Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Much like Big Star's debut (also on this list), I don't get anything out of this record. It just comes across as run of the mill Pop Rock to me. Maybe it's so influential that everything now that sounds like this comes from it, but I'm not sure that's true. Key tracks: Blue Moon
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*...
Like Big Star, they are the link between my all time 2 favourite bands the Beatles and byrds and are a definite influence on a number of my favourite bands. The definition of a Cult band, the hit band that never was, that their 3 albums were all recorded as early as 72 - 75, the go to for power pop. Though with the strings and piano lead this is less well power than the other 2 albums and more VU influenced but with a real vulnerability/ fragility to it, that I never got with Lou Reed. A great album from a great band that should be heard. 4 Star
A good one
Not bad, worth a listen.
Titte-ut-av-vinduet-på-bussen-musikk (på et middels minus nivå)
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.
It’s a weird artifact of a band on the brink of collapse. It’s really… all over the place - Velvets and Kinks covers, and uhhh, drug-fueled musicianship? Reminds me of Skip Spence’s Oar.
Unknown band. I don't like the vocals all that much. Poor album.
I endured listening to all the tracks, but it wasn't easy. There was no consistency, just some unfinished and unproduced sessions thrown together. It's like catching a fish by hand: you try to grasp it, but it just slips through your fingers.
Fine.
Inconsistent, varying between tiresome, super weak sauce, and almost but no cigar.
I do like Big Star, their first album especially is a great collection of pretty, well written and generally quite upbeat power pop tunes. This album still has those pop tendencies, but has a much more melancholic feel. Holocaust specifically is very dark and brooding. Quite surprised at the low rating tbh, this is mostly excellent power pop. Alex Chilton's hooks are great as ever, there's plenty of variety. Good stuff.
Power pop
Never understood the love for this band?
It was quite a miserable dirge at times
I don't usually listen to albums multiple times but I did here leaving me a much longer review... First listen I was super confused...this album was all over the place and it felt completely disjointed. The first two (Kizza Me and Thank you Friends) weren't bad but then we went in weird directions with (Holocaust). So I did some research to figure out why this album was included and it gave some context (but I am not sure it was enough to save it). So there first two albums were failures and they blamed their record company and this one was shelved for not being commercial (not a shock). They were trying to be sarcastic but it sounded so sincere. They were breaking up as a band, fighting with each other, and breaking up with a girlfriend (and they removed a lot of her vocals from the album). It felt like maybe this was a dumpster fire that they tried to fix by giving the remaining people more creative control which just kind of made it worse. Second and third listen...sure, there were some bits that were nice and I can see the creativity behind it. I can see how this album set in motion more room for more alt type sounds that were not mainstream pop or rock. It also really captured some emotional intensity behind a band breaking up and feelings of failure and anger with a melancholy dissonant sound. However it ultimately left me confused on and unfulfilled as an album. It left this album to sound like a bunch of half finished songs they were workshopping to try and find the band's sound.
Not on my music streaming platform.
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.
I’m a huge fan of sone of the bands that drew inspiration from Big Star, so I’ll always have time for them. This kinda seems like a spectacle, though. Part of the album is good (maybe great), other parts are phoned-in filler.
This band is just awful. Why did this make the list?
Not into it... Turn him down in my headphones
Nothing special here
mediocre
So bad also could not find this album
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.
Decent album.
I got into a deep rabbit hole to figure out why people say this album is such a big enigma, and the fact that I spend so much time on it probably means I love it. Shoegazing vibes, not pop at all, and that is a good thing.
Boring music for boring adults
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.
Super confused about all the different versions of this album. Third (Ardent Music, 2016) is what is on Deezer, so that's what I'm listening to. 18 tracks, total length 00:51:40. I like the strings and drums. The wailing vocals on these slow songs are killing me, though. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Thank You Friends, You Can't Have Me ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.
A no from me
solid 3
had potential was just horribly mixed and recorded and it sounded like just noise a lot of songs but like 2 good songs. starting to be less strict with my ratings so it gets a 2
one of my favourite albums since i first heard it in high school. the rykodisc track listing (which seems to be the one linked here, though many songs are missing on spotify) is the best one.
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.
I enjoyed the variety of their rock sound. Luckily there's a Spotify playlist that recreates this album in the artist's intended order.
Innocuous non descript album. Ok background music but not exciting or worth seeking out.
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??
I don’t get it, originally #449 on Rolling Stones Top 500. Then it moved up to #285 8 years later. I must suck at rating music…
Maybe just because of Femme Fatale, but reminded me of a VU album. I prefer the power pop Big Star. 3/5
If you're gonna do something, do it well, or shut the fuck up. Big Star failed to do either. It's people like this that give a bad name to incest.
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
Nie ma na spotify
Another band I've heard raved about for ages. Gotta say, I didn't like the vocals.
Yet another album, which makes me wonder, why is it on this list? Especially according to Wikipedia, "After two commercially unsuccessful albums, Third documents the band's deterioration as well as the declining mental state of singer Alex Chilton." Yeah, that sounds like an album I should listen to before I die. Did the guy who wrote this book, actually listen to these albums, this one is awful!
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
Sometimes you need to know the history behind an album for it to be at all interesting in concept, and maybe gain some appreciation for it. An album being written and developed while both the band and individual members are falling apart is an interesting idea. Unfortunately the music shows this; discordant, unbalanced, barely melodic.
