Chris Bell - I'm The Cosmos (1972-76) (Extended, 2009) 2CD

Artist: Chris Bell
Title Of Album I'm The Cosmos
Year Of Release:1972-76/2009
Label (Catalog#) : Rhino [RHM2 521305]
Country: UK
Genre: Rock, Folk Rock, Power Pop
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Bitrate: Lossless
Total Time: 01:40:11
Total Size: 692mb(+3%)(covers)

Review by Jason Ankeny
Unreleased for over 15 years, I Am the Cosmos is nevertheless an enduring testament to the brilliance of Chris Bell; lyrically poignant and melodically stunning, this lone solo album is proof positive of his underappreciated pop mastery. While cuts like "Get Away," "I Got Kinda Lost," and "Fight at the Table" recall the glowing, energetic power pop of Bell's earlier work, the majority of the songs on I Am the Cosmos are more reflective and deeply personal; the title track is a harrowingly schizophrenic tale of romantic despair, while other cuts like the lurching "Better Save Yourself" and the lovely "Look Up" are infused with a spiritual power largely missing from his Big Star material. The album's highlight, "You and Your Sister" -- which features backing vocals from none other than Bell's Big Star mate Alex Chilton -- is simply one of the great unknown love songs in the pop canon, a luminous and fragile ballad almost otherworldly in its beauty. [A 2014 CD re-release added a second disc of extended and remixed versions.]

Tracklist
---------
CD1:
01. I Am The Cosmos - 3:46
02. Better Save Yourself - 4:25
03. Speed Of Sound - 5:11
04. Get Away - 3:26
05. You And Your Sister - 3:11
06. Make A Scene - 4:09
07. Look Up - 3:14
08. I Got Kinda Lost - 2:42
09. There Was A Light - 3:19
10. Fight At The Table - 3:41
11. I Don't Know - 3:22
12. Though I Know She Lies - 3:35
CD2:
01. Icewater - Looking Forward - 3:39
02. Icewater - Sunshine (Stephen Rhea) - 1:45
03. Rock City - My Life Is Right (C. Bell, Tom Eubanks) - 3:08
04. I Don't Know (Alternate Version) - 4:18
05. You And Your Sister (Alternate Version) - 3:03
06. I Am The Cosmos (Extended Alternate Version) - 5:07
07. Speed Of Sound (Alternate Version) - 5:13
08. Fight At The Table (Alternate Mix) - 4:11
09. Make A Scene (Alternate Mix) - 4:11
10. Better Save Yourself (Alternate Mix) - 4:29
11. Get Away (Alternate Version) - 4:21
12. You And Your Sister (Acoustic Version) - 3:00
13. With Keith Sykes - Stay With Me (Keith Sykes) - 2:49
14. With Nancy Bryan - In My Darkest Hour - 3:01
15. Clacton Rag - 3:30

Personnel:
---------
Chris Bell - Guitar, Vocals
Ken Woodley - Bass Guitar, Organ
Richard Rosebrough - Drums
Jody Stephens - Drums
Alex Chilton - Backing Vocals, Guitar
Jim Dickinson - Piano

All thanks to original releaser