do one dedicated to a subgenre or musician u really want to explore. Make it an adventure with the albums as milestones for your journey. Have rough idea where your headed but add the flexibility to go where u want with it.
idk. lol
Hey! That's a solid idea. I think I'll do something like that. As a matter of fact all day today and yesterday I was listening to Heartbreaker followed naturally by select cuts of Emmylou/Parsons duets, which lead to all emmylou albums all the time these last hours. So, I will dive deep into the discog of two of my musical heroes - Gram Parsons and all his bands/projects before his tragic death at 26, and several of Emmylou's classics (not all as she has like 40 albums or something...but I'll take a select 8 or so of her albums some of which I have never gotten my ears on, so yay). I was thinking of doing this chronologically...then I had this epiphany that I should make this fun! So, I'm gonna contrive a tournament! I've got the 8 major albums of Gram, and I'll select the 8 most essential (in my mind...obviously some will point out stupid omissions) and I'll make a makeshift 16 album bracket, it will go based off avg rank on BEA and RYM will be the teir system!
This will be so fun!!!!
As for your next post, thanks for the kind words regarding my review of Heartbreaker. I moved it way up my overall. It's just too glorious to be outside my top 10! And you all the cooler for having love in your heart for Heartbreaker 😉 (You too, Romanelli! You cool man you)
As for the Pats, no. They'll go maybe 14-2. But not undefeated. But they are solid at so many positions that its not inconceivable for a complete 19-0 season (rather than, er, 18-1). I'm hoping and rooting for the Raiders to slay your goliath. It would just be poetic karma. Also I LOVE me some Derek Carr, Amare Cooper, and Khalil Mack. I just really love the raiders these last 4-5 years. And of course MY team is the Packers. So A Packers-Raiders or a Packers-Patriots (finally) Superbowl would be heavenly. _________________ -Ryan
do one dedicated to a subgenre or musician u really want to explore. Make it an adventure with the albums as milestones for your journey. Have rough idea where your headed but add the flexibility to go where u want with it.
idk. lol
Hey! That's a solid idea. I think I'll do something like that. As a matter of fact all day today and yesterday I was listening to Heartbreaker followed naturally by select cuts of Emmylou/Parsons duets, which lead to all emmylou albums all the time these last hours. So, I will dive deep into the discog of two of my musical heroes - Gram Parsons and all his bands/projects before his tragic death at 26, and several of Emmylou's classics (not all as she has like 40 albums or something...but I'll take a select 8 or so of her albums some of which I have never gotten my ears on, so yay). I was thinking of doing this chronologically...then I had this epiphany that I should make this fun! So, I'm gonna contrive a tournament! I've got the 8 major albums of Gram, and I'll select the 8 most essential (in my mind...obviously some will point out stupid omissions) and I'll make a makeshift 16 album bracket, it will go based off avg rank on BEA and RYM will be the teir system!
This will be so fun!!!!
LOVE IT! That's brilliant. Will certainly being keeping tabs on your tourney. lol.
As for the Pats, no. They'll go maybe 14-2. But not undefeated. But they are solid at so many positions that its not inconceivable for a complete 19-0 season (rather than, er, 18-1). I'm hoping and rooting for the Raiders to slay your goliath. It would just be poetic karma. Also I LOVE me some Derek Carr, Amare Cooper, and Khalil Mack. I just really love the raiders these last 4-5 years. And of course MY team is the Packers. So A Packers-Raiders or a Packers-Patriots (finally) Superbowl would be heavenly.
Hmmm... The Raiders are definitely the scariest opponent in AFC rn. Will be interesting to see how it turn out .... Starting tomorrow night. lol. I don't have a tv so I watch everything on game pass the next day. I'm sure you'll be watching tonight. I'll be at tai chi anyways channeling my inner Brady! SO DON'T ME THE SCORE OR WHO WON!!! lol. It ain't easy being living a day (or two) behind. lol
Go Pats!