Why does this have so many versions. Not too big on this one Will I listen to again: 0%
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
It’s not my favorite Big Star album, but it’s still better than most albums by most bands. You can tell that they were in a different place when this one was made.
Easily forgettable.
Not my style.
Sometimes when I'm like "I've never heard this band before" when I get my album for the day I get excited like I'm going to be exposed to something new and exciting, something great. Not with this, this, this is trash. I can think of all the bands who were formed when they listened tot his album and were like 'fuck if they can get signed so can we'. I do know this though, no one looking to form a band is putting an add out saying 'looking to start a band that sounds like Big Star. I cannot say this more, garbage, garbage, garbage. What is worse, is there seems to be another album from this trash ass band. -100/5
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 👍
I love #1 Record, it was completely new to me and was one of my early great discoveries. This, however … this is just a bit shit. It’s unremarkable and unmemorable, and nowhere near the high watermark of #1. Disappointed.
Alex Chilton influenced many bands we like…some great riffs but uneven.
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
Ironic this album is called third, because it took me three days to finish it. Incredibly meandering and boring. I thought I liked Big Star, but clearly not.
This had variety! I'll listen to this again.
Franchement c'était plutôt bien cool, j'aime bien ça s'est bien enchainé, dommage que l'album soit relou à trouver en entier
It's atsrted so promising with Kizza Me... I knew that it was supposed to be dark and depressive, but a lot of stuff here is also mellow, which is downside for me. Songs work good as is, but in context of an album it really miss upbeat songs. Looking forward to getting previous albums. I never heared Big Star before and I suspect some of them might be 5 for me.
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.
What a brilliant album. Exceptionally good. 20 years ahead of its time.
2.5
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.
Groovy 70s LA vibes. A very pleasant start. Never had heard of them at all. Not sure I'd go back to it.
Enigmatic sparse darker, covers. Interesting, experimental. Worth another listen.
Some of the poorest production quality and some surprisingly shrill vocals completely turned me off this album. Some of the slower songs sounded pretty enough, but they also get repetitive and boring. Amazing that this is the "quality" of the album after so many releases and re-releases
good and relaxing listening!
Quite nice but also depressing
Beautiful album 4.2
Didn't love this album. Nothing notable or memorable for me
nope
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.
Album 871 of 1089 Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers (1978) Rating : 4 / 5 a gentle, thoughtful listen that proves this band really does have its own special sound. The more I hear of this band, the more I find myself drawn to them. Their #1 Record has already become a recent favorite of mine, and this one feels like a natural companion - some nice, gentle, thoughtful rock that doesn’t shout for attention but earns it all the same. It’s interesting that when it first came out it didn’t make much of a splash, partly because not everyone in the band was fully engaged at the time, but over the years it’s grown into something many appreciate. Not earthshattering, not necessarily iconic, but absolutely their own thing - and that uniqueness makes it a rewarding, relaxing, and engaging listen.
i didn't know about them or their music and I fell in love with it
#676. A handful of painfully average hippy songs. 2/5: meh
femme fatale
Not the most memorable to me
it was okey
Nearly every song has a very catchy melody and often lyrics as well. The song writing is very good, with tight arrangements that don’t get carried away with themselves. I also quite like the arrangement of the the album itself.
This is another one of those albums that points the way to so many things that happen late. If you only know the bands that became popular later by ripping off Big Star, you are missing a big piece of the puzzle.
3 bleh songs but the rest is great.
Bful rendition of femme fatale, loved these too: O, Dana, Blue Moon, Till the end of day.
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).
A few excerpts from the album review.... "...a combination of financial issues, the uncommercial sound of the record, and lack of interest from singer Alex Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens in continuing the project prevented the album from ever being properly finished... ....After two commercially unsuccessful albums, Third documents the band's deterioration as well as the declining mental state of singer Alex Chilton" Now....do those sound like descriptors of an album considered essential listening? NO!! There's too much of this absolute fucking garbage on this list.... Favorite songs: Thank You Friends Least favorite songs: Holocaust, Femme Fatale, Big Black Car, Nature Boy 1/5
well this is a bummer - i liked the other Big Star album we had on this list. but this is so limp and watered-down i had to double-check and make sure it was the same band. i didn't vibe with this at all. maybe i'm being harsh, but it's only because i know how much better they can be!
this album makes me sad. alex chilton and big star came out swinging with their first album, radio city had some bangers, and then they just kinda slowly ground to a halt. most bands' downfalls seem to be due to a sudden event like a breakup, the label dropping them, or whatever, and the ones that fade away start showing cracks well in advance. i wasn't there due to not being born, but this one feels like we're watching the car crash happen in slow motion. these songs are pretty much all slow, depressing dirges that really convey the mood of alex and the band crumbling around the studio as they record takes. it's hard to watch and i don't think any of the tracks hold a candle to what they've done before. it's sad. favorites: for you, nature boy, till the end of the day
Thought for sure this band was British and this was another example of this list's British bias. Surprised to find out they're American and now even more confused why this is on the list. Altogether pretty mediocre and not much to note. 3.5/10 (1.75/5)
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.
So I know like two songs from this band (none of those songs are on this album) but their story is interesting. They had little to no commercial success, to the point where this band was basically nothing, however years later, to the mid 80s to 90s, a lot of alternative bands like REM and The Replacements were very influenced by them and that made this band finally get a cult following. With that cult following came retrospective reviews of their catalog and made them realize that Big Star is much better than once received. But imma be honest, I have mix reviews for this album. It's not bad, but I don't think it's that good. The songs I thought were good come once in every 3-5 okay and "not the best" songs. Maybe #1 Record and Radio City are better, but this album is definitely something. Also, there's like 6 different versions of this album for whatever bullshit reason, only one version was available and it wasn't this one. Maybe if I had this or one of the other fucking 5 I would think differently.
