Third/Sister Lovers

“Third/Sister Lovers” by Big Star (1978) Never heard this album nor this group, although I loved lead singer Alex Chilton’s #1 hit “The Letter” (1967) with the Box Tops when Chilton was only 16 years old (and I was only 12!). For an album produced in 1978, though, the recording and mix is not good. Too little separation, and primitive, unimaginative mixing. But musically, it is inventive. One can only imagine how much better this would have sounded if it were produced at Abbey Road, or The Hit Factory or even Muscle Shoals. Lyrics lack depth and originality. The suggestion is out there that “Thank You Friends” is a sarcastic condemnation of how badly Big Star was treated by the recording industry. Listened to from this perspective, it’s much better than if heard as a straightforward expression of gratitude. “Jesus Christ” is listed, but not playable, on Spotify. What’s up with that? The lyrics suggest a hymnic reflection on the singing of angels at the birth of Christ. It would be nice to hear it. One can get a taste of it in the twenty second sample on the iTunes Store. It’s not that impressive, chiefly because of the poor production. Too bad. “Femme Fatale” provides a good example of the band’s musical skills, and they are so-so. Alex Chilton’s simple lead vocal shows that he struggles with pitch at the softer end of his dynamic range, and the backing vocals (including his girlfriend Lesa Aldrege?) are even worse. Bass playing by Jim Dickinson is really good. His contribution to the band’s sound is probably a main reason for whatever success they had. “Holocaust” uses the systematic murder of six million Jews as a metaphor for the feelings of a woman whose mother just died a natural death. Yuck. This kind of pretentious appropriation is what gives much popular music a bad name. “Stroke It Noel” employs backing strings which are very poorly performed, and even more poorly recorded. I have keep reminding myself that this album was released in 1978. It would be a bad recording even if it had been released ten years earlier. Anyway, the lyrics on this song, the chorus of which is based on (uncredited) Bobby Freeman’s 1958 song “Do You Wanna Dance?”, are trite. The lines “Keeping an eye on the sky/Will they come, oh the bombs?” is anachronistic. By 1978, the fear of nuclear war was very much diminished from what we experienced in, say 1963, thanks to the U.S. effort in the Cold War, which is largely unappreciated today. (Full disclosure: I participated in the Cold War for the four years prior to this album’s release. But no hard feelings [smirk].) A pattern emerges here. Big Star takes hugely important issues and reduces them to triviality. This was ok in the 1950s and early 60s, but they seem to be lacking self awareness and compositional maturity in 1978. And for a band to call itself “Big Star” when it was anything but is, well, sad. Overall, I’m not sure why this is considered a cult classic, but cult defies justification anyway. Coulda died without this one. 1/5

Third is a record that has only grown in my estimation over the years. While previous Big Star records represent the pinnacle of 70s power pop, Third deconstructs their approach amid the band's disintegration. Third stands on its own, but lands much better in context of the band's previous work. It's loaded with the cynicism of a band with so much unmet potential ("Thank You Friends") and yet contains so many moments of broken beauty ("Big Black Car", "Nighttime", "Take Care"). This tender/caustic tension is at the heart of this record's power. Its influence is evident on artists from REM to Wilco and Yo La Tengo. In fact, I often think of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as a spiritual successor to this record. Their similarly fraught creation and off-kilter production follow much more pop-oriented efforts by each band. Favourite songs: "Big Black Car", "Kanga Roo", "You Can't Have Me", "Blue Moon", "Nightime"

Big Star didn’t end. It imploded. Third is its wake.

Man, Big Star is that traditional rock band that you HAVEN'T heard of. Once you click, however, you'll stick.

I've always loved this, and this love has only deepened over time.

Hindsight is a funny thing. Big Star's Third wasn't readily available to the public upon it's release, so it gained a big of a mysterious quality to fans, especially considering this record's defining quality was the disintegration of the band. What happened to make this the last Big Star record, and what made Alex Chilton abandon his band's signature sound only to wander the deserts of underground musical genres for the next 15 years. The production, while rough and borderline unfinished in places, have a real magical quality in the context of the band's history. They achieved pop perfection with songs like "September Gurls", but here we get a look behind the scenes, at the raw emotions Jody Stephens and Chilton were feeling. Their music had remained in the shadows, and that hurt and anguish is felt through an album that feels like it's being stitched together before your very eyes. I agree with Nick about this record having a huge impact on bands like Yo La Tengo, REM, Wilco, the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, etc. etc. I'm not always in the mood for the depths and tension in this album, but it's a masterpiece by my account. Fav tracks: Kanga Roo, Thank You Friends, Blue Moon, You Can't Have Me, For You, Big Black Car

