Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Having already listened to In The Street I figured this was gonna be a pretty good album but I was wrong. This was great, way better than I could have imagined. There is literally nothing bad I could say about this album. I guess you could complain about the slight overuse of ballads on here but barring that. The songwriting, the flawless production, and the just the cohesiveness of it is just wonderful. Even the so called filler on this was nice to listen to. This was a treat. Top 6: The Ballad Of El Gordo, In The Street, Thirteen, Give Me Another Chance, Try Again, and Watch The Sunrise NO BAD SONGS 4.75/5
70's Rock & Roll
OMG. Sweet sugar rush of power hooks and amazingly made pop songs. Harmonies, jangle, big chords. Excellent tight record and almost every song is a win.
Classic. Real classic The ballad of el goodo is one of the greatest songs of all time. Im not sure there is another record of this style thats as good as this one All good lad
It was said by someone once that very few people bought Velvet Underground & Nico but that those who did formed bands; the same could be true of Big Star. They should have been huge. Their three albums were excellent despite co-founder Chris Bell leaving after this, their debut and the band essentially imploding after their second, Radio City, leaving Alex Chilton to piece together Sister/Lovers (Third). I didn't discover Big Star until the early '90s when I was already familiar with Cheap Trick, Teenage Fanclub, REM, The Replacements, and many other bands who followed and were inspired by the Big Star power pop template. #1 Record is my favourite of theirs, and one of my favourite albums full stop. The songwriting is excellent - Bell's rockier numbers like "Feel", "In The Street" and "Don't Lie to Me"; Chilton's tender "The Ballad of El Goodo" and the heartrending "Thirteen", the uptempo classic "When My Baby's Beside Me"; Andy Hummel's off-kilter, Zombies-like psychedelia "The India Song"; both main writers trading acoustic ballads on side 2. The production and sound engineering is clear and sharp. Clean (and slightly dirty) Stratocasters never sounded so good; the vocal harmonies are beautiful. Bell and Chilton's lead vocals complement each other perfectly. It is such a pity that it only lasted one album but it is a classic.
people often mistake being attracted to 16-17 year olds as pedophiles and i got damn pisses me off. im a bloody pedophile, not an ephebophile. we like kids, not full grown adults.
This record, and Big Star deserved so much more.
5/5
Een absolute parel.
Album 783 of 1089 Big Star - #1 Record (1972) Rating : 4.5 / 5 Some great power pop. Most would know them from the "That 70s Show" theme "In the Street". "Thirteen" is another that has become a favorite. Great songs and harmonies. Nice mix of rock and ballads. I enthusiastically recommend. Maybe a little Beatles influence showing.
just an all-around great work of power pop. it's got that jangly guitar, good hooks, and simple but relatable lyrics. after a while it all kinda blurs together, but that's par for the course. this is just proto-R.E.M. and i'm here for it. honestly wish there were a few more standout tracks here because it feels so close to being marvelous but falls short. 4.5 stars. favorites: tracks 1-6 and watch the sunrise
Still sounds great
This is a bop.
Day443 - i love this album. alex chilton was so talented.
Perfect.
a few songs off this album have been in my recent rotation, like more so than usual so the timing of this is nice. I've never listened to the whole album tho, I really like it. Also didn't realize its from the 70s and I was a bit surprised but its not really that surprising.
A great album. The production leaves a little to be desired but the songs and performances are top notch.
Glorious, uplifting, bittersweet power-pop
Pretty much perfect, honestly. What I love about Big Star and this album in particular is they’re clearly doing the power pop thing, trying to sound like the Beatles but instead of going early Beatles or psychedelic Beatles, it’s like the period right around Help. More bands should do this.
A timeless classic and one of my personal favorites.
This is an incredible album with some hard-hitting tracks and also some very emotional cuts as well. Definitely worth a listen if you're getting into the power pop genre. Mid 9
hahaha. Number 1 record. Well, actually mate, you are Number 1001 record for me. And how appropriate for this landmark that it's Big Star, I band I ought to have been listening to all my life, but have only been doing so since starting this off. This is such a great record. You can easily hear the Byrds influence, and in turn how they have influenced REM, The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub (heavily), Shack, Blur even. And that's the tender songs. The overtly 70s glam rock rockers are among the zenith of the genre, where it is very easy to go too far and descend into schlock. Simply a wonderful pop rock record all round.
Never travel far without a little Big Star.
Well, add this to the list of "How am I not already a fan?" I've heard tracks from Big Star and knew of their legend and their being more influential and "important" than they ever were popular, but I somehow never investigated. Another reason this endeavor is such a freaking good idea. They join Blur and Supergrass and a few others that I now will call myself a fan of that I hadn't given a listen to before today. Certainly there's a Byrds influence, but there's a glam undertow, something a little less cohesive that seems to be the motor of this band. I was never sure where they were heading, and that was an exciting element. I think I'm somewhere between a 4 and 5, but hell, I'm including the big star on the album cover.
an easy 5. everything about this is so great. it's beautiful and raw. the harmonies, the songwriting, the performances. plus, they influenced so many bands. Personally, I would have chosen Radio City over this one, but this one is still amazing. I got to see the Big Star Quintet this summer, consisting of original drummer Jody Stephens, along with Mike Mills from REM, Jon Auer from the Posies, Chris Stamey from The dBs, and Pat Sansone from Wilco. They performed all of Radio City, plus all the hits from Big Star's other two albums. It was an amazing night: amazing musicians performing beautiful music with love and reverence. I don't know if they'll tour again this year, but if they do, don't miss it.
Fuck, this album is perfect. It'll make you rock out, encourage bouts of nostalgia and change how you think about music. The fleeting genius and toxic partnership of Chris Bell and Alex Chilton captured in the most timely snapshot.
that 70's show theme song is from this album
Massively, massively underrated album...now I want bad tacos and a Lone Star.
Rock and roll is here to stay.
Finally, a disc worthy of 5 stars! How can so many great songs be jammed into 37 minutes??
Proto-Power Pop.
An underrated band and album. Pioneers of a power pop era.
4.5
another album that i cannot be unbiased about. i adore this record. the pinnacle of power pop songwriting. every song has an incredible hook. it's just so well written, so well performed. i love the shit out of this one. but to be a little critical, there are a couple of songs here that are a little more inessential - in particular, the closing track - that perhaps i could do without. but man, the first side of this record is pretty much perfect in my eyes.
