Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Enjoyable gentle rock.
This was good
Pretty good heartbreak album
Enjoyed this- too many songs and too long but great song writing. 4/5
In my mind, Big Star are a new wave band from the mid-1980s so it consistently blows my mind that their peak creative period was actually the '70s. This album, be it Sister Lovers or Third, doesn't sound like a product of the late 70s. It has a much crisper sound, no doubt signalling how ahead of its time this band was. And behold the pop stylings!
I love to hear the origins of my favourite genres, and this is such a good example of early alt rock and power pop. Loved it, will likely listen again.
Can really see how it influenced bands like the Replacements. Or specifically the Replacements. A little more moody esoteric than my preference but still good to listen to and culturally relevant.
Most of this was enjoyable, I like the shoegazey before shoegazey was a thing-ness of Kangaroo but the happy-clappy Jesus song and the absolutely abysmal Velvet Underground cover? Not for me Clive.
This is fantastic. I've listened to Matthew Sweet and the dB's, which likely are closely related descendants. Til the End of the Day is wonderful blistering and the rest of the album is both strong lyrically and musically. Really enjoy the somewhat haphazard energy and delivery.
Great third album with power pop songs by Big Star. Their previous two albums have more highlights, but this one has a more constant quality.
These guys are great. Wish I'd heard of them sooner.
Extremely good. A solid album, and that cover of "Femme Fatale" is to die for!
As much as I love Big Star, I don't listen to this album enough. I enjoy so much about it. In some ways, I really like that this album sees the band getting a little weirder, but that creates some inconsistency and uneven moments...minor complaints for an album I still love.
Enjoyable but not really near classic status for me.
Wonderful album
At first I kind of dug this. I heard a lot of Beatles influence in many of the songs but it was a little bloated and not every song worked for me. Still a good listen.
Really enjoyed a 3rd of the album.
Es ok
Another album that required additional listens to get past that initial reaction. Kinda sounds like a guy who doesn't fit into the world, just a little bit off in every way and it creates this unsettled energy that is constantly challenging you as you listen. I think the slow songs tend to have more to connect with but the more power pop styled songs at least aren't the same sound you usually hear on other 60's-70's rock albums. Feels like there's still more beneath the surface but I'm going to leave this here for now.
A pretty good album, I liked Femme Fatale, For You and Big Moon the most.
I've only ever heard Big Star's debut so this was a bit unexpected when I thought I'd be getting a folkier sound. I thought it was quite good, bit of an alt-rock style mostly but some tracks had a 60s vibe as well I thought. Actually slightly adjusted my impression when I realised it was from 1978, not 1985 when it was reissued, so it was probably a bit ahead of its time Not many tracks really stuck in my memory so probably 3*
Better than I thought it might be but it still didn’t overly wow me.
I've never heard of this group or this album. So classic late 70s it felt like something I should have heard before. Definitely the kind of thing I'm going this project to hear
This album was alright in my opinion, I just don't really think that this is my cup of tea. Some of the tracks stood out to me more than others, but what I noticed most prominently was the instrumentation. I think the instrumentals were lovely throughout, but every now and again, they just started feeling too similar, which made a lot of the album feel bland to me. I was very thrown off by the track 'Jesus Christ', not knowing if it was meant to be some kind of Christmas track or not... but judging by the lyrics 'Jesus Christ was born today', it kind of made me think it was. If that is the case, it felt very randomly thrown in there... and even if this wasn't meant to be a festive song, it even then feels as if it was randomly thrown into the album. Stand-outs: Thank You Friends Oh, Dana Take Care
Meh, this album seems pretty bland. Not terrible, not remarkable.
Cool.
I have no idea what the proper tracklist for this album is, because I found at least three different ones, but the one I went with worked well. This is my first Big Star record and I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I definitely need a couple of more listens to judge it properly. I loved the subtle build-ups on a lot of these tracks as well as many of the album's experimental production flourishes, but there were definitely a couple of songs that missed the mark on a first listen, the cover of Femme Fatale being the most obvious example. The mood is overall struck quite well, though. It's obviously a depressing listen, but not in a burdening kind of way (with a couple of exceptions). Favourite track: Holocaust
Prefiero el primero, pero cualquier disco de los Big Star es bienvenido. Aquí inventan el indie de los 90 solo que 20 años antes... Menos eléctrico y más melancólico pero igual de bueno
Listenable but nothing special.
Me gustó mucho, versátil en sus diferentes interpretaciones durante el álbum Entiendo que la banda se cataloga como Synth Pop pero eso fue lo menos que se percibió y la verdad que está bien, esa nota experimental les quedó bien Kanga Roo fue mi favorita del álbum, tiene una vibra muy particular El álbum como un todo da muy buena sensación, siento que si se escucha más de una vez se le adquiere todavía más gusto Me parece una propuesta bien interesante, recomendada
Some decent stuff here. I’d probably listen to this again. 3.5/5
Decent. A bit dated for me.
I never got the hang of this band, it's OK at best.
Big Star gets a little more introspective than their usual power pop reputation with mixed results. Nothing terrible but nothing amazing.
I was familiar with Alex Chilton from his hit with The Box Tops, which I've always enjoyed. This was my first listen to anything by Big Star. There's some good energy to a few songs, but there are way too many sleepy ballads... some songs just sound like different verses of the song before. None of the singing and songwriting is on the level of The Letter, which is pretty disappointing ten years on. I did like take on Femme Fatale... but although the general sound is nice enough, there's nothing here that's going to leave a lasting impression.
Thought I’d like this more. It’s ok but the hooks are not there yet for me
This album was just fine though at times I felt as bored as Chilton must have been.
Loved rhe first Big Star album so was intrigued to see this one come up. Some great tunes on this one also. Does have an unfinished/demo feel to it. But it’s still decent. Amazing how they never made it.
Good album. Kinda messy, but great.
It was alright but nothing really remarkable. Didn’t hate; didn’t love it. It just was.