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Sub Bracket 1:
1) Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds (1968) BEA Rank: 870
2) Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons (1974) BEA Rank: 1,432
3) Pieces of the Sky by Emmylou Harris (1975) BEA Rank: 2,646
4) Elite Hotel by Emmylou Harris (1975) BEA Rank: 5,754
5) Trio by Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton & Emmylou Harris (1987) BEA Rank: 9,326
6) Safe At Home by The International Submarine Band (1968) BEA Rank: 13,456
7) Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town by Emmylou Harris (1978) BEA Rank: 14,128
8) Live 1973 by Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels (1973/1987) BEA Rank: 38,456 ( :( )
Sub Bracket 2:
1) The Gilded Palace of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers (1969) BEA Rank: 1,109
2) Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris (1995) BEA Rank: 1,131
3) GP by Gram Parsons (1973) BEA Rank: 4,511
4) Luxury Liner by Emmylou Harris (1976) BEA Rank: 5,954
5) Roses In The Snow by Emmylou Harris (1980) BEA Rank: 6,214
6) Burrito Deluxe by The Flying Burrito Brothers (1970) BEA Rank: 14,018
7) Sleepless Nights by Gram Parsons & The Flying Burrito Brothers (1976) BEA Rank: 22,636
8) Blue Kentucky Girl by Emmylou Harris (1979) BEA Rank: 24,171
WOOOHOOOO!!!! I am SOOOOO excited!!!!
First 2 matches I'll get to today, the two 1 seed vs 8 seed matches will be posted and then commented and reviewed upon.
I got to say it SICKENS me that the only album here (and on RYM I think, so don't think i'm ragging on BEA) ranked within the top 1,000 albums that Emmylou Harris or FREAKIN' GRAM PARSONS is a Byrds album! ](*,) _________________ -Ryan
Released August 30th, 1968, this is the only album the Byrds did with Gram Parsons. Gram Parsons was such a stud. And considering he was just 21 and already ripping up the rules of country and rock and influencing heavily one of the biggest rock bands in the world, its all the more impressive.
Listening to this album, everything about it is pristine, clear as a bell production, insanely gorgeous steel guitar beauty splashed over all the tracks, there is not 1 single off song here.
The 2 Gram Parsons originals here are "Hickory Wind" and "One Hundred Years From Now" are very good. Nay, great. Especially "Hickory Wind". I love that on these tracks you can already hear the development of Parsons into a stunning all time great songwriter. By the time he got to his solo albums he had chiseled away all the loose ends and started making true masterpieces like "Brass Buttons", "She", "The New Soft Shoe". While these songs aren't quite as ascendant as those, you can hear the groundwork laid here and its bloody glorious. The harmonies on "Hickory Wind are also quite pretty. And gosh darn! the relaxed groove of "One Hundred Years From Now" makes the song. It just swings so nicely, and the guitar interplay, harmonies push it into the stratosphere.
That said, its the covers, all so smartly chosen, that make this album so near perfect. From the utterly sublime christian classic "The Christian Life" is fabulous, (I'd say the Byrds version here is every bit as good as the amazing Louvin Brothers version) to other stand out examples of perfect cherry picking of folk/country standards like the exuberant and exciting "Pretty Boy Floyd", the mournful and intensely emotional "You Don't Need Your Water", oh and of course maybe the best song here is the boisterous and rapturous beauty and joy of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" - maybe my favorite Dylan cover ever. Its up there. Also one of the coolest opening tracks I've heard. Okay, I could go on and on. This album is heavenly.
Numerical Rating? uhhh 9.2/10...that will change. And I will have albums winning despite having lower ratings. I'm sure of it. Why? Cuz I'm illogical as is the rating system applied to art. So why am I doing the rating then if I think its dumb? I don't know. Just to fill up space.
Cover Art Rating: Classic, colorful, and engaging. I loves it muchly. 9.0/10
Best Tracks: "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", followed by "You Don't Need Your Water", "The Christian Life", "Hickory Wind", and "One Hundred Years From Now"
Released in 1987, recorded live on a radio broadcast just a few weeks before Gram Parsons' tragic death in September 1973, this album spans various parts of Grams' career as well as several styles, from country, to chuck berry rock n' roll to blues etc - all those many faces of what Gram called "Cosmic American Music".
