the brilliance of the Brit Invasion model while reconfiguring it. Many influential bands had a hand in a sound here and there, but no band had more influence on a sound anywhere than BIG STAR did on what came to be called American Alternative rock, or Indie rockers, or what we used to call back in the 1980s "college radio," particularly with this album. Loaded with tunes and hooks, this remarkable record wasn't released until four years after it had been recorded in 1974 (released in 1978). Noted by critics because of its obvious and worthwhile influence on an entire generation's disillusionment, this record is the band's touchstone, if not least highly regarded of their three albums by diehard BIG STAR fans (who usually think of this one as a solo CHILTON project). CHILTON certainly found the direction he was looking for, and has continued to follow, in the ragged and immediate tone of the production, here especially, a brilliant contrivance. This is another unlikely offering that decades after release, has elbowed its way to the surface as something very much worth listening to ... this release includes "bonus tracks" that many would argue always belonged on the album in the first place (particularly "Dream Lover") and all noted criticism, I do not find a single dud in 19 tracks (though I, too, usually skip the last one.) A fascinating mixture of sound and purpose, superb "Baroque Pop" arrangements, an unfinished or intentionally circumstantial starkness, and deeply personal and disquieting themes, I give this beautiful and important record, one of the greatest bargain-bin albums ever, the highest rating for its dark magnificence.

This album is all across the map, and in all the right places. The songs on Big Star's second album radio city were on the verge of chaos, and this album shows what happens when you go over that edge. Although not psychedelic per se, the songs fit together in such idiosyncratic ways that it's enough to remind you of syd barrett's solo period. I give it the five stars because it is THE GOOD.

I have to agree with other reviewers who said that after listening to the first two Big Star albums, this one is somewhat bizarre and disappointing. It has its moments. But its very uneven, half hearted. Chilton was drugged up during the whole production and it shows . Kangaroo and Holocaust? Stoner music, pure and simple. Listen to it sober, the "brilliance" of those songs will disappear, trust me. Probably be a hit at an Emo party though. Just depressing. And its not that its not typcial Big Star pop. Its that its such a weak effort on Chilton's part. He sounds like he can barely stand at the mic to sing. I'm a big Big Star fan, but I have to agree with the one star reviewers on the #1/Radio City reviews that people can convince themselves anything is "genius" if they hear it enough. Remember kids, "Just say no". lol.
I do like the sarcasm(?) of "Thank you Friends", and the best cover of the Kinks "Till the end of the day" I've ever heard. Blue Moon is a good tune also.

first of all, i write this with great respect to other reviewers before me. i listened to this CD thoroughly and carefully over five times and i still failed to appreciate the music. reasons:

1. irrespective of the great names from the jazz scene, this CD failed to bring these world class musicians to create the big band sound. i would say, the music is not "tight" as in big band context. this is the worst failing of this CD. you hear mostly ensemble music in quartet or quintet format. the horn section was relegated to the background, almost like an afterthought to the whole musical arrangement. my suspicion, the "band" was not really in the studio together and the sound was engineered from different recording sessions when each segment of the band were re-compiled. i heard the disconnect between the soloist and the rest of horn section or the quartet discconnected from the horn section. the best example of this disconnect is the track "Spain" as you can hear the horn section was trying to play catch up with the quartet (keyboard, bass, rym. guitar and drums.
2. whereas Lee Ritenour, Eddie Daniels had their share of opportunity to strut their improvisation, Tom Scott, Eric Marienthal (in fact all the cats with superb horn skills) did not even have a moment to shine. may be i am old school, when i thought about big band, i thought about the horn section, in particular tenor sax, trumpet or trombone and the entire horn section together creating the "chops". however, this CD featured guitar, keyboards (piano) and flute in quintet setting. the end result is at best, unfulflling.

i encourage you to give this CD a careful listen and compare this with Basie Meets Duke CD (my all time favorite big band CD) or "It Might as well be Swing" by Count Basie Big Band with Sinatra on vocal. check this CD out, do some comparative listening and tell me if i am way off or right on. thanks.

What a sound, flawless inspiration, happy moods, what kind of stunning playing!. Size by size, wherever you analyze it, this is a winner album.

The impressive musical ensemble would be "the Dream Team", with such Big Leaguer soloists, how can you ever doubt?