I struggled to listen to this album in one sitting today and I think breaking up into smaller chunks hasn’t aided the listening experience of it, but what o did hear was fairly pleasant at least. Femme fatale remains a lovely song and this cover does fair justice to it. Other songs, like ‘blue moon’ are decent and suggest this might be one to revisit and give a repeated listen to properly absorb it.
My 3rd fave Big Star
Dull Star. +1 for covering The Kinks.
eh
This was my first experience with the band Big star and I personally enjoyed the atmosphere that was created with this project, but even with that I feel like it can go on for too long. Most of the lyrics don't stand out to me but the performance and the recording are the real star of the LP in my opinion I really liked the feeling of songs like Big Black Car and femme fatale. All though it has some shortcomings that hold it back I still see it as a soild record with some interesting songs. Fav tracks: Thank you friends, Big black car, Femme Fatale, O'Dana and Take care
Some good tracks on here that are interesting. I hear some Beck and Radiohead in here (obviously having influenced them vs. having been influenced by them). It suffers from the usual issues with relatively unknown bands - the singing isn't very good. Overall, the album is somewhat forgettable - I won't remember any of these songs. But it was a nice listen.
Como para pensar, relajarse, está bien
I was in a terrible mood when I listened to this, so I’m trying to temper my reaction. This is more adventurous than ‘#1 Record’, which I appreciate, but I liked the breeziness and quiet brilliance of that one more. This one sounds like they’re trying their hand at a sort of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ era, and it only sometimes works. The more straightforward rock songs (“You Can’t Have Me”, the “Femme Fatale” cover) come out stronger. I guess I should think it’s cool and exciting, but I don’t know, it feels unfocused and forced. Maybe I’ll revisit when my miserable asshole disease isn’t flaring up.
I was a little disappointed to be honest. This band was quite hyped up. Too many songs. Felt like homework. Willing to try again tho
Alright. This one is complicated. If you look on Wikipedia, you'll notice that there are a number of different versions of this album, all with different track sequences. That makes a lot of sense to me because most albums obviously change depending on how the songs build on each other and flow together. But "Third" really lives or dies by this. Because - There are two ways I think you can view this record. One, is that this is a lost masterpiece of 70s pop-rock, from a band that deserved so much more than to be a footnote in rock history, known primarily now as the writers of the theme to "That 70's Show." It is a document of a man's slide into depression as his band falls apart, his girlfriend leaves, and the success he feels he deserves slips away. The other way to view this record is as a failed solo album from a guy who had been chewed up and spit out by the music industry and was now venting his spleen on tape. Listened to in a certain order, you can easily reach either of these conclusions and you'd be right. I think the story of this album is actually more interesting than most of the music on offer. The experimental stuff like "Kanga Roo" is great, but also sounds incredibly amateurish, as does the cover of "Nature Boy." The pop-rock songs are fine, but several of them are just blatant rip-offs of The Kinks or The Who. While I understand the "lost classic" narrative, and I find it appealing, it is not convincing to me after sitting down and listening to this thing all the way through. I'm sorry, it has to be just - THREE STARS
Hard to track down. Kinda changes vibes throughout
I can't even remember what it sounded like, but I think it was okay.
A pretty average album. 3 stars or C.
Barely hanging on, threatening to fall apart at any minute
A sprawling, sometimes schizophrenic record, sounds maudlin frequently. I prefer their first two records, there are more structured, melodic, poppy songs on them, and here there is more of an unfinished feel coupled with some punk influence on the faster songs and some lo-fi experimental songs. They cover the Kinks on one song and Lou Reed on another. In turn, Yo La Tengo has a cover of the tender Take Care. It feels like maybe this was the alternative rock of the late 70s.
Velvet underground, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Belle & Sebastian. 6/10
Holocaust was the favorite for me on this album. I didn't like this as much as I expected to, considering one of my favorite bands wrote a freakin' amazing song in honor of Alex Chilton. I was expecting ... something else.
3/5
Alright
I thought these guys were a country band. And isn’t that album cover the same as a 2000’s band? I don’t remember who. Who am I talking to? Don’t answer. I’m going with a classic like from me for this one. It has a Bowie sound to it. Not a bad thing but I also don’t always love Bowie. I’m not as moved as I want to be either this one. It’s mid
#113/1001 🇺🇸⭐️ I'm not sure what the definitive version of this record is. In my first listen i found it good in parts but a bit disjointed, then after reading wikipedia I can see its been reissued a number of times with differing track listings. I found the first track on the spotify version a bit annoying but it gets better. A suprise cover of Femme Fatal went down and there are some fairly sad songs which are the ones that appeal most. I love Alex Chilton's voice and have only previously hear their debut album. I'll definitely listen to more on the strength of this. Best Tracks: Holocaust, Blue Moon, Nature Boy.
Eipä oikein suurta sanottavaa, paikoitellen tuntui suht modernilta aikaansa nähden, mut valtaosin perus seisari/kasarin taitteen poppiarokkia. Ei paljoa liikuttanu suuntaan tai toiseen
Started badly, improved then got worse.
A dark, messy album, dissolute and cracking up, incoherent at times. Some high points, lots of breaking down to see how far apart things could fall.
Big star har ett ganska fint anslag. Det finns något unikt (svårt att sätta fingret på vad) som ändå gör att urskiljer sig från poprock band från tiden. Gillar överlag det jag hör även om det är lite spretigt.
Det har en charmig skevhet. Musiken liksom haltar fram. Plus för Can’t have me, Nightime och O Dana. Föredrar låtordningen så som den presenteras på Discogs. Stark trea.
