"Sister Lovers is a self-destructive mess that never fails to move and amaze me. Big Star's first two albums should have made them household names, and you can hear Chilton's sad bewhilderment in these songs. Recorded in a haze of booze and depression, this third album is frail and touchingly childlike.

It really isn't any wonder that Sister Lovers was shelved and remained unreleased for many years -- it's sloppy and undercooked, with zero commercial appeal. Yet Big Star fans rightfully rejoice its eventual release. More than just a curiosity, this album lays Chilton's tortured soul bare, and despite his attempts to sabotage the project, there are enough glimpses of genius to generate a whole new round of What If's.

Even the brightest moments on this album have the ghostly, listless quality of a talented soul cast adrift. Given half a chance, though, under-developed songs like "O, Dana," "Stroke it Noel," and "For You" could have been crafted into pop masterpieces.

Big Star's career was a string of frustrating missed opportunities, and Sister Lovers echoes that disaster like a slow-motion train wreck. It's a compelling, painfully honest, and disheartening collection of songs that manages to be essential listening 30 years later."

--Anonymous