The Gilded Palace Of Sin

This record is the result of an ill-advised experiment between four men and their insatiable lust for having sex with burritos. It burnt each of their dicks off, Peter. For Christ's sake, their handsome penises are ruined. In tatters. They can still fly though. But what use is flying if your burnt, limp cock is hanging on by a thread?

We have both types of Music here, Country and Western !

Nah mate, I'm a taco man and generally I prefer my Mexican food not to be airborne.

A beautiful slow burn. Everything I love about the Eagles but with way more substance. Gram Parsons was an interesting character by all accounts.

The progenitors of country-rock/cosmic American music create one of the greatest albums of all time and Gram Parsons cements himself as one of my favorite songwriters and arrangers. 9.7/10 Best Tracks: "Christine's Tune" "Sin City" "Dark End of the Street" "Wheels" "Hot Burrito #1" "Hot Burrito #2"

It gradually got worse

Band choose After three listens, I still wasn't feeling like any of it had drawn me in, or that I was able to distinguish any key tracks/moments. I expected an album called "The Gilded Palace of Sin" by "The Flying Burrito Brothers" to be daring, bold, eclectic. It may have been all of those things at the time for country fans and rockers, bringing the genres together in a new and radical way at the end of the 60s. But it doesn't feel any more special than the other albums already attempting this: Neil Young's early output, Dylan's Nashville Skyline, the Band, even the Byrds' own "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" before Parsons and Hillman broke away to set up the Burrito Brothers. The album feels very of its time to me, and seems more like they were following a trend than making a bold move against the grain. Some reviews (and Wikipedia) seem to herald the album as an exciting crossover between country and 60's rock/soul/psych, which could have been amazing. But to my ears, country is by far the strongest flavour, from the lap steel guitars to the incessant piano trills, simple two part harmonies, four chord strum-a-longs, and generic lyrics. A couple of soul covers thrown in don't do a great deal to change this. And the songs are... okay. "Christine's Tune" gets things going at a decent pace, the two "Burrito" tracks have decent melodies and chord progressions. None of it is offensive or head-turning... but that's part of the problem, it just doesn't leap out of the speakers. It's also supposedly significant for spurring on 70s country-rock bands like the Eagles... I'm dreading them coming up on here.

I have no words to describe how bad this is. I only have questions about how such an obscure and unsuccessful album can make this list. A generous 1 star.

I expected and hoped for something more ridiculous from “The Flying Burrito Brothers” Instead I got relatively straight forward dusty trail music. Not my cup of tea, but it’s decent. Wheels I think I liked best.

This is more country than rock for me: not my cup of joe. And the band name is just embarrassing. Sorry to be in a bad mood with a headache while listening - if I felt better, I might be a bit more generous with my rating.

Fer fex sake, this is pure country, I don't care what you claim it is. A Hammond or electric guitar is not going to change any of that. It's also not something I have zero interest in.

The sixties were a time of experimentation in music - The Beatles turning from boy band to studio wizards, Jimi Hendrix doing things on the guitar that defied logic etc. And then there is The Flying Burrito Brothers, producing an album of stupidly simple country ditties devoid of any spark of innovation. I hated every twang and slide.

So very good. Great covers along with some stellar originals that live on.

I reaaaaally liked this

bless up

This was a fantastic surprise of an album, from a band I had never heard of before! These guys are not well known, but they're quite good at what they do, which I would say at the time would have been alt-country. This album took country music and infused it with rock, folk rock, gospel, soul, psychedelia, and more. At the time, that was virtually unheard of. Furthermore, I would go as far as to say that this album is extremely influential to music moving forward, due to the time that it came out and the genres it intersected. First, the country side of things. Country was incredibly stagnant during the 60s. Going into the 70s and into the 80s, country music would hugely benefit from a revitalization as the mainstream bands in the genre began to incorporate these same genres and sounds found on this album into their country music. These country artists were no doubt inspired by this album. It's wild to think that The Flying Burrito Brothers, an obscure band that never experienced much commercial success, could change the trajectory of an entire genre for decades to come. And similarly, I can see where rock artists were also likely influenced by the sounds here, as the 1970s gave rise to a large amount of folk rock artists and groups. This album possesses the blueprint for that type of music, as well. Honestly, a lot of alt-country, indie folk, and other musical acts of today have styles that sound similar to this album. They were no doubt ALSO inspired by this album. The unlikely fusion of country with so many other genres birthed a musical revolution. And these fairly unknown gents had the foresight to see that those genres could successfully exist and thrive together during a time when these genres were all existing wildly apart from each other. Probably a 3.5 for me, but I feel justified in bumping it up to a 4 for the creativity and influence shown here.

