A solid 97% of the time, I loathe ‘power-pop.’ The meticulousness that it takes to ape the Beatles or Beach Boys or Raspberries or Badfinger paradigm by sheer mathematics is laughable. Even when it’s done well I still think “Why f’n bother?”
Which is why we should all look up Alex Chilton and and say c’mon down to the pub, drinks are on us. And Alex, if you’re reading, you can crash at my place too. Help yourself to anything in the fridge.
The new Big Star box set ‘Keep an Eye on the Sky’ is a revelation in sheer effortlessness of creation. Or seemingly such. However enamored the band was with the previous list of pristine pop purveyors, one might not notice. Sure, there’s a blueprint of sorts and the influences are apparent, but there’s a wholly new artifact being created that’s ingested what came prior, yet exhales angelic new hues.
The best example is to highlight the demos from the new set. Chilton even takes the Velvets moribund ‘Femme Fatale’ and actually finds beauty in the thing. (And don’t write me letters...however cool VU is/was...they often border on unlistenable. Without smack, anyway.)
Here’s to you Alex Chilton... (and Andy and Jody and of course, Chris.) Drinks and dinner? A cuddle afterward?
Big Star - What's Going Ahn [Demo] (Mp3)
Big Star - Daisy Glaze (Rehearsal Version) (Mp3)
Big Star - Femme Fatale [Demo] (Mp3)
Big Star - Nightime [Demo] (Mp3)
Big Star - Take Care [Demo] (Mp3)
6 comments:
I'm just gonna pretend that VU remark never happened.
I like heroin too.
Gorgeous stuff! Thanks for sharing.
(And I'll just sidestep the VU debate for now, thanks...)
Don't get me wrong, I really LIKE VU. Just not to listen to.
Ouch on VU comment. Yes, it's a great genre but tough to make work. Many try but only a few do. Cheap Trick... shamus
WAIT - you guys actually get into the mood to listen to VU? If so, what mood is that?
Truthfully we listened to VU on New Year's Eve to 'rev up' and it was laughable.
When is this mood??
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