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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

#1 Record

Big Star

1972

#1 Record
Album Summary

#1 Record is the debut album by the American rock band Big Star. It was released on April 24, 1972 by Memphis-based Ardent Records. Many critics praised the album's vocal harmonies and songcraft but #1 Record suffered from poor distribution and sold fewer than 10,000 copies upon its initial release. However, #1 Record gained wider attention in the late 1970s in the UK when EMI reissued it with Radio City as a double LP package due to increasing demand. The same combination was used when the album was released on CD in 1992. It is now widely-regarded as a seminal work in pop rock and power pop. In 2020 it was ranked number 474 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Rolling Stone also ranked the song "Thirteen" as number 406 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was voted number 188 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

Wikipedia

Rating

3.23

Votes

11234

Genres

  • Rock
  • Pop

Reviews

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May 19 2023
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3

It's like... They're almost good. The elements are there. There's egg, sugar, and flour, but it's not a cake. Close, but no cake.

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May 31 2023
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5

Wow, what a surprise this was. Didn't expect anything going in and was blown away by a great album. Every song is a jam and belongs on there, great runtime and an feel-good sound that is very reminiscent of CSNY, Eagles, Byrds and other greats

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Aug 22 2023
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5

The most underrated overrated band of all time. The Velvet Underground of power pop. Call them whatever you want, this was lightening in a bottle that only found its way to the likes of R.E.M's Peter Buck and Mike Mills upon release. Who knew the singer of The Box Tops could pull off something as magical as this? Eventually, more of the world caught up to Peter Buck - or rather, R.E.M. hit it big and Buck and Mills praised Alex Chilton and Big Star in damn near every interview he sat down for. Those of us who knelt at the R.E.M. altar were all in. Big Star didn't stick around long enough to build any sort of following, but the three albums they left us are close to pop perfection. Every track here works, and truth be told, the album warrants a 5 for the timeless beauty of "Thirteen" alone. A halfway decent record label would have pushed at least two songs from this album into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. But at least we got R.E.M. from this, and we'll always have this music.

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May 31 2023
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3

Not a bad rock album. Good songwriting but is missing something to make it more memorable.

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Nov 19 2023
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5

Between songwriting, performance and production, #1 Record should be considered among the greatest debut albums of all time. Sadly, Big Star didn’t see much success in their time, but their influence can’t be understated. This is truly a record you need to hear before you die and while you’re at it, give Radio City a listen - It should really be on this list.

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Dec 07 2023
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5

10/10 men will hear this and say ‘hell yeah!’

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Oct 22 2023
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5

Nice finding, even my dad didn't know this band... Or he forgot about it... It's hard to remember stuff when you've been partying since the 70s

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Jun 16 2023
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4

This is like the textbook definition for a 7/10.

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Jul 27 2023
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5

I love Big Star and I love this album. The songs where Alex Chilton sings lead are my favorites, but they’re all good. The standouts for me are “The Ballad of El Goodo,” “Thirteen,” and “Give Me Another Chance.”

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Dec 03 2023
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5

Big Star fully deserve their reputation as a key progenitor of power pop. The first four tracks of this debut alone justify the inclusion of the whole album in such a list, from Alex Chilton's ballads "Thirteen" and "El Goodo", heartfelt and evocative, to Chris Bell's edgier "Feel" and livelier "In The Streets" -- of *That 70's Show* fame.  So the songwriting is good, but one of the assets of this album, not praised enough in my sense, is its pristine, dynamic production, with a lot of sonic details that go over your head on first listens, but then shine on the next ones. John Fry (and Chris Bell) can be praised for that. The only (minor) issue I have with this record is that there are too many ballads on the second side. They're good, some of them are even excellent, but the succession of songs in a similar mode hurts the album's momentum. I would have taken one of those slower cuts out, and added one more straightforward rock number such as "When My Baby's Beside Me" to this second side. I guess I could even have taken out a point to this debut because of this, yet I didn't, because of the thematic cohesiveness of those songs. You really feel like this record is the soundtrack of a movie about teenagers living in "Smalltown, America" during the early seventies. That line about "Paint It Black" and how the father of the singer's girlfriend is always on his back cracks me up every time. Simple, at times almost *simplistic*, lyrics. Yet lyrics that are so effective in conveying the mood of a time and place. A dozen of albums released in 1973 were probably better than this one. Yet this debut was "#number 1" when it comes to how "evocative" a record can be.  4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums (rounded up to 5), which translates to a 9.5/10 grade for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: less than 400 (I've temporarily lost count here) Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I *might*  include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter (many others are more important to me).

