Barnes & Noble
Cult legend Gram Parsons pioneered the then-unprecedented fusion of country and rock during his stints with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. By the time he made this pair of now classic solo albums -- both of which were recorded in the year prior to his 1973 death -- the artist had honed his approach into a deeply expressive vehicle for his singular singing and songwriting talents. Parsons's haunting vision of cosmic American music reaches its fruition here, on such bittersweet originals as "She," "A Song for You," "$1000 Wedding," and "In My Hour of Darkness," and on such lighter-hearted yet emotionally resonant fare as "Big Mouth Blues" and "I Can't Dance." Both albums -- which feature such noted collaborators as Parsons protégée and future star Emmylou Harris, legendary guitarist James Burton, fiddler Byron Berline, and ex-Burritos steel guitarist Al Perkins -- still transcend time and genre to pack a sadly beautiful punch that Parsons's present-day acolytes would do well to emulate. Scott Schinder
All Music Guide
In the year before his death in the fall of 1973, Gram Parsons recorded two superb solo albums, and Warner Brothers has conveniently reissued them in their entirety on a single compact disc. Since many of the same musicians played on both G.P. (released in January of 1973) and Grievous Angel (which appeared in stores almost exactly a year later), the two albums flow together quite well as a single set. And while no bonus tracks were added, the booklet features well-written essays on Parsons from John M. Delgatto and Marley Brant, the complete liner notes from both albums, and lyrics for all the songs on the disc (which weren't included in the original vinyl issues). While the material and performances on G.P. are a shade stronger than on Grievous Angel, both albums have more than their share of pearly moments, and this disc is a treat from start to finish; James Burton's guitar leads are chicken-pickin' at its smartest and most tasteful, Al Perkins' pedal steel is the definitive sound of country & western heartache, fiddler Byron Berline effortlessly reveals how he became one of Nashville's leading session musicians, and Parsons' duets with the young Emmylou Harris are nothing less than sublime. And would anyone who loves either country or rock really want to be without a CD that includes songs like "A Song for You," "The New Soft Shoe," "Big Mouth Blues," "$1,000 Wedding," or "In My Hour of Darkness"? While the definitive Gram Parsons collection has yet to be compiled, G.P./Grievous Angel gives you everything you really need from his solo career, and these 20 performances are among the most influential and satisfying music the genre of country-rock would ever produce. Mark Deming