Go for this enraptured album that will carry you back to those unforgettable melodies from the Twenties to the Fifties sounds. They invoked the names of Ellington, Parker, Goodman, Bassie, Miller and dozens of other prestigious jazz legends with deep fondness and heartfelt tribute.

A collection item!

Wow! I first heard this album ten years ago while a fledgling jazz musician in high school. This album went on to become the best of my collection - I even spun it so many times in my player that I had to buy another copy of it. What makes this album so amazing is not neccessarily the setlist, but the musicians! GRP assembled some of their great label performers and got them together for this project (with a few more to follow). All of the musicians are incredible, but you'll notice some standout performances from Eric Marienthal (Alto Sax), Arturo Sandoval (Trumpet), Randy Brecker (Trumpet), and Bob Mintzer (Tenor Sax). I read somewhere that music is the closest thing to magic there is, and after listening to this album, you'll see why.

"Airegin" sets the stage nicely, followed by a perfect rendition of Coltrane's "Blue Train", with the best 24 bar blues solo I've ever heard from Bob Mintzer on Tenor Sax. "Donna Lee" features some blistering solo work by Nelson Rangell, Gary Burton, and Eddie Daniels. "Maiden Voyage" is easy and laid back, leading right up to one of the true gems of this album, "Sister Sadie", a crowd-pleaser if ever there was one. Marienthal's amazing Sax work still knocks me back every time I hear it! Up next is "The Sidewinder", and this is an excellent arrangement that Randy Brecker lights up on Trumpet. The next three tunes take it down a notch - "Seven Steps to Heaven" features a great (and rare)Marienthal Tenor Sax solo, and "I Remember Clifford" stands out as the album's premeire ballad. Sandoval is inhumanly good as always, and leads right up to an amazing climax! "Footprints" follows, featuring some great jazz guitar by Lee Ritenour. The last great showstopper of the album is next - Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca". Across the board amazing performances by the ensemble, featuring Dave Valentin (Flute), killer Piano by the Killer Kenny Kirkland, and the ultimate Trumpet battle royale by Sandoval and Brecker! The album is rounded out with more great work on Sax by Ernie Watts on " 'Round Midnight", and closes with a smooth version of Chick Corea's "Spain".

I have a very diverse music collection, and I'm proud to seat this album up at the top with other masterpieces of rock, jazz and classical music. I challenge you to listen to this CD and try- just try not to enjoy it. I dare you!

This album is an absolute must-have for everybody, who likes jazz, because, after you will listen to it, it will make you not just like jazz, but LOVE jazz and become devoted to it. I've had this CD for a couple of years by now, but still I keep listening to it at least five days a week. It's just gorgeous. My favorites are The Sidewinder, Sister Sadie and Blue Train. If you buy this one, you'll never regret it. Guaranteed.

I love that album, it says alot just in the music, take the time to relax and relieve your mind, take all troubles away. I am also looking for the Album/Cd from the early years of the GRP allstars, I use to have the album GRP ALLSTARS Live in Japan, can anyone help me from the early years 1978-81. Thank you sure aprreicate the help anyone......Email me at Kruss84914@aol.com

For big band lovers, this is it ! A very beautiful collection of professional musicians at the peak of their art with Gary Burton as a bonus. Excellent atmosphere, excellent choice of material and excellent sound. A must. Enjoy !

I highly recommend this album who wants to hear the sound of greats from Duke, Count, Satchmo, Miles, Quincy, Wynton, Coltrane, Bird, Mingus, Billie or Lady Day, Ella, etc.

This albums has everybody from Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Tom Scott, Dave Grusin, Chuck Findley, Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell, George Bohannon, the late Kenny Kirkland, Eddie Daniels, the list goes on and on.

I still have it on tape but ready to cop it CD. I still have the 1st one they put out which was awesome but I still lost the tape but ready to get it on CD too for example.

I love this record to death. It brings back good memories from the jazz era.

This is my inspirations I grew up as a interest in jazz and other genres in the music area.

The GRP Big Band is amazing. This album has the added benefit of being made live. It is one thing to get it right in the studio. It is quite another to be as tight and hot as these guys. Cherokee is simply amazing.

The album is full of great tunes played well. It is a great album for fans of big bands. This is a MUST have album.