Thought The Gilded Palace of Sin might be a little more risque than what it ended up being. What it was, was a perfectly average Country Rock album that helped bridge the gap of the old style Country into what we now know country as. Best: Sin City Worst: Do You Know How It Feels 2.5 Stars

I fancy some country-folk stuff but these burritos are far too fatty for my taste. Just boring and I can't figure out why this album is on list 1001 list.

Moronic and simplistic lyrics and boring tunes.

Terribly boring in that it was the same song over and over.

I love the name of this band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and their debut The Gilded Palace of Sin is a pretty incredible album as it was a big influence on rock and country music in the 70’s and beyond. The FBB was formed by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman. Both were former members of The Byrds, another influential band in the same kind of genre, though the Byrds leaned more toward pop music than the FBB. Parsons was more the mastermind of the debut album. He wanted to bring the Bakersfield sound, made famous by country legend Buck Owens, into the psychedelic 60’s. At the time, I imagine when people heard the record, they either loved it or just didn’t quite get it, as it was not a commercial success. For someone today listening to the album, there really isn’t much groundbreaking stuff because you’ve heard the Eagles and other countryfied rock bands, including the outlaw country music of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. I guess the key to the FBB’s sound is the steel guitar playing of Sneaky Pete Kleinow. His playing “provides an almost continuous commentary throughout some of the songs,” according to Wikipedia. Sneaky Pete also supposedly built a fuzz box for his steel guitar and in the song Wheels I couldn’t figure out this sound I was hearing. It sounded like trombones playing one long note and then I thought maybe they found a ship’s horn to put on the song. Turns out it was Sneaky Pete on the steel guitar with the fuzz box. The album is chock full of great country songs that combine folk, rock, psychedelic and gospel music. It’s a great album and I know why it’s included in the 1,001 Records You Must Hear book. It’s both a great musical experience and it’s a historic record that influenced and changed music in the era. This formation of the band broke up after their second album and Gram Parsons got into the rock star life and was dead of a drug overdose right before his 24th birthday. I think just about everyone can enjoy this album, not just musically, but for how you can hear how they influenced others.

When I saw this was another late 60’s folk rock album I was a little disappointed because I didn’t think I was in the mood. However from the start this felt like quite a fun album and I ended up really enjoying. The mix although strange was great and I love high notes on bass and it was super prominent in the mix. Although there were points it felt a little bland I would focus more on the calm instrumental and it would make up for the poorer songwriting. Only other real negative was the ending, great albums need a well written ending and it is a shame this didn’t have that but still didn’t completely kill it. Going to give it a generous 4/5 because it was a great first listen. Stand Out Songs: Christine’s Tunes My Uncle Hot Burrito #1

Exceptional blend of psychedelic and country, with heaping portions of expertly played and often fuzzed out steel guitar.

I'm not usually a fan of country and western, but the Gram Parsons and the Burrito Brothers had a different approach to the genre. While the music has styling of folk and country, they also fused in elements of gospel, soul and rock. The results are heard on this album and were influential to the country-rock genre and alt-country rock bands from the late 80's and 90's. They owe a lot of their influence from this record. Gram Parson proved in his short tragic career that quality over quantity was more important and Gilded Palace is a good starting point when examining Parson's career.

Great fun album. Reminds me of Cake and PUSA that I listened to growing up. Cool tunes and offbeat lyrics.

This has a California drug-fueled country rock vibe.

Seminal...

I had zero expectations for this record and was really pleasantly surprised. I'll come back to this one.

Cool country rock vibes. Best song is the last one Hippie Boy. High 3.5

First time listening - Sort of southwest country rock - hold school. pretty good. However, most of the songs sound similar... with the steel guitar twang and weepy lyrics.