There was a time, about 15 years ago, when I was listening to the first Big Star record a lot, just really into the jangle pop vibe and the catchy melodies. Third is nowhere near as good and often feels like a slapped together random mess. As with a lot of albums on this list, if they think this is essential listening, ok I guess I'll take your word for it but I'm not hearing it.
Definitely has some very good tunes. But clearly the wind-down of Big Star.
2.5 - Meh
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
This isn't even a good album, period, let alone a good Big Star album. #1 Record and Radio City are much more put together than this. I find it very ramshackle, rife with lowlights, and instantly forgettable. 2/5 because even though it isn't good, it's not exactly offensive.
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
this album is a lot better if you know the context behind its making. There’s an oddball number of covers. None of the songs by themselves are bad. It just all feels chaotic. I guess that’s what you would get in this situation. The songwriting is still solid, although, it’s not as memorable, but I enjoyed the whole album. 4/5
Just very average, nothing special. 2.5/5
Not bad.
This was not very good in my opinion.
GOOD
Never heard of these guys. With good reason. Meh
Second album proposé par le générateur. Il n'est pas plus intéressant que le précédent (noté 2/5). Pas désagréable mais rien de mémorable non plus. Les reprises par 'This Mortal Coil' (pas dans la liste !) de 'Holocaust' et 'Kanga Roo' sont vraiment meilleures que les originaux. =>2/5
Lågmäld och ganska fin musik. Men det klickar inte för mig. Finns inte nån låt som riktigt lyfter. Det blir en stabil trea.
Hade svårt att bestämma mig för denna så blivit en jäkla massa genomlyssningar. Den har växt successivt och även om den kanske inte innehåller några direkta hits så är det genomgående en tillräcklig nivå för en fyra. Kul att man tydligt hör hur R.E.M. har inspirerats av Big Star.
7/10 good album, jesus track ruined it a bit for me
I absolutely love #1 Record by Big Star but this album was so boring and hard to get through
“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…
Fine I guess but very disjointed. I was too harsh on the other Big Star album and should relisten and maybe re-rate.
There are some good songs on here that kind of capture the old Big Star magic, but there are also a lot of slow, depressing ones. It’s probably too long for what it is, and it often sounds unfinished. That kind of thing can be interesting — raw, even beautiful — but here, ‘Third/Sister Lovers’ just ends up sounding flat and, well... depressing.
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
First time hearing this album in its entirety. Let's GO! These are decent pop/rock songs. I'm not sure there is anything overly special about them. Maybe they were ground-breaking in some way at the time. And I'm assuming their other big album will be here, so I don't think we need two of their albums on this list. This is really just ok. 2.2/5
Not for me
Some good music, singing was a little too weird for me, overall didn't love
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.
Warbly, soft vocals. Mixing seems a bit off, some separation. Not my fave but has a dreamy quality which is quite cool.
психоделка - местами норм , местами залупа
This just made me want to listen to Nick Drake's Bryter Layter. The strings were very close to doing it for me but the vocals and songs never really fit right for me. "For You" is the only song I really enjoyed.
alltime favorite
## *Third/Sister Lovers* by Big Star: The Sound of Artistic Decomposition **Released:** March 1978 (recorded 1974) **Key Personnel:** Alex Chilton (vocals/guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), Jim Dickinson (producer), Lesa Aldridge (vocals/muse), Carl Marsh (string arrangements) **Legacy:** Ranked #285 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums (2020); cult classic influencing alternative rock . --- ### **Lyrics: Fragments of Despair** The lyrics mirror Chilton’s psychological unraveling. Themes of abandonment ("Holocaust": *"You’re a wasted face / You’re a sad-eyed lie"*), existential dread ("Big Black Car"), and failed relationships ("Blue Moon," written for girlfriend Lesa Aldridge) dominate . Sarcasm permeates ostensibly upbeat tracks: "Thank You Friends" mocks industry betrayal with its forced celebratory chorus . Controversially, "Holocaust" juxtaposes personal agony with Nazi genocide—a move criticized as exploitative yet emblematic of Chilton’s nihilism . --- ### **Music: Beauty in Chaos** The album abandons Big Star’s power-pop roots for fractured eclecticism: - **Baroque Melancholy:** Strings elevate "Take Care" and Stephens’ "For You" into elegiac hymns (inspired by "Eleanor Rigby") . - **Noise-Infused Experimentation:** "Kanga Roo" layers feedback and dissonant drums over an acoustic skeleton, akin to "Sonic Youth deconstructing Phil Spector" . - **Covers as Self-Portraits:** The Velvet Underground’s "Femme Fatale" reflects Chilton’s toxic relationship with Aldridge, while "Nature Boy" (featuring pianist William Eggleston) underscores alienation . Tracks like "O, Dana" tease pop resolution before