Return of the Grievous Angel - a tribute to Gram Parsons

Produced under the excellent guidance of Emmylou Harris, this album is truly incredible. Having only been introduced to the music of legendary Gram Parsons a few weeks before, I took a chance ordering this CD from Amazon. And boy, did it pay off. There are nights when I throw this album in my player, hit repeat and let it roll, 'till the programmed timer kicks in at about 3:30 am to silence my stereo.

Most 'tribute' albums are not worth the plastic (or vinyl, whatever) they're printed on, but this one is worth double its weight in gold. It features songs from throughout Gram Parsons - too short - career, that are performed by a mix of artists that surprised me. Like, what the hell are Beck and the Cowboy Junkies doin' there?
But, it turns out this is one of the fortes of this album. The renditions of each and every song are as unique and different as the artists that perform them, and this gives the album a quality unlike most other albums in my collection.


Two quotes from the inlay of the CD:

While the Eagles polished Parsons' country-rock to a multiplatinum sheen,
his original vision was hell-bent, haunted, and heart-wrenching.


The 13 songs chosen by the contributors include a pair from the Byrds' 1968
milestone album Sweetheart of the Rodeo, three from the Burritos' 1969
debut The Gilded Palace of Sin, one from 1970's Burrito Deluxe, a pair
from 1973's GP, and four from Grievous Angel, released in early '74, a few
months after Parsons' death. The remaining song, and lone non-original, is
"Sleepless Nights."



Songs on the album

  1. She by Pretenders & Emmylou Harris
  2. Ooh Las Vegas by Cowboy Junkies
  3. Sin City by Beck & Emmylou Harris
  4. $1,000 Wedding by Evan Dando & Julianna Hatfield
  5. Hot Burrito #1 by The Mavericks
  6. High Fashion Queen by Chris Hillman & Steve Earle
  7. Juanita by Sheryl Crow & Emmylou Harris
  8. Sleepless Nights by Elvis Costello
  9. Return of the Grievous Angel by Lucinda Williams & David Crosby
  10. One Hundred Years from Now by Wilco
  11. A Song For You by Whiskeytown
  12. Hickory Wind by Gillian Welch
  13. In My Hour of Darkness by The Rolling Creekdippers


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