If The Beatles, "Baby's In Black" was a whole album. Everything is played and performed well, just is very slow. Overall, mid album.

Not my thing at all but I can hear it's very well executed and I can see how the different styles meld together very pleasantly. I do like it but from a distance.

Genre: Country Rock 3/5 Gram Parsons, one of the founding members of The Flying Burrito Bros, is the man who is credited with being one of the first artists to truly push the envelope of country music. He, along with band member Chris Hillman, took country music to a much more rockin' place, generally speaking. They never received the commercial success contemoprarily, but posthumously, Parsons is lauded by artists and critics alike. While I thoroughly enjoyed The Byrds album that Parsons was a part of, released just a bit before this album was, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, this album almost plays like you'd expect an old country album to play like. There are some new ideas here, heavier usage of steel guitars being the main and most prominent one, but it sounds too much like its influences rather than sounding like something brand new. Enjoyable, but not groundbreaking or breathtaking.

Pretty gloomy and not a lot of variation. 5/10

meh. I'm an anxious mess today. inoffensive enough.

S ovakvim imenom su morali zvučati potpuno drugačije. Ima goreg countrya.

Just about the same place where I had it when I did my 69 dive at a 9.9.... I really love the overall feel of this album somewhere between Country and psychedelia it's kind of a neat little Oddity that really not many acts mixed it as well as well as they did 9.9 ★★★★½

I love anything Gram related and this is no different. The Rosetta Stone of country rock, there isn’t a missed note on here. Sneaky Pete’s pedal steel through distortion effects sounds like a rocket ship. Gram’s voice is perfect. This record fits the bill of “essential listening”

a great album that becomes fantastic with the almost unassailable run of My Uncle/Wheels/Juanita

Cosmic Americana at its finest.

As Byrds fan this is a well known album for me. Though never really been into the Parsons cult. If you don’t like country old style you’re not gonna like this. Do find it funny that country as one of the founding fathers of rock is so disliked on here. This remains a cult item, while followers the eagles etc became mega stars, but that’s usually the story. 5 Star

W/ a name like The Flying Burrito Bros, you'd think you get farce or parody. W/ an album called The Gilded Palace Of Sin, you may think you'd get prog or intellectual snobbery. But what you get is country - I mean the straight-up version, the simple, haunting, and necessary foundation. Gram Parsons is a hell of a singer, and tho he's no Aretha or James Carr, his renditions of 'Do Right Woman' and 'Dark End of the Street' are soulful and profound. 'My Uncle' is an essential political track, rivaling CCR for how much punch they pack: ''Cause they don't need the kind of law and order / That tends to keep a good man underground.' They're everything The Eagles are not, and even if they never released a comparable product, this is superb enuf.

Everything about this album is perfect, from the nudie suits they’re wearing to the cover of Do Right Woman. To me, this is what real Country should sound like, or as Gram Parsons called it “Cosmic American Music”. Just beautiful stuff.

Liked it

Legendary. One of the great albums.

A classic album, one of the first groups in a then-new genre combining classic country with psychedelic rock. Filled with great songs and Sneaky Pete doing his thing on pedal steel.

Yes, this is it! Hippies playing Country! What could go right? Who would listen to these freaks and their fucked up lyrics? Nothing like stumbling into a new genre. They may not have been the best, but they were the first. God Bless The Flying Burrito Brothers!

This was just charming from start to finish. Seeing the release year (69) and that the band members were ex-Byrds, I feared the worst but found it extremely listenable!

Lovely but never served revolutionary to me.

The late '60s were a big time for country music. I don't think any bad albums in this genre were released during that era. This album is as easy listening as pizza is easy eating. You know the flavor, but you never get tired of it. 5 stars.

Burrito music

Besides the attention grabbing moniker, the flying burrito brothers manages to pull the listener into a captivating world where country ballads are interrupted by guitar solos and banging keys. The Prometheus of country rock and full of catchy tunes, counter culture, and memorable tales. Everything one could want from a country album and more!