collapsing—a metaphor for Chilton’s career . --- ### **Production: Controlled Anarchy** Producer Jim Dickinson embraced chaos: - **Intentional Imperfection:** Tape hiss, abrupt edits, and "wacky" overdubs (e.g., Dickinson playing drums on "Kanga Roo") create a destabilizing atmosphere . - **Vocal Erasure:** Chilton erased Aldridge’s backing vocals mid-session, leaving ghostly traces on "Femme Fatale" . - **String Arrangements:** Carl Marsh’s quartets ("Stroke It Noel") contrast with lo-fi rockers ("Kizza Me"), amplifying emotional whiplash . Engineer John Fry deemed sessions "perverted," halting them after a drunken "Whole Lotta Shakin’" take . --- ### **Themes: Disintegration as Art** The album documents multiple collapses: 1. **Band Dynamics:** With Chris Bell and Andy Hummel gone, Big Star was a duo clinging to a name . 2. **Mental Health:** Chilton’s substance abuse and depression manifest in "Holocaust" and the suicidal resignation of "Take Care" . 3. **Romantic Ruin:** Tracks like "Blue Moon" juxtapose tenderness with Aldridge/Chilton’s volatile relationship ("I love you... I hate you") . NME ranked it the #1 "Heartbreak Album of All Time" (2000) for its raw vulnerability . --- ### **Influence: The Cult of Third** Despite near-zero commercial success, its impact is profound: - **Artist Inspirations:** R.E.M., Jeff Buckley ("Kanga Roo"), This Mortal Coil ("Holocaust"), and Elliott Smith ("Nighttime") covered its songs . - **Genre Foundations:** Pioneered "alternative" aesthetics—lo-fi production, emotional rawness—later heard in *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot* (Wilco) and *OK Computer* (Radiohead) . - **Critical Reassessment:** Bootlegged for years, its 1978 release cemented its myth. Rolling Stone’s ranking jump (449→285) reflects growing reverence . --- ### **Pros vs. Cons: A Contradictory Masterpiece** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------| | **Emotional Honesty**: Unflinching portrayal of mental collapse; "Holocaust" remains devastating . | **Inaccessibility**: Sparse mixes ("Femme Fatale"), erratic sequencing, and bleak themes deter casual listeners . | | **Innovative Sound**: Baroque strings + noise foreshadow indie rock’s texture-focused evolution . | **Inconsistent Production**: Muddy vocals ("Jesus Christ"), uneven mixing (e.g., Spotify omission of "Jesus Christ") . | | **Cultural Legacy**: Seminal for alternative music; a Rosetta Stone for artists exploring darkness . | **Ethical Concerns**: "Holocaust" trivializes genocide for personal metaphor—still divisive . | --- ### **Verdict: A Haunting Self-Eulogy** *Third/Sister Lovers* is less an album than a psychological artifact. Its fragmented beauty, born from Chilton’s refusal to commercialize his despair, redefined artistic failure as a radical act. While its unevenness and brutality challenge listeners, its influence—from Buckley’s ethereal covers to the Replacements’ scrappy angst—proves its brokenness was prophetic. As Jim Dickinson declared: It is "the sound of decomposition" . For those willing to embrace its chaos, it remains rock’s most poetic collapse. > **Key Track to Try**: "Kanga Roo" – Where acoustic fragility battles apocalyptic noise.
Can tell their influence on Radiohead
Went from parody to abhorrent real quick. I need a shower.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Alex Chilton must be one of the least known very influental songwriters of all time. Can hear lots of 80’s and 90’s alternative influence on this album. This album and the songs on it feel bit like they’re not quite finished yet, but that just adds to the charm. Great pop record! Maybe 4,5 stars, but not quite 5, so i’ll give it…
Some points nice and mostly too much Beatles and pop. Liked string arrangements
This is a weird and wobbly pop record. I didn't even know which version I was supposed to listen, but after hearing few tracks I decided that I didn't care. Horrible record. Skipped through most of it. Couldn't wait to stop.
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
rating partly for innovation and influence on later work. i think this will grow on me.
It was ok I suppose. Unremarkable I felt.
Music is decent but album is aimless.
Beautiful orchestral power pop.
Na
So this album was released in 1978. I was 14. Possibly the period when I was listening to the radio, watching music tv programmes (OG Whistle Test / Revolver etc) the most, and reading the music press. Yet I've never head of the album, or the band. Listening to this I know why
Beatles energy, little more hippie
Second big star album and not as initially catchy as their self titled album. Dug their cover of femme fatale but not much else going on with this.
Wel een chil muziekje.
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.
A masterpiece of turning disappointment and disillusionment into a quesy and hollowed out version of Big Star's classic sound. Sounds eternal.
Surprised that I wasn’t grabbed by this - I didn’t mind a few melodies but felt the songs were mostly bland. I love #1 Record and I Am The Cosmos though - maybe I’m more of a Chris Bell person
Nope. Bad production value and mediocre songs and performances.
76/100.
Interesting. Next?
This is definitely rock music. Beyond that, I don’t have much to say.
