Mr. Tambourine Man

One of the first attempts at opposing the British invasion frankly sounds like shit. But that's probably just because no-one knew how to mix and master this type of music in 1965. The vocal harmonies and solid song choices more than makes up for it, especially the original 'It's No Use' and the cover of Dylan's always excellent 'Chimes of Freedom'.

Does an album require more than Dylan covers and great vocal harmonies to be really good? Apparently not.

Actually really enjoyed this. When I saw the album, I did get them confused with the Yardbirds but quickly realised they were a different band. This album sounded great and you can really their influence from the Beatles. Some of the guitar work would’ve fit right in on Beatles for Sale or Rubber Soul. Overall a very enjoyable album!

I’m going to be generous and throw out a 4 here. I like their version of Mr Tambourine Man, and some of the others were pretty good as well. Simpsons: Yes

That Rickenbacker sound is so iconic and really enjoyed the US take on the British Invasion. I really never sat down and listened to this album in its entirety which is one of the reasons I started on the 1001 album adventure.

4.3/5

Favourite song - She has a way

It was good, very 60’s. I prefer the Beatles, though.

cool sound; beatles lite

We have The Beatles at home

Solid Folk Rock. Standout songs: Ill feel a whole lot better All I really want to do We'll meet again

Mr. Tambourine Man is the debut studio album by the Byrds, originally released in 1965. The Byrds are so legendary. That signature 12-string sound just hits different. This is their debut record, and while not as strong as their other releases, it's pretty damn good. You can definitely hear the seeds of Psychedelic rock being planted. This is also one of the albums that basically invented folk rock. I do think they relied a bit too much on Dylan covers on this record, which brings the score back a little bit. They were perfectly capable of making original hits. See "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better", one of my favorite 60s pop tracks.

December 17, 2024 saving the jangliest for last, it's Byrds no. 5 (...no. 5) “Feel a Whole Lot Better” is one of my favourite songs from the 60’s So they CAN release consistently great albums! Very much stays in its lane, though as I already know from Notorious Byrd Brothers and Younger Than Yesterday, they pretty quickly find ways to expand on the formula. Speaking on that latter album, I was kinda dismissive of it but it might be my favourite Byrds now lol

Well, here we are! “Mr. Tambourine Man” by The Byrds is the album that had a significant influence on the evolution of folk rock and what we now call jangle pop. It’s fascinating that a simple ’60s pop song, where a dude does a “jingle ma jig” type thing on his guitar and adds some straightforward, catchy lyrics about a jingle and a jangle, can go on to create a whole new genre of music. This album paved the path for timeless bands like R.E.M., The Smiths, The Go-Betweens, The Chills, The Church, Teenage Fanclub, and many others. Initially, I would give the album a 3.5, but considering its cultural impact and the legacy it left for years to come, I’ll round it up to a 4. Overall, the album is fun, lighthearted, and easy to listen to. It’s definitely worth a spin for any true fan of music. Its influence on future generations of musicians cannot be overstated.

Amazing Folk Rock Roots.

It's like Beatles Rubber Soul era

Fun folksy rock and roll. Recognized a few of the songs. Worth a listen or two.

Favorite Track: Mr. Tambourine Man

While Roger McGuinn's jangly guitar is clearly a defining feature of the Byrds, their harmonies are on another level. The first two tracks are magic (I might even suggest "Mr. Tamborine Man" rivals "Watchtower" as the most compelling cover of a Dylan tune). I felt the material fell off a bit from the opening, but the sound and import of the album never wavers, and for that it gets the 4 stars. I'm a little put off that there are five Byrds albums on the 1001 list, that seems excessive, but as a chronicle of the band's debut, this is a welcome inclusion.

Psychedelia that’s sweet and harmonic. Always adored this album

After Bob Dylan blurred the lines between folk and rock, the Byrds walked into the space created and defined "folk rock." Appropriate that their first single, and first album's title, was a Dylan cover. The band's other popular single on the album, "All I really Want to Do," is another Dylan cover. The Byrds distinct 12-string guitar leads and layered harmonies made folk rock into a dominant part of pop music of the mid to late 60's. These songs sound of the 60's "hippie counterculture," and all of the diverse music the band has inspired in the decades that followed.

I knew a lot of these songs and both the ones I knew and the others were great. That jangly guitar is so classic to my ears and I love their vocal harmonies. Really groovy 60's vibe to the whole thing and lots of fun to listen to, but only really palatable in small doses for me (i.e. I only listened to the album once through and then was happy to hear something else). Four stars.

This isn't my taste, as a generally don't like folk, it's a little too "pretty" for me. That said, this album is chock full of classics, and it's a lot easier to listen to these guys play these songs than it is to listen to Bob Dylan singing them.