Цей гурт утворився, коли Кріс Гіллман і Грем Парсонс покинули The Byrds і вирішили зробити щось «ближче до землі». У результаті вийшов альбом, який фактично започаткував новий на той час жанр кантрі-року. На той момент між жанрами була величезна прірва, тому альбом, на жаль, провалився, та лише згодом отримав заслужене визнання як новаторська робота, зі звучання якої пізніше виростуть Eagles. Чи слухається він зараз добре? На диво так. Його тонкі та теплі гітарні мелодії підсилюють емоційне забарвлення нешвільського звучання, а тендітний вокал Парсонса, знову ж таки з притаманною кантрі інтонацією, розповідає про розбите серце з особливою чутливістю. Часом тут навіть виринають протяжні й розлогі психоделічні мелодії, що доповнюють звичну душевність якоюсь «космічною гармонією». Раніше мені не доводилося слухати цей альбом, але під час цієї серії я відкрив його для себе вперше — і це неймовірно приємно. Обожнюю знаходити нові для себе класичні речі, через які починаєш ще глибше розуміти історію музики.

I've already expressed my love for Gram Parsons in previous reviews. This album in particular is where I was first introduced. Easy 5 / 5 from the gate as this one has infinite replayability IMO. Mixed beautifully, this album stands on the quality of the writing, layered harmonies, and sad warmth of the guitars. I love everything here, but the ones that stand out in particular are Sin City (love how Parson's vocals are both in lead and delayed harmony split over the monitors), My Uncle (wonderfully upbeat draft dodging song), Hot Burrito #1 (love everything here...), and Christine's Tune (wonderful, well-written opener blending country with rock impulses).

I absolutely loved this album. It was totally unexpected. I was a fan of the alt-country movement and this was certainly an influence on those artists.

How have I never listened to this before

Very unexpected. The band's name, the album art, the themes, the sound, lots of interesting layers here that made me want to keep replaying the album. On the surface it can sound like just another folksy late 60s hippy country band. But lol wait are there many late 60s hippy country bands? That effect kept happening where my mind would glaze over but then they'd talk about "the lords burning rain" or there'd be a trippy guitar solo and it'd throw me for a loop. Love songs? Gospel? Hot burritos? Haha I love it. Also, an extra unexpected layer that not only was Gram Parsons so young but he died not long after this album. Ugh! 🙏

Even if it's snot my taste, I must admit the mastery and influence that so clearly seeped through into so many genres

I like "Do right woman", "my uncle", and "hot burrito #1". I really like this album as a whole, it's fun to listen to and makes me feel like driving out west.

Have on vinyl: Yes Fav Song: Hot Burritos Notes: I love Gram Parsons. Was at 4.5 stars but rounding up. Big time influence on the 70's soft/country rock scene.

Part of the soundtrack of my time in the Oregon Cascades, shirking authorities and listening to the silence (occasionally interrupted by the jake breaks of the logging trucks).

There is a lived in vitality to this record. It feels like what it's about. The imperfections seem like the point. An album that gets better with time. At first all you hear is the weird studio frippery - the strange quasi psychedelic sonics (ala "sneaky" Pete's fuzzbox pedal steel) and overly panned vocals. But slowly the dust clears to reveal the dirt from whence it came. And you just feel it. This album feels unfinished - allowing for room to grow with that passage of years. This album has engaged and bewitched me for three decades. Listening tonight I was reminded of how confounding this was upon first listen and amazed at how engaging it remains today. I am just happy to be able to let these captured moments in.

All fun - love Hippie Boy

Portada magistral e icónica, con Gram Parsons luciendo el traje de Elvis. ¿Qué aporta este debut que no tenga The sweetheart of the rodeo? Sin ir más lejos, la voz de Parsons que fue borrada de aquel fabuloso álbum. También están Hillman codo a codo con Parsons y Crosby en los coros (Dark end of the street). Además imponentes temas como la inicial Christine´s tune, o las eternas Hot Burrito#1, Sin city y la magistral versión soul-country de Do right woman (que siguen la racha de inspiración del disco compuesto con los Byrds). Otra versión absolutamente sensacional es la de James Carr de Dark end of the street (Black Francis, aka Frank Black, bien lo sabe). Imprescindible. Dylan, Stones, Byrds, cualquier banda decente y las de medio pelo, cualquiera se ha visto influenciada por este disco. La carrera de Parsons seguiría, después de Burrito Deluxe, con los también exquisitos G.P (72) y Grievous Angel (73), antes de una muerte digna de película.