Another Big Star album? And not even the one that has that one good song. September Girls I think. This is one of those bands that I really want to like, but just can’t find a way. Last album we heard was pretty stinky, and with this title? Were members of the band warring over the titles “Third” and “Sister Lovers?” I would’ve added a “third” option; dissolve the band and pursue alternate life paths. Another day, another ray of proverbial sunshine. Please let the Big Star be merciful, for the big star in our system yields to none. Kizza Me - I want to annoy the band and pronounce this like “Pizza.” Actually, let’s just call this song “Pizza Man.” Pizza Man is a bad song with bad performances and bad lyrics. That’s my professional writing. 3 word repetitions per sentence or your money back. What’s that? I didn’t repeat words last sentence? We’ll have you paid me any money? Jeez. bookings@alfisasexualbeing.gov Thank You Friends - Well, don’t count me among your friends if this is going to be your output. Big Black Car - What is this? What am I listening to? Will continuing to ask unanswerable questions render me satisfied that my writing is acceptable? I don’t know, I don’t know, and probably not. Femme Fatale - Imagine reimagined for the late 70’s. Is this a cover? It might be a cover. Man, I really just don’t care about this album. The playing is whatever and the vocals aren’t doing it for me. Holocaust - Hey, we’ve covered kissing and sedans, so let’s dive into a light topic. This should be handled with tact by “Big Star,” on their album “Sister Lovers.” I will hand it to this song, it sounds modern as anything. Almost has a Radiohead quality, with some of the odd instrumental choices. I kind of like this track. Unfortunately, listing “holocaust” as a “highlight” might flag some well-intentioned censorship programs. Stroke it Noel - Umm. Uhhh. This was interminable. Truly awful. For You - Oh man, we’re getting close to later indie songwriting again. Elliot Smith type sound. I mean, it’s still not good, but it’s closer to the direction I’d like to hear. And YES, I hear directions, I have BRAIN ISSUES, PROBLEM, LIBERAL? Nightime - That word with out the extra “t” is so strangely awful, that I can’t quite explain the misery it conjures. I also hate it here, and wish someone would get me out. Blue Moon - This song is so depressing. I like songs about depression every once in a while, but when it hits the wrong way, it is just experiencing depression, which is uhh not good. Take Care - Holy shit, we’ve changed song? I am in a restless sleep. I hate this. Nature Boy - A cover of a song by a hippie. I got into a rabbit hole a little bit with the hippies on Wikipedia. Interesting connection between German immigrants and the flower power movement of the 60s. Who knew? Presumably, a lot of you, but I didn’t. Anyway, this performance sucks and I don’t think I love the song that much either. Till the End of the Day - Summer stretches over the fields of refuse. Unimpeded solar beams irradiate dying earth. The garbage stockpiles overflow sickening mulch into streams once bountiful. The march of progress yields no ground to the thought of future life. Solar flares light up the skies. The weak are the first to fall. Galvanize the rhetoric. The weak fell, the strong shall succeed. While the carbon has changed, the sun is a solid eternity. Strong and weak, the Big Star suffers no foe. Uncaring blasts of life, boil the oceans as the skin of our strongest bubbles to muck. Healing has begun. Dream Lover - Yeah this sucks too. I’m reading some “tea” as the gays said, and now the young people repeat. This may be intentionally bad. Now that’s one RYM reviewer. The band themselves say that the only reason Big Star is behind this album is because of the label. It should’ve been A solo release, and better yet, it should’ve been kept contained. This album feels like being depressed in the summer or experiencing a negative response to drugs. Take a negative response to drugs, add in a depressive episode in August, mix with some horrible vocal narration you didn’t ask for, and that is Big Star’s third effort. You can take your critical acclaim and uh do something with it. I politely disagree. 0.5-1 HIGHLIGHTS: Holocaust (The song, you Psychos)
Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Nettes Album.
nah
Not doing much for me. A few decent songs but wouldn’t listen again.
Pleasant album.
Don't get the hype with this one. Artsy power pop with chamber arrangements, acoustic guitars, some slide, and lots of frail vulnerable vocals. It's slow and plaintive, reflexive and tender, but definitely does not rock at all. People seem enchanted by the backstory, but the album itself doesn’t do anything.
Some of it is pretty boring. Some of it is ok.
Meh
Big Star is so important, influential, and ahead of their time, and no one has heard of them. Meanwhile, my home turf dive bar is named after them (shout out Big Star Bar HTX), I’ve sang in a Big Star cover band, and even I have never given this album its due. The unfinished feeling is oddly compelling and there are some real gems here.
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
I got as bored with this as the lead singer
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.
Absolutely tragic. A favorite of mine. Big Star's little trilogy of albums, culminating in "Third", plots a downward slope into crestfallen depression. This record, a shambling mess of moody music, was plagued with plenty of production problems and released as an afterthought several years after its recording. The songs are sad in and of themselves, but they take on a greater degree of gloominess when considering the context of the once bright and optimistic band that put out such embarrassingly earnest power pop a few years prior. Arrogantly, I sympathize with depression even if I don't really suffer from it. As such, this record hits all the right chords in my heart. My ears hold a soft spot for any song so fragile that it sounds like it could fall apart at any moment. The whole record runs thus, and I will highlight 'Big Black Car', 'Femme Fatale', 'Blue Moon', 'Take Care', and 'Holocaust' as the biggest and best heartwrenchers here.
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.
I can really hear the pre-REM in this one. Unfortunately it's really interminable, I think if I heard a song or two I'd like them but this is too many together and they're too consistent.
Strikingly forgettable. Great start! Favorites: Big Black Car & Femme Fatale. Would like Holocaust better, and would probably name it a favorite, if it wasn’t, you know, named that. (March 18, 1978; Rock; British/English; 13 tracks; 55:13 runtime)
I really wanted to like this more than I did. I’ve heard big star songs before and really liked them. And the replacements wrote a song about Alex chilton. This album was too long, too many chill songs. I needed more pep.
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 like big star!
It was alright. Some catchy songs, others a bit naff.
Had never heard of this album before and was really pleasantly surprised. Starts off swaggering and full of bravado, and then becomes melancholic and vulnerable. One of the more interesting rock records I've found here, some beautiful string arrangements too.