Meh

Meh

makes me wanna check out even more big star

One of the biggest surprises I've had so far

My first thought when queuing this up was what it would sound like if Sixpence None The Richer covered "Kizza Me." Then I heard the songs. I'm impressed. There's a bit of a Velvet Underground repetitive-but-interesting drone going on (which ironically we see less on display in their VU cover of "Femme Fatale"), as well as some Bowie here, similar in vocal delivery and in trying to stay accessible while attempting new things in production, instrumentation, or chord and song structure. I even hear early Flaming Lips' guitar rockets à la "Five Stop Mother Superior Rain." This is not heavy Zeppelin 1978, nor full-on 70's psychedelia, but some sort of proper tea sippin' pseudo-glam. I love the "Nature Boy" cover as well; this and some other songs sort of fall apart timelessly while it's playing. There is something cinematic about much of the album, but more like a dramatic blockbuster movie performed live by your local amateur theatre company and local volunteer orchestra. The mid-tempo and slower songs are really the heart and soul of Third/Sister Lovers; the faster rockers aren't bad, but feel a little more pomp and fluff compared to the beautiful arrangements and performances that over-shadow them. The inability to label Third/Sister Lovers accurately is one of the things I love about it. As the album continues, it stays in and explores the world it creates. You don't know what's coming next, but it is always true to form, even though you can't quite find the form. It defines itself. This is truly a unique album. Big Star, I'm now a big fan.

alex chilton the woman that you are ❤️

I like the big star

When there are 1001 albums on the list, there are bound to be several albums that I won't be able to explain why they are on the list. This was a first listen to a band I've never heard of. This isn't the worst album I've heard so far, but it didn't even make it to "okay".

Easy listening but easily forgettable too

One of the big influences on a lot of the early music I recorded was The Replacements. I loved the scrappiness of their music, and the way that they were ably to equally address the silliness of life, as well as the seriousness. Most Punk bands did the latter, but not the former and The Mat’s devotion to both is a bog part of why I think Let It Be is the best document of the adolescent experience in popular music. As such, finding out that The Replacements were big fans of Big Star, I bought a CD that had a copy of their first two albums and, I’m ashamed to say, didn’t get the hype. I was put off almost immediately by Chris Bell’s vocals on Feel, and so never managed to appreciate Big Star’s influence on one of my favourite bands. Having listened to Third/Sister Lovers, I’m further ashamed that I wasn’t able to push past that barrier, because this is fantastic. Ramshackle, confessional, and Baroque in parts yet full of a beautiful simplicity and clarity of melody and thought. The context of being practically unfinished because of the breakdown of the band gives this a strangely ephemeral feel, as if the album is breaking down in front of your… ears? and creates a sense of melancholy that I find really appealing. I want to drink to this album, then go walking around the city and just watch the people, like the narrator of Nightime. So, that’s how I’m gonna spend my Saturday Night sorted, thank you Alex Chilton

"Third/Sister Lovers" is the third album by American rock band Big Star. The songs on the album were recorded at Memphis' Ardent Studios in 1974 but never got properly released until 1978 due to financial issues, the uncommercial sound of the album and the lack interest from bandmembers' Alex Chilton (vocals, guitars, keyboards) and Jody Stephens (drummer). Bruce Dickinson produced this power pop and alternative rock album which documents the band's deterioration and declining mental state. It did not do well commercially but gained critical notoriety during the 80's and is considered a cult classic. I followed the song listing order from the 1992 Rykodisc release. Guitar slashes, a forward bass and a bouncey piano kick off "Kizza Me." Very 1970's rock power pop. Strings eventually added at the end. He wants to feel her deep inside. A doo-doo vocal intro begins "Thank You Friends." This is slower with strings and background female singers. Layered music and a guitar solo. A positive message as Alex is thanking all of us for making it. "Jesus Christ" has a electric guitar carrying the melody augmented by a piano and a pop-rock beat. A chorus with backing singers and we get a sax solo! "Holocaust" has a piano and echoing slide guitar. An eerie atmosphere with strings added in this sad and heartbreaking song. He's looking in the mirror at himself nearly dead and the song ends with him saying he's a holocaust. "Kanga Roo" has an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, idiosyncratic drums and and percussion and a background grinding noise. I think the whole "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" album by Wilco is based on this song. The album closes with "Take Care." Strings and acoustic guitar in this slow waltz. We are firmly in baroque pop. Chilton is begging everyone to take care in an emotionally drained voice. There are a number of versions of this album with different song orders. I like the order of this version; it pretty much firmly divides the album. The first half of this album is power pop with catchy melodies. A more positive tone with layered music. The second half has slower songs and more added strings falling more in the baroque pop category. Heartbreaking and beautiful with Chilton's tenor voice emotional and emotionally drained. This a wonderful album with a deeply talented artists and deep songs. A must listen.

This was great power pop - both catchy and twisted. Reading the history of the band alongside is fascinating. Is this the definitive version of this album? What even is a definitive version? The production sounds so fresh.

Big Black Car Femme Fatale Blue Moon Nature Boy Dream Lover

Big Star were a fav among college friends. Mostly #1 record and radio city though. This one is a bit too sloppy and unfocused for me.

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

I really like this. It's kind of funny the day before I listened to The Strokes' Is This It, and honestly this feels like it's of the same era. It holds up really well. I never would have guessed this was pre 80s music.