Classic harmonies and guitar sound.

80% Best: Mr. Tambourine Man; I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better; All I Really Want to Do; Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe; Chimes of Freedom Must-Hear? Not quite. It's a solid record and I get why it was so influential, but listen to what it inspired instead.

Thought about 5 but actually a very solid 4 I reckon. Still hearing the influence of some stuff on hear in the 2010s Best track - Bells Of Rhymney

Beatles wannabe

Love the harmonies. Already in my library.

Can hear so many bands who followed in this. From Springsteen to Petty to Wilco to others.

I've gotten a surprising amount of Byrds through this list. I guess it makes sense, with their membership through the years and the fact that Dylan wrote quite a few songs for this record. I find myself enjoying it, with all its bubblegum psych-pop. I can usually pick out the Dylan-written tracks, and find myself enjoying those more. It's a relaxing, unchallenging album, nothing wrong with that. Favorite tracks: "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better", "Chimes Of Freedom", "All I Really Wanna Do"

Dig it Man! Folk Rock.

Mr. Tambourine Man I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better All I Really Want to Do Chimes of Freedom

Good but very 60s. Not timeless.

Great Tunes.

Nice for the evening

Lots of The Byrds these past few weeks. This is the best of them IMO, and the album I think defines them.

Apparently I quite like the Byrds as majority of albums from me have got a 4 (one got a 1 which was sweetheart if the rodeo). It continues, this is catchy and an enjoyable listen...do we need 5 Byrds albums... probably not, but they've been spaced far enough appart that I've not got completely sick of them...yet

ok

Just squeaks into 4 stars or B- for me. Good album but I have never been a big fan of the Byrds and this didn't change that.

many short songs. chill. beatles-esque

Mr tambourine man I’ll feel a whole lot better Spanish harlem incident

The Byrds are the sound of the 60s. This record shows the transition rock music was going through at the time and became what so many other bands in the 60s did.

Folkier Beatles - very enjoyable.

Very good Byrds album, contains a fair share of classic songs, but perhaps a little too inconsistent for the full five stars (as opposite to some of their later albums which are even better).

High quality songs performed with nice harmonies and guitar playing.

Mr. Tambourine Man I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better Spanish Harlem Incident All I Really Want To Do Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe Chimes Of Freedom We'll Meet Again

8/10 Sólido, sonido muy sesentoso, lindos coros y buena mezcla. Arranca con dos temazos que destacan. Mejor tema: I'll feel a whole lot better

Mr. Tambourine Man mi pare quella più debole rispetto alle altre. Ma sono tutte cover? Ma che senso ha? No, ok, quelle migliori sono le originali e non le cover di Bob Dylan. Anche "it's no use" ad esempio, pazzesco come siano quelle meno considerate.

A Classic of the folk aesthetic of the era. Not flashy, but well crafted and well executed songs.

Excellent album

Well, here we are! “Mr. Tambourine Man” by The Byrds is the album that had a significant influence on the evolution of folk rock and what we now call jangle pop. It’s fascinating that a simple ’60s pop song, where a dude does a “jingle ma jig” type thing on his guitar and adds some straightforward, catchy lyrics about a jingle and a jangle, can go on to create a whole new genre of music. This album paved the path for timeless bands like R.E.M., The Smiths, The Go-Betweens, The Chills, The Church, Teenage Fanclub, and many others. Initially, I would give the album a 3.5, but considering its cultural impact and the legacy it left for years to come, I’ll round it up to a 4. Overall, the album is fun, lighthearted, and easy to listen to. It’s definitely worth a spin for any true fan of music. Its influence on future generations of musicians cannot be overstated.

It's the sound of the 60s - I find it somewhat soothing.

Classic, mellow, warming music

Haven't heard this for years, seem to remember buying a Byrds box set. Enjoyed this more than I expected, high quality jangle pop

Lekker hoor, weer zo'n klassiek "The .... " band Kende alleen "Mr. Tambourine man" zelf, rest van het album ook lekker

You can't beat the harmonies and crisp guitar rhythms that make The Byrds so recognizable. I mean The Byrds is the only reason I know what a 12-string Rickenbacker is. It is hard to deny the influence the Byrds had on rock music. Not to mention the talent that came out of this band (David Crosby)! the only knock on this is that it's a cover album essentially. But a good one, and one where the songs selected almost all become their own and in some cases, I think people probably think they are Byrds originals! We'll Meet Again is the ultimate closing track. Gives me chills. This is easy listening folk rock, and if not for The Byrds, would CSNY be what it became? Probably? Either way, this is certainly essential listening in the pantheon of important modern musical art.

