Big Star
#1 Record/Radio City
newly remasterednewly remastered big star can be ranked alongside the velvet underground and the sex pistols as one of the major inspirations for the indie and alternative rock movements the group's first two albums have influenced everyone from rem to teenage fanclub to the replacements to nirvana their debut '1 record' combined the melodiousness and perfectly arranged feel of the midperiod beatles with the raw rock kick of the early kinks and the jangly countryrock beauty of the byrds 'feel' 'don't lie to me' and 'when my baby's beside me' feature stinging guitar licks punchy rhythms and hooks galore and sound like someone discovering rock and roll for the first time alex chilton's 'give me another chance' and chris bell's 'try again' on the other hand are acoustic ballads with exquisitely beautiful layered harmonies chilton's '13' and 'the ballad of el goodo' are bright unforgettable paeans to innocence