Missing link from Beatles to REM/Elliot Smith. Love this record.

El disco va mejorando según lo escuchas. Te atrapa. Femme fatale.

The influence for so many great bands in the 90s

El disco va mejorando según lo escuchas. Te atrapa. Femme fatale.

Ha ha ha ha what the fuck?

Thank you friends Wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you I'm so grateful for all the things you helped me do All the ladies and gentlemen Who made this all so probable Thank you, friends I rejoice to the skies Dear ones like you do the best I do As far as can see my eyes THIS is why I started listening to this list - I never heard of or heard this album before, and its excellent! 5/5

"And children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes 'round They sing, "I'm in love, what's that song? Yeah, I'm in love with that song" I hear so many of my favorite bands from the 80s and 90s on this album. That alone is worth 2 stars. A band that influenced bands I love deserves credit. I also really like this album. Darker than the other stuff by Big Star that i am familiar with. Which might make it even better. I'll have to listen to all 3 albums in a row to figure it out.

This group was not on my radar. Unusual and hard to classify, somewhere in the rock / folk spectrum. I like.

Saved Prior: None Saved Off Rip: Stroke It Noel, Blue Moon, Till The End Of The Day Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Despite the fact that I didn't save a lot of songs, this was a cool listen. It puts the disintegration of a band and of a man front and center and you can hear that in the music. Is it for casual listening? Absolutely not. This is another album that I'll be returning to over the summer when I can really immerse myself in the world of the album. As it is now, I'll give it a 4 and keep it saved to my albums on Spotify.

I feel like this record is celebrated mainly because it was made during a low point in Alex Chilton's somewhat unfulfilled artistic life and that people like to romanticize his struggles, sort of like admiring Bukowski for his drinking. People want to hear something punk or avant garde in this record but really I think it's just an incomplete project that the record company pieced together after the musicians abandoned it. I'm not sure it's even appropriate to call it a Big Star album - I think that was something the record company did for marketing purposes. Ok, now that all of that is out of my system, I'm listening to this more today than I ever had combined up until now and enjoying it. I wonder why Chilton abandoned it and what it would have sounded like if he hadn't. The songwriting feels unfocused and maybe uninspired - hence the numerous covers, I suspect. I do like "Take Care" a lot, though. That's one of those haunting tunes where I feel like I heard it and loved it before but have no idea when or where. A cover by someone else, or the cosmic unconsciousness, or maybe I've listened to this record before and forgotten about it? Alex Chilton's an odd cat. A sort of a cautionary tale to me - there is an expression in the business world, "value will out," meaning that eventually, if something overlooked is valuable, it will eventually get discovered and get its due. Not so with art. Art is contingent. The cemeteries are full of potentially great artists we've never heard of, because of the circumstances they were born into or perhaps because their own self-destructive tendencies got the better of them before they could fully express themselves. Or other reasons. Who knows, but as they say the bird is on the wing, so I must stop procrastinating and end this review and get back to whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing.

I know very little about Big Star. In fact, I think the only thing I know about them is from The Replacements’ “Alex Chilton,” which is an all-time banger (also, how is Pleased To Meet Me not on this list? Way better than Let It Be). I know that their debut album is supposed to be really good, but I’ve never heard about this one. I’m excited to check it out and see what Big Star is all about! (I listened to the Aura Records UK LP from 1978) I thought this album was pretty bland. I went into this album pretty blind, but reading that Big Star was a big influence on power pop, I expected something with really catchy hooks and mass appeal, but I thought this album was a bit of a snooze for the most part. The thing that Big Star did best on this album was the slower, moodier songs, like “Holocaust,” “Nighttime,” and “Kanga Roo.” Those songs all had some really great string arrangements, and I would have loved to have heard more stuff like that on this album. I didn’t find the songwriting or singing to be particularly noteworthy, with the exception of the three songs that I already mentioned. I did think their version of Lou Reed’s “Femme Fatale” was pretty good though, and they did a good job of keeping the original feel to the song, while still putting their own touch on it. Maybe their debut album will be better, but if this is any indicator, I can’t see myself becoming a fan of Big Star. This album is a three for me, but it’s probably the lowest three I’ve given out, and all of those stars were earned by the songs on side 2 of the version that I listened to.

This was a little scatterbrained, but okay I guess. I found myself humming along on some tracks, but others were just like meh. Three stars.

Bibelmusik meint meine Frau. Inhaltlich nicht gecheckt aber irgendwie hat sie schon wieder recht

Maudlin and sleepy

forgettable

Left little impression. Not for me

When this album started, I thought I was going to enjoy it. However, I found it a bit durgy and nothingy. I can't say it really.kept my attention

Very meh.

initial impression: yikes... dreadfully boring Painful vocals, generic sound, kill me. 'Holocaust' was decent.

Kann ich nix mit anfangen. Ich weiß nicht, was das soll.

