keepers 5
keeper avg .625
Gram Parsons' second (and last to be recorded while he was alive) album was kind of an odds and sods effort, though the result was surprisingly consistent. The pretty ballad "Hearts On Fire"**** and the opening song from which the album takes its name are showcases for female foil Emmylou Harris; it makes sense as the album was originally meant to be credited to both of them until Parsons' widow took over the release. "Brass Buttons"**** doesn't include Harris, but features a wistful guitar hook by James Burton. The centerpiece of the album is Parson and Harris's restrained cover of "Love Hurts"*****, first sung by the Everly Brothers and later popularized by Nazareth, whose power ballad version resembles this one in style. Though I'd take Parsons's version over Nazareth any day I do miss Manny Charlton's sorrowful guitar solo. Though the album is ballad-heavy it does rock in places, including the rock and roll "I Can't Dance" and speedy "Ooh Las Vegas"**** (a jaded counter to "Viva Las Vegas"). Parsons inexplicably adds fake live banter and sound effects to his driving cover of Louvin Brothers' honky tonk classic "Cash On The Barrel Head"****, though it doesn't detract from the energy of his or Harris's performances.
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