The reasons why Oh, I can't say I have to let you go, baby And run away After what you did I can't stay on And I'll probably feel a whole lot better when you're gone Baby, for a long time You had me believe That your love was all mine And that's the way it would be But I didn't know That you were putting me on And I'll probably feel a whole lot better when you're gone Oh, when you're gone 4/5

I dislike that I really like this album, because it is the album that launched a thousand ships full of jangle pop, Pitchfork-core, pretentious indie bands, and we are still suffering the consequences 50+ years later. But Mr. Tambourine Man is just so happy melodically yet so melancholic lyrically, and I’m a sucker for both of those things. This album is a sweet spot between everything I love in music and everything I hate. Also, I’m a sucker for a fisheye lens, so there’s that.

I respect the byrds and I’m sure a lot of the music I like was influenced by them, but I’ve never fully gotten on board. The jangles start to sound too similar to me after a while. Still, it’s a good listen with some great tracks and covers. Light 4.

An important album in the evolution of folk rock. The jangly guitars are a signature sound. While I do love the Dylan covers, it does make the album feel a bit dependent on outside help to me. Definitely belongs on the list, unlike so many others we've heard.

Really nice tunes with some beautiful harmonies and clearly key in the development of folk rock. However, lots of these songs sound the same to me and so they kind of become indistinguishable from each others. “I’ll feel a whole lot better” is the catchiest song for me. What a strong melody! Also, funny to hear “we’ll meet again” so soon after hearing the Johnny Cash version.

Very good record

"Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds is a seminal album that helped define the folk rock genre. Released in 1965, it features the band's iconic jangly guitar sound and lush vocal harmonies, blending traditional folk songs with contemporary rock elements. The title track, a Bob Dylan cover, became an instant classic and set the tone for the rest of the album. Other highlights include "All I Really Want to Do," "Chimes of Freedom," and "Spanish Harlem Incident," all showcasing The Byrds' impeccable musicianship and innovative approach to folk music. While some critics may argue that the album lacks consistency and original material, its influence on the development of folk rock cannot be overstated. "Mr. Tambourine Man" remains a timeless classic and a must-listen for fans of 1960s rock music.

Don’t know how to rate since it’s not a five but it stacks up with rubber soul…..? 4

it's alright much samey

I enjoyed this one much more than their C&W album that came later. Just well written, yet simple songs. I can really hear the influences that were shared between them and Dylan.

I've realized if I don't listen closely all these 60s albums will sound like the Beatles. Some of the songs kind of dragged since it seems like all of them are talking about the same thing. But overall I liked it.

8/10 - Quite enjoyable. It sounded very pleasant and while they were similar they worked well for me. Mr. Tambourine Man went hard.

Enjoyable album, although a little boring at times. Mr. Tambourine man is a banger though. I have listened to that song probably like 15 times today 8/10

I'm a child of this time - what shall I say :-)

classic 60s Byrds

Surprisingly decent folk record - I was cringing at the idea of spending the day listening to a stalwart of 60s folk psychedelia - but it still holds up as a whole and gets better throughout its length.

Good album

That 12 string sounds amazing. Overall it's pretty great

This album can be seen as an American answer to the British Invasion. It features a jangly Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, a similar backbeat, and close harmonies. However, as much as the Byrds owe to the British Invasion, they owe much to the American folk tradition. This album popularized the emergent genre of folk-rock and remains an influence on successive generations of artists ranging from folk to new wave

pretty

When an album starts with one of the quintessential Dylan covers, you know you’re going to have a good time. Propelled by Roger McGuinn’s beautiful jangly twelve-string and impeccable harmonies, the Byrds prove why they deserve their title as one of the great folk rock acts.

Mister

Several great songs that awesome artists -- U2, Tom Petty, etc. -- later covered. (Of course, Dylan wrote many of these.) I love the guitar. 30 minutes seems just about right.

This was absolutely lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed this as a whole album. I think that I’ll have a few of these on repeat for the next few weeks. Really liked the contrast of the upbeat sounds with the depressing lyrics.

I've always liked the Byrds. Jangle pop is fun and easy to listen to. But yeah, the best songs here are Dylan covers with jangly guitars overlaid. The rest is pretty inconsequential, consumable pop music. But it's representative of the '60s, and can be listened to at any time. This could be a 3-star on a bad day, but I'll bump it up for sheer replay value.

The Bible of the 70s Big Jangle.

A very classic good album. Not necessarily the greatest album of all time but one that I'm happy to own on vinyl and give a it a couple spins a year.

