The Flying Burrito Brothers - Hot Burritos The Flying Burrito Bros Anthology 19691972 (43 tracks) +Album Reviews

Those Damn Flying Burrito Brothers

bob | 06/24/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"How do you know if a band is just a good band or a legendary one? By the amount of times they re-package the same material over and over again. The Burritos are legendary. I'm not complaining. I love it! I have every song on this two CD set but I bought it anyway for the liner notes. The Parsons-era Burritos recorded only two albums but the following are a list of some of the compilations: 1. Farther Along: The Best of the Flying Burrito Brothers. This is the official A&M greatest hits package. (contains different version of Sing Me Back Home and a truncated version of Dylan's I Shall Be Released) 2. Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud, Loud Music An import from the great Edsel Records out of England (contains the version of Sing Me Back Home which is on this package, but also includes, Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down, Crazy Arms, Green Green Grass of Home and several others) 3. Sleepness Nights - this is a hybrid of FBB outtakes and Gram Parsons solo outtakes which are worth the price of admission alone. The FBB selections are all covered elsewhere. 4. Hot Burrito - Yes there was already a release by A&M called Hot Burrito which was a single CD which contains all the aforementioned songs in another configuration. Hard to find. 5. Close Up The Honky Tonks - originally a Dutch release on A&M but I have never found on CD. But yes you guessed it, all the songs can be found elsewhere. 6. Out of The Blue - more of the sameThe repackaged Burritos, including this CD, more than triples the output of the FBB w/Gram Parsons. WHY? I'll tell ya why since you been good enough to read this far my friend, COSMIC AMERICAN MUSIC. If your an old fan, then sit back and enjoy what you already have enjoyed before. If you are a new fan, then make room in your CD collection because you will quickly add another 10 to 15 CDs to your collection. If your curiosity is peaked by what you have heard on these discs, particularly Disc One, then you will pass GO and move onto to the Gram Parsons solo material which will take you back to the Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds which may spill over into The Notorious Byrd Brothers by the Byrds. If not you may even go so far as to search out the Gram Parsons-led International Submarine Band's 1968 release Safe at Home. Now you're in trouble because you may search out Dillard & Clark's two great albums, The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark and Through the Morning, Through the Night. By now you are hopeless and you're searching out Clarence White's work with the Kentucky Colonels i.e. Long Journey Home which is their live recording at the Newport Folk Festival. Somewhere in between you'll end up back in the Byrds catalog for Ballad of Easy Rider and Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde and you may even venture off into the Eagles or Steve Earle or Elvis Costello. By now you're strung out and useless. Those damn Flying Burrito Brothers. God Bless 'em."

Disc 1 Is Essential for any Collection

T. C Lane | Marina, CA USA | 05/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Amazingly, The Burritos debut masterpiece- Gilded Palace of Sin, is not available on CD, nor is the equally fine followup-Burrito Deluxe. This 2 CD set corrects that. Disc 1 includes both of these albums in their entirety. Disc 2 is more scattershot. Cover versions and the departure of Gram Parsons from track 8 forward make this part of the anthology less essential listening. A&M has kept their single disc anthology - Farther Along in print but it's missing 2 songs from "Gilded". For a few bucks more you get better liner notes, better sound and one of the greatest Country-Rock albums ever in Gilded Palace of Sin, in full."

Probably Country-Rock?s Greatest Collection

David Bennett | Ohio, United States | 08/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Flying Burrito Brothers are perhaps the best band to epitomize what is now called "country-rock." They directly rode the heels of the Byrds classic country album, "Sweetheart of the Rodeo." For the newcomer, both the amount of material on this 2-disc set, and the sound might be a bit too much. When I first heard the Burrito's material 5 years ago that CD sat virtually unheard (perhaps because I was not used to the pedal steel sound, which band member Sneaky Pete Kleinow excellently plays). I guess I was just not ready for their pioneering sound. However, I would advise anyone who wants to sample some of the most influential and critically acclaimed material of the 60s and early 70s to buy this set. The first CD is certainly the strongest, and it consists entirely of songs on which Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman performed. Gram and Chris, as many already know, were members of the Byrds and credited with co-founding "country-rock." The material from FBB's first album, "Gilded Palace of Sin" stands out, and fortunately the entire album is here. The material from their second album "Burrito Deluxe" is weaker, but still stellar. For this latter album FBB added ex-Byrd Michael Clarke and future Eagle Bernie Leadon. Highlights of the first CD are the protest song, "My Uncle," the soulful, "Dark End of the Street," and the cover of the Rolling Stones hit, "Wild Horses." But again, every song is excellent and groundbreaking (Clarence White, guitarist extraordinaire and Byrds member, guests on "The Train Song."). The second CD is often panned, but in reality it is filled with some very good material, especially the first seven tracks where Gram and the boys belt out inspired versions of country standards (such as "Break My Mind"). However, the last 13 tracks on the 2nd disc lack the critically acclaimed combination of country and rock, as the Burritos slipped into a more slick and polished country-pop sound. Keep in mind Gram Parsons left here and future Firefall founder Rick Roberts took over as lead singer. While different than the first disc, the material is very similar to the Eagles sound, which is not a bad thing at all. Highlights from the second disc include "Six Days on the Road," "Here Tonight" where Gene Clark sings, and the Rick Roberts penned song, "Colorado." Overall, this collection, which goes on for about 130 minutes, is an excellent deal, and is essential to any country or rock collection. The 24-bit mastered sound is far superior to the previous FBB hits collection, "Farther Along." Since this set includes the entire first three Flying Burrito Brothers albums, various other songs which never made it to an original Burritos album, and live tracks (although the 2 live tracks are the weakest on the album), it will satisfy the true fan, but possibly might overwhelm the newcomer. However, to all newcomers: Trust me, listen to the material, maybe over and over again if you have to, you WILL come to appreciate it. By the end of the first week you will be singing along to every tune in your car."