Love these weird dudes

Thoughts before listening: Gram Parsons led group playing a combo of country and stoner rock...or something like that. The actual sound may be pure country that just happens to be played by hippies. Anyway, I feel like this band was important to a lot of the alt-country music I enjoy. Review: Man I love this sound. This is right up my alley, and I'm surprised that I haven't actually listened before (I do recognize a few songs). The opener "Christine's Tune" is a perfect blueprint for their sound: it's a country song played at a rock n roll pace with distorted guitars leads sprinkled in throughout. They then follow this up with a full country ballad with little rock influence...and it's also great. Overall this is a strong album that influenced a ton of much more popular 70s albums, as well as countless bands sense. 5-stars

Gram Parsons is the man

I'm super excited for this one. I have a feeling it will be one of my favorite records I've had the opportunity to review yet. Not only is this kind of alt-country/Laurel Canyon usually my favorite genre of music, but I've been meaning to listen to this for a long time. By the second song, something occurred to me. It's clear that these dudes know their country music shit. It's a level of musical understanding that I consider to be impressive, especially when you think that Gram Parsons was 25 years old. I'm glad that I listened to this one twice, both on speakers and then on my nice headphones so I had the opportunity to hear the mono recordings separated. The two vocalists that are present through the whole record, sound great individually as well as in stereo. I wish I could interview the members of this band to learn about their musical education. Maybe it's just that I'm over 30, but I feel like the Flying Burrito Brothers are quite precocious. The cover of "Do Right Woman" almost made me cry it was so good. I especially love the harmonizing during the chorus. Hot Burrito #1, wow. I love a good sort of sad love song. Going into Hot Burrito #2, it really sounds like the follow up conversation to Hot Burrito #1. I wonder if they intended that...I mean with the names and everything I think so? Even the next song seems like the next step in this love affair that he's sad has ended. Interesting, that wasn't something I noticed as much on first listen. The final track reminds me a lot of church, when a pastor is giving the sermon over music. Is it music? Is it sermon? It's both! ha. The organ here is gorgeous. Congrats to the Flying Burrito Brothers, they've given me my first 5/5 thus far.

I'm ashamed to say that I've never heard of The Flying Burrito Brothers before today. I'm proud to say that this album is getting added to my saved albums today, though. The instrumentation on this album just makes me really happy, specifically the prominence of the steel guitar. The vocal arrangements are beautiful and masterful. The album does put its best foot forward, but even the last couple songs are still really good (the second to last song still ended up on my list of favorites below, but the ones before that were also not as strong as the start). Favorite Song(s): Christine's Tune, Do Right Woman, Do You Know How It Feels

I was not expecting this to be such an easy and obvious 5 star album. Feel like I have been blowing it not checking out this band and Gram Parsons more specifically up until now.

I really enjoyed this album, and I can see myself revisiting it often in the future. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-the-gilded-palace-of?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

One of my favorite albums, even if it may have helped to spawn the Eagles.

Great album! Hippie country rock. Similar to Grateful Dead. Best songs: Christine's Tune Sin City Do Right Woman My Uncle Hot Burrito #1 Hippie Boy