I don't know how or why I missed this for the last several years but I now have it and know it well as it has become a daily listening experience.
This band was a timely and special gathering of marvelous players that was recorded that we might have something amazing to hear for years to come. The fire, spirit, enthusiasm, balls, perfection, energy and sheer expertise these guys brought to the concert stage is beyond compare. Every ingredient for a monumental and history-making musical event is on this record!
Even the engineering is great! But the music....!!!! WOW! If you are a big band fan and you don't have this CD, you are missing one of the best ever!
These guys are all stars in their own right and for them to come together and do this was simply fabulous! Thank them!

This recording puts together the best soloist and bandsmen nxt to each other. Sandoval, Marienthal, Brecker, Finley, Rangell, Scott, Mintzer, Pattituci, Grusin, just to name a few. Some of the best solo work I have ever heard.

Chris Stamey Group released "Christmas Time" in 1986. Collectors Choice release "Christmas Time Again" includes many of the tracks from that set and expands with added selections. Marshall Crenshaw works up a sweat on "Lonely Christmas" with a boy scout vocal wringing the most from the track. Big Star's "Jesus Christ" has a good religious sentiment, "With love they did rejoice, fine & pure of voice; & the wrong shall fail & the right prevail." The dB's "Holiday Spirit" satirizes commercialism, "I've got that holiday spirit, gimme, gimme, gimme." Whiskeytown with Ryan Adams on vocals relates a sad story, "I found a bunch of letters, they were written for the fellow who broke your mama's heart." Ted Lyons does a parody of Gene Pitney's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" on "The Only Law that Santa Claus Understood" casting Santa as a gunslinger. Don Dixon provides a jazzy bass-thumping version of "I Saw Three Ships." Musically, Wes Lachot's vocals recall the Beach Boys on a song with a sad message, "Christmas is the only time I think of you." Cathy Harrington's "Sha La La" sounds like the Go-Gos channeling the Crystals, but unfortunately, Harrington's voice is not one you want to hear again & again. With his warbling vocals, Alex Chilton sounds like he's trying to make fun of Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire). "Christmas Time Again" is a varied set with a few nuggets & a few clinkers. It fills the spot for those not wanting to hear the same old thing at holiday time. Enjoy!

There might be 2 clunkers on this disc but most of it is quite enjoyable. For power-pop fans that might enjoy Christmas tunes. Not necessarily for Christmas fans that might enjoy power-pop. 4.5 stars.

Based on the reviews for this CD I decided to buy it without having sampled it. Big mistake. I love, among others, Marshall Crenshaw, Don Dixon and Peter Holsapple, but what happened here? This was so not fabulous.

I mean for god's sake it's most of Big Star after 30 years! We should be groveling at the feet of Alex Chilton in fanatical thanks! Those Posies are incredibly lucky and they know it.

Listen to Love Revolution again - they are cracking up the whole time. They're having so much fun with that song, how can you not LOVE IT?? I usta have a Disco Sucks tee but I've been referring to myself as Disco Fox lately.

I'm just so glad Alex wasn't washed away in his New Orleans home during Katrina - he was one of the first folks I axed my N.O. peeps about. I'm happy to hear him doing ANYTHING.

PS: There's a Love Revolution mp3 RINGTONE at this site:
http://www.funtonia.com/mp3ringtones/songs/Big_Star/Love_Revolution/
I'd love to get it but am suspicious - I assume there will be tons of hidden fees and resulting spam.... But if anyone buys it, email me and let me know if the company sucks or not. tcassin@emory.edu

The other reviews have said it. All the tunes up to the instrumental are either good or great. After the awlful instrumental the tune quality goes rapidly downhill except for the last track - and does this band actually admit to playing on that instrumental track? C'mon, four chimps with the same instruments in a room might sound as good? Or were Chilton and the boys laughing their heads off?
The ONE THING I wanted to say with this review - notice how Auer and Stringfellow's creativity dropped to almost nothing after being involved with Alex Chilton? What did this fellow do to those promising songwriters?
The Posies never produced much of anything after '93. And that's when they became involved with Mr. Chilton. What did he inject them with? I hope they enjoyed their time with him because he certainly deprived them of their promising careers in the music business. Their involvement with Big Star certainly didn't help them financially or career-wise, except that they got to be with Mr. Chilton for a short while. What a gyp!

Reunion albums are often so disappointing, I didn't expect it to sound anything like the Big Star I knew. But it's remarkable how they managed to keep the essence of the Big Star power-pop sound alive with just half the members. Is it another #1 Record/Radio City/Third? Of course not. But I still would have recognized this as a Big Star album just by listening to it. And what's the point in a group making another one of their old albums? Groups that put out the same thing over and over again get stale fast. Big Star's albums and Alex Chilton's albums are all considerably different from each other, and that's how they always managed to stay fresh. If you want to hear the same albums over and over again, that's what the old albums are there for.

