Sacred Hearts and Fallen Angels (Rhino)
Like Nick Drake, Gram Parsons is cited as an influence by young hopefuls who weren’t even born when he died after one drug binge too many in 1973. The name-dropping rolls off the tongue so glibly that sometimes you wonder if those genuflecting have actually listened to the music or are simply reading from an approved checklist of the super-cool.
Most of Parsons’s country-rock legacy can be found scattered around albums by the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers and on his two solo albums. Until now, disputes between record companies have prevented the appearance in Britain of a definitive retrospective. This double anthology is the perfect introduction to Parsons’s visionary fusion of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard with rock’n’roll, gospel and Southern R&B.
From the gorgeous Hickory Wind to the heart-breaking Love Hurts, Parsons was responsible for some of the most hauntingly beautiful music yet made. It’s country, but the voice is pure soul. It’s rock’n’roll, but never has it been sung with such aching passion.
Nigel Williamson