Album Review: Various Artists — Big Stir Singles: The Tenth Wave
And the hits just keep comin’, as they say. It’s too easy to label Big Stir as a power pop label. And in fact doing so is (a) too limiting and (b) unfair to the range and eclecticism that characterizes the label’s music. This ongoing (never-ending?) series of releases showcases an impressive stylistic variety. This latest entry follows the template established some time back: a clutch of A-sides followed by B-sides. Ten or so artists are represented by two tracks each. Some names will be familiar to Big Stir devotees: Nick Frater, Popdudes, Allyson Seconds among them. Others are lesser-known, and a few might be one-off aggregations in the mold of the Armoires’ recent Incognito album.
The A-sides are almost all great, but the B-sides occasionally feel like, well, B-sides. This collection is perhaps the most left-field yet, with odd reinventions of songs by Captain and Tennille and Dead Kennedys coexisting somewhat uneasily. Both are examples of the “well, it sounded better on paper” philosophy. Other covers (“Share the Land”) offer little new but remain enjoyable nonetheless. Verdict: not the best in the series, but solid and worth a listen.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.