All the Burritos you can eat!

Jules | Birmingham, England | 04/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Burritos' early years (let's face it, the only stuff that matters) have been repackaged many times before, especially here in Europe, but this is the definitive compilation. All the Gram Parsons-era masters are present and correct: the first two LPs; an early single-only release; and the aborted sessions from a proposed third album of cover tunes. Also present, at long last, is the untitled third LP, sans Gram, but with Chris Hillman and Rick Roberts at the helm. It's never been available on CD before. Disc #2 signs off with three more rarities - two live cuts and "Here Tonight" which features Gene Clark sitting in on his own composition. In fact the Burritos would become something of a retirement home for ex-Byrds! This is all the Burritos you'll ever need (though the diehard may want to seek out the 1972 live double LAST OF THE RED HOT BURRITOS, which I don't think has had a CD release yet). This is an intelligently compiled collection of wonderful music and I can't recommend it highly enough. Why can't all CD retrospectives be done this way? Well done A&M. Great cover photo too!"

The definitive overview of a seminal country-rock band

jayhikkss | 10/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The "Gilded Palace of Sin" was a landmark country-rock LP that, in 1969, brought out all the best qualities of Gram Parsons as singer, composer and interpreter. His cronies were utmost professionals; their personal involvement and innovative musical contribution to Gram Parsons' vision heightened his achievements. Kudos - in particular - to Chris Hillman for his vocals, songwriting and guitar playing contributions, as well as to Sneeky Pete Kleinow who was always devising new ways to make his steel guitar soar and sing. A ***** album is ever there was one!

After the 11 songs from the first LP, this compilation includes a single A-side titled "The Train Song" which never did anything for me. I wonder who chose to let the Burritos be coproduced by Johnny Guitar Watson?

Rating: no rating !!

The follow-up LP, "Burrito Deluxe" appeared within 15 months of the first and, at the time, I found it to be a major let down. Although definitely a lesser work, I have grown more appreciative of it as its actual strenghts have grown on me.

The LP was pleasant and well above average, but after the magnificence of "Gilded Palace of Sin", it suffered by comparison. Also, I cannot help but feel that there was less drive, less enthusiasm from everybody involved. My favourite track is the "cover" of the Stones' "Wild Horses" (which could actually have been co-composed by Parsons). Other favourites are "Cody, Cody" and "Lazy Days". I would rate this album *** ½.

The second CD begins with seven tracks that first appeared on "Farther Along", "Close up the Honky Tonks" and Gram Parsons' "Sleepless Nights".

These tracks seem to be work-in-progress of country covers; they are rather well recorded but they sound average and rather perfunctory to me when compared with the songs recorded by the original artists. I do not think that these recordings would have been released at the time had Parsons not perished most tragically and so young. Rating : **.

Tracks 8 - 17 were released on the Flying Burrito Brothers' third, eponymous LP. This is the second line-up from the band, with Rick Roberts "replacing" Gram Parsons. Well, Parsons could not really be "replaced" but Hillman obviously did not want to remain the sole leader/singer/songwriter of the band. Rick Roberts was a good singer and a good writer to boot. While the music on this record leans more towards the West Coast / singer-songwriter scene than towards Parson's vision, I must say that I have liked this 1971 LP at first listen. The album is chock-full of good songs, well sung and well arranged. The well-known Haggard cover "White Line Fever" is really superior to the Parsons sung "demo" covers of two Merle Haggard's tunes placed at the beginning of this CD. Colorado, Four Days of Rain, All alone, ... are among my favourites but there really is no dud track on this album. I rate it *****. This does not mean that I find it as good (and certainly not as influential) as the "Gilded Palace of Sin" but it very good in its own sweet way. I would say that this LP holds its ground when compared with favourites of mine such as "Pickin' Up The Pieces" (Poco) or, well, the first LP by The Eagles. It is also a splendid opportunity to appreciate Hillman's characteristically exquisite bass guitar playing one more time. Sneeky Pete Kleinow also shines throughout while Leadon ... well Leadon is always good on whatever stringed instrument happens to lay around.

Track # 18 is a version of Gene Clark's "Here Tonight" (covered and sung by Hillman on the third album) and recorded by Clark himself with the Flying Burrito Records (and also much earlier on his very first solo Columbia LP). I prefer Clark's rendition to Hillman's but I wonder why this take appeared on "Close Up The Honky Tonks" because it has much more of a polished Byrds / LA sound. Anyway, it's pretty good to have around. I rate this track *****.

The last two tracks were recorded live for the fourth LP titled "Last of The Flying Burrito brothers" which I duly bought upon release. Although less lethargic than the tracks from "Close Up the Honky Tonks", they are not that remarkable either. I would rate this, their fourth album for A&M, ** ½.

It should be pointed out that the sound of this CD is very, very good. The booklet is also informative, including quotes from Chris Hillman.

This compilation is THE definitive overview of the Flying Burrito Brothers' oeuvre!"

Search - The Flying Burrito Brothers :: Hot Burritos! The Flying Burrito Bros. Anthology 1969-1972

CD Details

Synopsis

Similarly Requested CDs

CD Reviews