- Third/Sister Lovers
Infobox Album |
Name = Third/Sister Lovers
Type =Album
Artist = Big Star
Released = 1978
Recorded = 1974
Genre =Power pop
Length = 52:34
Label =Rykodisc
Producer = Jim Dickinson
Reviews =
*Allmusic rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:lifxlf3e5cqi link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=big+star link]
Last album = "Radio City" (1974)
This album = "Third/Sister Lovers" (1978)
Next album = "" (1993)"Third", also known as "Sister Lovers" and "Beale Street Green", is a rock album by American
power pop group Big Star recorded in 1974 and released in 1978. The album was produced byJim Dickinson for Rykodisc Records.Composition
After the first two Big Star albums, 1972's "#1 Record" and 1974's "Radio City", failed to achieve commercial success,
Alex Chilton went back intoArdent Studios in late 1974 to make a series of recordings. The resulting album, which included guitar work bySteve Cropper (on a cover ofThe Velvet Underground 's "Femme Fatale"), as well as drumming by Jody Stephens, was deemed too uncommercial for release at the time, and only saw the light of day in 1978. Since then, other tracks from the sessions, including covers of songs byJerry Lee Lewis andthe Kinks , have been reissued on various versions of the album, which seems to have been left uncompleted."Third" takes the original Big Star sound and abstracts it, with synthesizers, strings and saxophones emerging from the mix. The album deals with bitterness, loneliness and emotional devastation, but does so in a way that retains some elements of pop music, as on "Thank You Friends," which features female backing vocals reminiscent of those found on
Elvis Presley recordings of the late '60s. "Kangaroo" and "Holocaust" have often been compared to some of the raw recordings ofYoko Ono andJohn Lennon . "You Can't Have Me" is akin to a deconstructed song bythe Who , and the halting ballad "Dream Lover" contains the famous line about "Beale Street green." Although many critics regard "Radio City" as the definitive Big Star album, "Third" is perhaps the most innovative album the group ever recorded, and influenced many subsequent bands, includingPrimal Scream andHis Name Is Alive . In addition, the album contains what are arguably Alex Chilton's finest vocal performances.Reception
It was listed in
David Keenan 's "The Best Albums Ever...Honest " by the Scottishnewspaper "The Sunday Herald". RS500|456It was ranked #1 at the Top 30 most heartbreak albums by NME.
"Kangaroo" and "Holocaust" were both covered by
This Mortal Coil on the band's debut LP,It'll End in Tears . These cover versions have been credited with renewing interest in Big Star, and "Third/Sister Lovers" in particular. The 1992 Rykodisc CD release of "Third/Sister Lovers" includes a "thank you" to This Mortal Coil in the liner notes in acknowledgment of this.Track listing
*Note: this is the track listing of the 1992
Rykodisc edition. This is the order of songs that Alex originally wanted on the original release.#"Kizza Me" – 2:44 (
Alex Chilton )
#"Thank You Friends" – 3:05 (Chilton)
#"Big Black Car" – 3:35 (Chilton)
#"Jesus Christ" – 2:27 (Chilton)
#"Femme Fatale" – 3:28 (Lou Reed )
#"O, Dana" – 2:34 (Chilton)
#"Holocaust" – 3:47 (Chilton)
#"Kangaroo" – 3:46 (Chilton)
#"Stroke It Noel" – 2:04 (Chilton)
#"For You" – 2:41 (Jody Stephens )
#"You Can't Have Me" – 3:11 (Chilton)
#"Nighttime" – 2:53 (Chilton)
#"Blue Moon" – 2:06 (Chilton)
#"Take Care" – 2:46 (Chilton)
#"Nature Boy" [bonus track] – 2:30 (Eden Ahbez )
#"Till the End of the Day " [bonus track] – 2:13 (Ray Davies )
#"Dream Lover" [bonus track] – 3:31 (Chilton)
#"Downs" [bonus track] " – 1:43 (Chilton)
#"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On " [bonus track] – 3:20 (Dave Williams)*The original 1978 Vinyl on the Label PVC had the following track order:
#Stroke It Noel
#For You
#Kizza Me
#You Can't Have Me
#Nighttime
#Blue Moon
#Take Care
#Jesus Christ
#Femme Fatale
#O, Dana
#Big Black Car
#Holocaust
#Kanga Roo
#Thank You FriendsPersonnel
*
Alex Chilton --Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
*Jody Stephens --Drums, VocalsGuests:
*Lesa Aldredge--Vocals
*Lee Baker--Guitar
*Jim Dickinson --Bass, Drums, Mellotron
*Steve Cropper --Guitar
*Richard Rosebrough --Drums
*William Murphey--Bass
*Tarp Tarrant--Drums
*Jimmy Stephens--Bass
*Tommy Cathey--Bass
*Tommy McClure--Bass
*Carl Marsh--Reeds, Woodwinds, Synthesizer, String ArrangementsReferences
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