The album is so intricately beautiful and musically smart without feeling indulgent. Chilton and company give us pop gems across styles. Love it and will listen some more.
Big Star, little revelation. Had never heard of this band before, but this sounds like it could have been recorded any time between 1972 and 2022. A lot like Led Zep's more chilled tunes, but still decent in its own right.
More people should listen to big star.
Absolutely stellar power pop. 4.5/5
Astonishing that this was virtually ignored at the time.
Insanely well produced 70's record.
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.
Never heard of this band. Loved this album! 5/5
How have I not heard of this band before?! Excellent album, which will definitely be on my rotation now!
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.
Solid and chill. That 70s show song
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!
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
Fantastic album!
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.
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.
Only 2 years into the 70s you get all these suburban American kids raised on British Invasion, California Psych, and jangly country/folk rock forming their own bands to relive it all for themselves. Because it's a half generation later there's a degree of pastiche along with the bright earnest try hard optimism. You can hear the whole 60s thing refracted back through itself in this album full of hooks and harmonies and some really incredible crunchy guitar sound. Somehow this is both extremely derivative and foundational of its own style of unabashed song-oriented good vibes rock that would become power pop, college rock, indie pop whatever... I'm late to this band despite always knowing about them, and they endear themselves more with every listen. The acoustic final few songs let it down a bit though as the infectious energy dissipates.
Love this album.
Fantastic power pop record!
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.
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.
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.
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.
This is your perfect “70’s summer rock” album. No-Skips, All-Bangers.
Perfection. Songs, performance, sound - just a truly wonderful album.
Excellent
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
Beautiful powerpop record of Big Star containing one of of my favorite songs of all time (Thirteen). It's hard to understand (apart from luck and label issues) that most of the world missed this release at the time.
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.
Ain’t no one going to turn me round
This record is so beautiful. It's almost perfect for me.
#1 Record, Radio City and Third should all 3 be in the 1001.
After a couple of spins this albums starts blossoming. It is a collection of wonderful melodies, without a single weak point.
Amazing - I hated the Third/Sister Lovers album (1* rating!) but absolutely loved this! What happened in the meantime?
I enjoyed this so much, I especially loved the vocals.
The Best album of a great band!
Enjoyed the 70s sound. Great vocals and strong guitar
Very enjoyable album, good time listening.
Best album I have on this site yet!
Oh this was great. This is always an album I had been recommended but never checked out. Right up my power pop alley.
A masterpiece. A band and album too few people know about.
Dug this rock album - solid!
Where would indie rock be without their #1 Record?
Cool
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
Fantastic album, highly recommend. Beetly mixed with zepp.
I very much enjoyed this album. The groove of the 70s felt extremely satisfying today.
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.
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!
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.
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?
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.
Good ole fashioned Americana 9/10
So good.
Pop perfection
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.
som massa, das antiga 72 o rockzao mais palatável bem bom de se curtir
perfection
Memphis magic, baby
Amazing
I expected to be disappointed, but happy to be proven wrong. Great hooks, tight interplay and just a rolicking good time. I prefer the higher tempo numbers than the slower songs. Good 70s pop rock.
Shocked I have t heard this, well outside of the That 70s Show theme.
Jokainen biisi levyllä oli miellyttävää kuultavaa! Hieno kokonaisuus.
A decent listen though I didn’t enjoy as much as the other Big Star album. I’ll probably replay at some point so a generous 4.
The one thing I like most about “#1 Record” is how honest and earnest it is- there’s no irony here. The songs are tender, and nostalgic, and heartfelt, and that feels really good right now. There are some good rockers here, but most of the songs seem to be chill acoustic numbers- to me, this is perfect lazy Saturday morning music. I really enjoyed it. FOUR STARS
I really liked this record, and I'm unsure how I haven't heard of this band before now. There's some beautiful tracks in there in particular 'Thirteen' which has been covered beautifully by Elliott Smith and also the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Favourites: The Ballad of El Good Thirteen My Life is Right
I knew Big Star from great covers of Thirteen. They seem like a band's band. Favorite tracks: Thirteen, When My Baby's Beside Me, In The Street
3.5 rounded up
Forgot they wrote the theme song to That 70’s Show. Liked this a lot.
New one to me. Enjoyed it and definitely need to listen to it again.
Forget the Velvet Underground. All your favourite artists’ favourite artist is actually Big Star. -First exposure was Elliott Smith’s cover of Thirteen. -Second was Yo La Tengo’s cover of Take Care -Third is Jeff Buckley’s cover of Kanga Roo. Exactly the kind of thing that deserves to be on this list.
Solid album, really surprised by the quality.
Thirteen is great, the rest is okay
An enjoyable album saved a few songs and it’s nice to listen to more 70’s music. In particular I was drawn to ‘Feel’ and ‘My Life is Right’ The opening lyrics in the latter are lovely “ And now I hope you're here to stay You give me light” Another 4/5 GEMV (01.06.2026)
Now that was a pleasure to listen to. Good melodies, good harmony, good playing. I saved “Thirteen” to my playlist.
4.4 The most known unknown album out there. I think the songs are there, but man, I think they could have used a better producer to take it to the finish line
This album gets better every time I listen to it. It is a melodic delight throughout. There’s a good variety of vibes and songwriting styles from the different writers too. Power pop, glam rock, balladry and even a kind of baroque vibe occasionally too. I’ve been listening to Big Star for a long time now, and I still don’t quite know what they are, particular when taking Third/Sister Lovers into account. For me though, being able to describe something like this, or define/pigeonhole it, is not important when you can simply sit back and breathe in the quality from start to finish. At this stage it feels like they shall forever be considered on the cult side of things, discovered by the more musically curious. Those making the discovery though often make a powerful and inseparable bond with the band. I think the album sequencing is a little odd, but it’s a small qualm.
I am a big power pop fan, so I naturally liked this. I didn't like absolutely everything, but I can see what it influenced and I appreciate its inclusion on this list.
I really enjoyed the 70’s pop rock sound of this band….very talented 🎸
Is it me, or is this album cover more famous than the album? Funny that i'm well familiar with the cover versions rather than the originals, but this is a great album. Solid songs, good flow, harmonies, timeless feel.