A low 3 for me. Not offensive in any way but it just doesn't stand out from other 70s pop/rock.
there's something a little underwhelming about it, but there's some cool sounds and fun ideas. favorite song is Thank You Friends or O, Dana. solid 3
Rating: 6/10 I can definitely admit that I don’t get this on yet on first listen, it’s like old school pop rock but also a little bit weird and feels like a precursor to the production styles low budgeted indie music would take on. Wasn’t my favorite but I’m interested in revisiting Big Star
Technically qualifies as rock music and I'm sure it's historical and influential but this album didn't do much for me. It was decent, didn't love anything specific about it 5.8/10
Good
Sometimes you get an album that matches your requirements for the day when it's assigned. Worked well for me on this occasion, although on listening for a second time I realised this album starts noisy but becomes relaxing and contemplative. I liked the latter. Not exceptional though, but will listen to some of these tracks again sometime
This did very little for me, but I can’t offer any particular criticism. It was fine in the background, just not something I’ll be returning to in a hurry
It's OK
This should resonate with me more than it does. I really like it but I don't really love it. It seems like a complicated release by Chilton considering the various versions available. Indeed the wiki cites a certain mental state he was in and it really shows up in the lyrics. Regardless of the version, as a collection of Chilton/Big Star tunes it's still a solid output.
not that bad
Not bad. Not particularly noteworthy. It's not anything really. I can't imagine feeling strongly about this album in either which way. "Til the end of the day" was good enough to add to my daily playlist.
I wish I enjoyed more songs from this album.. Maybe I'll like it more after a second listen?
Kinda all over the place here. A few songs stood out to me "Thank You Friends" "Jesus Christ" "Holocaust" and "Blue Moon" were all good, but the rest felt like it disappeared into a very same-y mush.
If only spotify wasn't missing half the tracks
This was a cute little album. apparently the duo that leads the band is from Memphis, but you can hear the beetle influence; I swear at some point I heard British English phonology in his singing. Maybe it's just the twang in his voice, but the British invasion influence is very prevalent. There were still some qualities of this that were uniquely American: some folk influence, I got notes of the band America, and twangy guitars. Most notable was the inclusion of strings on most songs. I'll admit I wasn't listening too closely, but it was mostly a pleasant listen and also not very spectacular at the same time.
The main vocalist is a weakness which I think explains their lack of popularity. The songwriting is good and the band too. I would probably give it a 7/10 but I'll bump up to 4 stars because I'd like to listen again. There was a sick cowbell solo on "Kanga Roo" I listened a second time. Less impressed. It has its moments, but I think it's the type of thing to be overrated by music nerds. Solid but I wouldn't go higher than 7/10
can't find this original record on streaming easily which is annoying. otherwise it's big star and even their worst record is still better than most.
Why should I listen to something that the band wasn’t even interested in making?
I guess you have to be deep in the alt-rock industry to understand why this guy gets the love he does. Many artists with far more talent claim Alex as a large influence in their music. Consequently, the critics buy the logic and anoint his work as extraordinary and important. And he ends up on this list too. Really? His song writing pales in comparison to his adoring peers. I don’t know… maybe he was a fun guy to hang out with? Out of respect for Paul Westerberg, I’m going 3 stars.
Gear: 64 Audio Duo Artwork: 👙⭐📸 Production: 😐👍🆗 Music: 😒🎢😯 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
This was solid. A little disconnected at times, but track for track I enjoyed it.
RIP Alex Chilton
I know why this is on here & I know why #1 Record is on here and I know why Radio City was left off but...Radio City is the best one. Third's reputation as a total scattered mess is completely true despite it being an assemblage of good-to-great tracks. The Chilton solo-ness of this one really sticks out, especially once you've listened to Like Flies on Sherbet. This is like a handshake between Chilton off-rails and the studio, it's still a spun-out werido rock album though it's a little bit of a case of the story of the album overshadowing the album itself. The story's good & I've listened to this album multiple times with different track arrangements & different set-ups, it's still stuck in Chilton Purgatory for me. Favorite Tracks: Kizza Me, Jesus Christ, Femme Fatale, Stroke It Noel, Kanga Roo
Fine
Bit of a weird album considering it doesn’t exist anymore on the artists page. I don’t mind the sound of the band and enjoyed Holocaust’s dark feel.
If you’re going to talk about a Big Star, you’re going to talk about Len Houmous. 2.5 12/19 Nightime
Sejt. Fra 70'erne og noget af det lyder sådan. Men noget er skramlet som Velvet Underground, støjende nærmest som Psyched up Janis og andet er mere strømlinet Stones-agtigt.
No arranca mal. Pero se vuelve reiterativo y muy largo. Por qué tan igual y extenso? Termina cansando. 5/10
Totally unfamiliar with this band. Sounds surprisingly contemporary.
Chill. Easy listening
It was okay, so it's getting three stars. It wasn't amazing though, and the covers weren't fantastic.
Not bad
Don't know If I'll revist this, but it was an enjoyable listen. Good songs throughout, no skips.
Listened a few times but not much really grabbed me. I quite liked the Kinks cover but thought the femme fatale cover much weaker than than the VU original - the vocals way inferior to Nico. There were some interesting songs - like Stroke it Noel - which sounded way ahead for 1978 and clearly influenced many later bands. Some nice moments but lacking in killer hooks/moments.
Whichever permutation takes your fancy (1978 and 1985 included), it never really hits the mark for sustained periods. 'Kizza Me' is a highly forgettable opener; indeed it could be 70s soft rock, and similarly 'You Can't Have Me'. This Todd Rundgreny style works best on 'Thank You Friends', which leans more in Chilton's melodic skills. I struggle with this in comparison with Radio City. It feels like a potentially misunderstood cult album. But there's a lot that needs to be generously inferred (e.g. this is an innovative bridge between power-pop and slacker rock). With its incosistent attempts at chamber-pop melodies, it begs the question why do we need this when we have 'Odessey and Oracle'. It's messy. No-one knows how to order it properly; I think it just falls short of a four, but mainly because it has confused me, and it's one to revisit in future to check if I am right.
Was excited to see this one pop ip because I know how influential this band was for so many other bands I love. But I’d never really listened to their material before. Maybe this isn’t the best album, or maybe it’s just not as good as I’d hoped. It’s ok. Might grow on me over time too and there were a few tracks that caught my attention but In general I was underwhelmed.