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Jun 28 2023
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4

This is an early power pop record characterized by emphasis on vocal melody and harmony. There are elements of glam rock in places and folk rock. The influence of the Beatles and the Byrds are obvious but this music sounds a lot like what would come later in the form of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and even college rock with their emphasis on vocals and jangly guitars. It's a shame this album wasn't promoted the way it should have been.

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Jul 06 2023
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4

I've never heard of Big Star and #1 Record was all new music except that I've heard a cover of "In the Street". This album had a mix of styles. There were tracks using electric intruments that that reminded me of the retro sound that Space Hog has used and tracks that sounded like a pre-cursor to glam-rock. There were acoustic tracks that reminded me of Fleet Foxes, or the vocal delivery and overall tone of Elliot Smith. The middle zone between the more electrified and more acoustic tracks reminded me of the Bay City Rollers, and I could hear the influence of the Beatles. There was a lot of variety in the tracks from the start. My favorite track was "Feel" which drew me in with the the overlap of horns, guitar and keys. "The India Song" and "My Life Is Right" were also good tracks. I could come back to this album again to find out what I missed the first time.

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Oct 08 2023
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3

I think this album starts strong, but by the second half the jangly guitar sound started to get to me and the songs weren't holding my interest.

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Aug 19 2023
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5

som massa, das antiga 72 o rockzao mais palatável bem bom de se curtir

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Aug 25 2023
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5

Of the 3 original Big Star albums, this is actually my least favorite but it's still amazing. Great songs, great production, great energy, great variety. It's a classic. 5 stars.

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Sep 24 2023
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5

Good ole fashioned Americana 9/10

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Oct 16 2023
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5

This is near perfect. One of the greatest albums of all time by one of the greatest bands of all time, which most people will never know.

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Dec 01 2023
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5

Este disco representa como ninguno la razón de por qué quería escuchar esos 1001 discos. Para descubrir joyas como esta. Un absoluto diez de diez. ¿Dónde has estado toda mi puta vida?

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Dec 21 2023
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5

This album is a Rock'n'roll classic. Every song just bleeds heart and groove and energy. There isn't a lot more to say, because it should be heard and studied by anyone that likes rock music and is nearly perfect. I think there are a couple flubs in the flow of the album, but it doesn't take away from an overall 5 star score.

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Jan 05 2024
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5

This is very much within the realm of what I would think of if you told me to think of early 70s rock. So even though I didn’t recognize anything on this album it felt familiar, although I feel like I have heard Thirteen maybe somewhere before? Big Star has great harmonies, some good rock, some moving ballads, and they feel like something I really should be more familiar with. I really enjoyed this album! Nice song variety, interesting performances, great lyrics. An excellent representative of its era for this list!

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Jan 05 2024
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5

Reading the description of this album, I was prepared to be wowed. I wasn't immediately but by the time we got to When My Baby's Beside Me, I was into it. When it ended, I started it over and enjoyed the whole thing the second time. Rounding up from 4.5.

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Jan 05 2024
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5

I very much enjoyed this album. The groove of the 70s felt extremely satisfying today.

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Jan 08 2024
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5

Fantastic album, highly recommend. Beetly mixed with zepp.

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Jan 09 2024
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5

It takes a certain confidence to name your unknown band Big Star. It takes some next level audacity to then call your debut album "#1 Record." These are guys who know they're good. Sadly, the band's star would crash rather inauspiciously in the end, but what they left behind was nothing short of a musical treasure. You can hear echoes of Big Star in all kinds of bands that came after them - in power pop, alternative, jangle pop, Indie. For an album that came out over 50 years ago, this album sounds as fresh and vital as the day it was made. #1 Record is an album full of hooky, bittersweet melodies and masterful guitar work that can turn from jangly and ethereal to muscular and hard rocking on a dime. Lyrically, the songs range from the easygoing slacker anthem "In the Street" to the sweetly intimate "Thirteen." For every moment of raw and earnest vulnerability, there are nearly as many full-tilt, cruising with the windows down rockers, and somehow the band makes this all work. Essentially this is an album that speaks to the essence of being young - innocent but headstrong, freewheeling but frustrated, awash with feelings you don't quite understand. I can't really think of another album that captures that feeling better and it's a true joy to listen to. If you enjoyed this, I strongly recommend taking the time to listen to the albums Radio City and (Complete) Third. Also, the documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me is a must see. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Thirteen, The Ballad of El Goodo, Try Again, Watch the Sunrise, Give Me Another Chance, In the Street, My Life Is Right, Feel, Don't Lie to Me, When My Baby's Beside Me, ST 100/6, The India Song

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Jan 24 2024
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5

Where would indie rock be without their #1 Record?