I am another that got into Big Star via R.E.M. great power pop album. There’s that Beatles and Byrds vibe running through this album but with a heavier driving rhythm making that great power pop sound, their followup Radio city really developed that sound that yeah influenced all the indie music, this has a more obvious beatles/byrds sound above and beyond the jangle guitar, but it’s a damn fine album in it’s own right. It’s probably easy to dismiss it as yeah it’s just doing all the things I hear so many times but this is the blue print that was copied.4..5 Star
Alright. Listened to it twice, really liked it a lot better the second listen. Obviously already knew In the Street. But man The Ballad of El Goodo and Thirteen are sooooo good. Don’t Lie to Me is very solo Paul McCartney sounding. Really good listen.
I didn’t know what to expect from this album, but I liked it.
I had never heard of this group but I was very pleasantly surprised. I had no idea the theme for That 70s Show was a cover.
Just so nice. We love you Alex Chilton. Listen to his coked out cover of 'I Will Always Love You', cheers.
4 star
It’s missing something from being a great album. It’s a solid album. 3.5
Liked this a lot more than Third / Sister Lovers. The rock numbers seriously ROCK! Even the slower tracks have something there that you can just feel. Perfect it is not, but it is pretty great even at its worst. I now get why others hold them in pretty high regard.
liked this more than i thought i would!
I enjoyed this, think it was well paced. Some typically uneasy early 70s lyrics in places. Made me feel quite nostalgic about the end of uni. Top track: the Ballad of El Goodo
Lets gooo
Some iconic material on here, and honestly getting this album after a Cheap Trick release seems incredibly fitting. Damn can these lads write a tune, showcasing great power as well as sincerity. 'In The Street' is an obvious outlier, 'Thirteen' is properly rated as one of their top tracks and with a slight southern rock edge these guys rip. Plesantly suprised by how much I like this album. Maybe im just in a good mood or something.
Good album, reminds me of Tom Petty
i said i’m in love.. with that song…. i’m in love….. what’s that song……. highlights: feel, thirteen, watch the sunrise (may 5 2024)
Big Star – #1 Record (1972) On Day 130, I reached a milestone with a "chill" but decent listen. You can clearly hear the Beatles' influence throughout the project, especially in the production and the vocals, which gave the music a high-level weight and a melodic feel. While it wasn't perfectly consistent from start to finish, the standout tracks were outstanding. "In the Street" was a beautiful highlight for me, alongside the immaculate vibe of "The Ballad of El Goodo" and "Thirteen." I also saved "My Life Is Right" and "Watch the Sunrise" to the playlist. It’s a great example of songwriting that feels both great and nostalgic. A very respectable 4/5.
Very solid album. The first half is strong, but the second lags a bit unfortunately. Still, some really good rock and roll. It shows it's age a little bit. Standout tracks were "Feel" "In The Street" and "Thirteen" I think #1 Record gets a 4 for me, pretty good and I'd love another listen sometime.
The Ballad of El Goodo In the Street Thirteen
I don't really know what I expected going into this, probably some more mid rock that I'd have to push through. But I couldn't be more wrong, this really hit for me. Such a great overall record with tons of great lyrics, instrumentation and just overall style. It has a very clear Beatles influence throughout, but it is clearly Big Star's own baby. I can't really explain why this works so well, it really hit me hard. The ballads are so good, almost makes me tear up at points with the heartfelt emotion and beautiful melodies. I was washing my car on a sunny day when I first listened to this and I felt like I was in a movie. Perfect listening experience for this. Ugh just really enjoyed it. Only complaint would maybe be about pacing and the latter half gets a bit slow. But otherwise really good. I think 'Thirteen' is just lovely, that alone puts it right up there with the best. Fav Track: Thirteen
Quite enjoyed a lot of this after it had grown on me following a few listens. Can also hear the influences this had on later bands like Teenage Fanclub.
I have listened to this occasionally over the years. Always because it influenced Teenage Fanclub’s excellent ‘Bandwagonesque’ so much. Tbh I didn’t much care for it, and it’s only in recent years that I’ve found a much greater appreciation. And 30yrs later I really enjoyed that today. I know there are ‘grower’ albums, but 30yrs to get into it is going some stretch.
A case study on how wrong the music industry can be, this should have been one of the biggest albums of the 1970s and not a cult classic. Children by the millions and all that.
Not bad
Never heard of them but this was actually quite enjoyable! 4/5
Favorite Song: In The Street
As a kid I had heard The Letter by the Box Tops somewhere, probably in a movie or TV. I heard Down The Street because of That 70's Show but as a kid I thought it was written specifically for the show. At my first job someone commented that the way I dressed made me look like I was from Big Star. I looked them up on google image search to see what they were talking about but didn't research much farther into it. Later on I got way too into The Replacements and wanted to know who Alex Chilton was which was then the point I put on #1 Record. I'm ambivalent about this album. It gets celebrated by musicians that I like and while I think there are great parts to it, it is not an album that I recommend to everyone. For example, the opening to 'Feel' is just a great way to start an album. The song in it's entirety is, in my opinion, worth hearing. I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone. There are definitely standout tracks on here. Thirteen is a timeless classic. Songs like 'India' just didn't really need to be on it, I don't know if that's controversial. The story of this album and band and how they had a resurgence on college radio is maybe an artifact of its time. Now there are probably more talented bands putting out albums under-the-radar because of the sheer numbers and platforms. Everyone is drowned in the noise. I get the feeling that Big Star in some ways became a myth for music people to namedrop that kind of outstripped the intrinsic merits of what is a pop record.
increible, A great discovery!
Extremely 70s in the best way. It’s honestly bizarre that I didn’t know about this band or The Band. Hearing the origin of the That 70’s Show theme was a bit of whiplash. It’s a good song. I feel like I’ve heard covers of some of these songs elsewhere too. Anyway, it was a fun listen with some really nice instrumentation. They do what they do really well here.
This record was bound to get a good review just because it has Thirtheen a.k.a. the best song ever made in it. But overall is a pretty solid work.
I was really surprised by this album! I wasn't really vibing with the earlier songs because I didn't like the vocal timbre / delivery, I thought the instrumentation wasn't anything special, and I had an especially hard time making out the lyrics. However, the last four songs were really soft and emotionally-charged. The album didn't have much of a grip on me until those last few songs really tugged on my heartstrings. The vocal delivery also got better throughout the album; it sounded pretty nasally while the singer was in a higher register, but that mellowed out as they descended in register. Not sure I'd listen to the whole album again, but I saved the ones that got me a little emotional.
