The Byrds Albums (12)
'Live at the Fillmore West February 1969'
Release Date 2/22/2000
Tracks 16
Label Columbia/Legacy
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Recorded by Columbia engineers in February 1969, this is an early show by the first Byrds lineup to feature only one original member: founding member Roger McGuinn and Clarence White on guitars, John York on bass, and Gene Parsons on drums. Despite the recent departures of Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons for the Flying Burrito Brothers, the sound and repertoire are still very much in the Byrds' country-rock phase, many of the 16 tracks coming from the Sweetheart of the Rodeo and Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde albums. The big mid-'60s hits are revisited in a medley, and a few other songs first recorded in the pre-White days -- "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" and "Chimes of Freedom" among them -- also show up. There are also covers of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens tunes that would not show up on Byrds albums. It's a pleasant but not outstanding set, probably of most interest to those who enjoy White's guitar playing. He and McGuinn work pretty well together here, but the timing of the band as a whole is sometimes tenuous, and the vocal harmonies are not as full as those of other Byrds configurations. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One thing the Byrds had in common with most of their fans was that they weren't especially happy with the absurd overproduction that had been inflicted upon Byrdmaniax in their absence. As a response, the group quickly cut Farther Along in 1971, producing the sessions themselves and getting the album into stores a mere six months after its predecessor. It's certainly a significant improvement, but something short of a triumphant return; the band sounds a bit tired in spots, as if they were starting to run out of gas -- which quickly proved to be the case as the Byrds split up a few months after the album's release. However, Roger McGuinn and Clarence White were nothing if not professionals, and if Farther Along doesn't always sound inspired, it's never less than well-played, really connecting when the group can get their enthusiasm up; the tough rockin' "Tiffany Queen" and the pensive "Bugler" are the late-period Byrds at the top of their game, and "Bristol Steam Convention Blues" features some superb bluegrass picking from White. This is hardly the rousing conclusion the the Byrds' story that some fans might have hoped for, but it's a strong and well-crafted set from a band that inarguably gave it their all right up to the finish line. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As legend has it, the Byrds wrapped up the basic tracks for Byrdmaniax in early 1971 and then hit the road for a concert tour, leaving producers Terry Melcher and Chris Hinshaw to polish the final mix. Melcher and Hinshaw then proceeded to add copious overdubs to what the group had set down, drowning the songs in a swampy morass of keyboards, horns, strings, and massed background singers in the misguided hope of making the album sound more "commercial" (even Clarence White's superb lead guitar often gets lost in the murk). The shame of it is that the aural gingerbread managed to spoil what might have been one of the Byrds' better albums; it's hard to imagine what Skip Battin's goofy "Citizen Kane" or Roger McGuinn's witty "I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician" were intended to sound like originally, but "I Trust" and "Kathleen's Song" are lovely if you can listen past the overproduction, and "Green Apple Quick Step" gives White and Gene Parsons plenty of room to show off their old-time country chops. Not an awful album, but Byrdmaniax is hardly the pleasure it could have been in the hands of a more tasteful production team. [The 1999 CD reissue adds three bonus tracks, including an un-overdubbed alternate take of "Pale Blue" that indicates how the album was originally intended to sound.] ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
No album by the Byrds -- at least, among those that weren't originally regarded as well-nigh perfect -- has risen more in some reviewers' estimation in the time since its release than Untitled. True, it always had a following -- and among the later (i.e., post-1968) Byrds albums, it was always the one to own, even if you weren't a huge fan. A double LP issued with two discs for the price of one, Untitled was one of the rare modest commercial successes for the latter-day group, which was understandable, as its 69 minutes of music held a great deal of allure, but the album's sales success was also a result of all of the talent there was in the latter-day group, as well as most of the circumstances surrounding its creation all lining up, for once, in the same direction. The first of the two LPs was a live recording from Queens College's Colden Center, from a February 1970 concert, and it was also somewhat contentious at the time. Some longtime fans -- remembering the fine harmony singing and the carefully articulated playing of the original five-man lineup from the mid-'60s -- didn't care for the approach taken by the 1970-vintage version of the band. It was only in the last decade of the 20th century, many years distant from any version of the band, that some came to accept this recording on its own terms. But then the whole album came into proper focus -- the live rendition of "Eight Miles High," which takes up a full side by itself, is the high point of the whole release, a 15-minute jam that showcases this band's prowess, which extended far beyond Roger McGuinn and Clarence White's playing; the original quintet may have sung better, but could never have done with any part of its repertory what this lineup (McGuinn, White, Gene Parsons, Skip Battin) did on-stage, as captured here. What's more, the rest of that live set isn't to be slighted -- just