—– ENGLISH version (french below)
Big Star’s Radio City was an integral part of my musical education. This and a select few other records changed my relationship with music and how I view the people who make music. It’s brilliant and slick sounding from beginning to end. Strongly melodic and filled with the sort of hormone fueled subject matter that makes hits these days was strangely removed from the radio, and thus has also is largely absent from pop culture-cultural consciousness in a manner apposite to Big Star’s American ‘Power Pop’ contemporaries such as the Flamin’ Groovies and the Raspberries. Not to downplay my love for either of those bands (I especially love the Groovies), but there is something unique about Big Star which was an emanation of Alex Chilton’s particular brilliance. From the Box Tops to Big Star to his solo albums it is clear that Chilton was a true giant of a songwriter.
Radio City is fast paced and raw, clean with studio polish but also incredibly fucking bare. Through 10 of Radio City’s tracks there is this real and palpable sense of exigency and criticalness. The guitar blasting its way through “O My Soul” is typically poppy and melodic but also has an attitude and nervous swagger that makes it unique. Many of the tracks on this album are obviously inspired by the Beatles, and pertain to appropriately stupid subject matter, there is something else going on underneath the gleam of these poppy tracks.
The uneasy gloss and frantic energy suddenly fade for “Morpha Too” and “I’m in Love With a Girl“, which effectively preview the moody and shambling genius of “Third/Sister Lovers“. Gone are the big glassy guitars from “September Gurls” and “You Get What You Deserve” along the slick studio effects and tracking found throughout the album. Here loud immediacy is replaced by jittery sweetness and a sense of atonement; perhaps desperation? Regardless of what the underlying emotions are this album is a solid piece of American pop history that everyone should listen to.
Radio City is fast paced and raw, clean with studio polish but also incredibly fucking bare. Through 10 of Radio City’s tracks there is this real and palpable sense of exigency and criticalness. The guitar blasting its way through “O My Soul” is typically poppy and melodic but also has an attitude and nervous swagger that makes it unique. Many of the tracks on this album are obviously inspired by the Beatles, and pertain to appropriately stupid subject matter, there is something else going on underneath the gleam of these poppy tracks.
The uneasy gloss and frantic energy suddenly fade for “Morpha Too” and “I’m in Love With a Girl“, which effectively preview the moody and shambling genius of “Third/Sister Lovers“. Gone are the big glassy guitars from “September Gurls” and “You Get What You Deserve” along the slick studio effects and tracking found throughout the album. Here loud immediacy is replaced by jittery sweetness and a sense of atonement; perhaps desperation? Regardless of what the underlying emotions are this album is a solid piece of American pop history that everyone should listen to.
(mp3) Big Star – O My Soul
(mp3) Big Star – I’m in Love with a Girl
Bonus track, from #1 Record (1972)
—– FRENCH version
L’album Radio City de Big Star a été partie intégrante de mon éducation musicale. Lui et une poignée d’autres ont changé ma relation avec la musique et les musiciens. Brillant du début à la fin, cet album très mélodique est rempli de cette atmosphère qui est aujourd’hui complètement absente des chaînes de radio, et donc de la culture Pop, culture inconsciente qui échappe à des groupes tels que les Flamin’ Groovies et les Rasperies. Non pas que j’entende minimiser mon amour pour l’un de ces groupes (spécialement pour les Famin’ Groovies), mais il y a véritablement quelque chose de spécial dans la musique de Big Star qui émane d’Alex Chilton. De Box Tops en passant par Big Star jusqu’à ses opus solos, il est certain qu’Alex Chilton est un véritable génie.
Radio City est vif, poli au son studio mais également incroyablement brut. Il y a sur ces 10 morceaux une véritable exigence de perfection. La guitare de “O My Soul“ est très pop et très mélodique, mais a aussi une nervosité qui rend ce titre unique. Beaucoup de titres de cet album sont évidemment inspirés par les Beatles et s’attachent à des sujets futiles, mais il y a cette lueur supplémentaire qui fait de Radio City une masterpiece.
L’énergie frénétique de l’album se fane soudainement sur “Morpha Too” et “I’m in Love With a Girl“, ce qui laisse parfaitement place à l’humeur maussade de “Third / Sister Lover“. Fini les sons imposants de “September Gurls” et “You Get What You Deserve“. L’immédiateté laisse place à un sentiment d’expiation, peut-être est-ce du désespoir ? Indépendamment de toutes les émotions que contient cet album, il constitue une pièce majeure de l’histoire de la pop Américaine que tout le monde devrait écouter.
Links:
Documentary about Big Star
Link to ALL “anachronique” articles
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