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Feb 16 2024
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5

A masterpiece. A band and album too few people know about.

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Feb 24 2024
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5

Oh this was great. This is always an album I had been recommended but never checked out. Right up my power pop alley.

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Feb 29 2024
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5

Best album I have on this site yet!

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Mar 01 2024
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5

Very enjoyable album, good time listening.

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Mar 07 2024
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5

Enjoyed the 70s sound. Great vocals and strong guitar

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Mar 09 2024
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5

I enjoyed this so much, I especially loved the vocals.

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Mar 19 2024
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5

Amazing - I hated the Third/Sister Lovers album (1* rating!) but absolutely loved this! What happened in the meantime?

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Mar 19 2024
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5

After a couple of spins this albums starts blossoming. It is a collection of wonderful melodies, without a single weak point.

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Mar 19 2024
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5

#1 Record, Radio City and Third should all 3 be in the 1001.

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Mar 21 2024
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5

This record is so beautiful. It's almost perfect for me.

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Mar 26 2024
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5

Ain’t no one going to turn me round

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Mar 29 2024
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5

Honestly this was a really solid album. It's really clear how much this group pulled inspiration from British rock groups like the Beatles, but also how their unique sounds went out to inspire classic rock groups like Boston and the future alternative rock genre itself.

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Apr 11 2024
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5

First time giving a 5 to a group I never heard before. I loved this album! Reminded me of all my favorite music from that time.

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Apr 18 2024
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5

I know absolutely nothing of these lads, but this slapped. It was right in my wheelhouse. I was umming and ahing about whether to give a 4 or 5, as I’ve yet to give a 5 to something unknown, most of my 5s are things I’ve heard before. But this was tasty stuff, and I’ll be listening to a lot more. Simpsons: No

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Apr 27 2024
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5

Perfection. Songs, performance, sound - just a truly wonderful album.

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May 22 2024
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5

This is your perfect “70’s summer rock” album. No-Skips, All-Bangers.

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Jun 07 2024
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5

This was an unknown to me album going into this and is the entire reason that I like doing this whole challenge. What a great record. So much heard here is present on other artists that I like, I'm a little surprised I hadn't listened to this before. It's great, and I can't wait to listen to it again.

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Jun 07 2024
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5

I found this band through the Replacements. You can hear the influence on a lot of 80s/90s bands. Even without that pedigree, this is a good listen. 13 is a great song.

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Jun 07 2024
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5

Excellent record all the way through and Thirteen is a highlight among the many great pop songs. This is one to go back to over and over that never gets old.

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Jun 07 2024
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5

They capture (created) perfectly that jangling power pop sound that would be copied starting in 80's and to this day really. Just a great record to actually sit and listen too. And if Thirteen doesn't somehow stir some emotion then you your soul is chunk of ash.

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Jun 21 2024
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5

Heard this album in my early 30's ... 20 years after it was released...still sticks with me into into my 60's ...

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Jul 12 2024
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5

Magnificent and epic, capturing folk and classic rock sounds, excellent vocals and guitar sounds. Harmonies are incredible capturing something like the Eagles and CSNY without as much of a southern sound. Beautiful album.

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Jul 19 2024
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5

I had heard of Big Star, but never had listened to them…this is one of those times that I’m glad for this project. Sweet, fun pop that’s catchy but not saccharine, sometimes CSNY, sometimes 90s Matthew Sweet. This is definitely on my playlist.

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Aug 07 2024
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5

This is a fun one! I haven't had many seminal "they sound like the Beatles" moments in my music listening, so I'm glad I got to finally experience that. And it's really good! Very, very cohesive project with cool sounds and feel switches throughout. Great new discovery. Favorite track: Feel

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Aug 09 2024
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5

YEAHHHHHHH immediate 5/5 I love this album and “Thirteen” is one of my most favorite songs ever. I love this album because it has “Feel” and then a song like “Thirteen” on it. And the “Ballad of El Goodo” my favorite “Desperado” knock off. Or prequel. I forgot “when my baby’s beside Me” was on this album!

