 "Great Music!" | 2008-05-06 |
| - Reviewed By kenrenee |
I bought this after reading "Twenty Thousand Roads". I was not disapppointed. Great music.
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| "BUY THIS NOW!." | 2007-12-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: AH1FI6TM2NDNX |
| This is the absolute best compilation of Gram's work. EVERY song is awesome and it is FULL of cool stuff to read and see. Great photos and behind-the-songs information. You will NOT be disappointed with this set. I promise you. He invented this kind of "country" - in my opinion.If youre looking for his work with the International Submarine Band and the Flying Burrito Bros. THIS is a good start....or ...just a good bunch of songs to have. God Bless Gram Parsons! |
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 "Well-chosen and beautifully packaged anthology" | 2007-12-18 |
| - Reviewed By a4i |
Gram Parsons was always going to burn out rather than fade away, and when he did the sensational manner and events surrounding his demise, and his reputation as a dilettante playboy, threatened to overshadow his musical vision and legacy. There's no doubt that he changed the face of popular music, particularly at the country end of the spectrum, and if you harbour any doubt of this, then this double CD is the place to put your doubts to rest.
Disc one begins with half a dozen examples of his work with the International Submarine Band, mostly singles from the album Safe at Home, made for Lee Hazlewood's LHI label, released in 1967, and one previously unheard rehearsal take from the album sessions. Already his template of "Cosmic American Music" was in place, crucially adding a strong helping of deeply unfashionable country music to a hybrid of southern soul, R&B, gospel and rock. This was the year of Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, Strawberry Fields Forever, A Whiter Shade Of Pale, I Had Too Much Too Dream Last Night, We Love You, Purple Haze and Abba Zaba; and Gram was singing Merle Haggard, Hank Williams and Bobby Bare.
Shortly afterwards he had joined and completely transformed the Byrds, who had reduced to a trio at the time of their last album and were in need of direction. Their last single had been a middle of the road cover of Carole King's Goin' Back, but with Gram on board they soon released a country version of You Ain't Going Nowhere and followed with the ground-breaking country album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Much derided at the time it is now acknowledged as a great classic. By the time the album came out, Gram had already moved on, and because of an injunction since he was still under contract to Lee Hazlewood most of his lead vocals were replaced on the released version. Two of the three that survived are represented here, the sublime Hickory Wind, co-written by Gram, and You're Still On My Mind. They recorded sixty takes of George Jones' You're Still On My Mind, before choosing Take One as the master.
Also included are the original masters with Gram's vocals on (I Like) The Christian Life, his own One Hundred Years From Now and the southern soul song written by William Bell, You Don't Miss Your Water (Till The Well Runs Dry), all obviously Gram's choices for the album, though replaced on the record by Roger McGuinn, who sounded especially embarrassed on the Louvin Brothers tune, The Christian Life. Its sentiment sat awkwardly with his involvement with the Subud religion that had led to his name change from Jim the year before. Gram's version, on the other hand, is sung with absolute conviction. His contributions to this album alone would afford him a place in rock history, but he was to carve out a bigger name for himself with his next band, the Flying Burrito Brothers (in which he enlisted former Byrd member Chris Hillman and Sneaky Pete Kleinow who had also guested with the Byrds); and his two solo flawless albums, GP and Grievous Angel.
Incredibly, Burritos songs like Wheels and Christine's Tune (Devil In Disguise), with its buzz-saw pedal steel, now considered standards, were never released as singles, though Hot Burrito No. 1 was the flipside of the non-album single The Train Song (not included). They are among eight selections from the eleven-track 1969 Burritos debut album The Gilded Palace of Sin rightly included, along with four from its inferior 1970 sequel, Burrito Deluxe. By this time Gram was fully embracing the rock lifestyle and hanging out with the Rolling Stones, even getting first dibs on the song Wild Horses, which appeared on Burrito Deluxe some months before Sticky Fingers. A third album was abandoned in 1970 when Gram was fired from the band although some rehearsal tracks subsequently appeared on a compilation called Close Up The Honky Tonks, and two of the best re-surface here: Merle Haggard's Sing Me Back Home and the Bee-Gees' To Love Somebody.
