Here with us again is another incarnation of an album about love turned into a disaster that at the time it came out was proclaimed a disaster. Later on, it became a cherished cult classic, a testament of once a big star, Alex Chilton, the composer and singer as a teenager of the seminal "The Letter" with the Box Tops, whose later band Big Star, by the quality of their music should have definitely been big in the charts, but never did. "Third", also known as "Sister Lovers", could easily be called one of the saddest albums in rock history, not by its quality, but for its incredibly sad atmosphere describing, the breakup of a love affair (the alternate title Sister Lovers refers to the fact that Chilton and Big Star drummer Jody Stephens were dating two sisters at the time the album was being made). By later events, and the music Chilton made until his early departure in 2010, it seems he never fully recovered.
In its firs incarnation, "Third" first completely disappeared, but suddenly re-discovered, its early editions fetched crazed prices. With the CD era began, it was re-issued a number of times, the key one being the Rykodisc version from the Nineties under the alternate "Sister" title, that included a number of unissued tracks and outtakes that were actually intended for the initial release, but for whatever reason, neve made it to the album.
This Omnivore set, not only reinstates all the original material, but also the demos and outtakes made during the preparation of the album. So, maybe, you think, why would I need all that stuff if the album was so "shambolic" in the first place? First of all, a new approach is taken here. Instead of just tacking the demoes and outtakes at the end, so maybe you'll listen, maybe not, the order is chronological, and at that for a specific and very good reason: it actually shows not only how the songs developed, but also the "disintegration of the mind" that actullay made the album such a harrowing experience, but also a very cleansing one. Simply you are just drawn into this world and keep on playing this music over and over, maybe remembering some personal breakups of your own. This album includes some music you will never forget.
What is also commendable is tha manner and care with which this whole issue has been prepared, from the music and production, to the booklet that looks at all the aspects of the making of this album and its music. One for the Christmas shopping lists.