Femme Fatale är faktiskt bättre än velvets orginal. Jag har aldrig lyssnat på hela tidigare utan mer på de båda föregångarna. Helt mästerligt

The dismantling of dreams is a rough path to undertake. Even more so if you just so happen to be in a band that was once hyped up as an American Beatles. Big Star is the textbook example of "what if" in rock. #1 Record was one of the great albums of the early 70s, as was Radio City. Third/Sister Lovers is equally great even if it doesn't scale the heights of those records. Which was probably the point, the remainder of the band (Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens) were in the dumps and didn't care if there were two sides to wax poetic about it. The sprawling structure of Third/Sister Lovers can be a bit daunting and the occasional stabs at sounds that came prior can be seen as defeating and pining but it doesn't take away from its shambolic brilliance. If only they were planted in a later time...

Wow, this one blew me away today. I've been a Big Star fan for decades, but this album never did it for me. It was too depressing and the mix was awful. Today, I started listening to the standard release and was bemoaning how awful it sounded. But then I did a little digging and discovered the Complete Third version (which came out in 2016) and hot damn what a difference that made. Finally, a release that gave life to these bizarre, self-destructive, often-beautiful, and sometimes-unfinished songs. I recommend starting on track 50 and letting it rip. The sequencing isn't the best, but that's a small price to pay. (Actually, my only issue is placing Downs so early on.) What Smile is to the Beach Boys, Third is to Big Star. It's not the best place to start your Big Star journey as it sounds nothing like the power pop band that put out Number One Record and Radio City. But if you want to hear some incredible songs that influenced a generation of musicians, this is a must-listen.

Double album energy. A beautiful mess that I'll admit has been hard to get into. Though, it's ballad heavy and the experimentation can be jarring, it just works in a strange inexplicable way.

This is an all-timer for me. I first heard it in the early 2000s. I was vaguely aware of Big Star, but hadn't really heard any of their music, so I ended up checking out their first three albums from the library (be thankful for streaming, kids). This was an immediate favorite. Where #1 Record clearly sounds like a product of the 70s, I this is super timeless. It doesn't sound like much else from it's time and if you told me it came out last week, I might not question it. It strikes a nice balance between experimentation and great songwriting. Too many highlights to choose, but "Thank You Friends", "Jesus Christ", "Stroke it Noel", and "Holocaust" are all pretty amazing. I think the "Femme Fatale" cover also eclipses the VU version. I love the French backing vocals courtesy of Chilton's girlfriend Lesa Aldridge (one half of the titular Sister Lovers -- Jody Stephens was dating her sister). 5 stars.

Perfect album.. Femme Fatale is nice. Nature Boy is perfect. There are several interesting tracks also.

Ook zo'n band die leeft in zijn eigen universum, met zijn eigen tijdsframe. Tuurlijk hoor je veel invloeden, en vooral veel beïnvloedingen, maar Big Star is one of a kind. Het verbindt rock 'n roll van de 50s, zoetsappige pop-tunes van de 60s, de kwetsbaarheid van een Lou Reed of een Gram Parsons, en de orkestraties van een Brian Wilson en een Harry Nilsson. En het resultaat is een nieuwe invalshoek in de alternative rock/pop scene die je zo sterk terug hoort in de indie-muziek van de 90s en later ('Big Black Car' had zo van Slowdive kunnen zijn). Het sugar pop-gehalte is wat minder op dit album vergeleken met eerder werk, mede omdat het al eventjes niet zo lekker ging met het fenomeen achter de knoppen, Alex Chilton. Maar de hartige - en soms echt bittere - snacks smaken er niet minder om. Het album mist misschien wat complexiteit, wat Chris Bell toevoegde op het debuutalbum, maar daar zit de schoonheid wellicht ook wel in. Die kilheid is overweldigend, en nummers 'Holocaust', 'Kanga Roo' en 'Take Care' vinden toch schoonheid in de sombere toon. En alhoewel dat de overwegende toon op het album is, zijn de wat luchtigere songs als 'Thank You Friends', 'O, Dana' en 'You Can't Have Me' perfect verdeeld over het album, zodat het geen geploeter wordt door de 'troubled mind' van Alex. En dat afsluitende duo man, dat is echt de moddervette kers - of moet ik zeggen bitter stuk grapefruit - op de taart. 'Blue Moon' is één van de mooiste nummers uit Alex' pen. En 'Take Care' is een waardig (voorlopig) einde van de band, wat ook bezongen wordt. Het bezegelt de deal wat mij betreft, een 9. 9/10 Highlights: Big Black Car O, Dana Holocaust Blue Moon Take Care

Awww hell yeah. Gonna guess a sub 3 general rating. Wrong again nerds. Especially the top review guy; bet that guy likes the eagles.

Genius within the cracks

Genial disco. Relajado, nostálgico, conmovedor. Y que sorpresa encontrarme Nature boy ahí.