when it seemed like one couldn't breathe life into "Mr. Spaceman," "Mr. Tambourine Man," or "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star," Clarence White and company do just that, with the added attraction of a first-rate Dylan cover ("Positively 4th Street") plus a new, better than first-rate Roger McGuinn song, "Lover of the Bayou." The latter was a remnant of the musical that McGuinn had been working on with Jacques Levy, a rock adaptation of Peer Gynt to have been entitled Gene Tryp. Other parts of that busted musical highlight the studio platter on Untitled: "Chestnut Mare," "All the Things," and "Just a Season," all of which were among the finest songs the Byrds ever recorded, and some of their best recordings ever. After a couple of false starts on the two prior albums, this lineup solidified to the point where the influence of new members Gene Parsons and Skip Battin was manifest, along with Clarence White's distinctive guitar playing, and the result was that the familiar timbre of Roger McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker is pushed somewhat aside, in favor of a leaner country-rock orientation; this includes a lot more acoustic guitar on the studio sides, as well as mandolin in at least one place. On some of this material (especially the Parsons-Battin "Yesterday's Train" and Battin's "Well Come Back Home"), they sound more like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and on Leadbelly's "Take a Whiff," the mandolin is the lead instrument. Sad to say, amid all of this diversity of sounds -- and lovers of stringed instruments should adore this album -- the only song on the album to get heard was McGuinn's "Chestnut Mare" (which was a Top 20 single), but "Truck Stop Girl," "All the Things," "Take a Whiff," and, especially, "Just a Season" (maybe the prettiest song McGuinn has ever written) also hold up very well. Indeed, listening to this album nearly 40 years later, it now seems as though this is the place where the latter-day version of the group finally justified itself as something more important than just a continuation of the mid-'60s band. There are still some spots that are weaker than others -- Skip Battin's "Hungry Planet," very much an acquired taste, being a case in point -- but between the musicianship and the vast number of peaks achieved among the individual songs, Untitled now seems much more like a pinnacle for the Byrds, and also for the brand of folk-rock and country-rock that they spearheaded. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde'
Release Date 1/1/1969
Tracks 15
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons, and Kevin Kelley all left the Byrds in wake of the release of Sweetheart of the Rodeo, leaving Roger McGuinn to assemble a new band from scratch. Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde, the first album with McGuinn as unquestioned leader (and sole founding member), was an interesting but uneven set that saw him attempting to bring together the psych-tinged rock of the group's early period with the pure country that Parsons had brought to Sweetheart. The new lineup on this album was as strong as any the band would ever have, with guitarist Clarence White sounding revelatory whenever he opens up, and Gene Parsons and John York comprising a strong and sympathetic rhythm section. But while everyone on board was a great musician, they don't always sound like a band just yet, and the strain to come up with new material seems to have let them down; McGuinn contributes a few strong originals (especially "King Apathy III" and "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man," the latter written with Parsons before his departure from the group), but the two songs he penned for the movie Candy are just short of disastrous, and the closing medley of "My Back Pages" and "Baby What You Want Me to Do" sounds like padding. Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde proved there was still life left in the Byrds, but also suggested that they hadn't gotten back to full speed yet. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Ballad of Easy Rider'
Release Date 1/1/1969
Tracks 29
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
If Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde found Roger McGuinn having to re-create the Byrds after massive personnel turnovers (and not having an easy time of it), Ballad of Easy Rider was the album where the new lineup really hit its stride. Gracefully moving back and forth between serene folk-rock (the title cut, still one of McGuinn's most beautiful melodies), sure-footed rock & roll ("Jesus Is Just All Right"), heartfelt country-rock ("Oil In My Lamp" and "Tulsa County"), and even a dash of R&B (the unexpectedly funky "Fido," which even features a percussion solo), Ballad of Easy Rider sounds confident and committed where Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde often seemed tentative. The band sounds tight, self-assured, and fully in touch with the music's emotional palette, and Clarence White's guitar work is truly a pleasure to hear (if Roger McGuinn's fabled 12-string work seems to take a back seat to White's superb string bends, it is doubtful that any but the most fanatical fans would think to object). While not generally regarded as one of the group's major works, in retrospect this release stands alongside Untitled as the finest work of the Byrds' final period. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'The Notorious Byrd Brothers'
Release Date 1/3/1968
Tracks 28