Very boring
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
Interesting. Never heard of the artist before, but found it enjoyable. Would listen again
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
Awful. I'm not sure I had a favorite track but I could relate to the lyric "I hate it here. Get me out of here" while listening.
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
I love this album. It's light and airy and reminds me of fall. It has that chill-in-the-air quality.
The sound of a band, a man, an album breaking down. These songs are less written than conjured. Presented in fragments - lyrically and instrumentally. This albums arrives both unfinished and finished many times. It is foolish to chase the ghost of the album. It's the very specific sound of a place. A time. I still learn something, hear something, feel something new with each listen. Perfect imperfection.
Cult album eh? Glad I didn’t join the cult. There are some interesting musical sections, primarily piano based. But otherwise I didn’t really enjoy this and I’m not sure it holds together as an album that well.
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.
1. kizza - 1 2. friendz - 0 3. black - 2 4. femme - 1.5 5. holocauzt - 2 6. noel - 1.5 7. you - 1 8. night - 0 9. moon - 1.5 10. care - 1 11. boy - 1.5 12. day - 1.5 13. lover - 1.5
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 really liked their rendition of femme fatale. I really enjoyed Big Black Car Also this band sings the intro to “That 70s Show”
I can see how this influenced some indy style bands of the late 80s/early90s. I was kinda expecting more, but it was fine
It felt disjointed, incomplete, but I was compelled by it.
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?
Ik lees dat dit 'cult-album' een paar jaar op de plank heeft gelegen omdat het niet commercieel klonk en de band ongeïnteresseerd leek. Ik begrijp hier weinig van. De band lijkt toch echt aandacht gegeven te hebben aan het componeren en spelen. Al zijn er wat minder geïnspireerde seconden als het begin van Thank You Friends. Maar dat draagt juist bij aan een vrij toegankelijk (commercieel klinkend) geheel. Zelfs dusdanig dat ik mij afvraag wat dit nog bijdraagt. Zonde dat ze een paar jaar hebben gewacht, want na die tijd heeft het album bij de afronding nou niet bepaald de aandacht gekregen. Is dat geluid dan wat het een cult-album maakt?
Ik schreef bij een eerder album van Big Star, dat ze in vergetelheid zouden raken. Qua muziek klopt dat, ik heb geen idee meer wat ze maakten. De bandnaam kan ik wel onthouden, dus ik wist dat we ze al eerder hebben mogen beluisteren. Toen was het dus een vergeetbare 3. Waarom we ze dan nog een keer krijgen te horen, bewijst maar weer eens dat de redactie beter zijn werk had moeten doen. Ik zou eigenlijk een 1 willen geven, niet omdat het zo slecht is, maar simpelweg voor de complete overbodigheid en vergeetbaarheid van de keuze. Maar er zitten best aardige nummers tussen. En wat wel geinig is ter vergelijking met de hedendaagse tijd: tegenwoordig zou dit dus overgeproduceerd en gecorrigeerd worden met autotune en de hele mikmak. Hier hoor je gewoon nog de imperfecties van de muzikanten en dat is ergens wel sympathiek. Het hoort nog steeds in de 1001 albums die je ooit gehoord moet hebben. Laat ik het uitmiddelen tussen de vergeetbare 3 en de overbodige 1.
Nothing memorable
Soft vocals, rock vibe
Another Big Album from a Big Star
Not a fan of the first few. They'd be a lot better if he was singing an octave down so he didn't sound so reedy and straining. Was enjoying their version of Femme Fatale until the RIDICULOUS voice came in for the chorus' call and response! Insane! The slow sad ones are nice though, especially Blue Moon. Really like their version of Nature Boy, especially with hearing the crutch fall, hearing him try not to laugh, and then explain what happened at the end. Definitely my favourite version of the song; very similar to the singing style used for it in Moulin Rouge.
Unimpressive except for Nature Boy
Nah
This was nothing
Lot about this feels gross
Echoes of the flaming lips but with a lot less effort (& talent?) I wanted to like it but each track I listened to kept coming up short for me. Another album in my opinion I find debatable that it ever made it on the list but it's all subjective isn't it.
It's not really an album when it hasn't really been released. Nor when it's partially available everywhere.
Enjoyable eclectic mix, certainly a band and album I'm glad I came across here.
Third by Big Star is one of those albums filled with a bunch of different genre-adjacent songs that somehow manage to blend together into a good listen. 3.5/5
Forgettable
kinda boring, and depressing wth!!! i was listening to it like DAMN, i feel like drinking bleach…. i liked Til The End Of The Day
this could be rated five million stars for ‘kanga roo’ alone. but there are a couple lame-os on here too so i guess i’ll give it 4 stars instead. fav tracks: kanga roo; kizza me; o, dana; big black car; take care; till the end of the day
there were so many moments where I felt like i was listening to one of the most beautiful songs i had heard ever. i remember enjoying this album the last time i listened but don’t remember being quite as moved by it as i was this time! *Fav tracks: Jesus Christ, Thank You Friends, Blue Moon, Take Care*
An interesting experience. It evidences a band sprawling with creativity and interesting ideas. In my opinion, it is the acoustic and slower renditions that take the spotlight in Third, with beautiful compositions, vulnerable lyrics and thoughtful melodies. Some of the ideas don't really work ("Downs"), but all in all, it's a very enjoyable piece of work, albeit slightly inconsistent.