The second disc is devoted almost entirely to his solo repertoire found on G.P. and Grievous Angel (both on G.P./Grievous Angel), albums no one should be without, especially since both feature Emmylou Harris providing the perfect foil with her duet vocals. Many of the players on these records were to feature in her own Hot Band after Gram's passing, when she carried the flame for his music, including musical director Glen D Hardin and guitarist James Burton, both fresh from a stint in Elvis Presley's band. It is worth noting, though, that the song Return Of The Grievous Angel appears in a remix prepared for a 1982 British single. Additionally there are three live recordings made with his touring band the Fallen Angels and Emmylou, including a nod to his old band the Byrds with Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man, a song he had written with Roger McGuinn. The collection is completed with three outtakes from Grievous Angel which are among the most sublime recordings he and Emmylou ever made: Brand New Heartache, Sleepless Nights and The Angels Rejoiced Last Night. Fabulous.
Although some of the selections are relatively rare, only one track is previously unreleased, a factor to take into account for those whose collection already includes some of this invaluable material, but a beautifully compiled bargain for those whose doesn't. |
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| "Great compilation for fans of Gram parsons and california country rock" | 2007-12-13 |
| - Reviewed By lightning3177 |
| This compilation combines the best of the many tracks he recorded with the international submarine band, the byrds, the flying burrito brothers and his own fallen angels (from the 1973 live album). It also includes classic tracks from his two solo albums GP and Grievous Angel. |
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 "Incomplete" | 2005-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By exileonhicks |
For a guy who died so young, Gram made a lot of music and was an incalculable influence on future musicians. He moved fast, and that makes it hard to put together a compilation. This one is a good effort, but like most comps it skips my favorite song (in this case, Big Mouth Blues).
The great bulk of this 2-disc set is available on 4 discs: The 2fer edition of Gram Parsons Solo Records GP and Grievous Angel; Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, The International Submarine Band's album, and Flying Burrito Bros' Gilded Palace of Sin.
I personally think it makes more sense to just go out and buy those discs than another (quite fine) comp. That way, you get (almost) everything, the way it meant to be heard. |
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| "An August Sunday morning" | 2005-09-23 |
| - Reviewed By franman61 |
I could rattle on about how important Gram Parsons was and still is -- father of country rock, partner and nurturer of Emmylou Harris, grandfather of alt-country, etc., etc., etc. -- and how this is an important and far-reaching anthology and that everyone should have a copy. Instead, let me tell you about a gorgeous mid-August Sunday morning, 2005, driving into Yosemite Valley.
While my girlfriend drove the rental, I was in charge of the entertainment -- popping the CDs in and out. I decided on Gram, front-to-back, both discs -- from the boyish, sunny enthusiasm of the International Submarine Band to the sadly premature weariness of his last recordings. Maybe it was the gorgeous scenery as we snaked the hour or so toward the floor of the valley from the south gate. Or maybe it was the weather (perfect). Maybe it was a hyperactive rock'n'roller taking time to take it easy and give the songs a longer and better listen than before. Maybe it was just the notion of listening to Gram in California. But his music was the absolutely perfect soundtrack to an absolutely perfect Sunday morning. Simply beautiful music.
The only thing I can compare it to was the August Sunday morning my father drove us through North Carolina en route to Florida when I was 13, and the sun was just right, and every station on the radio was broadcasting some preacher or another. Except that listening to Gram in the cathedral of John Muir was a much more religious experience.
If you're not into history, at least listen to this collection if you love a sunny Sunday morning. |
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| "One Hot Burrito To Go, Please." | 2005-06-09 |
| - Reviewed By mikeismee |
| If you appreciate the talents of Gram Parsons and share an affinity for what is now "old Style" country that is fused with "old style" rock, then this compilation is for you. I was a big fan of the Burritos in the seventies and had a deep appreciation for the later solo work of Parsons, but I had never had the opportunity to experience his work with The International Submarine Band. Well, I was blown away! The songs hold up today as a kind of pure country music that tells stories of good old Christian men and women who commit sins every day, but we still love and forgive them. Even when the songs are sung from the lips of the condemned, waiting on death row for the ultimate fate to befall them. There is such depth and texture in these discs that any fan will be totally satisfied with this boxed set. Buy it now! |
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| "A nearly perfect compilation" | 2005-03-28 |
| - Reviewed By aliled |
This is a wonderful 2xCD compilation - it looks great, sounds great and comes as close as humanly possible to being a perfect sampling of Gram's very consistent work. For those reasons alone, you should probably get it, particularly if you're neither a completist nor already familiar with any of Gram's material. On the other hand, you may choose to go the longer route - even so, there are plenty of reasons to get this 2xCD as well, mentioned below. For those who might want more, here's how to go about it:
1) The International Submarine Band's "Safe At Home" reissue on Sundazed contains tracks 1-6 on CD 1, as well as 4 more tracks, in excellent sound and packaging.