Really enjoyed listening to this. Interesting throughout. Lovely melodies. Good harmonies and great playing. By a band id never heard of... (even though I've already reviewed the other album on this list and given it a 2!) This is far better than a 2. So much so that I'm going to go back and relisten to 'Third' simply because I can't believe a band that produced this in 1972 had sunk so far by 1978 (drugs, splits?)
I had never heard of Big Star. Good album. Not great, but very good. The songs are interesting and varied. It helps that they apparently had two leading singers.
Never heard of anything both by the artist and from the album. Does that mean this sucks though? Absolutely not. It's probably about as generic as rock gets from the early era of modern rock, but they still seem to do that well that I found myself enjoying the listen.
Muy buenos temas! Cada uno de ellos con una personalidad única. Recomiendo escucharlo más de una vez.
If you’ve never listened to Big Star before, I imagine there’s an aha moment when you hear the real version of the theme to That 70’s Show. Not a lot of people seem to know or care about Big Star these days. Nobody really talks about them. They aren’t often played on oldies stations. I think that’s because they’re so chill and understated. This album is like something that was super hip for five minutes fifty years ago, so I get it. But every time I listen to the #1 Record, I want to put it on again. That’s saying something. This is lazy Sunday, sitting on the porch background music. Let it be noted, their later albums kind of expose more of a twerpiness. #1 Record, in my opinion, it the height of their coolness.
Not very familiar with Big Star but they had a really great sound from that time period and really nice melodic tones and production. Found myself bobbing around to this one and surprised they didn't make it bigger. Might have to dig in a lil more on them
Wow, where have these guys been hiding? Great album. I don’t remember how it felt to hear those classic 70s albums for the first time, but it must feel close to this. I especially liked the guitar work.
Top Songs: Feel In the Street Thirteen
A creuser
I kinda liked this pop album. I have no idea if this band is super popular but they are fun to listen to every once in awhile.
Good album! Didn't know the band. Great to hear in rainy days, reading a good book.
Album 8 3/10/26 I went into this with little expectations so this was an unexpected treat! I had listened to the top Big Star tracks years ago as I was first making my way through the first generation of Beatle-worshippers but didn't have the patience for this album and panned the band. The record's pacing through me for a bit of a loop. With Badfinger riffs and attitude, a bit of Hollies syrup, and a good helping of Byrds American seasonings, the first side was to my taste, if not a bit too bombastic. The transition from Don't Lie to Me (which kicks more ass than any Badfinger song) to the baroque instrumentation of India Song was amazing. I also loved the Mellotron on Give Me Another Chance and the slide on Try Again. Very 1971 Lennon/Harrison respectively, with none of the Spector and no Ringo coming crashing in at the minute mark. As the album ended though, the spareness of the acoustic second side left me wanting one more rock and roll romp. Overall, I'm pleased with this album and think it's a light 4. I will now see to their rightful addition to my playlists and give Radio City a chance when I can.
This album was built for sunny day drive with potentially a little weed being involved just to open the aperture. I love the cohesiveness of this album. Feels like the songs were meant to be together ands the sequencing is impeccable. After 40 minutes this thing ends and you wonder where the time went. Frankly it's so impressive. Oh and this has Thirteen. My heroes love that song. When he sings "tell em what we said about "Paint it Black" I feel that. I will be returning to this...
8/10
Another happy album. This is what vibe coding will have sounded like.
Hell yeah, it’s the That 70s Show theme. I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would and enjoyed a bunch of the songs. Not quite a five star record so the title oversold, but four stars is nothing to complain about.
Power pop beginnings, Alex chilton, often cited by other artists The ballad of el goodo My life is right
As a kid I discovered Alex Chilton by way of the Replacements. No idea who he was but I went out and bought High Priest, brought it home and was like what the fuck is this? But he grew on me, and I discovered Big Star. Can't say I love every song on this album, but this gets 4 stars the first half hits. Overall a pretty unique sounding album.
The first four songs are huge, but I've still never really loved Big Star the way lots of people do. I think the two things that stop me are not really enjoying Chris Bell's vocals, and that the songs need a little more diversity in sound and style. Having said that, it's a good record with a handful of great songs
Great surprise. You can see the influence of this band. Depending on the song, they sounded like proto-70s bands like Zeppelin an CSNY
Very good, slightly slow start from high expectations but grew on me as it progressed. Could be a 5, but it's a 4 today.
That was a pretty listen
I love teenage fanclub, who in turn love Big Star and the reasons I love the fannies are all over this. Little pop nuggets wrapped in sweet vocals, sweeter harmonies and pure melodies. Massively underrated playing too with guitars tha just jangle perfectly
Excellent power pop record
I liked this one, 60’s-70’s rock
I liked about half of it, last song is great. Elliott Smith..
Shame they fumbled the distribution for this, they had a great sound
When this one popped up this morning, I actually didn't have any idea what it was. After I started playing it, I realized that I knew a couple of the songs, just wouldn't have put the name of the band together with those songs. The descriptions I read about it described the music as power pop. I would call it a mix of yacht rock and southern rock. Really solid album and the sound was way before it's time in 1972. I surprisingly enjoyed this one!
Some high highs on this album, while other points don’t resonate with me. Over all a decent album
It's great musically! But lyrically there isn't much going on, which is the only thing stopping me from giving it a 5.
Killer, but loses a bit of steam towards the end...
Surprised how good this is. The album has flashes of glam and folk reminiscent of Bolan before T Rex, and of course The Beatles with Simon/Garfunkel melodies. For me it went on a bit long but as a debut it ticked alot of boxes. Shame they didn't stay together really.
Honestly such a well paced record, has such a cool sound, mixing glam tracks with folk pop, so many great hooks and vocal melodies. Big 4*
Sometimes this tends towards the overly theatrical 80’s vocals but in general I like it, I was really only familiar with them through Elliott Smith’s covers
and I'll shake you
I had forgotten that this album was a banger. Underrated riffs, great vocal delivery, joyful tunes, crunchy production. Bravo!
Eleven songs I have mixed feelings about and one that is one of my favorite songs of all time. of course, I'm talking about "The India Song" oh my god lmao could you imagine.
