"...Luxury
Liner..."
Ingram
Cecil Connor III (his real name) is a Bovril Artist – you either worship at the lapels of his
nudie suit or you view it as barf on an otherwise perfectly clean white tuxedo.
People either love or hate Gram Parsons and his honky tonks.
What
you won't be, however, is unimpressed by the sheer hard work and effort that
went into this obvious reissue labour of love for Rhino Records of the USA (way
back in 2001). And if ever a groundbreaking musician deserved accolades for
smashing down hither too impenetrable barriers (America's youth and its
misunderstanding or even loathing of what they saw as hick Country music) –
then Florida's GRAM PARSONS in your boy (brutally taken from us in September 1973
aged only 23). Let's get with the fallen angel...
UK
released May 2001 (reissued 21 June 2004) - "Sacred Hearts And Fallen
Angels: The Gram Parsons Anthology" by GRAM PARSONS on Warner Strategic
Marketing/Rhino 8122-76780-2 (Barcode 081227678029) is a 46-Track 2CD
Compilation of Remasters covering his entire career from 1968 to 1970 with The
International Submarine Band, The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Bros through to
his two solo albums of 1973 and 1974 (including material with The Fallen Angels
and posthumous releases from years later). Newly remastered from original tapes
by BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH – it plays out as follows:
CD1
(77:55 minutes):
1.
Blue Eyes
2.
Luxury Liner
3.
Do You Know How It Feels To Be Lonesome
4.
I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known
5.
Miller's Cove
6.
Knee Deep In The Blues
Tracks
1 to 6 by THE INTERNATIONAL SUBMARINE BAND - "Safe At Home" LP
released April 1968 in the USA on LHI Records LHI-S-12001.
7.
Hickory Wind
8.
You're Still On My Mind
Tracks
7 and 8 by THE BYRDS - "Sweethearts Of The Rodeo" LP released July 1968
in the USA on Columbia CS 9670 (Stereo)
9.
The Christian Life
10.
You Don't Miss Your Water
11.
One Hundred Years From Now
Tracks
9 to 11 by THE BYRDS - "Sweethearts Of The Rodeo" outtakes first
issued on "The Byrds", October 1990 US 4CD Box Set on Columbia 46773
12.
Christine's Tune (Devil In Disguise)
13.
Sin City
14.
Do Right Woman
15.
Dark End Of The Street
16.
Wheels
17.
Juanita
18.
Hot Burrito No. 1
19.
Hot Burrito No. 2
Tracks
12 to 19 buy THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. - "The Gilded Palace Of Sin" LP
released February 1969 in the USA on A&M Records SP-4175 and April 1969 in
the UK on A&M Records AMLS 931
20.
High Fashion Queen
21.
Older Guys
22.
Cody, Cody
23.
Wild Horses
Tracks
20 to 23 by THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. - "Burrito Deluxe" US LP
released May 1970 on A&M Records SP-4258 and A&M Records AMLS 983 in
the UK
24.
Sing Me Back Home
Track
24 (and Track 1 on CD2) by THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. - first issued as
unreleased tracks on the "Close Up The Honky Tonks" 2LP compilation
released June 1974 in the USA on A&M Records SP-3631 and July 1974 in the
UK on A&M Records AMLH 63661
CD2
(78:36 minutes):
1.
To Love Somebody (as per Track 24 on CD1)
2.
Still Feeling Blue
3.
We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning
4.
A Song For You
5.
Streets Of Baltimore
6.
She
7.
The New Soft Shoe
8.
Kiss The Children
9.
How Much I've Lied
Tracks
2 to 9 are from his first solo debut LP "GP" as GRAM PARSONS –
released January 1973 in the USA on Reprise MS 2123 and March 1973 in the on
Reprise K 44228 (reissued April 1976 using the same K 44228 catalogue number
but with Warner Brothers corporate logo on the label).
10.
Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man
11.
That's All It Took
12.
California Cotton Fields
Tracks
1 to 12 by GRAM PARSONS and THE FALLEN ANGELS - Posthumously released LP
"Live 1973" issued February 1982 in the USA on Sierra Records GP 1973
13.
Return Of The Grievous Angel
14.
Hearts On Fire
15.
Brass Buttons
16.
$1000 Wedding
17.
Love Hurts
18.
Ooh Las Vegas
19.
In My Hour Of Darkness
Tracks
13 to 19 are from his second and last official studio album "Grievous
Angel" as GRAM PARSONS – released January 1974 in the USA on Reprise MS
2171 and June 1974 in the UK on Reprise K 54018.
20.
Brand New Heartache
21.
Sleepless Nights
22.
The Angels Rejoiced Last Night
Tracks
20 to 22 are from posthumous GRAM PARSONS and THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. LP
"Sleepless Nights" - released April 1976 in the USA on A&M
Records SP 4578 and June 1976 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64578.
From
the outer card slipcase through to the two individual card digipaks housing two
themed label CDs and a fantastic chunky 52-booklet - "Sacred Hearts And
Fallen Angels: The Gram Parsons Anthology" reeks of class and dedication
on the part of its compilers. CD1 for instance repros the Lee Hazelwood
Industries logo for the February 1968 American "Luxury Liner" 45 on
LHI 45-1205 (from the "Safe As Milk" album) - while CD2 goes to the
solo career and gives us a tan label of his February 1974 American single for
"Love Hurts" on Reprise REP 1192. Beneath each see-through CD trays
is memorabilia – an American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Membership Form for a 19 July 1967 engagement (guaranteed by Lee Hazelwood)
while CD2 has a handwritten note to Rick Grech. It’s a testament to detail.
