The Complete Reprise Sessions [Box] (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Gram Parsons (vocals, acoustic guitar); Gram Parsons; Barry Tashian (vocals, guitar, background vocals); Bernie Leadon (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro); Al Perkins , Buddy Emmons (pedal steel guitar); Hal Battiste (baritone saxophone); John Conrad, Emory Gordy, Rick Grech (bass guitar); N.D. Smart II (drums); Mitch Gordon, Phil Kaufman, Lewis Morford, Joe Doe, Ed Tickner, Jane Doe, Kim Fowley, Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin (background vocals); Herb Pedersen (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Emmylou Harris (vocals); James Burton (guitar, electric guitar, dobro); Alan Munde (banjo); Byron Berline (mandolin, fiddle); Glen D. Hardin (piano, organ); Steve Snyder (vibraphone); Sam Goldstein, John Guerin, Ronnie Tutt (drums); Linda Ronstadt (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Emmylou Harris; Bill Inglot; Brian Kehew.

Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot.

Audio Remixer: Hugh Davies.

Liner Note Authors: Emmylou Harris; Parke Puterbaugh; James Austin; Holly George-Warren.

Recording information: Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood, CA (09/1972-07/1973); Wally Heider Studio 4, Hollywood, CA (09/1972-07/1973).

Author: Emmylou Harris.

Photographers: Ginny Winn; Kim Gottlieb-Walker; Barry Feinstein; Greg Allen; Andee Nathanson; Doug Hanners; Rodney Bingenheimer.

Taking the place of the obligatory cd two-fer of GP and GREVIOUS ANGEL, Gram Parsons's THE COMPLETE REPRISE SESSIONS covers it all and then some for Grampires of all stripes. Produced by Emmylou Harris and Parsons cohort James Austin, this beautifully designed three-disc set includes one disc devoted to each solo record and a third featuring outtakes from each album's sessions. With fewer overdubs and Gram and Emmylou's vocals front-and-center in the mix, the final disc brims with the emotive soul and earthbound angelic vocals the two perfected. Among the final discs many highlights are looser alternate takes of "She" and "Streets of Baltimore" from GP and a "Hickory Wind" unadorned by the ridiculous fake crowd noise that mars the GRIEVOUS ANGEL version. The latter is the best and most stirring recorded performance of Parsons's signature song and alone worth the box's sticker price. Other features scattered on the first two discs include radio interviews (with Parsons's southern hippie charm in overdrive); captivatingly raw acoustic performances with him, Harris, and drummer N.D. Smart; and an instrumental version of "Return of the Grievous Angel" that reveals just how ace a country band the Waycross longhair had. minimize