And this is an album I love and I remember loving it when I bought it back when i was 18, listening a few times and forgetting about it. The fact that it has Emmylou Harris singing duets (Gram + Emmylou = True Love) and the fact that maybe the best song in the history of american music opens this live document ("We'll Sweep Out The Ashes") all work in this albums favor. and DAMN IT! I was thinking this would be easy!!!! I know I said earlier this was a doozy, but I didn't expect it to be this tough.
Its okay, it is music, beautiful music at that. So being forced into choosing between 2 classics (one widely recognized as changing the face of rock music, the other lost to near-total obscurity) is a good problem to have.
The aspects of this album which give it an edge potentially over The Byrds' classic is Emmylou Harris, greater weary intimacy, Emmylou Harris, a more raw sound, Emmylou Harris' and Gram's harmonies, more ingenius songwriting, oh and Emmylou Harris. Yeah I adore adore ADORE her to my core. She is/was physically stunning, and her musical skill and voice is absolute crystalline beauty. She is a fallen angel personified. God darn!
As I mentioned, the opener, "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes" is maybe my favorite song ever. It's blissful. The harmonies in the studio version are greatest things ever. The version here is almost as good, more cracked and raw and brilliant. Then that amazing start is followed by 2 very impressive and spiritual songs, "Country Baptizing", and the masterful "Drug Store Truck Driving Man". The album comes out and kills right off the bat.
Some of the more rockin' tunes here don't feel quite as vibrant and engaging as the other more somber material present throughout. Gram I think was probably in a pretty morose place. I can hear it in his stoned, sad, voice during the excellent and illuminating radio interview portions. So maybe that indicates that he was coming to these rockers, which roared so brilliantly in the studio albums like "Big Mouth Blues" and "Cry One More Time", differently. That said, the guitar solos on "Cry One More Time" are fucking BRILLIANT, incisive, and cool as hell. Bravo to the guitar man over yonder.
More on the monologues and exchanges between the interviewer, Gram, and sometimes the Angel herself: they're so fun and enlightening. The words are funny, insightful, and illuminating of the life this rag tag bunch of brilliant musicians was living travelling across the country in '73. There are fun stories throughout about life on the road, the dirge of it, the hi-jinx, the sexual tensions between Emmylou and Gram, etc. Its all so fascinating. Actually, as great as the music is, I love these talks here almost as much. Gram being sardonic, Emmylou being lovely and cracking jokes, the interviewer being chagrined, the small crowd laughing along having a good ol' time. Okay back to the music...
The versions of the quieter Gram classics here like "Streets of Baltimore", "Drug Store Truck Driving Man, and ESPECIALLY the holy trinity here of the opener, "The New Soft Shoe, and the absolutely heart melting rendition of "Love Hurts" are all consistently beautifully sorrowful and intimate. More on this album's "Love Hurts"...my god. It's stunning stunning stunning. It's one of the saddest songs ever. This comes through on the studio version too, don't get me wrong, but here the emotions well up in me more. I can hear the closeness between the 2 singers so vividly. To think of how much they loved each other, not talking romantically here although that too perhaps, i mean they were completely connected and intermingled in their vocal and musical kinds, They just wrap each other up in the pure emotion of this song so overwhelmingly. And its sad cuz Gram died just a few weeks later and that must have completely GUTTED and tortured over the loss of Gram. I don't usually put that contextual stuff into the equation on reviews, but this one just hit hard, all these connections lead up to an intense reaction to this track.
Then Gram brilliantly makes fun of the next song with strange word associations right after tearing my heart out with "Love Hurts"...how does he do that? As I was basically wiping away my tears, he's cracking me (and emmylou and the crowd) up with some just brilliantly deadpan stuff. I love it! Oh and the next song is a merle haggard song - "California Cotton Fields". It's great. And actually is the most convincing and awesome rocker on here. I spoke too soon earlier. Cuz Gram and the band are really rockin here. And they keep that energy going all the way through to the last song "Six Days on the Road" followed by the medley of rock and roll standards which serve as the encore of this brilliant live show.
