Alex Chilton "Top 30" 1997 - disc 1

A criminally neglected artist's "greatest hits".
Alex Chilton has long been a part of America's consciousness - the problem was that most of America never realized it. This double disc contains ample proof that Chilton was criminally neglected for practically his entire solo career. Most music fans know Chilton as the lead singer of the Box Tops ("The Letter" "Neon Rainbow") but it was being the leader of Big Star that gave him his real place in music history. Neither of those bands are included here - the discs sample his solo career from the breakup of Big Star through his acoustic CD "Cliches" from 1993. Highlights abound and if you're looking for a great place to begin your Alex collection, this is it. Alex was never an easy artist - he loved challenging himself and his audience and there are numerous cuts here that display that. But Alex was also adept at writing and performing great pop numbers. What amazes here is that there are so many styles - everything has that tinge of Memphis Soul but it becomes crossed with provocative lyrics ("No Sex" concerns AIDS, "Guantanmerika" discusses TV evangelists among others) and even some standards ("Volare" sung in Italian and a great acoustic rendition of "My Baby Just Cares for Me"). But the CD's are just plain fun from the start - hooks abound and so does Chilton's sense of humor (try to listen to "Lost My Job" without laughing). There's so much here to enjoy on different levels that when you finish, you'll be just as amazed as I am that this guy never achieved the fame, recognition and probably most importantly, the money that those he influenced received. If you're looking for one of the truly deserving unsung artists in American rock, give Alex a try. You won't be sorry. - Amazon
trax - CD 1:
01. Bangkok 02. Can't Seem To Make You Mine 03. My Rival 04. Rock Hard 05. Like Flies On Sherbert 06. Aligator Man 07. Tee Ni Nee Ni Noo 08. Stuff 09. Lost My Job 10. Paradise 11. No Sex 12. Underclass 13. With A Girl Like You 14. Take It Off 15. Volare
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