I wasn’t familiar with Big Star, and I’m not sure if that was a loss. Their album *Third/Sister Lovers* is okay and reasonably varied. But you’ll mostly search in vain for any truly brilliant ideas here. “Kizza Me” and “Femme Fatale” are probably the closest things to being original. And again the question: is “OK but unexciting” a 2/5 or a 3/5?
Had some high expectations for this given how much I like their first couple of albums. Kizza Me and Thank You Friends is classic Big Star. The cover of Femme Fatal is perfect. The rest is super meh. I hope the other albums make it on here
When I started listening to this I was just NOT into this whatsoever. It was heading straight to a 2 star, but it really picked itself up by the time the B-side started. I suppose I just started to understand it a lot more. I didn't like the first couple songs which reminded of the wimpy rock whiny vocals aka Led Zeppelin's first two albums. It has a really nice variety of songs, which I appreciate a lot. I suppose the lesson I learnt from this album, is that you should believe in the album as much you can and keep an open mind always. Especially even if you're on a semi-bad album streak. I feel the album is just right on the cusp of the 4 star, but I believe 3 star is closer to what my heart wants. Highlight Song/s: "Blue Moon" and "O, Dana"
After hearing all the high praise big star gets, I expected this to knock my socks off. It was alright
Actually pretty good
Quite like this
Doesn’t have the power pop majesty of the first two albums. Some decent songs though.
Decent, but not their best. 3 star.
I love me some Big Star like everyone else, even if this an Alex Chilton solo album in all but name. Interesting, good but not something that stuck out. I imagine it needs repeated listens...
If this fell off the list I would be OK with it. Not my thing. Best song on the album is third from the end, Til the End of the Day. It sounds like something from 5 or more years earlier and is a bouncy poppy song.
Didn't entirely connect with me, but this cult album is dripping in emotion
it sounds nice but i felt absolutely nothing listening to it
no
Nothing memorable
2.7 2x
It occasionally vibed, but never actually moved me. I'm dithering between a 2 or 3 for the rating.
I never really heard them before, but had heard Big Star was a big influence on REM, and heard Elliott Smith's cover of 13. But hearing a whole album I can hear those influences on them. It was ok to me, but didn't hit as much as I thought.
6/10
That Jesus song threw me for a loop.
Many of these feel less like songs and more like song fragments, well-produced vertical slices of music that are maybe a verse and a chorus and some other bits, but that meander around for a while and ultimately don't go anywhere. It's apparently a famous unfinished album, and I can feel that. There was certainly some potential there, but as it is I'm not sure what makes this album so important.
For some reason, I thought I had to be into Big Star when I was a blossoming wannabe teenage hipster (still a work in progress). And that reason was because of the song Alex Chilton by The Replacements. And because they would get mentioned on 120 Minutes and stuff. Listening to this very long album, I had the recurring thought that I must have owned this at one point in a used-cassette purchase or checked it out from the library because a lot of it sounded familiar. But there is a reason I didn't really recall listening to it and that reason is that much of it is boring, even if interesting songwriting and influential on all the 80s and 90s alternative popsters to come. Turns out I can travel far without a little Big Star.
I think this was a pretty good album. Holocaust was my favorite.
This album is a mess, sonically incoherent, with tracks that don't really fit together, and to hear it completly you have to dig. That being said, I did find great songs in there, and like that it is exploring different things, and doesn't sound too much like things I know. With a proper focus is and a better mixing, this had the legs to be great great, but that state it just doesn't feel finished.
70s foolk rock, not even on streaming. Cult album. Pleasant, good vibes.
Nicht mein Geschmack. Aber interessant und abwechslungsreich.
3/5, tylko nie rozumiem dlaczego część utworów na spotify nie jest dostępnych.
Doesn’t sound 70s at all Decent but not something I would go back to
Surprising album. Sounds like it’s from the early 90’s not the mid 70’s. Notables include Thank You Friends, Big Black Car, Kanga Roo, Stroke It Noel, Nightime, Dream Lover.
An interesting album from a band I’ve never heard of. I thought it was a good ranged album with lots of different types of songs that flow together easily.
I liked this more than I expected from the album cover/year/first track. Nice little songs and slightly weirder drumless tracks which were right up my street. Lyricism is good. Pleasantly surprised
pre-listen: Really intrigued. I remember Big Star being the band that all my favorite bands hyped up, so I'm hyped but then looking at the average ratings is making me a little worried. post-listen: Not bad, I think its better than the reviews here would imply. Can definitely see how it would be influential for the indie bands that followed.
there was a time i was getting fed a bunch of big star on spotify - this was a good reminder to go back to it
yet another average 3 star album for me, ive been on a streak lately
Väldigt blandat, men gillar överlag låtarna som är mer upptempo.
Jodå, trevligt!
Lyssnat på den säkert tre gånger nu men det sätter sig inte riktigt. En av många många 3or.
OK, didn't feel particularly memorable.
This was fine
Cant find this version of the album on iTunes so i’m listening to the 1978 release ‘Third’. Opening track is a cracking choon. Rocking dirty bass. Second track feels like its dates to the seventies (as it is) but other tracks could just be a jangle band playing anywhere, anytime. It bounces back and forth between those i feel. Dont mind the drummer here for a bit of tone and texture, until i hit Kanga Roo. Then i listen to dream lover and i like him again. Bit of a mixed bag but no bad tracks.
бтс альбома намного драматичней чем сам альбом. приятный мамблпоп, без доп инфо не отличила бы от современных инди)
3.5. Some interesting songs and a cool album in the genre that is this era.
This album feels fragile, messy, and extremely human in a way that’s both compelling and draining. It’s the kind of album that leaves you emotionally exhausted, not because of big dramatic moments, but because of how quietly it sits in its sadness. The raw production works in its favor most of the time, giving the melancholy this lived-in, bruised feeling, even if the strained vocals can be a bit much and some songs blur together tonally. Nothing immediately jumped out at me on first listen, but the overall mood is what lingers. By the end, I felt calm yet weirdly comforted, like the album had emptied itself out and left me in the quiet. It’s a pretty mess, one I respect more than I’m eager to return to.
