Gram Parsons – Now Playing (Rhino)

This is the first, single-disc compilation of the man dubbed the “cosmic cowboy.” Gram Parsons’ brief career lasted two albums.  This Now Playing set grabs 4 tracks from his solo debut, GP (1973), and the posthumous followup, Grievous Angel (1974).  

Side one opens with three songs from GP  – the upbeat, twanger, “Still Feelin’ Blue“ is powered by fiddle, pedal steel, and banjo, and the playing is fantastic (Parsons always had a knack for surrounding himself with talent).  It’s also one of the few times Parsons sounds like he’s actually having fun as a solo artist.  “A Song For You” features one of the singer’s most tender vocals, while a steel guitar cries in the distance.  That, coupled with Emmylou Harris’ harmonies make this one of his finest moments.  

The album GP was a disappointment upon it’s release, due in part to Parsons’ schizophrenic tastes.  He would do faithful country & western songs, and then follow them up with the R&B flavored, “She.”  Marvel at how the slinky guitar echoes the vocals.  The “New Soft Shoe” definitely embodies the “cosmic cowboy” motif that Parsons was going for.  

Parsons entered the studio to record a followup, but ended up overdosing on a combination of alcohol and morphine in September of 1973.  Grievous Angel was issued, after his passing, in early 1974.  Originally envisioned as a duet album, Harris’ presence is everywhere.  Their voices blend beautifully on the title track, although Parsons’ voice is more raw, and not as steady as on his debut.  

I love the uncanny use of the vibraphone on “Hearts on Fire,” and how both Emmy and Grams’ voices are panned hard left and right.  The compilers chose to pick the more somber material, and “Brass Buttons,” featuring only Parsons on vocals and light backing is quite a contrast.  “$1,000 Wedding,” based supposedly on his own life, is a tearjerker.  

Yet, nothing compares the the utterly stunning “Love Hurts’ – just Emmy and Gram, with the musicians laying back – it makes you forget that both the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison tackled it first.  The album closes on a high point, with “Las Vegas” – sounding very much like latter-day Elvis (Parsons used many of Presley’s musicians here).  

I would argue that his first album, GP, is better, simply because Parsons’ seems more engaged.  But, Grievous Angel gets all the love.  Now Playing gives us the best of both worlds.  The set comes pressed on light blue transparent vinyl.  —Tony Peters