After the demise of the Flying Burrito Brothers, a new edition was formed in 1975 with original members Sneaky Pete Kleinow on pedal steel guitar and Chris Ethridge on bass, along with Cajun fiddler Gib Guilbeau, drummer and string player Gene Parsons (formerly of the Byrds), and guitarist Joel Scott Hill as the primary lead vocalist. The group was unstable from the start, with Ethridge departing after the first LP and another ex-Byrd, Skip Battin, replacing him. Compared to the earlier groups that recorded under the same name featuring Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman, and later, Rick Roberts, this reincarnation never seemed to find a focus, relying on too many lackluster originals composed by the group and uninspired covers of others' works. Guilbeau and Parsons also get their opportunities to sing lead, though no one is particularly impressive. A couple of curiosities include an almost-reggae-like take of John Prine's "Quiet Man" and a guest appearance by Stevie Wonder on his "She's a Sailor." [Airborne and Flying Again were reissued together on a single disc in late 2006.]~ Ken Dryden
