Gram Parsons - The Complete Reprise Sessions by by Eric Nielsen
06.22.06
Sweet golden honey slide tears. Want to feel, really feel, the original alt country thing that so many, like My Morning Jacket, are doing now? Do you use music like a drug? Is your poison country rock? Try the Complete Reprise Sessions from Gram Parsons. "Oh, but she sure could sing." Body shivers into eyes approach from black holes and surround you when you listen to his 1972 version of She. The drop on the chorus takes you so sweetly deep inside yourself as you drift into, "the land of cotton". If you want music to take you away, far away, like an out of body meditation or a heavy trip try this song over and over. I remember Jerry Garcia singing this song live so high on heroin that it just melted you deep into the ground. This version is a most blessed thing. His duet with Emmylou Harris on That's All It Took is completely perfect in it's gruff voice, sublime harmonies and incredibly sweet fiddle. Just enough grit to balance the beauty.

This genius died of a drug overdose (cocaine and heroin were his favorite but they say he died from Tequila and Morphine. He hung out with Keith Richards) at 26 fucking years old. His body was stolen by his roadie and manager and cremated in Joshua Tree where a plaque commemorates the spot.

An American classic, singing like a man in his 40's his songs resonate with life experience and pain. He had experience in the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Byrd's (after David Crosby was nixed) His solo career consisted of playing and recording Emmylou and James Burton (Elvis). He sings A Song For You as if he was the master. So gentle and confident and gorgeous. What a sweetheart.

There's also very heavy doses of country bouncing, fiddle, and some silly lyrics that sound like great Willie Nelson. Sometimes these songs can drag on but when one hits you in the gut all you remember is where you are when you come out of it.