Big White Lies
| Big White Lies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Power pop | |||
| Label | Heyday[1] | |||
| Producer | Chris Von Sneidern | |||
| Chris Von Sneidern chronology | ||||
| ||||
Big White Lies is the second album by the American musician Chris Von Sneidern, released in 1994.[2][3] He supported the album with a North American tour.[4]
Production[edit]
The album was produced by Von Sneidern.[5] "Everything I Own" is a cover of the Bread song.[6] Big White Lies was among the first albums to include CD-ROM liner notes and interactive features; Heyday Records considered the costs to be a better investment than producing a music video.[7][8]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [5] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
Trouser Press deemed the album "an essential pop treasure from one of the most talented auteurs to come along in ages."[11] The San Francisco Chronicle called the songs "a wealth of lovely melodies, hook-laden harmonies and chiming 12-string guitars."[12]
The Gavin Report stated that the "instantly accessible power pop appeals to ... ears in the same way Big Star or the Beatles do."[13] Rolling Stone labeled the album "fun," and wrote that "among the better tracks are 'Mindreader', 'On My Hands', 'Dream Away' and the title track."[10]
AllMusic wrote: "Not quite powerful enough to fall cleanly into the 'power pop' camp, the songs lean more to the spectrum's lush, highbrow end, with elegant guitar lines, soaring harmonies, and occasional use of organ, strings, and French horn."[9]
In 2003, PopMatters noted that, "to this day, many cite his hook- and harmony-filled 1994 release Big White Lies as the quintessential power pop album."[14] John Borack, in 2007's Shake Some Action – The Ultimate Guide to Power Pop, listed Big White Lies as the sixth best power pop album of all time.[15]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Without a Prayer" | |
| 2. | "Mindreader" | |
| 3. | "On My Hands" | |
| 4. | "Hard Again" | |
| 5. | "Big White Lies" | |
| 6. | "Dream Away" | |
| 7. | "Here I Go" | |
| 8. | "Doctor" | |
| 9. | "Inside Outside" | |
| 10. | "Roll On" | |
| 11. | "Summertime Sun" | |
| 12. | "Everything I Own" |
References[edit]
- ^ Bermand, Charles (16 Dec 1994). "Enhanced CDs Promise to Redefine 'Liner Notes'". News. The Journal Record.
- ^ "Chris Von Sneidern Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Ganahl, Jane (18 Aug 1998). "Break on Through". San Francisco Examiner. p. D1.
- ^ "SXSW Sunday". XL Ent. Austin American-Statesman. Mar 16, 1995. p. 35.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1203.
- ^ Sargent, William (July 27, 2021). Superstar in a Masquerade. Page Publishing Inc.
- ^ Kot, Greg (20 Nov 1994). "Digital Dreams: Will 'Enhanced CDs' Be the Next Big Thing?". Arts. Chicago Tribune. p. 17.
- ^ Daly, James (12 Apr 1995). "The Cutting Edge". Business. Los Angeles Times. p. 4.
- ^ a b "Big White Lies". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Chris Von Sneidern: Big White Lies". News & Record. Rolling Stone. December 2, 1994. p. W17.
- ^ "Chris Von Sneidern". Trouser Press. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Snyder, Michael (August 21, 1994). "Liner Notes Go High Tech". Sunday Datebook. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 37.
- ^ Beran, David (October 21, 1994). "College Albums". Gavin Report: 59.
- ^ "Chris Von Sneidern: The Wild Horse, PopMatters". November 4, 2003.
- ^ Borack, John M. (May 16, 2007). Shake Some Action – The Ultimate Guide to Power Pop. Shake Some Action – PowerPop.