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The recording sessions for the Byrds' fifth album, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, were conducted in the midst of internal turmoil that found them reduced to a duo by the time the record was completed. That wasn't evident from listening to the results, which showed the group continuing to expand the parameters of their eclecticism while retaining their hallmark guitar jangle and harmonies. With assistance from producer Gary Usher, they took more chances in the studio, enhancing the spacy quality of tracks like "Natural Harmony" and Goffin & King's "Wasn't Born to Follow" with electronic phasing. Washes of Moog synthesizer formed the eerie backdrop for "Space Odyssey," and the songs were craftily and unobtrusively linked with segues and fades. But the Byrds did not bury the essential strengths of their tunes in effects: "Goin' Back" (also written by Goffin & King) was a magnificent and melodic cover with the expected tasteful 12-string guitar runs that should have been a big hit. "Tribal Gathering" has some of the band's most effervescent harmonies; "Draft Morning" is a subtle and effective reflection of the horrors of the Vietnam War; and "Old John Robertson" looks forward to the country-rock that would soon dominate their repertoire. [The CD reissue adds six bonus tracks, including different versions of "Goin' Back" and "Draft Morning," a few instrumentals, and David Crosby's controversial "Triad"; unlisted on the sleeve is a rehearsal outtake which captures comically vitriolic arguments among the band.] ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'Sweetheart of the Rodeo'
Release Date 1/1/1968
Tracks 19
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo was not the first important country-rock album (Gram Parsons managed that feat with the International Submarine Band's debut Safe at Home), and the Byrds were hardly strangers to country music, dipping their toes in the twangy stuff as early as their second album. But no major band had gone so deep into the sound and feeling of classic country (without parody or condescension) as the Byrds did on Sweetheart; at a time when most rock fans viewed country as a musical "L'il Abner" routine, the Byrds dared to declare that C&W could be hip, cool, and heartfelt. Though Gram Parsons had joined the band as a pianist and lead guitarist, his deep love of C&W soon took hold, and Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman followed his lead; significantly, the only two original songs on the album were both written by Parsons (the achingly beautiful "Hickory Wind" and "One Hundred Years from Now"), while on the rest of the set classic tunes by Merle Haggard, the Louvin Brothers, and Woody Guthrie were sandwiched between a pair of twanged-up Bob Dylan compositions. While many cite this as more of a Gram Parsons album than a Byrds set, given the strong country influence of McGuinn's and Hillman's later work, it's obvious Parsons didn't impose a style upon this band so much as he tapped into a sound that was already there, waiting to be released. If the Byrds didn't do country-rock first, they did it brilliantly, and few albums in the style are as beautiful and emotionally affecting as this. [Columbia's 1997 CD reissue of the album improves on the masterpiece by adding eight strong bonus tracks, including four cuts with Gram Parsons singing lead trimmed from the original release for legal reasons.] ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Younger Than Yesterday'
Release Date 1/1/1967
Tracks 28
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Younger Than Yesterday was somewhat overlooked at the time of its release during an intensely competitive era that found the Byrds on a commercial downslide. However, time has shown it to be the most durable of the Byrds' albums, with the exception of Mr. Tambourine Man. David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, and especially Chris Hillman come into their own as songwriters on an eclectic but focused set blending folk-rock, psychedelia, and early country-rock. The sardonic "So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star" was a terrific single; "My Back Pages," also a small hit, was the last of their classic Dylan covers; "Thoughts and Words," the flower-power anthem "Renaissance Fair," "Have You Seen Her Face," and the bluegrass-tinged "Time Between" are all among their best songs. The jazzy "Everybody's Been Burned" may be Crosby's best composition, although his "Mind Gardens" is one of his most excessive. [The CD reissue has six bonus tracks, including the fine Crosby-penned single "Lady Friend," and notably different alternate versions of "Mind Gardens" and "My Back Pages."] ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although the Byrds' Fifth Dimension was wildly uneven, its high points were as innovative as any rock music being recorded in 1966. Immaculate folk-rock was still present in their superb arrangements of the traditional songs "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley." For the originals, they devised some of the first and best psychedelic rock, often drawing from the influence of Indian raga in the guitar arrangements. "Eight Miles High," with its astral lyrics, pumping bassline, and fractured guitar solo, was a Top 20 hit, and one of the greatest singles of the '60s. The minor hit title track and the country-rock-tinged "Mr. Spaceman" are among their best songs; "I See You" has great 12-string psychedelic guitar solos; and "I Come and Stand at Every Door" is an unusual and moving update of a traditional rock tune, with new lyrics pleading for peace in the nuclear age. At the same time, the R&B instrumental "Captain Soul" was a throwaway, "Hey Joe" not nearly as good as the versions by the Leaves or Jimi Hendrix, and "What's Happening?!?!" the earliest example of David Crosby's disagreeably vapid hippie ethos. These weak spots keep Fifth Dimension from attaining truly classic status. [The CD reissue has six notable bonus tracks, including the single version of the early psychedelic cut "Why" (the B-side to "Eight Miles High"), a significantly different alternate take of "Eight Miles High," "I Know My Rider" (with some fine Roger McGuinn 12-string workouts), and a much jazzier, faster instrumental version of "John Riley."] ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
