Gram Parsons
G.P. - Reprise 1973
Tracks: 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
Comments:
The first of Parson's two legendary albums that were released in his own name in 1973-74.
His status as legend may seem a little strange to people new to his music. Some tracks, especially on "GP" are almost pure old-school country, and generally the are not many groundbreaking elements in the music. Moreover Parsons' voice appears pretty limited and often comes out slightly shaky in the high register; e.g. "We'll Sweep Out the Ashes"
What are/were his strengths then? The documents that he was a great song-writer, especially of ballads, and he performs both his own originals and covers country-ballads convincingly. On several tracks he is helped by Emmylou Harris and their voices blend beautifully on most tracks.
On "GP", which was the only album released in Parsons lifetime, the standouts are the great country-rock ballads "A Song For You" and "The New Soft Shoe", both written by Parsons. His performance of the classic country-piece "Streets of Baltimore" is also moving. So if his untimely death may be part of the reason for his legendary status, here are so many great songs that it does not really matter if you consider him a legend or not.
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