Daily Jam - The Ballad of El Goodo

It's always something to go back and listen to old Big Star records and realize just how far ahead of their time they were, by "3rd" in particular.  For now, here's a track from their debut that feels simultaneously of its time and like something that might have been released decades later.  Listen to "The Ballad of El Goodo" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Holocaust

Big Star are one of those bands that influenced pretty much everybody, but for whatever reason were kind of ignored during their own time.  I dig them a lot, particularly their third album, when they started to get weird.  Listen to the quietly devastating "Holocaust" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Kangaroo

It took me way to long to get there, but i finally got into Big Star about 15 years ago and never looked back.  Here's a track from their third album.  Listen to "Kangaroo" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Speed of Sound

We all got cheated when Chris Bell died in 1978.  The former Big Star member and power pop singer/songwriter pursued a solo career for a few years, the output of which finally ended up on the posthumously released "I Am the Cosmos" LP in 1992.  I wish there could have been more.  Listen to "Speed of Sound" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - I Am the Cosmos

One of my favorite songs ever, today's jam comes from the late, great Chris Bell, former member of Big Star.  "I Am the Cosmos" breaks my heart, but is kind of uplifting at the same time.  It's a wonderful little piece of wistful power pop.  Listen below.