TS: Parsons era Flying Burrito Bros vs GP's solo work

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NO YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH

― trappist monkey, Monday, 18 April 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

there's a creepy edge to "Gilded Palace" that's unique, so I go with that as the quintessential Parsons recording. I can't have both, but "Grievous Angel" is fuller, more realized, somewhat more musical, still not really "country" but not as informed by rock and roll or as end-of-era evocative as "Gilded Palace." I'm not a big fan of "Burrito Deluxe," it's all right, but lacks edge, safer (at home).

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

By GP do you mean Genesis P-Orridge? `Cos if so, I'm going with him...er....her.....er..s/he.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

Gilded Palace of Sin pwns all.

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

It's a tough one..but I think the sheer heartache gorgeousnees of much of Grevious Angel wins it. That said, I listen to Gilded Sin more, but the solo albums are there for the lonely nights.

― Stew (stew s), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:30 (twenty years ago)

Burritos..."Jesus Christ!"

― 57 7th (calstars), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

Gilded Palace of Sin. More vital, less mannered.

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Agreed. GPS is one for the ages.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

Have to go with Gilded because it is inch-perfect, but GP and Grevious both top Burrito Deluxe by a mile.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

1. Grevious Angel
2. Gilded Palace
3. Sweetheart of the Rodeo
4. GP

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

Gilded is way better than anything else he's been associated with. The solo records don't really do much for me, personally. I like a song here and there, but they're no Burritos. Hell, the Burritos ain't the Burritos after the first album. ISB is pretty good too.

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:18 (twenty years ago)

Have to go with Gilded because it is inch-perfect

Actually I take that back, it's not exactly perfect. The incorrect tape speeds on the first two tracks will infuriate me for all eternity. Doesn't this piss anyone else off? I wrote a letter to ICE magazine a few years ago complaining that they should re-issue the record with the corrected speed. The re-issue producer was quoted in the response basically telling me to go piss off.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

close call...I'll go with GP/Grevious Angel just cuz the highs are just amazing (part. $1000 Wedding which is one of the best songs ever written IMO)

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:31 (twenty years ago)

I'll go with the solo stuff, because I just haven't been able to get into the Burritos stuff. I like it, yes, but they don't resonate as much with me as the two solo albums. (BTW, three cheers to whoever had Reprise put them out as a CD twofer.)

However, my disqualified real answer would be "Sweetheart of The Rodeo."

― Doobie Keebler (Charles McCain), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

The incorrect tape speeds on the first two tracks will infuriate me for all eternity. Doesn't this piss anyone else off? I wrote a letter to ICE magazine a few years ago complaining that they should re-issue the record with the corrected speed. The re-issue producer was quoted in the response basically telling me to go piss off.

I haven't compared the old A&M LP of "Gilded" with the reissue I have ("Hot Burritos!"), the twodisc thing that contains it and "BDLX" and other stuff...was the LP issued with the first two tracks sped up? Or the reissue/s? They do sound a bit speedy...interesting...I wasn't aware there was an issue with this.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

Tough choice, but if I am not allowed to pick The Byrds, then I'll go for the Burritos. After all, that's where I find his finest ever song, "Hot Burrito #1"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 18 April 2005 20:03 (twenty years ago)

I don't have the LP but I'm pretty certain it had the same problem. In fact, that was the excuse the re-issue producer used: "Oh, you'd be messing with people's heads because that's not how they remember the song." Well, they're remembering a mistake!

All the CDs definitely have it, or at least the ones I heard while researching this (inlcuding that 2 disc set). I actually 'fixed' the tracks on my computer one time--I'll see if I can find the mp3's and post them here.

Sorry to bring it to your attention but I believe a public campaign is in order!

― Keith C (kcraw916), Monday, 18 April 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

1. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
2. Gilded Palace Of Sin
3. Grievous Angel
4. GP
25.Burrito De Luxe

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 18 April 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

"Sin City" is invariably in my top 10 songs of all time and "Devil in Disguise" is far ahead of its time, so Gilded Palace of Sin is probably my favorite of GP's. However, "The Return of the Grievous Angel" might be his single finest moment.

Tough choice. His albums all had songs that I tune out, but his best moments are brilliant.

― PB, Monday, 18 April 2005 20:16 (twenty years ago)

very interesting about the sped-up trax from "Gilded."

my fave Parsons songs are pretty much everything on "Gilded," "Big Mouth Blues" and of course "$1000 Wedding." I like "Down in the Churchyard" offa "Deluxe," too, and "Older Guys" is great. I actually prefer the original Byrds version of "100 Years" from "Sweetheart" to the one that has Gram singing, he wasn't the greatest singer (soulful, though). And yeah, I find myself agreeing with Geir on "Hot Burrito #1," that sure is great. Although I think "#2" is probably more to my taste, as it's something like Todd Rundgren meets Dan Penn with a deep-Georgia accent, truly something else in terms in fusion of styles.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 18 April 2005 22:52 (twenty years ago)

I would possibly rank Gram Parsons among my top 10 singers ever. Besides being a somewhat more harmonically interesting songwriter, I think his voice is the main reason why I like him so much in spite of not at all being into country music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 18 April 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

yeah, Geir, good point. he did some nice things with harmonies. I don't rank him as a singer--he gets it across, and listen to his phrasing of "$1000 Wedding" vs. the Mekons' version for lesson in how important phrasing is. But shit, genius songwriter.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 18 April 2005 22:57 (twenty years ago)

I love all Gram's work to varying degrees, but apparently out of step with the rest of y'all, I do love "GP" the best. I'll take him and Emmylou over him and Chris Hillman harmonizing any ol' day. To me it's the closest to capturing some real heartache on tape.

― hector savage, Monday, 18 April 2005 23:03 (twenty years ago)

the solo albums have been nothing short of templates for both of ILM's favorite children: Ryan Adams (Heartbreaker) and Bright Eyes (I'm Wide Awake...)

The use of Emmylou being the most surface evidence of this.

― JD from CDepot, Tuesday, 19 April 2005 00:19 (twenty years ago)

Parsons + Hillman = unbeatable

So, Burritos over solo P, and specifically Gilded Palace (though Sweethearts is just as great, with the addition of McGuinn).

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

The Emmylou harmonies!

GP/GA (in addition to the fact that they're solo albums) seem more distinctive. There's a playful nature to the music and lyrics that I personally associate more with Parsons's sound.

Though _Gilded Palace_, goddamn!

(and wait, doesn't ilm hate oberst/adams?)

― fancybill (ozewayo), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

GPoS in a walk — it's a pop record where the solo albums are collections of songs.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 20:30 (twenty years ago)

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