Perhaps one of the few times when I'm purposefully listening to a version of an album with multiple bonus and re-arranged tracks, as it seems that is the intended album layout not only according to the original artists, but also what Robert Dimery has me listening to with the 1001 Albums list. I'm not complaining, as even if the bonus tracks are weaker than the meat and potatoes of the album, tracks like Nature Boy are fantastic covers, and earn their place. The main bulk of the album, though, is utterly fantastic! It's wonky, production and tone is all over the pace, and it is just plain a mess, but within that chaos is perhaps some of the best pop to bless music. It starts strong enough with Kizza Me sounding nothing like the band's prior power pop, but it's the variation that allows it to stand out all the more. Alex Chilton, at his most explosive, sounds very personal and vulnerable, and it almost gives his voice this feminine, glam cadence, but with all the punch of a singer who knows how to pull at the heart strings. However, it's when the album slows down that really blows me away. The back-to-back of Holocaust into Kanga Roo is mind-blowing, and nearly had me chocked up by the end, and nearly every song from then on was an emotional punch in the gut in the best of ways. Even when the pop rock roots returned, there was always this tinge of melancholia, and when this was their final run, their final record, it must have really felt like goodbye. Hell, it still does, and it truly is a great feeling to experience via music. There are a few songs that don't reach their full potential, but this album is so loaded that it doesn't matter. I mean, even on top of great song after great song, you have a wonderful Velvet Underground cover, and still a handful of power pop masterpieces to get the blood moving, but this album, despite feeling nothing like Big Star's prior two albums, feels like the perfect culmination of every emotion Big Star ever evoked, and despite the messy outcome, I think that only adds to the bittersweet emotions this album spawns, and that easily makes it my favorite of their records.

Not a huge fan of the first song on the album, but it only goes up from there. Genuinely hard to pick favorite songs, but “Thank You Friends,” “Jesus Christ,” “Femme Fatale,” and “Kanga Roo” are probably near the top. In addition to being a great album, the history behind it is super fascinating. I just love Big Star.

This album really does feel like falling apart, but does so in a beautiful way. Favorite tracks: "For You" and "Nature Boy."

For a long time, there's been a misunderstanding between this album and me. But today's suggestion to have yet another go at it, and to listen to it *properly* this time around, puts that misunderstanding to rest, once and for all. This is an extraordinary LP, the sort of record that attracts a cult following indeed. And now, I understand why, finally. I believe that my initial misunderstanding of *Third / Sister Lovers* stems from misguided expectations. Its first two tracks, "Kizza Me" and "Thank You Friends" sounded nice enough, but Alex Chilton's frail voice on those two power-pop cuts suggested that his "big star" was irremediably fading, and that his vocal performance couldn't stand the comparison with the one on *#1* and *Radio City*. Which brought another level of misunderstanding on my part: I thought that fans of this album mostly loved it for extra-musical reasons, because the recording sessions for *Third* also documented Chilton's sad descent into a personal emotional turmoil that made listening to the music a sort of voyeuristic experience. I suspected that the positive reponses to this record was too much influenced by such a sensational context (just as it did for Syd Barrett's solo output). If you add the two layers of misunderstanding, it sort of "blocks" a more open-minded and spontaneous assessment of the music *actually* played, the sorts of risk it takes. And how those risks can eventually pay off. The thing is, rather than comparing this LP with Big Star's early releases, I should have compared it with later "essential albums" by other acts inspired by them later on. Because the entropic and emotionally raw nature of *Third* indeed foretells those later great albums in surprisingly prophetic ways. There's an illuminating review at the top of this section, which basically says that without this LP, there wouldn't be Wilco's *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot*. That take was an eye-opener for sure. Or should I say, an "ear-opener". The messy-yet-delicate aesthetics are indeed the same. "Jesus Christ" is even a close cousin of "Jesus, etc.", and not only because of the similar titles, but because of the music itself. Chilton and Stephenson were inspired by timeless muses here, even if they consciously thought they were getting nowhere during the sessions. Another reference point is This Mortal Coil, whose *It'll End In Tears*'s tracklisting displayed cover versions of *Holocaust* and "Kangaroo", two uncompromising cuts that make for a challenging listen, owing to the bluntly depressive nature of the first and the experimental, partly-improvised (?) instrumentation of the second. No wonder Ivo Watts-Russel was drawn to those off-kilter compositions like a moth to a flame. Yet the original versions have their own special kinds of light as well. A muted, chiaroscuro sort of light, admittedly, but one that elicits a deep response if you're in the right melancholy mood for it. All of this is well, but on their own, those elements wouldn't fully redeem the record for me. What does redeem it however is how incredible the second side of the album sounds and feels, with a stellar string of breathtaking and devastating ballads, most of them enhanced by incredible chamber orchestra arrangements. Those cuts, "Stroke It Noel", "For You", "Blue Moon" and "Take Care" are the true gems of this LP. And the latter song, which concludes the original tracklisting, is also a pretty obvious influence on my friend Nick Wheeldon's music and songwriting (very few people outside of France know Nick, but if you like or love this Big Star record, I cannot encourage you enough to check out his recent albums, available on Spotify--they're worthy of a list like this for sure, it's THAT good). So here I am, falling in love with *Third / Sister Lovers* at last. Glad I've just found a rather cheap secondhand copy of this album online (with the same tracklist as the one found in those links on this app). You know how the saying goes, "true love waits" sometimes. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 138 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 370 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 218 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 278

Interesting and worthwhile album that I had not heard before.