That was nice. Big Star's 1972 debut #1 Record is another one of those albums that I've seen praise for online but haven't checked out at all until now. I had fairly high expectations for this one, and I'd say the album delivered. The album's pretty good. It's a little hard to define exactly what type of rock we're dealing with here. All I know is that it's definitely rock and it's definitely good. Of course, it helps that the songs are varied enough to make the album engaging throughout its runtime. You have your more energetic songs like the opener "Feel" and "In the Street" balanced out by more melodic songs like "The Ballad of El Goodo" and "Thirteen." I definitely have a preference for the latter style, with those two specific songs being the best that the album has to offer. I actually really like the more country-adjacent style of "Thirteen," which is surprising since I don't usually gravitate towards things that could be called country-adjacent. Another source of divide on the album is between the band's two lead vocalists, Chris Bell and Alex Chilton. I do have a major preference for Chilton's voice, but Bell does fine enough on the songs he sings for. The lyrical themes are fairly simple, dealing with things like young love and such, but the songs are written in a way that just feels... cozy? I don't know. It feels very natural and the topic doesn't feel shallow on the album. Perhaps the most notable thing about the album is its influence. Turns out, Big Star and #1 Record were pretty influential for some of the best alt-rock bands of the 80s like R.E.M. and the Replacements, both of whom would go on to be incredibly influential in their own right, so that's pretty cool! It's things like this that make #1 Record an easy pick for a list like this. That combined with the album's quality make it an album that I would recommend to just about anyone. It's great. High 4/5.
Nytt for meg. Stort sett soft 70-tallsrock, men tidvis drar det mer i retning av hard rock/power pop. Her er det de roligere, melodiske låtene som vekker mest engasjement i meg. Mye nydelig å velge mellom. Albumet har to skips, i Don’t Lie To Me og The India Song, ellers er alle sangene rike av kvalitet. Dette er nok det jeg vil kalle en tre-og-en-halv-stjerner, men utgivelsesåret tatt i betraktning, runder jeg opp til fire. Top 3: Thirteen, The Ballad Of El Goodo, Give Me Another Chance
Review - This album has grown on me over time. At first I liked it more for it's influence on later, greater bands I liked. But every time I revisit it (including now) I find I like it more and get more out of it. While the beginning of the first track can sound a bit generic 70s rock, it gets so much better and is such a fun listen. I can see why it maybe didn't catch on so much when it came out, but has grown in influence over time. Rating - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES
me ha gustado más que otros
Ahhh Big Star….never heard of them until this list came along. It’s a very good mid 70s rock album. Kind of wild that it flew completely under the radar. They definitely deserved to be a lot bigger. It’s very much rooted in the 70s, but I love it. Feels so cool listening to something so old and yet so fresh to me….like a kind of Time Machine. Well worth a listen (as is the follow up). 4
album won me over in the first moments. feels like i'm in almost famous. transports me to an era I love . the that 70s show theme song??
Ya dar hey dar guy dar hey dar!! 4.725
Reminds me of T-Rex and That 70s Show.
Was only familiar with Thirteen before listening to this one. Really enjoyed the whole album. Can definitely see how this influenced so many other pop/rock artists.
Feels like hometown Rock n Roll. Simple but effective. Favorite Song: Thirteen.
good enough tbh, better than i expected
Solid 70s rock. Squarely in the pocket of the era. Some fun dive bar vibes. 3.5 stars. Not much else to say.
This was actually a very good record. Maybe I'll come back to this someday, but not disappointed I got to listen to this.
Very good but I think it runs out of steam a bit as the album goes along. Still excellent, but close to true greatness.
Great
I've listened to this before, its a great American rock record. Mixes the heartland with folk and even presages alternative rock.
What a gem! Impressively timeless, great production. Thirteen was a joy to listen to for the first time, the the rest of the album was strong as well. It’s beyond me how these guys didn’t make it big
You know what’s funny? I could have sworn I already reviewed this here. In fact I thought I found this album through this site. But I guess not! Anyway, good solid rock and roll!
4.5/5 Good, fun classic Rock. "We're all alright."
Sounded like the beatles at some points. Really dig their sound and they had good harmonies.
Overhyped but maybe deserves it?
A big mix of stuff, but generally does sound quite ahead of its time, at least like something released in the punk era. A lot of more blues elements, but I think what sets it the most apart is that there's catchy choruses, with loads of layered vocals, which was a huge think which more pop influenced rock bands did in the 70s and 80s and since. I feel like one of the singers sounds like Ozzy Osbourne in some places. I like also how the heavier songs are contrasted with acoustic songs. Sounds like there's some mellotron on the India song (maybe more as well). Overall its very poppy, but not in a Queen way or in a Yes 'The Yes album' way, which I think are both worse than this (less so Queen). Favourite songs: feel, the ballad of El Goodo, in the street, thirteen, don't lie to me, the India song, my life is right try again, in the street. Overall around 7/10
Favorite songs: The Ballad of El Goodo, In the Street, Thirteen, Don’t Lie to Me, Give Me Another Chance
At some of its best moments (like “Feel,” “Don’t Lie to Me,” “When My Baby’s Beside Me”), it sounds like the inspiration for Boston’s “More than a Feeling” - squealing guitar and vocals. That’s a huge compliment from me. Some ballads are great too (“Thirteen” was a familiar classic). Some of the tracks are a bit outdated in sound to me, or simple. But really good for something so outside my genre.
Wow wow wow!! I have had multiple people over the year tell me to listen to this band. I see them in every list if underrated bands. I don't know why I never listened to them. This was great!! Each song was different. Each one kept my attention. They had cool stuff going on like keyboards, harmonicas, horns, synths, you never know what they will throw into a song. Well crafted pop rock songs that would even make Cheap Trick proud. But yet have softer acoustic songs as well. I loved the voices.
The origin of the intro tune to the that 70's show if you take away nothing else. I was worried for a moment this list did not include a lot of fun 70's music but luckily we got this.
An incredible rock album, whose quieter songs connect with me most. So many great tracks. 4.5 stars.
Liked this. Got a great 70's sound!!
Groovy! This was also “fresh” in an inexplicable way.
