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IN SPACE
RYKODISC
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Big Star’s slim ’70s output has been referenced a lot more than it’s been listened to. Still, for years ardent devotees have prayed that the group and their wayward leader, Alex Chilton, would somehow get it together. After all, for more than a decade, original members Chilton and Jody Stephens, along with Posies Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, have been quietly touring whenever the spirit moves them. But the obstinate Alex never seemed to care enough to record a proper album of new material. Now, however, he’s the motivating factor behind an album that incorporates not only the sublime pop of Big Star but also the funk/soul elements of Chilton’s Box Tops and the jazzy eccentricities of his erratic yet engaging solo work. The disc kicks off with the rocking "Dony," complete with slightly off-the-mike shouts of joy. Chilton sounds energized, and that vibrancy defines In Space, which is a real "band" album, all four members contributing to the songwriting and the vocals. The soaring harmonies of Auer’s "Lady Sweet" conjure the late Chris Bell’s classic "The Ballad of El Goodo." Stephens offers "Best Chance We've Ever Had," a rollicking number accented by Chilton’s stinging guitar. "Love Revolution" evokes Stax, "A Whole New Thing" shakes, rattles and rolls, and "Hung Up with Summer" is as breezy as its title.
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