Sacred Hearts and Fallen Angels: The Gram Parsons Anthology

Gram Parsons

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 1, 2001)
• Original Release Date: May 1, 2001
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B00005BC89
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,661 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
Gram Parsons was one of the founders of country-rock and an artist whose influence can be heard in the music of such disparate performers as the Eagles, the Rolling Stones, Emmylou Harris, and Wilco. The two-disc, 46-song Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels brings together tracks from every stage of his too-brief career, starting with his first group, the International Submarine Band, continuing through his period with the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers in the late 1960s, and ending with two solo albums from the early 1970s. Parsons was a talented songwriter, but an erratic singer, and some of his performances are on the ragged side. But when he pulls it together, as he does on the mournful ballad "$1000 Wedding" or his transcendent duets with Harris on "Love Hurts" and the old Louvin Brothers gospel tune "The Angels Rejoiced Last Night," he justifies his reputation as a great country singer. Sacred Hearts & Fallen Angels is an excellent introduction to the work of the man who introduced country to the rock & roll world. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's all here!, October 16, 2001

By	T. Schmidt "strangebird" (Mansfield TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm going to put it simply: This is the single most essential Gram Parsons release. It's also the only GP compilation to ever span his entire career (with the exception of some early folk recordings).

For those unwilling to buy multiple compilations featuring Gram's music(including a pricey Byrds box set), this is the best place to get the cream of the crop.

First, the oft-neglected 1967 International Submarine recordings and his 1970's solo recordings are presented in sparkling remastered splendor. Second, most of the tracks that were recorded with the Byrds are present in their original Gram-sung mixes (instead of the inferior rehearsals and alternate takes which plagued the reissue of Sweethearts of the Rodeo)

A problem this reviewer often has with multi-disc compilations is that perfectly worthy tracks often neglected. That's not the case with this collection. All the best of Gram Parsons is here, including the highlights of his work with the ISB, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Not a single great Parsons song was left off.

Finally, the package includes a stylishly put-together booklet stuffed with rare photos, a brief biography, and track-by-track information.

Whether you're a casual listener wanting to introduce yourself to the birth of so-called "country-rock" or a fan of Parsons, this compilation is an essential addition to your music library.

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A nearly perfect compilation, March 27, 2005

By	aliled "aliled" (Shawnee, Kansas United States) - See all my reviews

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!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time!, May 2, 2001

By	Peter A. Laudenslager (Long Beach, California United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Finally. I did it the hard way. Saw Gram thrice, met him once, bought everthing on vinyl, tried to find it again on CD and now the folks at Rhino Records had the good sense to offer his legacy to a new generation with a simple grasping motion that will secure 48 of his best songs in a handy 6x5x1" double CD that includes a comprehensive 51 page booklet. For the Gram Parsons die-hards, there is only one previously unreleased song in the set: "Knee Deep In The Blues" from his ISB sessions.

For the uninitiated, Grams'Cosmic American Music is offered to the listener in chronological order. Starting with his seminal International Submarine Band's best cuts segueing into the vocal remixed songs with the Byrds heretofore unavailable except on their boxed set, and sliding into his Flying Burritos Brothers stint which culminated into his tragically curtailed days with the Fallen Angels,Gram's best recordings are here.

Some of the gems include "Blue Eyes"(ISB); "Hickory Wind", "The Christian Life", "100 Years From Now(Byrds); "Do Right Woman", "Hot Burrito #1"--his most soulful song, "Dark End of the Street"(FBB);"Streets of Baltimore", "Love Hurts", "In My Hour of Darkness"--written in part for Clarence White, and "The Angels Rejoiced Last Night" (with a young Emmy Lou Harris backed by Elvis' band.

I invite any reader of this review to pick up this CD and share in the wonderful aural legacy of a voice that disappeared much too soon but is generating new listeners each year.

Enjoy!