The Gilded Palace of Sin
After exiting theByrds,Gram ParsonsandChris Hillmanformed the Burrito Brothers and recordedThe Gilded Palace of Sin, an alternative country record before there even was such a thing. It's all thrilling: the country-ish covers of soul classics such as "Dark End of the Street," the distorted pedal-steel fills of Sneaky Pete Kleinow, and the classic country-rock compositions like the bluegrassy draft-dodger's anthem "My Uncle" and the amazingly twangy critique of capitalism, "Sin City." Along with the Byrds'Sweetheart of the Rodeo, this is the premier example of Parsons and Hillman's prescient hippie-from-Muskogee aesthetic. Nine ofPalace's 11 songs are available on the 21-trackFarther Alonganthology, an option bargain hunters may want to explore. But there's no replacing the full original.--David Cantwell