About this freakin' medley. It's great. That's all. Just kidding. The whole band kills. And its just an awesome rip-roarin' good ol' time of a way to go out!! Nice touch in closing off with a couple Chuck Berry covers (Forty ((Thirty)) Days, and "Almost Grown), all done with a delicate balance of the pure rock and roll and that honky tonkin' swing which sets it apart.
In closing on this album. Its also nearly perfect. It's stunningly good. Shiza.
Cover Art Grade: Kinda boring. Not into it. Cool hat, at least. Maybe a 5.7/10
Numerical Rating: hmm...9.4/10 (not gonna lie I was tempted to give it a 10.)
Best Tracks: "Love Hurts" followed by "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes", "Country Baptizing" ('tis the biggest, purest dose of Emmylou on here), "The New Soft Shoe" and "Drug Store Truck Driving Man"
The advantages Live 1973 has have already been mentioned (mostly they are Emmylou Harris). As for the advantages on the side of Sweetheart of the Rodeo? Better production, cleaner and more nuanced interplay between the musicians, more Dylan, and the band sounds less weary and distarcted (which can't be said of Gram all the way through on Live 1973). Also there's the whole "historical importance" angle I could take...but I won't. Not taking it into account that Sweetheart... helped bridge the gap between rock and country and basically helped inspire alt-country and country rock, in all its good an bad, over the following 30 years, and beat Dylan to the punch by a full year (Dylan did his part with Nashville Skyline in '69).
So with all those factoprs delineated, I now announce perhaps the biggest upset possible in this whole epic project, the album moving on to face either Luxury Liner or Trio in the next round is...
🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳LIVE 1973!!!!!!!🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
wow.... stay tuned as there is lots more honky-tonkin' fun yet to come!!!! _________________ -Ryan
Released April 1979, Blue Kentucky Girl is the 5th solo album Emmylou Harris released in the 70s. Until this listen I had never given it a spin. Now I am and....and... wow! Here's the thing, my love for all things Emmylou, and especially her voice (which I've decided is the greatest, bestest, most favoritest in the world) is sort of like an unfair advantage over all other albums which don't feature her in this tournament. It's like a Dragon in midevil warfare. Its unfair, you can't defeat it. In this analogy is Gram Parsons, all powerful yet relative to Emmylou "voiceless", the Night King/Great Other in this analogy? I think maybe so. Once Gram "Night King" Parsons got Emmylou "Dragon" Harris on his side, no wall was unpassable and no barrier insurmountable.
Anyway, back to this album. It's freaking amazing. The most "common" songs, such as the upbeat opener, or "They'll Never Take His Love From Me", are elevated to truly beautiful because Harris' delivery and voice and passion and belief in each song shines through in every song. But what about songs which are already amazing? Or songs which feature truly spectacular factors? What happens when you add Her Majesty to the mix? What happens is the version of "Hickory Wind" on here, and what happens is "Beneath Still Waters" and freaking "Sorrow In The Wind". That is to say you get moments of such aesthetic transcendence that time stops and everything you were doing becomes utterly unimportant for 4 or 5 minutes and you close your eyes and sway and emote and feel as one with that voice and those words.
Yes, on this album I was expecting it to be quite good. But I perhaps wasn't expecting the insane three song run that starts with a cover of the previously gushed about Gram Parson s tune "Hickory Wind". Here "Hickory Wind" is taken to depths of emotion not previosuly approached. Its like Emmylou through this song is speaking to her old friend, pouring every ounce of her immense feeling into a song so directly connected to Gram. This phenomenon occurs all over her discography. When she covers a Gram song or writes a song for him, there's something magic that happens. Gram's influence and impression seems to float like a ghost over the recording studio in these moments, all the feelings of being lonely and missing him are breathed back into every syllable, like I said, magic. Paranormal shit. Every year that Emmylou grows older than Gram ever was, her slightly older peer, she seems to gain more and more perspective. And I can't stress enough how intense the vocals are here. They crack and soar, they hold back tears, they whisper and then ascend. I can arguably say that of all the songs I've heard by Harris, this may be her greatest and most heartfelt sounding.
