Gram Parsons - The Complete Reprise Recordings (@320)

 

Gram Parsons - The Complete Reprise Recordings

The Complete Reprise Sessions Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine.

Truth be told, Reprise's 1990 single-disc two-fer of Gram Parsons' two solo albums -- 1973's G.P. and 1974's Grievous Angel -- was for most intents and purposes as close to The Complete Reprise Sessions as Rhino's triple-disc set of the same name. Parsons only recorded two full solo albums before his death in 1973, never living to see the release of the second one, and he didn't leave too much behind in the vaults, which were plundered in 1976 for Sleepless Nights and, in addition to an appealingly shambling, laconic, and lazy 1970 jam by the Flying Burrito Brothers, also contained three outtakes from the Grievous Angel sessions: "Brand New Heartache," "Sleepless Nights," and "The Angels Rejoiced Last Night," all included here. These were the only fully formed songs that didn't make the album, and the other outtakes were simply alternate takes of songs that did appear on the two albums. All of these alternate takes are gathered together on the third disc of The Complete Reprise Sessions. The first two discs are devoted to G.P. and Grievous Angel respectively -- two albums that were previously illustrated to fit quite well together on a single disc, but are now separated. These two discs do have bonus tracks, but they're not exactly enticing: a radio promo for G.P., plus promotional interviews that are neither revealing nor particularly engaging. Cut out the interviews and the two albums could have been put on one disc and then the second disc could have been devoted to outtakes, and the streamlining would have made this more attractive, particularly because the third disc on The Complete Reprise Sessions is not all that enticing. There are some good moments here, including a duet with Barry Tashian on "Kiss the Children," but the alternate takes aren't all that different; in fact, in every case they quite clearly prove that the best take did indeed make the finished album. Of course, any Parsons fanatic won't really care that these alternate takes aren't that interesting; he left behind so few recordings that his devoted fans will eagerly devour any newly discovered unreleased material, even if they know it's mediocre, which the unreleased material on this collection most assuredly is -- enjoyable, but mediocre all the same -- which the compilers most assuredly knew as they were assembling this collection. Given this, it would have been fairer to those devoted fans to present this as a double-disc set instead of a three-disc box -- after all, there are only two CDs' worth of music here -- but instead, Parsons' complete Reprise recordings are spread out over this inflated triple-disc set. And while the devoted will be happy with the remastering and the unreleased material, the simple fact of the matter is that all of his great music was collected on that 1990 two-fer, and that's the CD that anybody with an interest in Parsons, country-rock, country music, or American music of the 20th century should own. Not this good but bloated set.

Tracklist:

 

Disc 1:

 

1. Still Feeling Blue (Remastered Album Version)

2. We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning (Remastered Album Version)

3. A Song for You (Remastered Album Version)

4. Streets of Baltimore (Remastered Album Version)

5. She (Remastered Album Version)

6. That's All It Took (Remastered Album Version)

7. The New Soft Shoe (Remastered Album Version)

8. Kiss the Children (Remastered Album Version)

9. Cry One More Time (Remastered Album Version)

10. How Much I've Lied (Remastered Album Version)

11. Big Mouth Blues (Remastered Album Version)

12. GP Radio Promo (She=:30/Cry One More=:15/Big Mouth Blues=:15)

13. How Did You Meet Emmylou Harris?

14. What Is The Story Behind "A Song For You"

15. What Is The Story Behind "The New Soft Shoe"

16. WBCN Interview With Maxine Satori (3/73)

17. Love Hurts (w/ Emmylou Harris) (Remastered Version)

18. Sin City (Remastered Version)

 

Disc 2:

 

1. Return of the Grievous Angel (Remastered Album Version)

2. Hearts on Fire (Remastered Album Version)

3. I Can't Dance (Remastered Album Version)

4. Brass Buttons (Remastered Album Version)

5. $1000 Wedding (Remastered Album Version)

6. Medley Live From Northern Quebec (A) Cash On The Barrelhead (B) Hickory Wind (LP Version)

7. Love Hurts (Remastered Album Version)

8. Ooh Las Vegas (Remastered Album Version)

9. In My Hour of Darkness (Remastered Album Version)

10. Return of the Grievous Angel (Instrumental)

11. Did You Sing "Hickory Wind" At The Grand Ole Opry?

12. What Difference Do You See Between Pure Country And Country Rock?

 

Disc 3:

 

1. She (Alternate Version)

2. That's All It Took (Alternate Version)

3. Still Feeling Blue (Alternate Version)

4. Kiss the Children (Alternate Version)

5. Streets of Baltimore (Alternate Version)

6. We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning (Alternate Version)

7. The New Soft Shoe (Alternate Version)

8. Return of the Grievous Angel #1 (Alternate Version)

9. In My Hour of Darkness (Alternate Version)

10. Ooh Las Vegas (Alternate Version)

11. I Can't Dance (Alternate Version)

12. Sleepless Nights (Alternate Version)

13. Love Hurts (Alternate Version)

14. Brass Buttons (Alternate Version)

15. Hickory Wind (Alternate Version)

16. Brand New Heartache (Remastered Album Version)

17. Sleepless Nights (Remastered Album Version)

18. The Angels Rejoiced Last Night (Remastered Album Version)

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