The Velvet Underground on more downers (there's a TVU cover even!), it's nice but not for me, or maybe I'm not in the mood for it
Not enjoyable. Not quite a 1, but I can't fathom how anyone gave this a 5.
Pretty dope
Right out the gate, the singing is painfully bad. The guy's out of tune and sounds inebriated. Vocals are always a potential deal breaker for me, since they can so easily make or break a piece of music. In Kizza Me, the singer here seems to have doubled his vocals quite messily, and only in some places. It's very distracting and very nearly ruins the excellent rock instrument going on behind it. This album was released around the time of the punk movement, so the terrible singing makes sense. I guess I was just hoping for a punk(-adjacent) band to break the mould. (Kind of hypocritical, for punk bands to all be doing the same thing as each other?) Nature Boy is also pretty bad, if only because a mere piano stands between the atrocious singing and the listener. The cover of Femme Fatale is passable - mainly because the original is so darn great. Big Star's version is noticeably worse for several reasons, including the weird extension of the "femme fatale" backing vocal, the out-of-tune lead, and the inconsistent percussion. In contrast, the strings in Stroke It Noel really sell the song. I'm a big fan of songs that mix up the instrumentation. The following track, For You, continues that trend, as does Take Care (with folk-European-sounding strings - maybe a fiddle?). All are strong tracks. Till The End Of The Day is an unexpected rise in energy towards the record's tail end. AllMusic gave this album a retrospective review of 5 stars, writing that it was a "shambling wreck of an album" and "the slow, sinking sound of a band falling apart". Where's the consistency? This is getting a 2 from me, and a well-deserved one at that. We have to start punishing these bands for their singer singlehandedly sabotaging the sound. 2/5 Key tracks: Thank You Friends, For You, Till The End Of The Day
…odd
Kind of a chunky album and the slower songs just reeeally don't do it for me. There's some good stuff though, just not quite as even of a mix as I'd like.
Very confusing listen... the first couple of tracks were kind of boring me to tears, but then once the moodier, slower strains of Holocaust hit, I think the album really found its stride. From then on I enjoyed everything, aside from a couple of the bonus tracks which strayed back to the earlier sound. If only the whole album had followed that wistful sound - it presaged so much of the alt rock, shoegaze, slowcore, and other such sounds of the 90s.
This was a weird one. The style completely shifted after a few songs. Overall it was fine I guess.
This one wasn't really my thing. The slower songs to take up most of the album, and I felt they didn't do anything very interesting in that time. At least when the pace does pick up, on songs like You Can't Have Me and Till The End Of The Day, it does get pretty good.
This album is a weird combination of slow, atmospheric stuff and more poppy, peppy stuff. What i liked is that even the peppy stuff sounds like someone slowly losing their mind. I think it is the most 3.5 album I've ever heard but I do have to round down because it's a little uneven.
An interesting listen for sure. Nature Boy sounds like it was an unused track from Sweeney Todd. Bit annoying that a handful of songs are not available on Spotify.
It started well, but as I progressed, I noticed the production didn't click for me. There was too much focus on the vocals, and the instruments were not that audible. That said, I have to listen to this more, as I didn't even know them by name
pretty good
Icky and boring
I quite liked it. I know I will never hear it again, but it was good!
A strong 3
362/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
2.1 I did quite enjoy that at one point I exclaimed "Jesus Christ" and then realised they'd named the song just that. I'm guessing not out of exasperation unlike me. Cover of Femme Fatale pointless. A bit like the album in general. Just frustrating choices all round - Kanga Roo starts off non-shit and then someone thrown a cowbell into the mix and turned it up loud. Wasting my time
++: Kizza Me, Thank You Friends, Jesus Christ, O, Dana, Holocaust, Kanga Roo, You Can't Have Me, Nightime, Dream Lover, Downs, Whola Lotta Shakin' Goin On +: Big Black Car, Femme Fatale, For You, Blue Moon, Take Care, Nature Boy, Till the End of the Day +-: Stroke It Noel 7,7/10
Not interested enough to try to get it.
I love a bit of Big Star but don't think I'd ever sought-out this album. Unsurprisingly, it's full of interesting moments, even if overall it's a bit less radio-friendly (and arguably a bit more weary and jaded), than previous efforts.
Ok 2/5
Excellent classic rock that mellows into some lovely, thoughtful, folk-leaning rock. It’s a great mix of rock and gentler music.
Pretty enjoyable classic rock. I feel like I would like it more though if the vocalist had a little more oomph to his voice. After hearing this style for my entire life (and it existing for over 50 years now), I find that the better classic rock bands have great vocalists; ones that aren't afraid to put some power behind a chorus or a little extra emotion in a verse. On this album I hear a soft and at times unsupported howl that feels like the singer is trying to sing up into a mic that's out of reach and only maybe three quarters of their voice is reaching it. The mix hurts me a bit too, the bass sounds really flat, and this is probably the thinnest sounding drumset I've ever heard. The kick drum sounds like my cat's footsteps on hardwood floor- a soft patter instead of a felt thump. I did like the second half of the album more than the first, which sounded more folky to me. This showed a lot more depth than the first half.
Felt really inconsistent instrumentally and the lyrics didn't grab me.
boring and generic to be honest. but maybe I’m in a mood
The title to the album MASSIVELY misled me. Little disappointed ngl
Mid, but I feel like I should like it more
Very Beatlesque. Feels like a precursor to Elliott Smith, but prettier and less whiny. Great melodies.