Jody Stephens thought Ken Stringfellow and Jon Aur would be good for a Big Star reunion. Bad idea! The two guys from The Posies make Big Star sound like fluff. Big Star In Space ruins the reputation and legend of Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens. There are better choices for musicians to become part of a Big Star reunion. Alex and Jody should give the two posies the boot and start from scratch. There is still a masterpiece Big Star album waiting to be written, recorded and released. In Space is an embarrassment compared to the songs and musicianship of # 1 Record and Radio City. Save your money and order vinyl copies of Big Stars early albums from Acoustic Sounds. I got Radio City and # 1 Record on vinyl and they sound incredible.

I have to say that those that complain about the RnB stuff on here are just a little to white for me. Someone should tie you guys down and make you listen to classic James Brown, Sly Stone et al. That said, this is a great little record. Dony and All hung up on summer are instant power-pop classics and the rest is great as well. Don't like RnB covers? Go listen to some windham hill records. Meanwhile I will put on my boogie shoes and shake it like a white girl.

While scouring reviews for this album (in a different version), I read somebody classifying two different ways to listen to Big Star: As what they are, or a band that's so great and important that, if you don't like it, your obviously musically retarded and can't appreciate good music. And they certainly were important. Big Star was a major influence on a___load of artists like R.E.M. , The Replacements, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, and more. With all that in your mind, which road should you take (alright, that's the stupidest question I've ever asked).

Well, take the first one. Music snobs will tell you that this band is the best, but that kind of hampers the experience. When hype comes and bites you, your probably under quite a bit of pressure to come to their conlusions. Besides, concentrating on the musical influence would probably just diminish the real impact of the music, and how great the music is on it own (if it's great). So, with mindset one in mind (actually, I never really gave two _______ about who they influenced when listening to Big Star), that was the one I chose when listening to the music of this band.

For individual reviews of each album, see Radio City and #1 Record, and you'll know why I wrote about each album separately.

Did I, once deciding on whether or not these guys are good (Oh, it was SO hard, ha ha ha!), look to see their mark? You got me. But the bands that I give a damn about, the ones that are influenced by Big Star, really don't sound too much like them. Who am I kidding, those bands really sound a lot different from Big Star. Which is a testament that Big Star really is a good group. Namely, they don't sound like a weak, prototype for the bands that influenced them. And no group can do their songs like Big Star, every single group has done a pretty awful job at covering their music, save for Cheap Trick. Example, take Wilco's cover of Thirteen. They just had to slaughter it with sappy strings, and who was singing? Sounded AWFUL. Proof that many bands can't pull off songs like this, ever. Indeed, no matter what, Big Star will never be replaced, or never be imitated (the bands influenced by them stand out and don't sound like knock offs of the band).

Really, when you pretty much get two albums remastered, well, to me it goes to a five star average, and since that you get both albums for the price of one, it really makes the deal even sweeter. So yeah, get it.

9/10

First and foremost both the individual albums - #1 Record and Radio City are stellar albums epitomizing or rather considered to be originators of the concept of "power pop"

Liner Notes begin by quoting Encylopedia Britannica - Big Star: American band that during its brief existence in the early 1970s helped define power pop, a style in which bright melodies and tunefully boyish vocals are propelled by urgent rhythms (Encylopedia Britannica).

Incidentally, Rolling Stones recent listing of Top 500 albums of all times gives due credit to Big Star by putting in all 3 studio albums ever released by the band at # 403 (Radio City), # 438 (#1 Record), and # 456 (Third/Sister Lovers). Very few bands have indeed 100% of the catalogue in Top 500 listing. (Incidentally, Nick Drake's all 3 albums make it to Top 500 albums - would love to get them on SACD versions).

# 1 Record and Radio City differ in style due to Chris Bell's departure in second album (though he contributed on a few tracks but was not credited). Notable songs from both albums are Feel, Ballad of El Gordo, In the street (which was recently covered by Cheap Trick for TV series That '70s Show - hate the version by Cheap Trick! they had their moments at Budokan but this was not their moment), and notable September Gurls. ST 100/6 is a great track - under one minute and just breathtaking! Alex Chilton is superb and Chris Bell is equally great at taut compositions and great vocals.