Almost 800 albums in and yet I know nothing of Big Star, aside from random songs I've picked up in my life ("The Letter", sung by Alex Chilton pre-Big Star; "You and Your Sister" by Chris Bell after the band split). This album was recorded in 1974, released in 1978, yet the version of the book emphasizes the 1992 version with bonus tracks. Apple Music says it sounds nothing like their previous output. I'm beginning to think this is not an easy intro to this band... but of course, I just go where RNGesus commands. edit: I was mistaken, this is awesome; guess I’m a Big Star fan now 👍 HL: “Thank You Friends”, “Big Black Car”, “Jesus Christ”, the “Femme Fatale” cover, “For You”, “Take Care”, "Dream Lover" (bonus) May 13, 2024

A few exceptional songs

Absolutely beautiful. Classic sound and very interesting songwriting. Touching and strong. The ballads here are spot on. Holocaust, Kanga Roo, Blue moon, take care. So great.

What a great record! Many missing tracks on Spotify which is a bummer. Great adventures in songwriting and melody here.

El disco va mejorando según lo escuchas. Te atrapa. Femme fatale.

I loved #1 Record's 70s rock vibe a lot. This album is quite different in feel. The album opened in a not unexpected way with Kizza Me. But then it descends into darkness bottoming out with the haunting "Holocaust." This is a beautiful album whose eclecticism really appealed to me. The songs are stunning. Gorgeous string arrangements had me swooning, especially in songs like "For You." The eclecticism of this album is held together by the an underlying melancholy that makes this an album I expect will be something I return to often. Haunting and beautiful.

cool

An excellent album. Ahead of its time, but great songs in their own right as well.

A fractured, unsettling masterpiece that is decades ahead of its time. Third is not the easiest album to connect with, but there's something in these songs that's haunting and beautiful. It's all at once prickly and elegant, with an emotional honesty that's pretty breathtaking. Big Star's well documented distribution problems and bad timing may have kept their music from reaching an audience in their day. But for many of us who have been lucky enough to find them in the decades since, this is music that just burns itself into you. It has incredibly staying power, even 45 years on. If you know anything about Big Star, you know that Third is really Alex Chilton's album (with Jody Stephens, to a far lesser extent) and that the original band was done at this point. Some have described this as an album about a relationship crumbling, or the band crumbling, but it's also about Chilton's fragmenting sense of self and of what he thought he could do with music. It's notable that after Chilton put Third behind him, he went into the New York punk scene and evolved into a whole new sound. This album doesn't sound like Chilton's solo work, but it is his creative launching point. There are remnants of the muscular yet dreamy power pop that dominates Big Star's first 2 albums, but this work is less structured and more experimental than the others. It's a sound that contrasts deliberate atonality/raggedness with more polished, classically informed piano and string arrangements. Chilton is able to take the music into some very dark spaces that are equal parts ethereal and heart rending, with odd occasional moments of whimsy and brightness. If you enjoyed this, I strongly recommend taking the time to listen to the album Complete Third, not to mention the first 2 albums. Also, the documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me is a must see. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite, 1978 PVC US LP version): For You; Stroke It Noel; Blue Moon; Nightime; Kanga Roo; Holocaust; Big Black Car; Femme Fatale; O, Dana; Take Care; Nature Boy; Dream Lover; You Can't Have Me; Jesus Christ; Kizza Me; Thank You Friends; Downs.

El disco va mejorando según lo escuchas. Te atrapa. Femme fatale.

Nice

Another album that defies classification. It contains elements of punk, new wave, symphonic pop, and experimental music. Lyrically, the album is dark and brooding which pairs well with the power pop underpinnings. Nothing about this album is straightforward. It is challenging but incredibly rewarding.

This is a great album but it required a couple of replays from me to fully appreciate it. Definitely not something to just put in the background. The listing is a mess and varies in each issue, which results in sudden change of moods and styles. I was listening to Spotify version with a few bonus tracks. I can definitely see how this band and the album (which I have never listened to prior) was so influential to (mainly) American alternative bands. There's a wide spectrum of genres that can be spotted on the album, from powerpop (O, Dana), baroque pop (For You), glam rock (You Can't Have Me) and more folky tunes (Big Black Car). My favorites are the ballads which go from extremely sad and depressing (Holocaust, Big Black Car) to sweet love songs (Blue Moon, For You). I also enjoyed a lot the bonus track - Till The End of The Day which sounds like the Beatles meets powerpop. I also love the fragile voice of the singer, at times on the verge of completely breaking down. The only thing I did not care for was the Holocaust analogy, I think its a bit over the top and unneccessary, sounded a bit juvenile. Overall, the album is not only relevant thanks to its later influences, but also is a great piece of music on its own.