This is a fantastic album that seems like you could put it in any era & it would succeed but it didn't. I know Cheap Tricks cover of In the Streets from That 70s Show. Big Star's version sounds like REM covered it & that's a compliment. Try Again sounds like The Beatles trying out a country song. Beautiful & melodic but they can go hard if they want to. 4
This one grew on me a lot. Released at a time when rock was moving increasingly into new styles and experiments, Big Star just wanted to keep making straight forward rock n roll from the mid-60s. At first glance, it feels a bit dated but the simple approach with the recording gear of the era was a major step forward for the power pop subgenre. A hidden gem of an album to me.
- Some superb rock music without overcomplicating things too much. Great vocal harmonies. - Really easy to listen through from start to finish, with a number of strong highlights, with plenty of variety: In The Street for beat pop, very Beatles-inflected Don't Lie To Me for southern bluesy rock, in the CCR and Free mould Watch The Sunrise is a sweet, jangly folky number with a Byrds, CSNY-type flavour - I didn't really know anything about Big Star beforehand but I've found both of their albums in the list have really grown on me with repeated listens and I'd definitely pick up copies if I find them.
Il y a des tounes un peu folksy qui me font penser un peu à The Byrds (India Song), et d'autres un peu plus hard rocky, qui ont quelque chose d'un led zep, d'ailleurs le chanteur a un timbre de voix assez à la Robert Plant!
I enjoyed this album. It had some variety to it and solid guitar play.
Was this #1 on the list? No, but it was decent
Clásico absoluto. influyente en los grupos de los 90´s. Power pop de muchos quilates. Un disco que en el 72 no sé cómo sonaría, pero en los 90 relucía tanto como hoy. Maravilloso.
Big 4.5
This is actually a pretty solid record. Before I got Sister Lovers a few weeks ago I only knew of them from the intro to That 70s Show. I'm surprised more songs from this album don't pop up here and there given their apparent cult following.
Neki nepoznanega! Všeč mi je naslovnica in pa optimizem naslova albuma. (Spoiler: it didn't quite work out.) Ok, 70s rock. Fak, suddenly theme song od That 70's Show (oziroma varianta le tega) - ha, očitno je original ("In The Street") od tega banda, who knew. "Thirteen" je lep, chill, akustičen komad. Po pa " Don't Lie To Me" k gre pa čist v drugo, bl hard smer. "Try Again" mi je všeč, naslednji tud ("Watch The Sunrise"). Potem je pa albuma konc z enominutnim komadom, še preden ti je jasno, da je konc. Bom še poslušala, se mi zdi, da si zasluž.
Short & solid. Enjoyed jamming out on repeat.
this reminds me of albums my mom would play when I was little. for a sec I thought I was listening to the radio and I was really into what the dj was playing. this is nice
#778. Wasn't expecting much, but i got a lot more than I expected. 4/5: pretty good
Great album
I enjoyed this one so much more than their 3rd record that we had to listen to. The front side of this is loaded with great songs. It slows down quite a bit on the B-sides, but still really enjoyable.
#1 Record by Big Star hit me out of nowhere. The songwriting feels effortless, and the engineering is of the highest caliber (I haven't listened to the remastered version yet). Guitars and vocals shine with a clarity that sticks right in the chest. The wind section on 'The Feel' adds a vibe I didn't see coming. Even the drums have attitude, with the snare positioned on the right stereo side, as if it owns the place, which is an unusual placement. It is a tight, complete album with real personality. Hard to believe it slipped past me for so long, but I am glad it finally found me.
Everything I love about the Beatles, the Who and the Byrds in one album
El Goodo is my fav
Childhood vibes
This made me nostalgic for the days living as a free-spirit, lead eating, glue huffing teen in the 70s (I wasn't even alive back then, but damn does this record convince you otherwise).
I liked this! It's not perfect (the opening track is one of the weakest) but I dig the harmonies, I dig the bluegrass country influence, and there is something surprisingly modern in the arrangements. I wasn't familiar with this band other than reputation before, and this made me want to listen to more of their work! The cover is slick, nice and simple but attractive, it's a 4/5 too.
Feel - 4/5 The Ballad of El Goodo - 5/5 In the Street - 5/5 (hey it's the That's 70s show theme) Thirteen - 3/5 Don't Lie to Me - 3/5 The India Song - 4/5 When My Baby's Beside Me - 4/5 My Life Is Right - 4/5 Give Me Another Chance - 5/5 Try Again - 3/5 Watch the Sunrise - 4/5 ST100/6 - no rating Average score: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve always enjoyed my touch points with Big Star, the so-called “forgotten band” of the early 70s. They are a friendly voice, the kind of band prophesied by George Harrison when he sang “Here Comes the Sun.” It’s the sound of respite after the tumult.
If you can get beyond the over-the-top bold pretension of the band and album names, you'll be rewarded with a tightly constructed precursor to alternative rock. Released in 1972, it feels like it is even older. At the same time, it provides enough character and production value to be ahead of its time. This turns out to be yet another reason 1972 remains a banner year for music releases.
I’m surprised I’ve never heard this album because I’ve heard quite a few of the songs before, likely through other people’s covers. This is up there with some of the great albums to come out of the early 70s. Great songwriting, classic sound, I can see why they had a big impact on later artists.
The folk tunes are maybe not super unique for that period of time but they're done very well and with great passion, so I can overlook that. Thirteen is an all timer. I do really like the more lively and powerful songs, like Feel or When My Baby's Beside Me. They have stronger melodies and more interesting chord progressions. There is some misses but the album is pretty good overall.
do you want to hear a story? I've got a story. back when I was like 16, I had a really big crush on this guy I knew. we met at a summer music programme and he was a very good musician. I found out that he listened to Supertramp, who have long been a band that I LOVE. this was in the 2010's, so that wasn't exactly super common. so we would talk about them sometimes. and he told me, "you HAVE to check out this song 'Watch the Sunrise' by this band Big Star. I think you'll really like it". he was absolutely right - it's such a great song and I still think about it all the time all these years later. it was the first song I learned on guitar with alternate tunings. the song definitely has the same feel in my mind as "Sister Moonshine," and they blend together in my brain all the time. the rest of the album doesn't sound totally the same, but it still feels warm and nice. also: "Thirteen" is an example of a song written by an adult about adolesence that is done beautifully. it actually feels like a look back, but also like you're seeing through the eyes of the kid. it's nostalgic in an authentic way. instead of feeling like an adult in arrested development having a weird retroactive fantasy about having a weird power trip or edgy experience as a teen.
