One of the big stories of 2005 in the power pop scene was the "reunion" of Big Star and release of the album In Space, the first to bear the Big Star name since 1978. Unfortunately, the album turned out to be something of a dud. Although it had its moments, it came off as kind of a half-baked Alex Chilton solo disc, with a couple of lesser Posies songs thrown in for good measure. It was kind of telling that the best track on the album came from original drummer Jody Stephens; telling because he really had minimal creative input on the classic Big Star albums.
No, if it was a new Big Star album you wanted last year, you would have been better served picking up The Golden Apples' Cooler Jets Will Prevail. And in case you had any doubts, the first track itself is titled "Big Star", and sounds like "In The Street" updated for the 21st century (forget the That 70's Show abomination). It's the best Big Star homage since Paul Westerberg and the Replacements sang "Alex Chilton". This is power pop at its power poppiest, and the highlights continue from there: "McKinley Hill" has the 70s Chilton swagger and attitude and a tres cool melody, "Momentum Is Now" has a fist-pumping, cigarette lighter-waving vibe, and "Around Me" is a dead ringer for Big Star's "Don't Lie to Me". So sell your copy of In Space to the used cd store, and go buy this one.
The best place to sample it is at their myspace page, although among the songs I mentioned above, only "Big Star" is streaming there. And the best place to buy it is here, from the good folks at Not Lame.
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