Search - Various Artists :: Big Star Small World

How Great are Alex Chilton & Big Star?

Eric J. Hradecky | Rockford, IL United States | 10/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Big Star is SO GOOD that this All-Star list of performers and bands do very little to the songs of Chilton and Big Star!



Usually when tribute albums are conceived and artists assembled the goal is to have said artists cover songs of the honored in THEIR STYLE. But the influence of Chilton, Stevens, Hummel and Bell is just too large, too profound on ANYONE who has crossed their path.



It would be like Joshua Bell throwing out Tchikovsky's Violin Concerto score and rewriting the piece "in the style...of Josh" Or Cliburn playing something of his own writing influenced by Beethoven and calling it "Fur Elise."



Sweet, Hatfield, the boys of Wilco, shoot, EVERYONE on this tribute album HONOR Big Star by doing VERY LITTLE to the music of the honorees.



Some might argue, "What is the point of covering a song and NOT trying to make it their own." I myself argue that if a song is good enough to be covered then it will stand up to being RIPPED APART and put back together again by another artist. Why even today I ran across a cover of John Lennon's "Cry Baby Cry" by Bardo Pond. If you know Bardo Pond just imagine what a different sound the song had. But that's ok.



Now it may seem like I'm making an argument AGAINST this disc, but honestly, I'm not. This disc is much more like Todd Rundgren's "Faithful" record. On it Rundgren covered a number of his major influences like The Beatles, Dylan and others. He played all the instruments and created spot on versions of the originals. All in an attempt to show how these past performers shaped HIS sound.



I think this collection of artists are doing the same. I'm sure they all think, "You can't F#2K with PERFECTION!" They don't and have created one WONDERFUL tribute album. Big Star fans, fans of Power Pop, anyone who loves intellegent rock and roll should consider getting this record!"

Not bad, but get the originals

T. Davis | Seattle, WA | 07/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A complete set list with the artists and timings:



1. Back of A Car / Gin Blossoms (1:59)

2. Nightime / Afghan Whigs (3:29)

3. Ballad of El Goodo / Matthew Sweet (3:08)

4. Don't Lie To Me / Juliana Hatfield (2:15)

5. You Get What You Deserve / Idle Wilds (2:16)

6. Give Me Another Chance / Whiskeytown (3:05)

7. When My Baby's Beside Me / Kelly Willis (2:12)

8. Jesus Christ / Teenage Fanclub (2:06)

9. What's Goin Ahn / The Posies (2:27)

10. Thirteen / Wilco (2:29)

11. Hot Thing / Big Star (3:04)"