I'm generally a fan of the band, but hadn't really listened to this record much, and I can see why. It didn't do much for me, and did not strike me as anything special or clever.
5/10 Some half decent songs, but some garbage too. Largely forgettable to my ear
Er þessi plata til? Þurfti að hlusta á playlista á Spotify til fá "heildarpakkann", svo kannski er ég að dæma einhverja vitleysu. En þetta var þá fín vitleysa sem batnaði hvorki né versnaði við hlustun tvö, misáhugavert og solid þristur bara.
Honestly, this is my type of shit right here. I k law it might be redundant and annoying to some but to me, it was a solid listen that could get you through a mediocre day. It’s not gonna blow your socks off but it’s good enough to play the background.
This album on a whole is kind of a mess. Very much presents a melancholic mood throughout and is very different from #1 Record. This feels like a precursor to the post-punk or Joy Division. Favorites were Thank You Friends, Holocaust, and You Can’t Have Me.
It was fine. Nothing jumped out at me as all that good or bad. I don’t understand at all why it’s on this list.
Love the band but not this slbum
Pretty good not great. Had no idea Lover Boy or Femme Fatale was from them
Favorite Track: Femme Fatale
kind of power pop
I have not heard of this band until today. It's great music and seems like it was ahead of it's time in 1978. When I first listened I thought it was a mid late 90's release. Really good music that is easy to listen to and kind of chilled out. The vocals are great and fit in perfectly. Nothing really stood out on the album because I enjoyed all the songs. Maybe that could be a criticism for some but I like the vibe of it.
It was good. Nothing really stand out for me. Some misses but some good ones as well.
horny yearner
I found this boring.
Couldn’t help but compare it to the Velvet Underground and it paled
Really fun easy listen while working.
Nostalgic sound. Classic rock album but not too interesting.
5.5/10
3 out of 5. This was the first album I got confused about which version of the album to listen to. Not bad, would need more listens to really appreciate it more.
Disappointed as soon as it started
Most too slow but I did like 3 songs
Where was I in '78? Still hadn't left the bosom of CanRock and 1970's FM Radio result being, I missed a ton of music! Like Big Star... the album is spectacular at times then disjointed at others, still sounds good 47 years later. My young self would appreciate older me listening to this band more often.
i will never get the big star hype
I’m not sure what to make of this album. I couldn’t quite figure out if I was listening to the right thing as there seemed to be tons of different track listings online – and then loads of songs were also missing. Add to that, there’s multiple covers on here so I couldn’t be sure how much was original. Anyway I’m pretty up on this, particularly as I’d never heard of them before. I like their style. There’s lots of interesting arrangements and weird bits of instrumentation, and a bit of an experimental approach. The first track turns into a bit of a cacophony, with loads of stuff going on, and an explosion of keys – but I dig it. The slower tracks work slightly less well in my opinion but there’s still something about them. And the covers? Generally good covers! 3.5 rounded down.
Not a bad album by any means, but not a sound I would listen to often. I'm thinking a 6/10.
Very late 70s, not bad, not great
erm... so, i am a sister lover, in which i mean that i am a real and actual sister lover. like, one of my favourite oasis song is "my sister lover". although my sister is actually my imaginary friend but i see her as my sister. one of my moots really like this album and he thinks that its really good at sounding extremely desolate. i get that feeling from some of their songs but still its not *that* for me. 3.5/5
Very incredibly meh. 2.5/5
It’s a vibe. Very mellow.
It's ok
Big Yawn from me unfortunately
First off, I had trouble finding this album, so I just listened to Third and followed the Rate Your Music track listing, since it was different to the Spotify version. At the same time this album sounds ahead of its time and dated. On one hand it reminds me of what The Smiths would become, but then it also reminds me of like 60's garage rock, or something like The Kinks. That being said I don't think this album surpasses any of those bands. This isn't a bad album, but I don't think it is great. I think the singer really holds this band back, I just find his voice a little grating. I do really like all of the string parts though. I also appreciate that all their songs are about 2 and a half minutes, nothing overstays its welcome. I wrote this before finishing the album, but man the last couple of songs were a slog to get through despite the short run times. They are just so dreary and depressing, but not like interesting and artistic depressing, but like I am getting depressed because it was super boring. This is really close to a 2. low 3.
interesting...good
This was another super generic 80s record that I know I listened to yesterday but remember nothing about. Like nothing at all. It was fine? I guess?
This is a very interesting sounding rock based album straddling the lines of country and folk with some sparse avant-garde shades. This album is all well played and recorded and the singing is unique. I’ve listened to their #1 Record a few times and remember enjoying it but I can’t seem to remember it. Same with this one. I’m enjoying listening to this but the songs aren’t sticking the first time around. The first time a song stood out I had to check and it turned out to be a Lou Reed song so I’m still looking for one of their own songs to click with me. I’ll have to listen to this more to fully understand it but for now I’m into it and definitely intrigued so I’m looking forward to the next spin.
Favourite Songs: Kanga Roo
6/10… baroque pop / power pop / *1978
An easy listen
Ok
An interesting, but flawed album, that has no definitive version (just look at the number of alternative tracklists on Wikipedia). I enjoyed it, but it felt a bit…..disconnected. I don’t know.
Ordentliche Beats der 70er ohne Supersongs.
Surprisingly enjoyable listen. Traditional 70's rock - more pop than hard rock. Some slower stuff as well including a cover of Velvet Underground's Femme Fatale.
Rock, 1978 -> 3
Second Big Star album I've had on the list and this is just as ok as the first.
Big Star was an extremely talented group, but I always get the sense that they were only half committed to their songs and albums. Nothing you're likely to hate too much on this album, but also not likely to be anything overly memorable if you're listening to it for the first time.