2) The Byrds' "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" CD on Legacy features lots of Gram vocals and involvement, including tracks 7 & 8 on CD 1, but you miss the Gram vocal take on "The Christian Life" that's on this 2xCD. The versions of "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "One Hundred Years From Now" are different, too. Although these (tracks 9-11 on CD 1 here) were on the Byrds' boxed set, they were just about the only worthwhile things on it that weren't on any of the Byrds' single CD reissues as bonus tracks - so this double CD gets you those 3 tracks quite easily.
3) The Flying Burrito Brothers "Hot Burritos!" 2xCD on A&M contains tracks 12-24 of CD 1 here, plus the first track of CD 2 . . . AND 29 more tracks, some of them excellent (though this 2xCD does a good job of capturing the best.)
4) The Reprise single CD reissue of Gram's two solo albums "GP" and "Grievous Angel" contains tracks 2-9 on CD 2, as well as tracks 13-22 on CD 2. It also has five tracks not included here. And the song "Return Of The Grievous Angel" is in a different mix here.
5) Gram Parsons & the Fallen Angels "Live 1973" CD on Rhino features tracks 10-12 on CD 2, plus nine tracks not here, in excellent sound.
6) This CD also features three outtakes from Gram's solo albums (tracks 20-22 on CD 2). These were previously available only on the import-only "Sleepless Nights," a compilation of these three tunes plus some late-period Flying Burrito Brothers country covers - the best of which are also on "Hot Burritos!" So this Rhino set is an easy way to get these three tracks without any dross.
That's it, with the exception of the recently unearthed "Another Side Of This Life: The Lost Recordings Of Gram Parsons 1965-1966," a surprisingly fine Sundazed release of previously undiscovered demos. Gram's talent is in full flower (he even performs a version of his own "Brass Buttons" roughly 8 years before its appearance on "Grievous Angel.") Most of the 18 tracks are covers of great songs by Fred Neil, Tim Hardin and other soulful folky types. It's much better than you'd think.
Enjoy! |
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| "Excellent, vital anthology..." | 2005-03-17 |
| - Reviewed By coldwaterpdh |
Read below and you will see why British people know nothing about country music. Stick to the Beatles, okay jerky boy?
I wish I could explain what Gram Parsons did for me musically. He could very well be the reason why there is any good country music left at all. This anthology includes some of The Burrito Brothers stuff, Byrds, and plenty of old Fallen Angels tracks. This is one of those all-inclusive anthologies...I don't find myself wondering, "Why didn't they put such and such song on here?"
It is worth the money for this one if you're a fan of real country music. |
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| "All The Gram You'll Ever Need" | 2004-03-02 |
| - Reviewed By soma137 |
| I thought I'd write a brief review of this anthology to assist those coming to Gram Parson's work from a rock background (as I did). Like many others, the mere mention of 'country music' makes me want to bring up my breakfast but I was intrigued by the praise heaped upon this man and his work. So I picked this anthology up, a brilliant one-stop summation of Gram Parson's career and listened with an open mind. The first thing that I would say for those who are curious is that it is worth your time, though I must stress that this IS very much country music. There are those typical country chord progressions and that cringe-inducing instrumentation that you associate with country music, but underneath that these are simply great songs, no matter what the genre. Songs as beautiful as "Love Hurts" simply transcend any classification. So, while I won't necessarily listen to this all the time, this collection certainly has a lot to recommend it. 5 stars if you already like country music, 4 if you don't. |
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