Not memorable
Big Star is good but I just don’t get the hype. This was not as good as Number #1 and it was a bit depressing at points.
Previously rated: #1 Record (3/5) ******************** Another album from these guys? The lyrics were good, I guess, but they were delivered in a very boring way. Best track: Til the End of the Day
It’s ok. I don’t hate it but it doesn’t stand out much either. Some psychedelic and chamber pop flourishes typical of 60s rock
Sounded pretty average to me, not sure why this is considered a classic. The songs sound similar and are forgettable most of the time. The album seems sloppy and all over the place. The mix is weird and it makes listening to the album not enjoyable. The instruments don't have room, they are overlapping with eachother and vocals are straight up bad at times. Considering this was released in '78, there is no excuse for this. The band gave themselves liberty to talk about Jesus, the Holocaust, women rights and so on, but they didn't do a good job of it in my opinion. It just comes of as pretentious and wanting to add something just to sound more important and complex than you actually are. I also listened to the first album of the band, and it's much better in my opinion. The music and the energy are way better. People like the 3rd because it's "the sound of a band falling apart", not sure how this is appealing, but then again, it might just be me. Was between a 2 and a 3.
Dear album, it's not you, it's me. Goodbye. 2/5
The first two Big Star records are so good, the heartfelt , sweet, lush music of those is somewhat present here but gives way to raw, frayed ideas. Worth listening to but definitely some less good cuts scattered throughout
Femme Fatale är faktiskt bättre än velvets orginal. Jag har aldrig lyssnat på hela tidigare utan mer på de båda föregångarna. Helt mästerligt
Lyder fint men unmemorable album, lidt ligesom det sidste vi havde med dem, som jeg gav en meget generøs 4'er
Pretty generic, but good nonetheless.. Didn't we use to sing that one song in school? 🧐
I do sometimes wonder how some records end up on this list. This is definitely one of them… I just wanted it to be over.
Listens: 1 Standout Tracks: Holocaust, Big Black Car This is my second Big Star album. The music is significantly darker, more moody and atmospheric. It starts off innocuous enough, but by Big Black Car, the music starts to slow down and become a bit more prodding and emotional. Holocaust is especially dark, both the lyrics and the music. I gave "#1 Record" 3 stars and unfortunately didn't elaborate on why at all. I don't think this album is 4 stars despite being better than their debut album, so I am going to have to bring "#1 Record" down to 2, and put this to 3.
Could grow on me, in the right mood I kind-of enjoy this. Quite poppy rock, with a nice vibe. A bit low-fi (quite poorly recorded and played, not intentionally) and some songs have a Kink's-like sound (which I don't like). Jesus Christ sounds fun (OK let's forget the lyrics).
I audibly laughed out loud when the vocals kicked in on the first track. Why on earth is this album included in this list? It’s the most generic 1970’s pop-rock I’ve ever heard. Musically it’s entirely predictable, boring riffs and root note basslines. Lyrically it’s uninspired and vapid. I can’t even honestly bring myself to write anything more about it, it’s just so terribly mid. Not gonna be adding this one to any playlists anytime soon. 1*
I thought I recognized the name Big Star, so I searched back and we have in fact reviewed an unremarkable jangly 70s pop rock that was, apparently, actually important to some people other than the guy who made this list. This album is apparently also a "cult classic"? Again, this is not anything that stands out to me. It is better than their previous album that we reviewed earlier. There are moments during this album where I thought to myself they sounded a bit modern and I could definitely hear some inspiration for some 90s/2000s indie acts, and I can give them credit for being ahead of their time in some aspects I guess. But overall, the sound isn't especially forward thinking or groundbreaking, and it didn't hold my attention especially well. Meh.
Better than Coldplay
NICE ALBUM #musicsky #albumsky 4/5
Umm.... why? This album is bland and boring. There was one song that had me tapping my foot for a second, and then nothing. I didn't even bother to look at the name of the song, it was boring. Just more '70's pop. BLAH! My Rating: 1/5
Pretentious. Not melodic. Hard to finish the back half. Otherwise, a great album!
Completely unenjoyable
For an album deemed too uncommercial and initially abandoned, I thought it was more than decent.
good
I frequently travel far without a little Big Star
= the Beatles
Okay album. Felt a bit on the draggy side midway through.
Interesting to hear the originals, I'm pretty sure I've heard covers of some of those songs
2.75
There were times I enjoyed the fairytale like sadness in this album, especially Blue Moon but overall the album didn’t capture me as much
very forgettable
Droning and boring, butt much better than rap and heavy metal
5/10
It was okay. Only memorable things were a song about Jesus and what I assume to in a source song for moulin rouge.
One song was way too much static noise which turned me off the whole album
I enjoyed the arrangements/production a lot, but it seems like a classic pop album should have some more memorable hooks than this
3.5
Need this one to sink in, but Big Star is still Big Star.
Cool album, elements of pink floyd and beatles, a few cool guitar solos, 3/5 - nothing too memorable unfortunately.
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.
Better than kissing cousins
Solid album. The songs are constructed nicely, though as a whole they're a bit unfocused. I liked this one more than the other Big Star record.
This just made zero impact on me whatsoever. It was like listening to a mediocre collab album by George Harrison and Violent Femmes.
The slower songs are the strength of this record IMO. They have an ephemeral, decaying feel to them which is unexpectedly beautiful
Maso
I don’t even understand why this is on the list. I couldn’t even listen to the entire album it was so booty cheeks (pancakes)