As for the other 2 mega standouts, well mainly its one and its called "Sorrow In The Wind". Gosh. This features some seriously amazing harmonizing between Emmylou and Sharon White and Cheryl White. I freaking adore it. At first the music is so plain, a violin and an acoustic guitar. The instrumentation builds a bit, but mostly just backs up the vocalsists. Man they really build up into something almost choral. Its a gorgeous track.
Other classics here are "Beneath Still Waters" - a country ballad so plain and pure, so heartfelt, that it just wears every erg of the elemental emotion it owns and sells. Its amazing. Oh and another great one is the title track. Oh and the sweet lil romantic song "Save The Last Dance is nice enough.
Okay in summary, this is a great record. half of the songs are "merely" very very good, and when you have a vocalist of this quality that is great. But then the other half or so is Great, with one son g so goddamn great its impossible to express.
Cover Art Grade: So cute, and pretty, but a bit grainy and not my fave colors, so a solid 7.2/10
Numerical Rating, hmm... I'd say 8.6/10
Best Tracks: Hickory Wind, followed by "Sorrow In The Wind", "Beneath Still Water" and "Blue Kentucky Girl"
Okay, back to a more established and recognized classic, an album when Gram first started really putting his unique stamp on modern music, and started creating that Cosmic American Music he often cited. Its a goodie, a classic, I love it... but can it overcome a usual gem from Emmylou "Dragon" Harris? You'll see. I'll be back to post a bit about The Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin....
...alright, I'm back.
The Gilded Palace of Sin
Released February 1969, The Gilded Palace of Sin is the classic debut album of The Flying Burrito Brothers.
I'm listening now, and the whole vibe and feel of the songs and recording just fits me like a glove. I am feeling good, right, and in my element. I feel like I should be up there on a stage with a silly outfit like the ones they wear on the front cover, jamming with them and harmonizing with them and just living the dream.
No one had ever melded country and rock so well before the Burrito Brothers came along, and they remained nearly unmatched for 25 years.
I just love the kinda lo fi drenched sound of the music, with a little somewhat psychedelic take on country guitar floating in and rocking out, and then a killer bassline comes in and decorates the corners of the sonic space, and then a mildly muddy pedal steel speaks up, etc. All while Gram sings in his patented simple, mildly tortured voice. Earlier on when talking about Emmylou's album I feel I didn't give Gram enough credit as a singer. He's actually another favorite.
As for the songs, well, "Christine's Song" has been immortalized as one of the great track 1 side 1s by the BOOK High Fidelity, and I tend to agree with the protagonist of that book, Rob Fleming. It comes out just laying down the fucking law of coolness, emoting, grooving and blowing all the rockers away.
This is followed by a second in a row classic, "Sin City". This son g is so cool. Its on first listen pretty straight forward in its country aims. But on further listens i start hearing the psych-tinges, the hippie-sentiments, the whole 60s vibe. Its gorgeous too. Gosh damn! This record is amazing!
I am trying to avoid making this one of those track by track affairs. But I am failing lol. The next 2 tracks are really solid and beautiful crossover covers of soul classics, "Do Right Woman" and "Dark End of the Street". And especially with a song like "Dark End of the street" you can't go far wrong. The James Carr version may blow it out the friggin water, but that's true of most songs. Their version here is ballsy and cool and actually quite emotionally effective. Gram was clearly onto something with this new mix of genres he was shooting for!
But finally we get back to the true classics, with what is perhaps the best song here, "My Uncle". Its just so damn fast and sexy and snide and engaging! The story and the chorus and the verses are all so sharp and perfect and the song comes in, gets you moist and goes all in 2 or 2 and a half minutes. Too short is my only complaint about it.
There are a couple really solid tracks which I will give short shrift to in order to get to the next truly landmark song here, "Burrito #1". How do I describe this song? Its a seductive amalgamation of country and soul. Its sexy, deeply moving, somber, features a effects-laden, shimmery guitar solo which makes me feel like I'm floating a few inches under water. Is the ocean an ocean of my own tears? Hard to say...maybe. Anyway, its great!!!!