# Album Name: Third/Sister Lovers # Artist: Big Star # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: was alright. nothing to shout home about # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Maybe
This is a weird one that needs a relisten. It was the first cold day of winter and I listen while walking my dog. Hard to pay attention when im getting frost bite. But its interesting for sure. There are some real cool dissonant passages. It seems like a kinda hate fueled thing too even though it doesn't immediately sound thay way. Like these guys are mad that they haven't made it yet. And honestly the should have. Their songs are pretty good. I dont know, I should like it but I need to hear it again. Gets by as a positive but maybe gets bumped up to a super positive look later
Very interesting; shoe-gaze musicians could learn from their choice to use real stringed instruments. Some days I would round up, but not today.
Meh.
The great comedian Jimmy Pardo calls Big Star the world's most overrated underrated band. It definitely feels like Required Fandom for indie cognoscenti, though others would be forgiven for wondering what the big small deal is. I saw a live tribute concert to this album at SXSW, and it was fine—just like this album. As the book notes, this is Big Star's "difficult" album, and its quiet restraint isn't grabby like their janglier, earlier work. ("Till the End of the Day" is closest and inexplicably has the fewest streams on this album). This is definitely a slow burn, and it probably rewards repeat listens on headphones. 3.5 stars.
I was going to give this a two out of spite because I think it is so completely not a great album, when I saw how influential it was. So it gets a three, but this is a big nothing burger to me.
Wasn’t really feeling this at first but kind of warmed to it as it went on. If you’re looking for good vocals this is not the album for you lol but I ended up mostly enjoying it.
A few of the songs were region blocked on Spotify, and I can't say I cared enough to seek them out and hear them after listening to the others. Enjoyable enough but ultimately forgettable.
There are some nice snatches of melody here if you listen hard enough. Cannot get past the vocals though which verge on the painful at times, I was physically cringing. This apparently influenced some good bands though so there’s that. 2.5
Ganz OK!
This album is like a man who has just been dumped by the woman he thought he loved. He lies on the floor in his kitchen, feeling too hopeless to move. The sun is setting, and he knows he should get up and turn the lights on, then cook some dinner. Or at least get up and put some underpants on. Feeling sorry for himself, he lays there longer. The sun has set now, and he is shrouded in darkness.
Very rock.
This had to be found on YouTube but that happens sometimes. This made me think of a precursor to Radiohead. So I kind of like that.
This album has some highs and lows for me. Starts off just ok, gets pretty good in the middle with tracks like Kanga Roo (nice, haunting mellotron) and For You (great strings), and then goes back to just ok for me into the end of the album. History of the album is pretty interesting; it sounds like a bit of a schizophrenic recording session, and that comes through pretty clearly. Overall, I would come back to some tracks on here, but probably not the entire album. 2.75/5
Overall not too taken with this. Not bad, but also didn't make much of an impact. 2.5/5
Some songs sound like Material Issue. Most sound like Elliot Smith. A good album to hear but not necessarily revisit.
Interesting, with a fun style.
★★★½
6/10
Good
- One song that's christmas music? Sorta? - Some sounds pretty good, very calm. - Femme Fatale was wildly unexpected! Had to check who the original artist was. Listening interrupted to relisten to original. - wacky - tabacky - most reviews seem to describe the album as portraying the end of Big Star, and the singer's sanity. gotta agree (based on absolutely nothign but vibes) - will relisten, but not soon.
La vibra del álbum es muy nostálgica, me sentí acostada en la arena como las chicas de la portada
It was okay
Mid
What do we got here...some 70's rock. Never heard of this band. At least I don't think so. Meh, not the vibe I want right now. But 3 stars.
More of a depressing album that I initially thought. Power pop definitely evolved to become more lighter-sounding from here, whilst keeping the themes of despair & yearning. The fragile words from the late lead man Alex Chilton are melancholic and impactful, but the album as a whole lends itself to being somewhat bland is it kind of stays in one gear throughout.
Big Star was a much better band when it had Chris Bell in it but some of this is kind of interesting too I guess
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background As someone who will be giving #1 Record / Radio City 5 stars when we get there....I find this album to be too sprawling / unfinished / weak. It does have some decent moments, and Holocaust is absolutely haunting, but this one gets a 3.
The Good: We know this band is massive, based off of the name! The Bad: We really have never heard of them… The Ugly: Trying to calculate what 1/3 divided by a sister is… guess it depends on who’s sister we are talking about?… Never listed to Big Star, to my knowledge… maybe I have… just not to this album… Would have to check out their other oeuvre to get a better indication. But I can’t be bothered at the moment… I liked it, yet it left me not wanting to hit the play button again. To me, at times, sounded like the Manic Street Preachers… for the manic portion. There sure are many artist who feel these Nashville boys are the Bee’s Knees… at least it ain’t country, right? Gonne give them a 3*...
Not bad, worth a listen.
This is alright. It's fairly well made 70 alternative rock, but it doesn't really connect with me. I don't know why, but it might be the disparate styles across the album. It felt somewhat randomly assembled and I just don't get it. It's decent, but maybe just not for me.
Fine.
I had no idea what to expect with this one, and I thought it had some pretty cool moments and a few tracks I dug. I was confused about what to listen to, because it seems there have been SEVERAL iterations of this over the years, but the one I listened to wasn't too shabby.
mediocre
Big Star is your favorite band’s favorite band. And that’s great for them. I don’t care so much. I liked their covers, though.
For a 1978 album, it has misses and hits. Instrumentation with strings doesn't stink too bad and the vocals range from ok to meh. This would not have been on a mixtape for me in 78.
solid 3
It’s classic rock, though many songs felt a bit draggy to me, making the whole album feel longer than it is. The one track I really enjoyed was Till the End of the Day—ironically a Kinks cover. The riff arrangement is great, which makes me think I might actually like Big Star’s guitarist.
This album impressed me! Melancholy for sure
Hey! Alex Chilton wrote the theme song to That 70's Show and Thank you Friends is on my Thanksgiving playlist. This is fine I guess??
Maybe just because of Femme Fatale, but reminded me of a VU album. I prefer the power pop Big Star. 3/5
First time listen! As someone who has a strong appreciation for 70s rock, I was expecting to really like this album. The actual impression was mediocre though. I kept making me want to listen to T-Rex instead.
