Big Science (Laurie Anderson album)

For other uses, see Big Science (disambiguation).
Big Science
Studio album by
Laurie Anderson
ReleasedApril 19, 1982
June 18, 2007 (reissue)
RecordedThe Lobby, The Hit Factory, New York City
Genre
Length38:19
Label
Producer
Laurie Anderson chronology
You're the Guy I Want To Share My Money With
(1981) 		Big Science
(1982) 		Mister Heartbreak
(1984)
Singles from Big Science
  1. "O Superman"
    Released: October 1981 (UK)[1]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Blender[3]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
Pitchfork8.7/10[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
Smash Hits6/10[7]
Spin[8]
Uncut[9]
The Village VoiceA−[10]

Big Science is the debut studio album by American performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson. It was the first of a seven-album deal Anderson signed with Warner Bros. Records. The album consists of a selection of musical highlights from her eight-hour production United States Live, which was itself released as a 5-LP box set and book in 1984.

The album is best known for the single "O Superman", which unexpectedly reached No. 2 in the UK after being discovered and promoted by BBC DJ John Peel. After Big Science, music played a larger role in Anderson's work.[11]

  1. ^ Bacon, Tony (2006). Singles. Backbeat UK. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-871547-73-3.
  2. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Big Science – Laurie Anderson". AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2005.
  3. ^ "Laurie Anderson: Big Science". Blender. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  5. ^ Klein, Joshua (August 2, 2007). "Laurie Anderson: Big Science". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  6. ^ Holden, Stephen (June 10, 1982). "Laurie Anderson: Big Science". Rolling Stone (371). Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2006.
  7. ^ Birch, Ian (29 April – 12 May 1982). "Laurie Anderson: Big Science" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 4, no. 9. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022 – via World Radio History.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Hermes, Will (September 2007). "Reissues". Spin. 23 (9): 124. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  9. ^ "Laurie Anderson: Big Science". Uncut: 89. [T]he broader themes of alienation and disconnection, as voiced in deadpan manner on 'From the Air' still resonate ...
  10. ^ Christgau, Robert (June 1, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  11. ^ McClary, Susan (2001). "Laurie Anderson". In Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.‎