I really loved that production all around really enjoyable - 10/10

Often heard about them when reading REM interviews in the music press way back when, but pre-streaming/internet I would never hear them. So I guess now I'm going to hear them. The full album is on A***on Music, which trump's Spotify's pitiful offering of missing tracks. And, well, it's beautiful. Of course I was going to like this as a lifelong fan of REM, particularly their early stuff, of which this is most reminiscent, or vice versa. You can absolutely hear the Replacements too, and stuff like the Green Pajamas. Yes the production is loose as fuck, but for me thats all part of the charm. There's great tunes here, that vary between up tempo freak outs (You can't Have Me) and quietly devastating (Holocaust). Kanga Roo feels like a precursor to shoegaze in places and is absolutely wonderful. Anyway I'm a sucker for the mythology around 'lost' records like this, and 'Smile', with tracks scattered around all over the place, where noone can agree on the running order. Then someone finally does, decades later. Love it.

An album I've never listened to before now. And I've heard a lot of these songs before because they've been covered by bands I like (This Mortal Coil, Placebo, Jeff Buckley) or are covers themselves like Femme Fatale. A very interesting ramschackle of an album that seems to have had more success among musicians than it did commercially. And now listening to the entire album a 4th time it dawns on me why it is. My first listen was a decidedly 'meh'-experience. But it sure is growing, into an album I would listen to again and again, especially songs like Holocaust and Kanga Roo. It's dark, it's emotional it's terribly played. Absolutely amazing album. 4,5*

Most haunted (non) album of all times Prefs: TOUT Moins prefs: RIEN

A lot like the Velvet Underground but different in interesting ways

имба. темная лошадка. темные поп-рок баллады с красивыми инструменталами. музыка похожа на пинкфлойд, а вокал на тома йорка, учитывая, что всё это было в 70ых

I have to say, I'm surprised seeing how few 5 star ratings there are for this album, but I guess Big Star doesn't resonate with everyone. I've been obsessed with Big Star since discovering them in 1992 when Rykodisk put out the Live album and the Jim Dickinson version of this one. I'm not sure what it is that made them so magical - some combination of the music and the story I suppose. Of the material that they released, which was unfortunately not a lot, this is my favorite. The songs are incredibly beautiful, strange, dark, and fragile. They feel as if they could fall apart at any moment, and in some cases they do. A reflection of Alex Chilton's mental state at the time I guess. "Get me out of here, I hate it here," from Nightime breaks my heart every time. Since I already know this album inside and out, I took the opportunity today to listen to Complete Third, the 2016 Omnivore release that includes all the demo versions, rough takes, and ultimately the masters. It's 3 hours long, so it's a lot, but it's a treat to hear how beautiful these songs already were at the demo stage with just acoustic guitar (or piano in a couple of cases) and Alex's lilting falsetto, and then how they were fleshed gradually with strings and other instruments. It's also a treat hearing some of the cover versions he chose to play around with, in particular the Velvet Underground's Femme Fatale and the Beach Boys Don't Worry Baby, which can only be found on the Complete release. His voice was a beautiful fit for those songs. It's a shame that Alex turned his back on the type of music he was making at this point in his life. I've never been a big fan of his solo work, but he was who he was, and that's partly what makes him great. A musical genius for sure, and this album is the best evidence of that. 5 stars.

4.5

NICE ALBUM #musicsky #albumsky 4/5

Need this one to sink in, but Big Star is still Big Star.

I was pretty close to giving this 5 stars, but on a second listen I was struck by how gloomy and ramshackle it is. Still, there is some incredible songwriting on here. Maybe the other Big Star records will get 5 stars, we’ll see! But yeah this is a very impressive piece of work, even if it gets a little dour. Must-listen! #118.

Honestly shocked by the low reviews and the amount of people who haven't heard of Big Star. I thought the secret was out on them. Admittedly, this is not my favorite by them though. I think their two earlier albums are better though.

sounds modern and i liked the vocals but somehow it didn't stick

Slightly shook when “Nature Boy” as heard in Moulin Rogue came on. Overall, solid album.

Didn’t love this as much as I’d expected given how much I love #1 album. But maybe I am just taking Chilton’s songwriting for granted.

This album feels pretty different from their first two. It doesn’t have that familiar jangle sound. Instead, it takes a more experimental path. It might not sound overtly experimental at first, but the unpolished production, fragmented arrangements, and emotional instability push it in that direction. The blend of baroque elements with disjointed soundscapes creates a mood that’s vulnerable and unpredictable, giving it a subtle edge beyond typical pop rock polish. I don’t think the baroque touches were intentional; they just naturally came through as part of the album’s experimental vibe.

This album feels pretty different from their first two. It doesn’t have that familiar jangle sound. Instead, it takes a more experimental path. It might not sound overtly experimental at first, but the unpolished production, fragmented arrangements, and emotional instability push it in that direction. The blend of baroque elements with disjointed soundscapes creates a mood that’s vulnerable and unpredictable, giving it a subtle edge beyond typical pop rock polish. I don’t think the baroque touches were intentional; they just naturally came through as part of the album’s experimental vibe.

