Search - Alex Chilton :: Top 30

A criminally neglected artist's "greatest hits"

Tom Nye (nyedog@aol.com) | Mansfield, Ohio | 07/01/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Children By The Millions Scream For Alex Chilton

R. Sobkoviak | Chicagoland, USA | 05/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sadly, Alex Chilton is not a household name like other less-influential names in Rock. But it's also that bit of truth that makes him a diamond in the rough and makes a person's discovery of him such a sweet experience. There are very few artists or bands that make such a strong impression on us that cause us to remember when we first heard them. Chilton's "The Ballad of El Goodo" makes such a strong impression on me that I can hardly forget every time I've heard it, much less the first time.



I don't know if Alex Chilton is a genius. I do know that Alex Chilton is a rock god. That's not a term to be bandied about, either..."god"...in most countries and religions you get stoned or your hand chopped off for calling some mere mortal a god. Alex would likely be pissed off, too. Listen to the live Big Star album and hear Alex explain how critical acclaim is all well and good but it doesn't pay any of the bills. So along with begin a rock star I'm sure Alex would enjoy more people hearing his songs and buying them. So buy this record! ;)



Songs like "Bangkok" and "Guantammerika" are gems and have been known to be played on the radio by those in the know. Listening to the early solo "With a Girl Like You" is a great glimpse at the post-Box Tops period. But as covers go, "Can't Seem To Make You Mine" (the old Seeds standard) is superb. Though you'll find a version of "September Gurls" on this set, don't buy it looking for Big Star songs. Buy this for the Alex solo material that you may not have heard. Be treated to "Volare"...probably my favorite because it just feels like Alex having fun. He's been in it for the fun, right? It's rare when that comes off the disc, through the speakers and into your ears so clearly."