Description

Clam shell box with 3 cds and a 50 page book

Gram Parsons only recorded two full solo albums before his death in 1973, never living to see the release of the second one, and he didn’t leave too much behind in the vaults, which were plundered in 1976 for Sleepless Nights and, in addition to an appealingly shambling, laconic, and lazy 1970 jam by the Flying Burrito Brothers, also contained three outtakes from the Grievous Angel sessions: “Brand New Heartache,” “Sleepless Nights,” and “The Angels Rejoiced Last Night,” all included here. These were the only fully formed songs that didn’t make the album, and the other outtakes were simply alternate takes of songs that did appear on the two albums. All of these alternate takes are gathered together on the third disc of The Complete Reprise Sessions. There are some good moments here, including a duet with Barry Tashian on “Kiss the Children,” but the alternate takes aren’t all that different; in fact, in every case they quite clearly prove that the best take did indeed make the finished album. Of course, any Parsons fanatic won’t really care that these alternate takes aren’t that interesting; he left behind so few recordings that his devoted fans will eagerly devour any newly discovered unreleased material, even if they know it’s mediocre. So this is a concise and comprehensive log of Gram at his peak (much too brief) but so much of his best work on these album’s and the re-master’s are impeccable. I’ve been listening to this music for years-but have never heard anything as pure and natural as what’s on this compilation. Really great. No fluff. Nothing Gram himself wouldn’t be proud of. Remember Gram Parson’s! Don’t hesitate to purchase. These are purely untouchable.

Track list:
Cd 1: GP
1. Still Feeling Blue
2. We’ll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning
3. A Song For You
4. Streets Of Baltimore
5. She
6. That’s All It Took
7. The New Soft Shoe
8. Kiss The Children
9. Cry One More Time
10. How Much I’ve Lied
11. Big Mouth Blues
12. GP Radio Promo
13. How Did You Meet Emmylou Harris
14. What Is The Story Behind A Song For You
15. What Is The Story Behind The New Soft Shoe
16. WBCN Interview With Maxine Sartori
17. Love Hurts-with Emmylou Harris
18. Sin City-with Emmylou Harris

Cd 2: Grievous Angel
1. Return Of The Grievous Angel
2. Hearts On Fire
3. I Can’t Dance
4. Brass Buttons
5. $1000 Wedding
6. Medley Live From Northern Quebec
7. Love Hurts
8. Ooh Las Vegas
9. In My Hour Of Darkness
10. Return Of The Grievous Angel-instrumental
11. Did You Sing Hickory Wind At The Grand Ole Opry
12. What Differences Do You See Between Pure Country And Country Rock

Cd 3: Alternate Takes
1. She-alternate version
2. That’s All It Took-alternate version
3. Still Feeling Blue-alternate version
4. Kiss The Childre-alternate duet version with Barry Tashian
5. Streets Of Baltimore-alternate version
6. We’ll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning-alternate version
7. The New Soft Shoe-alternate version
8. Return Of The Grievous Angel #1-alternate version
9. In My Hour Of Darkness-alternate version
10. Ooh Las Vegas-alternate version
11. I Can’t Dance-alternate version
12. Sleepless Nights-alternate version
13. Love Hurts-alternate version
14. Brass Buttons-alternate version
15. Hickory Wind-alternate version
16. Brand New Heartache
17. Sleepless Nights
18. The Angels Rejoiced Last Night