The
52-page booklet too is crammed full of GP goodness - an introduction by the
first lady of Country Rock Emmylou Harris and Rhino's James Austin – an
in-depth career discussion by Holly George-Warren and thereafter a
track-by-track breakdown. Throughout there are beautiful photos of all the key
players, pictures of the various bands he was in and on to the solo year of
1973, outtakes from album covers and finally massively in-depth reissue
credits. Musicians include Glen Campbell guesting on two International
Submarine Band tunes - Roger McGuinn, John Hartford and Chris Hillman when GP
was with The Byrds - Chris Hillman, "Sneeky" Pete Kleinow, Chris
Etheridge, Bernie Leadon (of Eagles), Byron Berline, Michael Clarke when he was
with The Flying Burrito Bros. and guests like Leon Russell, Emmylou Harris and
Linda Ronstadt. There is a lot here. The Audio comes courtesy of two long-time
Rhino-associated engineers – BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH – and as ever – it all
sounds so damn good. Like most fans I've had the Flying Bros twofer on A&M
Remasters CD and the GP Warner Brothers one too since the 90s - but this 2001
original master tapes trawl trumps the lot. To the music...
Although
Lee Hazlewood had an eye for talent and a love for a tune with a Pop-Country
bint as was evidenced in so many of his Pop hits - even Lee probably didn't
think The International Submarine Band would amount to much (poor sales kind of
proved it). But that doesn't stop a tune like "Luxury Liner" sounding
like it had been pedal-steeling around for decades instead of coming out of a
bunch of under 20-year olds (Donnie Owens guests on Guitar). GP's talent for a
great hooky ballad immediately leaps out at you too when listening to his
co-write on "Do You Know How It Feels To Be Lonesome?" Glen Campbell
guests on guitar for two - "I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known" and
"Miller's Cove" - both with the best audio I've heard for this
notoriously bootlegged album.
Guitarist
Bob Buchanan co-wrote the mighty "Hickory Wind" with Gram for the
Byrds-do-Country 1968 album "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" - tall pines
and oak trees in South Carolina. John Hartford plays Banjo and Guitar while
Lloyd Green plucks that Pedal Steel. Jukebox Honky Tonk kicks in with
"You're Still On My Mind" - an empty bottle and a broken heart
sounding 'so' good. Cleverly this Anthology then reaches for three of the then
new "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" outtakes on "The Byrds" 1990
4CD Box Set - a lilting cover of William Bell's 1961 Stax hit "You Don't
Miss Your Water" alongside a GP original - the nobody knows song "One
Hundred Years From Now".
The
Flying Burrito Bros open their account with the jaunty "Christine's Tune
(Devil In Disguise)" that soon descends into The Everly Brothers doing
distorted guitar. Chris Hillman and Gram drag us down to "Sin City" -
three years to pay or a stint in the poor house. Both the Chris Moman/Dan Penn
Soul covers - "Do Right Woman" and "Dark End Of The Street"
now have slow Countrified arrangements that work – while – the two parts of
"Hot Burrito" sound like Todd Rundgren on Bearsville. There was an
increasing sophistication to "Burrito Deluxe" – it’s tracks feeling
like a dry run for the Eagles emerging sound and that Rolling Stones tie-in on
"Wild Horses" always blows me away.
CD2
brings us large chunks of the two official albums - eight of the eleven on
January 1973's "GP" with eight of the ten on January 1974's
"Grievous Angel" and of course those stragglers afterwards
("Sleepless Nights" and the "Live 1973" posthumous compilation).
Sticking with "GP" - fans will thrill to the stunning audio on
"We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning" - the Pedal Steel of Al
Perkins (from Stephen Still's band Manassas) clear as a bell – the song
bolstered up by Emmylou Harris giving it some of passion's guilt in her ache.
That's followed by the duo-tenderness of "A Song For You" - a superb
GP original. Traditional Country infuses the uprooted 'our kin in Tennessee'
Tompall Glaser and Harlan Howard song "Streets Of Baltimore" - that
Glen Hardin piano so beautifully clear and complimentary.
So
many would cover the inherent heartbreak in "She" - a stunning
co-write with Chris Etheridge - hallelujah. I'd forgotten how subtle the Byron
Berline fiddle is in the quietly gentle mix of "The New Soft Shoes" -
beautifully judged harmony vocals too and that perfectly complimentary pedal
steel and solo. Rik Grech provided the life ain't easy tune "Kiss The
Children" where our sap in on the barroom floor dreaming of whiskey
instead of his loved ones. The final cut from "GP" is a co-write with
Pam Rifkin on "How Much I've Lied" - a 'losing you was a silly thing
to do' tale of dumbass infidelity. It's not the full album, but man what a
classic in the Country Rock vein "GP" is.
The
live rendition of "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man" with Emmylou’s sympatico
harmony vocals is fabulous and the burst into flames at the mere mention of her
name in "That's All It Took" – another lilting woe-is-me ballad. The
pedal-steel band brings it all bopping home with the dad, mom and family
relocation hopefulness in "California Cotton Fields".
The
"Grievous Angel" followed his hurtful loss in September 1973 from
substance-related issues - gone at 23 with his star rising. Rhino offer a
'Remix' Of "Return Of The Grievous Angel" and it kicks like a mule.
Again guitarists James Burton and Al Perkins hit the main spots with guest
shots from Herb Pedersen and Bernie Leadon (of Eagles). Faves include "Ooh
Las Vegas" which Deacon Blue named a 2CD compilation of rarities after - while
the Bryants and The Everly Brothers would have been proud of "Brand New
Heartache" - all finished off with a cover of The Louvins' "The
Angels Rejoiced Last Night" - a story song of gambling and church with an
uncredited advert for the "GP" album as it fades out.
For
sure this much Country-Rock in one go might test a young un's patience in 2020
- but my God what a superbly handled tip of the Stetson to Gram Parsons.
Rejoice indeed...
