Scott Miller broke in a new Game Theory lineup on their third album, 1986's The Big Shot Chronicles
(a revolving-door cast of musicians was something he would get used to
over the next decade or so). If the album lacks the narrative cohesion
of the group's previous full-length effort, 1985's Real Nighttime, it's obvious from the album's first cut (the joyous and explosive "Here It Is Tomorrow") that the addition of Shelley LaFreniere on keyboards, Suzi Ziegler on bass, and Gil Ray on drums made Game Theory a stronger band in every respect. While Game Theory's attempts to rock out on Real Nighttime sometimes sounded a bit tentative, The Big Shot Chronicles
reveals a band that's equally adept at flexing their muscles ("I've
Tried Subtlety" and "Make Any Vows") or easing into a song's subtleties
("Regenisraen" and "Like a Girl Jesus"). Real Nighttime had a more ambitious concept in its tales of the perils of young adulthood, but The Big Shot Chronicles
was meant to document a great band with a stack of top-notch tunes at
the ready, and on that level it's even more exciting and engaging than Game Theory's breakthrough effort.
As a songwriter, Scott Miller
continued to grow ("Erica's Word" and "Don't Look Too Closely" are both
smart-pop Heaven on Earth), and though he was fond of referring to his
voice as a "miserable whine," he sure knew how to make it communicate.
Finally, Mitch Easter's
production guides the record through moody neo-psychedelia and uptempo
hard pop with an equally sure hand; the record sounds just as good as
the band plays. A superb set from one of the best (and most
underappreciated) bands of the '80s, The Big Shot Chronicle may not have been their best album -- that honor would go to the wildly ambitious double set Lolita Nation -- but as a set of songs and performances, it's practically unbeatable.(allmusic.com)
What can i say? Scott Miller you know... He was a real underrated musician at the public. I will ''Lolita Nation'' post tomorrow. I'm very tired from work today, so i wish all of you a good night and enjoy this wonderful record.
Cheers
Frank
Flac
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