Fun
Ballsy album title. Faith No More did it with album of the year and quite honestly, I didn’t think they were wrong. Can these guys pull it off with just one song? That’s all they need. Let’s listen, shall we? First of all I’m hearing Bon Scott mixed with the singer from Supertramp, Roger??? And Tom Petty. So far I’ve heard songs close to a number 1 sound. Top 10 on the charts for sure. And there you go, the #1 song. The theme from that 70’s show. I thought that other band whom I cannot recall their name originally did that song. Strange. This album caught me off guard. It’s good. Sort of Lynyrd Skynyrd without the sweet guitar solos and southern sound. I’ve followed them on Spotify, that’s how invested I am. Choice cut: Feel
7/10
Big fun
I wasn't overwhelmed by this album, but the back half definitely piqued my interest and made me want to revisit - "Give me another chance" "Try again" and "Sunrise" all really hit for me.
Softish rock but well crafted, sounds a long way ahead of it's time
Very good. Instant classic from the first note. At first, didn't know much about the album or band, but then realized I recognized several of the songs.
Big Star is a major “what if?” in the history of rock. They put out two very good power pop albums and then one really emotional downer album that reflected Alex Chilton’s personal decline. Would they have ever made it big if they kept turning out more pop oriented records? Maybe not. Maybe they only had those two in them anyway. They’re still great fun to listen to, and Third is fantastic if you’re in the right mindset for it. Oh well, Big Star is a solid cult act worthy of discovery by music nerds
I only knew Big Star as the band that made the song on That 70s Show, but now I can see why they are considered a cult classic. This is an early power pop record characterized by emphasis on vocal melody and harmony. There are elements of glam rock juxtaposed with folk rock. The influence of the Beatles and the Byrds still remain the foundation. This music is a clear progenitor of college rock groups like R.E.M. with their emphasis on vocals and jangly guitars. 4⭐️
Can't believe I've never heard this before. Did a double take when it came to Thirteen (you know how those 60s and 70s rock stars were...), but a quick Google search was reassuring. I'll definitely be listening to this again.
A classic album where you can feel its influence.
Great sound for the era
Almost 5! Dad?
like *third*, there’s one song on this album (’thirteen’) that is so incandescently brilliant that listening to it feels like looking directly at the sun—and that makes me want to rate the whole venture higher than it maybe deserves as an album. the rest of this album could have been alex chilton blowing raspberries into the mic and i still would have been like wow this is a masterpiece. you hear the origin of all power pop in this record….for better and for way worse. when they’re good, they’re brilliant, but when they’re mediocre, they just sound like all the shitty big star rip-offs that came in the decades after them. not their fault but it is a little annoying to listen to. fav tracks: THIRTEEN!!!!!!!; the ballad of el goodo; watch the sunrise
I enjoyed that! I don’t like it as much as *Third*; a lot of these songs skew more classic rock than my personal taste overall. “Watch the Sunrise”, “Give Me Another Chance”, and “Thirteen” are really the only ones that make me feel the way I feel when listening to *Third* because of their gentleness. The rest of the songs are fine, but highlight a part of the lead singer’s vocal range that I find less pleasant. Also I always forget that the theme song from That 70’s Show is a Big Star song so it’s kind of fun to keep forgetting that fact and then keep learning it like once a year.
A classic in power pop and indie pop. Heavy on the pop melodies and crunching guitar - should've been massive at the time but wasn't and has only grown in stature since its release, not that that will do much good for its band members. Best Tracks: The Ballad of El Goodo; Thirteen; Don't Lie To Me
Shoutout that 70s show!
Music is great, voices are ok, lyrics are meh.
Man it has been a while since I have heard Big Star, but boy am I glad the 1001 albums to hear before I die is making me listen to this killer debut album again!! This project is a very intimate experience that far exceeds any of the other elements at play here. All things considered this album really isn't all that special and is honestly quite standard, but how it presents itself is really what sets this apart and makes this one of the more essential Folk Pop albums of its' time. The instrumentation along with Alex Chilton's vocals are so touching that you can't help but simmer down and relax as he soothes you with his charm. It is a very to the point album that doesn't pull any punches, some would even call it simple, and yet I feel that is why I like this album so much. Really glad I finally got back around to relistening to this album as it is just as good as I remember it being.
I don't know how I never heard about this band. Typical 70s rock, great songs.
A tight pop record with a few tracks (such as thirteen) that I'll revisit.
Helt okända för mig (och som jag förstår andra) men riktigt bra, lite Americana. Fina stämmor. Om faktorn "okänd men ändå bra" skulle vägas in så kanske tom 5 stjärnor.
#1 Record by Big Star (terrible names) I really enjoyed this record. This is a band that has completely evaded me my entire life. Strong Led Zeppelin and Beatles influences on this record. Nevertheless I really enjoyed the tracks on this record.
Never heard of this band or #1 album before, but surprisingly enjoyable. Try again sounded very George Harrison.
A dog panting for it’s owner
Unfortunately this album (and band) suffers from the fact that it was not discovered until later bands who were much more successful cite it (and them) as a major influence. It’s probably safe to say that you don’t have Tom Petty, R.E.M., Cheap Trick, etc. without this record. Early power pop at its finest from such a short-lived band with a nice balance of tougher more rocking Chris Bell numbers and the softer more beautiful Chilton songs. As the great Paul Westerberg of Replacements fame writes in the aptly titled song “Alex Chilton”: …”I never travel too far…without a little Big Star!”
Sure yes, In The Street was used as the theme song for That 70’s Show. But "Thirteen" was featured in the season 3 finale, season 4 premiere, season 6 finale, and season 8 finale. That’s some Wiki knowledge for yo ass. There’s enough here that I enjoyed, including the aforementioned Thirteen and In The Street, to round up. Also, When My Baby’s Beside Me and My Life is Right, cuz I’m a sensitive soul/lover. Anyways… 3.5/5
This was a pretty good rock record all the way through. Didn't have many standout songs, but also didn't have any songs that I disliked. I had to listen to Feel a few times because the riff at the beginning sounded similar to a Stone Temple Pilots song (Plush), but the vocals made me think of Zeppelin or maybe AC/DC. In The Street and Thirteen were other favorites of mine from this record. I liked the variety of those songs contrasted with others. I think this straddles the 3 and 4 line, but I'm willing to go Low 4 here.