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Sep 04 2024
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5

Solid and chill. That 70s show song

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Sep 06 2024
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5

WOW! Not a bad song on this album. However, I don’t quite understand why it is on the list. It doesn’t break any ground, I really enjoyed listening to it and will listen to it again. But it seems unremarkable, if that makes any sense. I give it 5 stars because it is a gem that fits in my wheelhouse of music.

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Sep 12 2024
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5

How have I not heard of this band before?! Excellent album, which will definitely be on my rotation now!

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Sep 20 2024
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5

Damn good album in my top 100, probably favorite album of summer of 2019 next to IGOR

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Sep 20 2024
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5

Never heard of this band. Loved this album! 5/5

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Sep 22 2024
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5

i have a pet theory that #1 Record invented the 70's. not the decade itself, but the sound, the feel of the thing. i thought i would be able to look back at this and go "oh well there's some Stones here and some Beatles there" but to the extent that those bands are there, they're obscured, dressed up in colorful clothing and leather jackets. chalk it up to 50's nostalgia but by combining that with the psychedelic tendencies of the 60's, Big Star made something wholly unlike what came before it. in the past i think i judged this album a bit harshly due to its tendencies towards folk over the power pop we typically associate Big Star with. "where's my album of El Goodos? my Feels?" now that it's been a few years, you grow to appreciate the trick 1# Record plays. you're invited in by loud, raucous rock before the guitars settle down on the other side. the album grows up; eventually, so do you. watch the sunrise.

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Sep 25 2024
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5

Insanely well produced 70's record.

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Sep 29 2024
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5

Astonishing that this was virtually ignored at the time.

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Oct 11 2024
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5

More people should listen to big star.

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May 20 2023
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4

Chilled, upbeat, will listen again, a gateway album into 70s rock

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May 25 2023
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4

Can't go wrong with 1970's classic rock

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May 30 2023
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4

Jongens, wat een hippieplaat. Iedereen is 'my friend', slaggitaar en fluit, samenzang. Af en toe een pietsie steviger nummertje tussendoor. Een paar jaar later trokken ze allemaal een pak met stropdas aan en gingen ze geld verdienen, maar hier zaten ze nog rondom het kampvuur. Of een echtscheidings-LP maken. Al met al best een lekker lome plaat voor een zonnige donderdagochtend.

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Jun 01 2023
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4

Just catchy and fun enough to nab 4 big stars; it really is ahead of it's time

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Jun 02 2023
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4

thirteen is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. it perfectly captures the most pure, innocent, and true kind of love. in the street is perfect. its like these are great totems to remind one of how vital life can be. side 2 falls off but even in banality this record shines with simple but effective tunes, rhythms, production and alex chiltons beautiful voice. watch the sunrise is gorgeous, resplendant. i admit i am a card carrying member of the cult but despite the all the hagiographies and my personal bias it still just ever so slightly clinches a 4

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Jun 06 2023
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4

Good album! And as far as power pop goes it is very tame and I really like that about it.

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Jun 14 2023
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4

A solid album and still leagues better than the vast majority of radio-friendly rock that followed it. More of a 3.5 but rounded up partially due to the strength of Thirteen.

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Jun 16 2023
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4

8/10. Pretty good, reminded me a bit of Todd Rundgren. Not sure these guys needed two whole albums on this list, but I've liked them both so I'm not too upset.

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Jun 21 2023
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4

El naixement del power pop, un génere tan maleït com la pròpia banda que el va inaugurar. El disc és excel.lent, però. Tota una lliçó de melodies, guitarres, composicions que s'adhereixen a qui les escolta, i el carisma sense comparació d'Alex Chilton

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Jun 22 2023
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4

(4+) Отличный рок-альбом, который очень приятно слушать. Мне кажется, что акустическая гитара придаёт этому альбому больше шарма, чем другим альбомам. Единственная проблема у меня была с вокалом на некоторых песнях. Хочу ли я вернуться к этому альбому? Да.