Not much to say besides it just being some damn good country. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5, and I refuse to be shamed for it. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again; I’m a sucker for old country music like this. I’m also fully biased, and I’ll admit that every single time. I feel justified in bumping this up to a 5 though – I thought this was a really well done blend of country music with a bit of rock/psychedelic rock-driven influence that blended the best of both worlds, while still feeling distinctly like a country album. It sticks pretty closely to the country side, and I suspect that’s why this album has such a low average rating on the site, but when this album chooses to let loose (especially so on “Hot Burrito #2”) and lean into the rock side, it really opens up. That’s not to say the country side of this is bad at all – the lovely sound of the steel guitar behind some more rock-driven instrumentation is like, almost heaven for me. Lyrically, I can see the complaint that some of this is rather basic, but like… what country music isn’t basic at a pure surface level? It’s about the imagery, and this album does a pretty solid job of setting the imagery throughout, enhanced further by the despair in the vocals (which thankfully, get less nasally as the album moves along). I thought every instrumental did a pretty good job of setting an emotional tone as well, even if it did enter a sort of homogeny on a few tracks. I don’t know how many more times I’ll have to justify giving old country music such high ratings, but for my money’s worth, this album earned it – I thought it had a nice energy, some good variance in the subject matter, and the soundscapes are right down my alley. I can totally understand someone else giving this a 3, or even a 2 if they despise country music to hell… but I’m at a 5, and I do not care. Send all complaints to the people who raised me on this type of music.

Great songs. Great sound. Country as a serious, grown-up musical genre; sans rhinestones and cowboy hats. Nothing wrong with a bit of dress up now and then and authenticity and seriousness are often overrated but this album takes the country vibe and instrumentarium and makes something timeless out of it.

had no expectations going into this and ended up really loving it! country psych rock. one of my favorites so far.

Very nice.

I love burritos. I wish I could fly. And I love my brother. This album is great! Gram Parsons might be my (grievous) guardian angel. The Byrds and his solo stuff, all of it, yeah, amazing. I love hippie music, I love country music, so this just hits. The opening of Hot Burrito #1 still gets me every time I hear it. And I didn't even get to the nudie suits from the album cover. Scott Pilgrim must love this album! (I need to re-listen to the Bandsplain on Gram Parsons. I remember driving back from a hike in Arkansas, and it was getting icy and late, late at night. It's just one of those memories that sticks with me, and these songs bring me back to that weekend.)

Never heard it before and was very surprised to find something I should've known about already

Another unknown group.

and suddenly my ears perk up for country rock 10/10

I loved this album. Countercultural classic country had me smiling the whole way through.

Very enjoyable from start to finish!

Superb songwriting Twangy soothing melodies Lovely country rock

Awesome album. This is one I’ve loved for a while now. I grew up hearing a lot of Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers, so I definitely have a soft spot and early education. This is bedrock for country rock. Parsons vocals are unique and emotive. The songs are classics. The Nudie suits are classic. *****

Sounds good to me

Amazing. Somehow like the Dead, but better. Love these guys.

Is it a five for gram parsons tortured songs/singing? The harmonies? "Sneeky" Pete's nickname and pedal steel? the barbituate/cannabis nudie suit? The sawtooth organ that swells at just the right moment? Possibly the definitive "dark end" take (memphis shit!)? Wheels? You'll never know. Not afraid to ride or die, but 31st floor notwithstanding, your gold plated door won't keep out the Lords burning rain!

I liked it a lot actually, listened to the whole thing a couple times

Early country rock album by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman. They also worked together at The Byrds (Sweetheart of the Rodeo). Most of the songs are classics. Nice pedal-steel guitar by "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow.

Why have I neglected this record for so long?

Not something id usually listen to but very thought provoking

Love me some Gram Parsons. A very nice slice of old fashioned country music with a bit of soul and rock mixed in for good measure. The only thing that would make it better is adding Emmylou Harris to the mix.

Coincidentally, the past few month, I’ve started dipping my toes in Gram Parson’s tragically smaller-than-it-should-be discography. I hadn’t listened to this one yet. I loved it. I used to hear about The Flying Burrito Brothers and I think the name made me feel like they were a novelty country group more akin to Homer and Jethro. No shade on Homer and Jethro, as I have a particular fondness of especially Jethro from his association with Steve Goodman. But it prevented me from checking out the Burrito Bros. A shame, as I’ve been learning how good they were.

I just love this album, a perfect meld of rock and country that stays true to each genre but yet creates something entirely new. This album really showcases the genius of Gram Parsons.

cool

this album really surprised me and blew me away. it’s a masterpiece.

I really love this even tho it just kinda sounds exactly like The Byrds country era - 9/10

A touchstone of country rock. Having already created one classic with The Byrds, Parsons defined a sound with this album. Gritty and lo fi and perfect in every way.