Live

Big Star Live offers a snapshot of Alex Chilton and his comrades in the midst of a 1974 tour, struggling against internal demons and the indifference of the music biz. This set — taken from a WLIR radio broadcast — draws upon songs from the band’s first two albums, augmented by a cover of Loudon Wainwright’s “Motel Blues.” Tunes like “O My Soul,” “Back of a Car” and “In the Street” sound lean and feisty, while “I’m in Love With a Girl” and “Thirteen” shine with wistful grace. “The Ballad of El Goodo” — an anthem of youthful idealism — takes on particular poignancy here. Throughout, there’s a sense of the band’s mounting troubles and shaky unity. The brief interview included on the album provides a revelatory moment — Chilton dispenses with promotional happy-talk and reveals his disillusionment with his career thus far. While this album is no substitute for their legendary studio albums, Big Star Live does give a sense of the band’s collective mood as they teetered between elusive success and looming burnout.