Another great album. The surprising explorative efforts shine. A class of their own. Just delightful. Laid back to the point of sleepiness, but the eeriness keeps your attention. Chilton perfect for the vibe (sadly). Til the End of the Day is the only regular-style pop, serves as a reminder how downbeat everything else is.

Holocaust Kanga Roo

4.5

Ok I did relisten to *Third/Sister Lovers* and reviewing the first 14 tracks (which according to producer Jim Dickerson is the intended order). I don't know if it's the track arrangement, or I've warmed up to the material since yesterday but this hit me much better (This actually has the same 14 tracks included in the original '78 US release, just drastically reordered.) Opening with "Kizza Me" and "Thank You Friend" really starts off with an overall great feel, then sliding into "Big Black Car" to start a nice weave of emotion through out the album. Side one is perfect... wouldn't change a thing, ending in "Holocaust". The slight dip for me would be the first two tracks of side two "Kanga Roo" and "Stroke It Noel" which i noted as my least favorites from the last listen. But the run from "For You" to "Take Care" was a great way to end the album felt like a closure. (8.5) ★★★★

Especially like the acoustic tracks, which reminds me of early Belle and Sebastian. Not as high on the electric ones. 4.5 stars

really solid album and enjoyable and varied to listen to. the greatest thing you’ll ever learn / is just to love and be loved in return ❤️

Liked this a lot. Would like to explore their other stuff as wasn’t aware of them at all before. Nice eclectic range of tracks means never gets boring.

This was a fun album. Soft songs, rock songs, love songs. Its really sentimental, but also also has really cool sounds and movements. I've been kind of bored by Big Star in the past, but this one kind of did it for me.

The best band I’ve never heard of

some records are best defined by their coherence, how well everything fits together into an understandable package. this couldn't be further from the truth for "3rd" by Big Star. arguably, it's not even finished, only released initially as a last ditch attempt to keep the band together as it was in the process of dissolving, it was mastered and put out as a white label in 1975; at that point neither Alex Chilton nor Jody Stephens were interested in doing a proper release because absolutely no heads or tails could be made of all the tracks made for the project. three years later, PVC Records, a TVT-type sketchy ass label bought the songs and put out a record titled "3rd". the actual thing didn't even have a proper name; "Sisters Lovers" (as seen on the Rykodisc re-release) was probably a joke that they used as a placeholder name when they were actually gonna release it. numerous guttersnipe reissue labels managed to get ahold of the rights and put it together in a some other order than the original, with a million different covers and a million different flows. as a result, "3rd" is not so much a record by Big Star than it is a vinyl playlist of a forgotten dream. this is not an album, it's a concept. it's a bit like Smile. i say a bit like SMiLE because its ephemerality is its sole shared quality. SMiLE may have "Fire" and "Surf's Up", but there's still rollicking good time tracks like "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes and Villains". there is nothing fun or free wheeling on "3rd" -- emotions range from melancholy to downright suicidal. it makes sense; contextually, the album is a document of a artistic partnership slowly collapsing. the song about little baby Jesus feels less joyful and more manic, like a sobbing breakdown during Christmas. "O, Dana" could be the album's "rocker", but it ends with the sound of the orchestra deflating, like the singer just sort of gave up on Dana and went home. "Holocaust" feels like if someone tried to make a version of Gloomy Sunday (The Famous Hungarian Suicide Song) / I'm in a Low Down Groove that actually made you want to kill yourself -- it's a song with the power to ruin your day. even the ending song, what could be be seen as a bittersweet farewell lyrically, has some snark underneath the first three words. "thank youuu, frrrriends." nothing was made possible, just made able to be moved on from. dry your eyes, blow your nose, and walk out. it's not my favorite Big Star "album" -- both because i prefer Radio City and because i can hardly call it an album -- but there are moments where i can see why it would be someone's favorite Big Star thing. it's the sound of a beautiful mansion on the coast burning down, as it was always meant to. it can't be helped.

Really enjoyed this one. Clearly a huge influence on alot of the bands I grew up with listening to in the 90s. Glad to have discovered them.

Troisième album du groupe de rock américain Big Star, "Third" est sorti en 1978. Considéré comme l'un des albums les plus importants et influents de l'histoire du rock, il a été enregistré dans une période difficile pour le groupe (perte de deux de ses membres-fondateurs, problèmes de drogue et de tensions internes, crise existentielle et artistique du leader Alex Chilton). Album sombre, mélancolique et expérimental, les chansons sont souvent courtes et fragmentées avec des paroles introspectives et poétiques, il aborde les thèmes de la mort, l'amour, la perte et la solitude. Salué pour sa beauté, sa complexité et son originalité, et bien qu'il a été un échec commercial à sa sortie, il est devenu un album culte au fil des ans. Un beau 4/5 pour un album à découvrir ou à réécouter.

I kinda like it but then again I'm lame so don't listen to me 🤔