Kudos to Stax / Fantasy for putting this album out (along with others such as Leo Kottke - 6 & 12 string guitar, Issac Hayes - Shaft, etc.)

The sound is simply unbelievable. I have a reasonable collection of Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, SACDs, DCC and other audiophile recordings and this recording is just stellar for the era it was recorded in. The transfer to SACD is beautiful and i am awaiting for the Third / Sister Lovers to be out on SACD to be able to hear Kanga-Roo (notably covered by Jeff Buckley - orginally by Alex Chilton from the third album)

Simply awesome sound! and beautiful music! stellar combination!

The first two seminal Big Star albums come to SACD with terrific sound full of nice details. Just a warning, though, both albums are presented in remastered stereo (done by Fantasy staff engineer George Horn)but not in 5.1 Surround Sound. It's possible that the tapes the final stereo masters were drawn from are too badly damaged to do a 5.1 mix, or Fantasy just didn't want to bother. Either way, it's something to be aware of when purchasing this terrific twofer.

There's nothing in the way of new information in the booklet. The liner notes from the 1992 CD release are used again. There's less photos. The original booklet had copies of the front cover of both albums. This one doesn't. Curiously, the cropped picture on the cover of the band shows up twice. The second time they flipped the negative evidently to make it look like it's a different shot.

What can one say about two power pop classics that helped define the short lived heyday of the genre? As important as Badfinger and The Raspbarries seminal releases the optimistically titled #1 Record allowed the band to put all the goods on the table. Brilliant songs, performances and guitar riffs abound all over the first album. Although many folks give the first album 5 stars, I'd have to differ. Some of the music hasn't aged quite as well as it should have. The second album is, in my humble opinion, the better of the two despite not having Chris Bell's direct involvement. Alex Chilton sings as if his life depends on it.

There are no additional bonus tracks or rarities included here (although there are probably some that exist). It's a pity that Fantasy chose not to dig into the vaults and pull out additional material for this re-release to make it worthwhile for the small, devoted core of music fans that will purchase this SACD.

Even though this isn't actually Basie's band it SOUNDS more like The Count than most recordings I've heard and the reproduction is SUPERB! I can't stress this enough because many of Basie's offerings sound as though they were being played behind a curtain without the crisp, harmonious blast and echo that puts you right in front of the bandstand where his electrifying magic can best be appreciated. This IS Basie "LIVE" as I've heard him many times and Harris honors his musical legacy to ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.

"Night Mist Blues" (my favorite cut), "Dejection Blues" and "Blues For Pepper" say it all. I've waited years for this one and I can't recommend it highly enough to all you Basie fans who want to bask in the thrill of the Count's brass-driven "Swingin'The Blues" or the soulful perfection of his "When Did You Leave Heaven?" - ONE MORE TIME.

BUY this CD. You won't be sorry!

Basie loved to play the blues, so who better...one of the greatest blues pianists of all time, as he attempts to fill that chair and lead the band - Gene Harris pays "Tribute to Count Basie. In this tribute to Captain Bill, Harris has been faithful to that priority, not to imitate - but to celebrate the spirit of Count Basie in Gene's own style.

Some of the musicians who were associated with the various Basie Bands sit in on this album - Snooky Young (lead trumpet), Jon Faddis (lead trumpet) and Marshall Royal (lead alto sax). Herb Ellis was the only guitar player who could fill Freddie Green's shoes. The soloists also include - Plas Johnson (tenor sax), Ray Brown (bass), Conte Candoli (trumpet) and Bill Watrous (trombone) play with crisp, exultant authority...much what Basie would expect and liked to hear.

Concord Jazz aims this music to make people feel good...make you move, even when you're sitting down...spin this one on your CD player...the best of two worlds Basie and Gene Harris...this one is a keeper!

Total Time: 46:52 on 9 Tracks...Concord Jazz CCD-4337...(1988)

If you're familiar with Rykodisc's earlier remixed, resequenced version of this amazing album, then be assured that's what this is.

What this isn't is a CD version of the original LP (original mix, original track sequence) as recently released on vinyl by 4 Men with Beards. The only thing about this release that is accurate to the original album is its cover, which also includes the original track listing. But it has nothing to do with the actual contents of the CD.

Note: Rykodisc's bonus tracks are included on this release.