Once the leader of Big Star--a band that sold four records in their day and are now considered by some to be as important as Brownsville Station and Led Zeppelin--Alex Chilton doesn't make records very often anymore. And when he does, he doesn't try too hard and makes them quickly.
This "set" of covers was recorded in one day and features the "soul" voice he used as a teenager for the Box Tops' "The Letter" and not the helium-high voice of his later work. There's also no sign of the "power pop" he engineered. Instead, he prefers the ol'-time R&B of his youth and traditional tunes that go back even further.
This casual "front porch" approach is basically fun, friendly, and no great shakes. But it does make for a great story about the "resilience of the human spirit" that I'm sure better writers much smarter than me will exploit for their own personal gain and professional one-upmanship. I just think it's a neat album of covers.
All recordings courtesy of Bar/None Records. ÒIÕve Never Found A GirlÓ written by B. Jones, E. Floyd, A. Isbel, courtesy of Irving Music Inc. (BMI). ÒHook Me UpÓ written by J. Watson, courtesy of Alvert Music/Booty Ooty Music (BMI). ÒOogum BoogumÓ written by A. J. Smith, courtesy of Bonneyview Music Corp. (ASCAP).