7/10
Another band I've heard raved about for ages. Gotta say, I didn't like the vocals.
Terrific and WEIRD record. I love Big Star, and as far as Big Star records go, this is one of Alex Chilton's great ones. 7/10
OK so apparently this is super influential, name sounds familiar but music not so much. So far, this might be super influential, but it's lacking much musicality for me. Quite possible was very original at the time of its release but seems a bit anticlimactic to me. Apparently Peter Buck from R.E.M. acknowledged influence from these guys and I can definitely hear some of them but in terms of songwriting R.E.M. debut easily knocks this one from its feet. A couple of more listens and I can def see how this is influential, it does remind me of indie stuff from 90s and so on, but still is just not my thing, so I can't be objective here, just for it's influence I will increase to 3.0/5.0 but afraid no more than that. Really torn on this one for some reason. REVISIT in the future... P.S. This is their third and last album and I heard this is really quite different from the first two albums, so perhaps I should investigate their full discography.
I don't really like this genre, but it is still not too bad. I will give it a solid 6/10
Unusual and hard to classify, somewhere in the rock / folk spectrum.
A fine album with some well-crafted songs. But everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, knows that the Big Star album that you must listen to is "#1 Record". Hands down. I said EVERYBODY.
3.5
in a sea of 70's rock bands, you have these guys planted firmly in the middle. Not bad, not great, but there. I guess I could classify this as highway rock, something to listen to on a long drive. Femme Fatale is probably my favorite here, if any.
Meh
Nature Boy 👍
Problematic album from a great band.
Really tried to get hooked because it seemed so great and then kept seeming so great but I dunno man, I respect their influence, but didn’t turn the corner myself here.
bokay
It’s definitely not as good as their first two records, which are really, really good. But there are a good handful of good songs on here. It starts off pretty bad with the first two songs before it picks up slowly after that - it’s not until Stroke it Noel, that I get hooked. I usually skip Femme Fatale and Nature Boy.
Big Black Car is basically a different version of Back of my Car, right? I'm a broken record but I am surprised this album is in the book. It's not traditionally considered one of Big Star's better albums, especially since Chris Bell had left the band at this point. For someone who hasn't heard Big Star's first two records, this person will wonder what the great thing about the band was. Hang in there, as #1 Record will be on your list at some point. Third/Sister Lovers is dramatically more mellow than the previous work from Big Star. They always had slower songs, but it seems like this album takes it to a different extreme. It's a fine album, if not really noteworthy, but the biggest impact it has is it causes me to want to listen to #1 Record and Radio City.
Enigmatic sparse darker, covers. Interesting, experimental. Worth another listen.
Quite nice but also depressing
Started out great, felt dragged on. Very middle of the road classic rock
This was my second Big Star album, and once again, nothing really stuck with me. The songs are fine in the moment, but once the album ended, I struggled to remember much of it. It feels more like a collection of fragments than a fully realized record, which makes sense given the chaotic way it was put together. That said, I did catch some proto-KISS vibes in a few of the early tracks. There is a certain swagger and grit in places that feels ahead of its time. You can hear the band leaning into something rawer, but it never fully lands with the punch it seems to promise. Overall, it is not a bad listen, just underwhelming. Big Star clearly influenced a lot of artists who came after, but for me, this album feels more like a historical artifact than something I want to spin again. Three stars for the glimpses of greatness, even if they never fully come together.
Not the most memorable to me
This was fine. It's notable like a car wreck, evidently, because it's the decline of Alex Chilton's mental health, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. The covers were actually very good, IMO. The whole thing still felt like a weird mixtape of unreleased studio sessions (which it kinda is) documenting someone losing hold on their sanity (which it sadly is).
Well, this album certainly had its moments. But overall, the production/mixing brought the whole thing down. The lyrics weren't awful, nor were they brilliant. The instrumental quality is marred by the muddiness of the record in general. One thing I can say, it is pretty catchy. Faves: O, Dana, Jesus Christ, Kanga Roo, Thank You Friends. 7/10 rounding down.
Definitely has some very good tunes. But clearly the wind-down of Big Star.
Im not sure which version im supposed to listen to because there are like 50 versions But what I've listened to is very good, not as good as their debut, but good 3, but again, this isnt the full album so what does a 3 really mean
I have an irrational need to recognise an album as an album; a complete and intentional work. So where these kinds of entries pop up with a somewhat controversial tracklisting, muddled between different releases across regions and formats, it annoys me. The album (in whichever version Spotify presented me) starts out pretty good fun. It's upbeat and rocky and I will forgive the ambiguity if this is what we're getting today. Things tail off in the second half though, a bit more slow and pianoey. It lost my attention on multiple listens and while it was never quite 'bad', it didn't do enough 'great' for me.
Kizza Me : liked it 2,5 Thank you Friends: 3 Big Black Car: slow dance vibe 4 Femme Fatale: island music 3.5 Holocaust: calm.sad 4 Stroke it Noel: 3,5 For You: 3 Nightime: 3 Blue moon: 3 Take care: 3 Nature boy: 2,5 Till the end of the day: 3 Dream lover: 2
Really depressing but good album. Makes me want to listen to more of their stuff as i do love power pop. The femme fatale cover is actually pretty good. 7/10 Favourite: For You Least Favourite: Stroke It Noel
A real blend of styles, at its best it's very good, certainly worth another listen
Just very average, nothing special. 2.5/5
Not bad.
Lågmäld och ganska fin musik. Men det klickar inte för mig. Finns inte nån låt som riktigt lyfter. Det blir en stabil trea.
“I want to feel you deep inside” has got to be one of the most revolting hooks in the history of music… Overall, this album is okay, there are some real stinkers but I don’t mind it over all. All the pieces were there for a terrible album but it’s not bad…
It's easy to trace the lineage of some bands like Teenage Fanclub and The Posies etc.to this. I've never heard the album before but I enjoyed it and would listen again
Some very personal, at times loving and other times dark, lyrics and songs. Then there are these wonderful little songs out of nowhere. This is not the power pop of "September Gurls" and is instead something else, something different, but something good.