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Jul 07 2023
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4

Had listened the first part or so before, neat chance to listen it fully, and thankfully so, really cool album, great songs and a nice and calma finisher

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Jul 19 2023
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4

It feels like so much was shaped by this album that on its own it sounds a little like a wild collection of 70s music sounds, for better or worse. 3.5, rounded up. BT - Feel - The Ballad of El Gordo - The India Song - St 100/6

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Jul 20 2023
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4

This almost rocked my socks off. It came really close at times, but it never just hit cruising altitude and stayed there. It threw some cool Zeppelinisms at at me then descended into Beatlesy wuss-rock, or even a more folky US flavour kinda thing... but you know what? I'll give it a 4/5 anyway. plus it has a song called "the India song" and as it happens, I'm in the middle of a 5-week work trip... in India! Shame it isn't a total banger or I'd make it the theme song to my SLIDESHOW NIGHT when I get home lol.

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Jul 25 2023
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4

I don't have the reverence for this album that many others have. It's a very good pop album with some excellent songs. I don't particularly like , I guess it is Chris Bell's voice, which is one thing that keeps me from loving the album rather than just respecting it. Anyway a solid album that was basically ignored for 25 years. 4 stars

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Jul 27 2023
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4

It's interesting to have this juxtaposed with my album of yesterday, the Stooges' Raw Power. Same era, but although this arguably comes off as pushing a more conventional rock sound, I think it's the more innovative album.

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Aug 02 2023
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4

At first I used to think it's fine. They're fine. Ever since I first heard* of this band I thought "I should love them." So many of the bands they influenced is music I either really like or love; e.g. the so-called "power-pop" groups like Jellyfish, Cheap Trick, etc. I just never heard the killer single to draw me in. *which - I'm of the age, so I guess I probably *should* have heard of them yet nobody I knew had their albums in the 80s as far as I knew... but it was The Replacements' song "Alex Chilton" of course that brought them into focus for me which is a fantastic cut and an obviously direct homage to AC/Big Star and in fact is one that I like better than any actual Big Star song... This album? It's ... yeah it's pretty good. And yet I couldn't ever get these songs to sink in until today... I played it 3x until the melodies, great harmonies, accessible hooks... they finally started to hit. "Thirteen" is probably the closest (and obviously a big Replacements/Westerburg influence) to a quick hit - capturing a simple chord progression with nice harmonies and is just really sweet. I think I'd just always rooted for more - I wanted to be a fan of Big Star and i think it took me a while because they don't have The Big Song™ (or Songs) but it's such a listenable album from start to finish with more melodic twists than I'd initially given it credit for (it also sounds so clean for 1972). The fact that you can put this on many times in a row - as I just did - and it's not only not tiring but starts to reveal more is what puts it in keeper category. I'll keep listening. 7/10 4 stars.

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Aug 02 2023
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4

The first time I listened I think I just let it play in the background but I actually listened again which is something I never do, and that’s when I real ex I really liked it. There’s a strong rock vibe in it that’s exactly what I like. Just a good good album.

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Aug 03 2023
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4

Infinitely listenable - power pop at its finest!

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Aug 13 2023
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4

This is a very respectable early-to-mid-70s rock album. It sounds exactly like I imagine it was supposed to: somewhere between the Beatles and the Stones. Unfortunately, they got lost somewhere in the middle and the result is a mostly middling album. It never pushes any boundaries. It's totally serviceable but, ultimately, just... alright. Upgraded a star because the production is truly fantastic for an album from '72. Just really great. Chris Bell knew what he was doing in a studio.

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Aug 13 2023
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4

The rock songs are perhaps mediocre Attempts considering what it felt this album should have aspired to. This recording is regarded so highly that it’s hard to approach with an open mind. I came thinking the rock would pull me in, but I was more surprised by the slower, acoustic tracks. This is where the magic lives. These guys just spread themselves too wide, re-envisioned as a folk album this thing really shines.

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Aug 13 2023
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4

rock and roll with lots of pop hooks.

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Aug 16 2023
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4

7.5, not bad not earth shattering

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Aug 20 2023
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4

While listening this record I went all Leonardo DiCaprio when In The Street came on. I never knew it came from here. I’ve seen the cover countless times but never really listened to it. And it’s a shame, it’s a power pop great record filled with lots of beautiful harmonisation and hooks that make you hum along. I learned that the band did not live on much longer and that is too bad. I think these guys really had something special here. 8,5 out of 10

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