Jesus Christ! "Burrito #2 isn't letting up. Its a great slinky, strange mix up of genres, with a killer bass attack and some weird and brilliant guitar soloing. Yet another A Grade track.
Finally "Hippie Boy" is insightful, funny, catchy at times, sweet, and just an all around brilliant way to close this record. I love the gospel feels, the talking delivery, the organ cries, the walking bassline....awesome.
In closing, this album is a classic for a reason, and is the moment when the mighty GP came into his own. The whole artistic vision is carried out with a razor sharp purpose and execution. There are basically nothing but stand outs here. Especially the first 2 tracks, "My Uncle" and of course the insanely sorrowful and overpoweringly pretty "Burrito #1", the cool as hell, bass line carried "Burrito #2, and a funny, poignant closer in "Hippie Boy"
Cover Art Rating: Weirdly interesting, like I can't take my eyes away. Yet, its ugly. Its ugly. yeah. so... grade... 7.9/10
Numerical grade for album: 9.2/10
Best Tracks: this is tough... okay: "My Uncle" then followed closely by "Burrito #1", followed by "Hippie Boy", "Christine's Tune", "Sin City" and "Burrito #2"
Okay, the verdict is that Blue Kentucky Girl is very good and has one BIG advantage which is the vocals. Whereas, its competition is a richer, more consistent, inventive, and brilliant album. There is no song on The Gilded Palace Of Sin which compares to "Hickory Wind" imo, but its got a fleet of smaller classics which takes down the big dog in the fight.
so the winner, and the album to move on to the next round to face either Elite Hotel or Roses In The Snow is.....
THE GILDED PALACE OF SIN!!!! _________________ -Ryan
Okay, everyone, I'm gonna run to do some work. I have completed today's matches! It was fun!!!! I will be back tomorrow for more fun. Thanks for reading 😉
and @Tilly....yeah, check it out! Its Un-BE-LEIVABLE! absolutely great. I was surprised too as I was listening I was started thinking "yeah, its weird, but methinks i likes this more..." Oh and yeah I look forward to revisiting that Safe at Home album. It was really good from what I recall. But Live 73 is an even bigger underdog in a way. Jus' sayin'. _________________ -Ryan
Released in January 1974, recorded in the Summer of 1973, Grievous Angel is the last work recorded by Gram before he died and was released after his death. And its extra tragic as this is also one of my favorite albums ever, and the peak of his artistic output. What directions he would take his music from here is a great, sad mystery.
I'm listening to this album and I am in awe. Why? I don't know except that every single thing works and works incredibly well. The album is detailed, soulful, and balanced. There are all time great sad sack ballads with incredible songwriting such as "$1000 Wedding" and "Brass Buttons". There are great uproarious rock numbers that make you happy to dance and be alive in songs like the insanely perfect "I Can't Dance" and the faux-live "Cash on the Barrelhead/Hickory Wind" and of course the classic "Ooh Las Vegas". There are some next level progressive country songs featuring immense concepts and the most intensely beautiful harmonies ever in songs like the opener "The Return of the Grievous Angel" and "In My Hour Of Darkness". And there are again those lovely sad love songs featuring Emmylou and Gram working off each other like no one has ever done in the classics "Love Hurts" and "Hearts On Fire".
The band throughout is brilliant and sharp and on point. Honestly listening now, and if I'm being honest, I listened to it 3 times last night while doing chores and driving about, and I can't find a flaw, I can't find a song which elicits a response in me like "Hmm...that's a cool song." No. Every song makes me sit in awe of the genius of the whole assembly of artists.
This is also the amazing template that Emmylou took with her in her incredible solo career. A lot of her best albums are heavily indebted to the balance and sound and adventurous energy of this showstopping album.
Is this the all time greatest posthumous album released? I think it is. And that is sad. Cuz man its hard to fathom how talented Mr. Parsons was, and once you start to fathom it you can't help but say "shit, only 26...That's just a bummer." Interesting thing I realized, Nick Drake died less than a year earlier and he was also 26. Some seriously all time great artists were dropping in this era.