психоделка - местами норм , местами залупа
That's not my taste in music - But ok
I can see why REM was influenced by this album. It wasn’t bad. It just went on to a little bit too long. The cover songs were pretty cool, though
It was ok I suppose. Unremarkable I felt.
Beatles energy, little more hippie
Album started off really rough. If it was just Kizza Me, this would be a 2 or a 1. Mainly due to the vocals being so rough. However, it picked up pretty quick after that. Still not big on it, never been a huge fan of Power Pop, but it's cool to find out Alex Chilton is a real person and not just a character in a (fantastic) Replacements song, haha. Can definitely see how he gained so much influence in indie scenes though. This sounds like pure, distilled Pitchfork-core. From the Beatles/Lennon (?) vibes of Femme Fatale to the country/folk vibes of some other songs Oh, Dana, this sounds tailor made to be hipster musicians' favorite band that no one's ever heard of. Fo me however, its just fine.
Now I see what all the fuss is about.
Your favourite band's favourite band. I cannot believe this was recorded and released in the 1970s. It sounds more like late 1990s to me: Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley and Flaming Lips obviously loved Big Star to name just a handful. But this is a desperately sad album which is clearly cobbled together from outtakes and it's history makes it clear that this is the sound of depression. A difficult listen, in other words, and one that feels voyeuristic at times. Knocking off a star because while this album is really up my street, I felt uncomfortable listening to it.
This is definitely rock music. Beyond that, I don’t have much to say.
Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Nettes Album.
Pleasant album.
Some of it is pretty boring. Some of it is ok.
Meh
Meni hype oko ovog benda nikad neće bit jasan skroz
Yeah it was okay but nothing special. Had them before, don’t see why they need two albums. Overall: 3/5
This started out like I wasn't going to like it, but the longer I listened, the more I liked it. Not going on my 'must listen to list', but still - not bad.
This record is for a much sadder day than today, but I’m trying to connect anyway. “Stroke It Noel” is the stand out track from my first listen. I’m excluding “Femme Fatale” because it’s a cover and I’m not sure it’s better than the original. Ultimately, I don’t hate it, but I don’t think I’ll revisit this one many times. I noticed nothing from this album is in Big Star’s most popular songs on Spotify, so I think I’ll see what the other albums are like. Three big stars feels appropriate.
Love it when half the tracks are removed from spotify and the album has a million different track listings. Also love a good mid pace pop power record so I guess it was worth it. Nothing massively noteworthy here but definitely laid the ground for a lot of 80s/90s college rock, REM, Yo La Tengo, etc. Favourites - Femme Fatale, Holocaust, You Can't Have Me, Take Care
Wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for or rating here so just followed the in-site link to the Spotify ‘album’. Album itself is decent, starts quite well but gets boring quite quickly, just glad that only 13 of the supposed 19 are on Spotify or it could have easily felt like another Exile on Main St. Kizza Me (7/10) Thank You Friends (8/10) Big Black Car (7/10) Femme Fatale (7/10) Holocaust (6/10) Stroke It Noel (6/10) For You (7/10) Nightime (6/10) Blue Moon (6/10) Take Care (7/10) Nature Boy (6/10) Till the End of the Day (6/10) Dream Lover (7/10) 6.6/10
Classic sad boys. This inspired a lot of music that I really like but by itself it's not for me.
Could've liked this more I think.. didn't do a ton for me. Took a bit to understand what this version of the album was lol but I understand it's closer to the original vision of it? Doesn't mean a ton to me.. just means it was longer.............
Alex Chilton seems like a cool guy. This may grow on me one day
I own this album and I don’t know that I’ve ever sat and listened to it in full which is usually a bad sign. It’s an album of infinite potential and limited execution. I think it was the cover of Femme Fatale that really sealed it for me. All I wanted to do was listen to the original. A real damning indictment for a cover
3.5
Side A was a 2 but side B a solid 4! I wasn’t really into it at first but I liked the second half a lot more with the violins and such. Fave track was stroke it noel
Leider fehlt einiges vom Album auf Spotify. Konnte also nir Fragmente hören.
FINALLY I know who Alex Chilton was! been wondering about that since the Replacements song, mystery solved : ) how funny, I was already listening to Big Star and had no idea it was Chilton - and no idea they were from the 70s!!??? thought it was one of the 2000s bands at the time. Interesting album, even more interesting how many were influenced by these guys. I liked it- but the soft whispery slow ones were like 4 too many
A pleasant surprise - I can definitely hear the influence of this band on some alt rock bands of the 80s/90s. I might rate this higher after a few more listens.
Might love it on more listens…just one listen, some very high highs and some very low lows. Prefer the first two albums.
Big Star has never resonated with me. They have a real sense of musical drama, they seem like an early, distant ancestor of Wilco and the vocals are emotive yet rough in a way that's pleasing. It just doesn't pull me along. However, as much as I don't get it, you should probably check them out. Everyone else seems to like them. In the words of my generation: meh.
I can see how this influenced some indy style bands of the late 80s/early90s. I was kinda expecting more, but it was fine
Het begint als lollige indiepop, maar dan anno 1978. Maar waarom staat er dan in vredesnaam een kerstnummer op? Stelletje commerciële rakkers. En vanaf daar raak je als luisteraar de weg een beetje kwijt. Een covertje hier, een balladje daar. Het geheel steekt maar bleekjes af tegen wat de jaren zeventig ons nog meer gegeven heeft. Ik lees trouwens dat dit album dateert uit de tijd dat de band steeds slechter werd (!) en wegens desinteresse van de bandleden (!) wat afgeraffeld werd uitgebracht, wat de oorzaak is van de vele versies die er van deze plaat in omloop zijn. Tja, als het de band allemaal niet kon boeien, waarom mij dan wel?
Nothing memorable
Soft vocals, rock vibe