That was a surprisingly nice rock album that sounded like it should have come out in the 80s rather than early 70s. Had really nice guitar parts and the muted singing worked really well. In the Street was probably my favorite song on here. On the 3/4 line but ill bump it up
Un peu trop de ballades pour être un top top album, mais loin d'être la pire pop de la liste.
Such a great rock power pop band. Wild that they didn’t have any initial success and even more wild that I hadn’t heard of them until now. Of course, I was familiar with the co-opted version of “in the street” from That 70s Show, and I have heard covers of key songs - but I didn’t know the band. Some songs are standard 70s fare, but others are hits for the ages.
Excelente coordinación y buena música que no raya en la estridencia
Not even heard of this band before, but the album was a bit of fun
Some (barely) above average 70's rock.
This is a pretty fun album, has a very "familiar" feel about it. Catchy AF, like, if you entered "create a 70s rock band album with a sprinkle of hippie" into an AI you'd have something that comes out about like this. Nothing bad about it, it just kind of is. Actually some decent moments in here. The acoustic tracks sound fantastic.
Big Star – #1 Record 4 ⭐️ (My score: 85 → 4.25 rounded down for the generator) Power-pop at its finest. Shiny guitars, harmonies that stick, and a Lennon/McCartney-style push-pull between Chilton and Bell. Criminally overlooked when it dropped, but you can hear its DNA all over later indie and alt-rock. Fav track: Thirteen
Great band. Great album.
This is a good pop-rock record but I don't always understand the hero worship that goes with it... it's good, not GREAT. It's bubblegum in the beginning of the AoR phase.
A classic power pop album.
helvete vad bra. jävla gött sound alltså.
kenn ich big star? ah rock mitme guy mit hocher stimm. lesgo. tönt huuuuere guet ufgnoh de afang? und au cooli chords. de chromatisch stuff. finds huere geil (ah was luca du hesch gern es pop/rockalbum us de 70er??). ballad of el goodo tönt au mega crisp und d akkörd sind en schöne chreis. haha d bgvs sind so fest beatles. aha ebe mir hend vor einiger ziit s dritte album vo big star uf de liste gha und has so semi cool gfunde. aber anschinend seg ufem dritte de alex chilton schochli uninteressiert gsi mitem projekt. do ischer etz voll debi, d songs sind kohärent und catchy. thirteen seeehr schöne song. hoff es goht nöd um e 13 jöhrigi. okay nai es isch us chindlicher sicht. dont lie to me wieder sehr bluesrock mag ich sehr. aha anschinend isch das s einzige album wo de chris bell debi isch und de het huere uf production gluegt. the india song au fun wege flötuloch aber jo sehr whimsical. when my baby's beside me wieder suuuper geil? es tönt so cool die sus chords sind sehr geil, schellechranz coool. bin glaub recht fan? my life is right hani biiitz weniger spannend gfunde etz nöd so packend bim erste mol lose. chli schomol ghört. bi give me anither chance töned d gitarre super super schön und de bass isch super knackig. super schöni chords super melodie.
gaaanz e witzigi stimm feel findi recht cool! ballad of el goodo isch easy hahaha sini stimm tönt ih jedem chli andersch? coolio thirteen isch sehr herzig! don't lie to me baaanger, iwie mega vill energie, obwohls au ruhig isch when my bab's beside me au seeehr cool, au wieder sochli abgah aber trz chli reduziert wow das sind alles soo schön warmi lieder klars 4!
I've heard of Big Star, but never listened to the band. Great 70's rock groove. I had no idea they wrote "The Street" (Theme to "That 70's Show")
This should get more talk about it, I thought this was good quality solid music. Easy to listen to but not bland
Hanging out down the street has never been so fun!
Good listen.
I like Big Star, but I'm not CRAZY about them like some people are. I feel like they're one of those bands that's a bit overrated now because they were underrated at the time. This would be heresy to some of my friends, but I'm actually kind of partial to Alex Chilton's former band, The Box Tops. That said, "Ballad of El Goodo" is one of my favorite songs, and I do like the album overall.
I think I listened to this one too much in the years 1999-2004. It's so great. But I still need some years away before I can listen with clear eyes (ears?) again. It's like when I ate too many ham and pickle sandwiches and just can't eat them any more. Love it, but it's back on the shelf for Big Star for me.
I liked this. It’s a critical darling but for once they’re not totally wrong. A lot of this stuff becomes cliche though that’s hardly Big Star’s fault. 3.5
Great records, great songs and songsmanship. The more I listen to it the more I appreciate it. 4.5/5
I love the song Thirteen. I knew that song going in. I had no idea that the theme song to That 70’s Show was a Big Star song. Very enjoyable listen.
Nice example of the origins of power pop, this is another album that's more talked about than listened to, it's a cool record that suffers from the stuff that came after it making it sound a little bland and not all that innovative or fresh. I'm sure if you heard it when it first came out it would be something but now it's just ok power pop and I love me some power pop so....
This record had some fantastic songwriting and performances! Can definitely see this being an incredibly influential album for many American rock bands that came afterwards. Truly just a solid set of tracks with nothing sticking out like a sore thumb. I did get war flashbacks when the That 70s Show theme began playing, though.
Not all the songs are classics, but I just really like the vibe on this one. Feel, El Goodo, India Song and Thirtheen (one of my favorite songs of all time) are all incredible and a power pop staple
Great record! I don't know why I never listened to these guys before I was forced to by this list.
Big Star have a unique way to keep everything simple, short & sweet, yet creating great and memorable songs. Not my favorite of their 3, but it still deserves its four stars!
Nice album, i will definitely listen to it again
Good pop album but seemed to drag for me (no idea why, the longest song is like 4 minutes and it’s less than 40 overall)
Byrjar ágætlega en verður minna spennandi er á líður. Ljúft rokk, stundum kúabjalla, raddir sleppa. Fínt stöff heilt yfir. Eigum við að henda 3,4 á þetta eða hækka í 3,5?
Some fluffier tracks on here but overall a solid 70s rock album that I really enjoyed
Gave this a stronger rating that I initially thought I would. Realized I started saving a considerable amount of tracks. Galactic country rock. Like, if a band mixed up a recipe with Crosby, Stills, Nash and T-Rex.
There's a lot of great hooks and melodies. It has a relaxed comfortable mood. Stand out songs: Thirteen, When My Baby's Besides Me, My life is Right
Great album. Some real classics. Not one I’ve listened to alot
good seventies rock