Okay, That's the overview.
Cover Art Rating: Kinda boring, plain, but maybe the point is to make Gram float over the cover like a ghost...if so that is sad. I am not a huge fan... 6/10
Numerical Album Rating: would be a 10 if not f,or the faux-live audience which doesn't work for me for a few seconds between Cash On The Barrelhead and Hickory Wind, and .... that's it. I can't find any other millisecond of weakness here. So fuck it, I'm gonna do it! 10/10!!! One of THE Greatest albums ever, plain and simple.
Best Tracks: Every. Single. Song. the best is maybe the opener "Return of The Grievous Angel", followed closely as hell by "$1000 Wedding", "Ooh Las Vegas", "In My Hour of Darkness" (seriously this album has one of the great openers AND closers...sheesh!), "Brass Buttons", "I Can't Dance, etc etc.
The only thing I can say though is while this album is a concatenation of 9.5 to 10 level songs, I don't think any of these songs is QUITE this song that "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning" is. That may be the only advantage GP has over Gram's follow up here. But anyway, more on that later. 😄
Oh and a song you should listen to, its a tradition...I hope y'all noticed I link a video to the song I deem the best on all these albums...
Okay, next I am listening to this MASSIVE underdog...
Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town
Released in January 1978, Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town is the 4th album released by Emmylou in the 70s.
I'm listening now for the second now. And here's the thing: is it good? YES! Is it great? Again, yes!!!! The problem I run into with an artist who seems to turn everything she touches to gold is deciphering the relative greatness of the albums. I'll try.
This record isn't more of the same. Compared to the previous year's Luxury Liner album, this is more produced and less adventurous. Compared to the following year's Blue Kentucky Girl, this album is more upbeat and less sad slow track heavy.
Vocally she is her usual insanely sharp, angellic, heavenly, otherworldly.
Her live of Guy Clark's "New Cut Road" is fabulous, energetic, sexy and intense! Emmylou throws aside the whole angel aspect and turns her voice up to foxy, brassy 11 and just rocks out! It's really freaking stellar!
Other moments which stand out are the absolutely stunning cover of Dolly Parton's "To Daddy"...with many other artists this may come across as a silly sacharine mess, but in the hands of Emmylou, its completely sold and it touches my heart.
The 2 opening tracks are a perfect balance of rocking aspects (Two More Bottles of Wine) with real country heart and soul (Easy From Now On). And its a great opening which shows off all the best aspects of the albums new beefed up production. "Two More Bottles of Wine" is in particular so cool. The lyrics, the turns of phrase and that refrain is so damn great! And the band is thumping away just killing it and again Harris' vocals are so assertive and excellent. The guitarist is stunning! Bravo!b Maybe the best song. Close.
Other standouts (tough to choose cuz this album and artist and band is nothing if not consistent) are the bayou jam of "Leaving Louisiana In Broad Daylight", the delicate and beautiful "My Songbird", the patented insanely beautiful soaring, quivering vocal performance of "Defying Gravity", the sweet and touching willie nelson duet/feature in "One Paper Kid", and of course the honest to goodness rock and roll barn burner which is "I Ain't Living Long Like This". Seriously that last one is so fucking rock and roll. Emmylou can pull of being a hard rocking G just as well as she can pull off anything else. And the rock piano is sexy and fun, the bassline is cool and active, the twangy guitar parts are awesome! This may be my favorite track.
Okay, now for the ratings:
Cover Art Rating: Kinda boring and no picture of Emmylou...smh... 5.7/10
Overall Numerical Rating: Oh you know just the usual 9 or so, to be exact...8.9/10
Best Tracks: "I Ain't Living Long Like This" followed by "Two Bottles of Wine", "New Cut Road (Live)", "Easy From Now On", and "My Songbird"
Okay, no disrespect to Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town, cuz it was excellent, but it had next to no chance against Grievous Angel. Grievous Angel is about as near and dear to me as any album. Easy decision. The album that is moving on to the next round to face either Pieces of the Sky or Safe At Home is....
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Mercury
Repo