Goeie weergave tijdgeest

Oh, when rock was young and country rock – much less Americana, much less jangle rock – not yet a thing. One knows better than to call this innocent, but it certainly sounds so. They would get better – deeper and more evocative and complex – but what a start this represents; it's earnest and elevating and well-made. "Feel A Whole Lot Better" and "Won't Have to Cry" and "All I Really Want to Do" and "Bells of Rhymney." All this innocence, plus utterly ace tambourine-playing all over the place! Truth in advertising, that.

The American Rubber Soul, beautiful west coast Folk Rock of 1965

Loved it

Pretty great. Probably sleeping on the Byrds a little. Don’t love MTM but the rest was enjoyable. 3.5/5

It's like a sunny walk through the woods on a scorching day. You can't be in a bad mood when you're listening to this!

I can hear this album’s influence all over the place. I think it’s really a testament to Gene Clark’s songwriting that his songs can stand right up next to Dylan covers. Definitely a pleasure listening to this.

it was ok.

Lovely harmonies and I enjoy the guitar work as well

I don't know if I should like this as much as I do, it should be boring but the harmonies are completely lush

Pretty good. Wouldn’t buy it

This is a good album. It all hangs together so well, and the opening track just sets the tone for it all. Great songwriting and delivery. You could say that there is a lack of variety, but this is the classic Byrds style. A very enjoyable listen with a distinctive style.

I actually enjoyed listening to this a lot. I was dreading another 60s pop-rock album, but The Byrds have managed to set themselves apart from what everyone else was doing at the time, while still maintaining classic 60s elements. I had fun listening to this.

Mr. Tambourine Man on kyllä levyn kovin biisi, ehdottomasti! Sellaista letkeää surffipoppia, tulee vähän Beach Boys ja Beatles vibat. Ei yhtään huonoa biisiä tullut eteen.

It’s good, break up ish lyrics in a lot of the songs, 60ish rock

- it’s no use is echt een topper - lekker vrolijke deuntjes - doen me ergens een beetje denken aan de beatles - we’ll meet again komt me heel bekend voor 🤔 - i’ll feel a whole lot better 🤩📻 - door die hoge tonen van die gitaren krijg ik soms echt surf vibes

Vrolijk, leuk jaren 60 album. Geeft me hippie vibes. Ken van The Byrds het liedje “Turn, Turn, Turn!” maar die is niet van dit album. Van dit album komt “Mr Tambourine Man” me wel bekend voor, is dan ook hun tweede meest bekende nummer haha. Zou het album een 3,5 geven!!!

Really fun part of the canon

Love this album

Yup, this album is The Byrds that I know. I really liked much of it and found some of it kind of just sounding the same and the same. I mean, I guess that is good because I liked it, but it might have lost some sparkle because of that.

Unpopular opinion: I don't much like the song Mr. Tambourine Man. Except the line, "My toes too numb to step wait only for my boot heels to be wandering." That I like. This isn't my favorite 60s sound but sound like the 60s it sure does. I found it hard to tell many of the tracks apart but I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better and Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe, stood out to me.

Still impressed that they managed to make a whole career with a single guitar sound. Really got a lot of mileage out of a 12 string rickenbacker. Some great tracks, some forgettable ones.

I always just compared them to The Beatles, and thought they weren’t anything special. But, objectively, they’re a good, tight band with pretty harmonics and uniquely tuned 12 strings. I will happily listen to this album anytime.

The title track is a 6 out of 5 for lyrics, production, and performance. The rest of the album is similar sixties pop/folk. The sound of this record really speaks to me and I feel sixties pop could still be mined for inspiration for new music.

I'm unsure if I'm just more open to the Byrds sound this time around, or if this album just is better because they're ripping off much better acts and blending them together, but this was pretty alright. I feel a lot of the power of the Bob Dylan tracks was stripped here, but a lot of the other covers had an energy to them that was appreciated, just like the brief runtime of the whole album. Perhaps I should give the other Byrds album another try.

They really did have a great sound. Too bad it was just one sound throughout the entire album, though.

was high as a kite while listening to this and it felt like i found true peace in this world

Very Beatle-esque but they still have their own distinct sound. Jangly guitars and 3 part harmonies though out. Some political commentary common to the music of the time Great use of stereo. Sounds great when listening with headphones. Why doesn’t anyone do real stereo anymore. It was cool listening to “Mr. Tambourine Man” and hearing guitar on the right channel and bass on the left! Favorites: “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” - cool intro. I like the use of repetition of the verse by the lead vocal by the background singers. “It’s No Use” - great guitar work and very upbeat. Alternate version adds some interesting lead guitar and makes it a much more rockin’ song. “Don’t Doubt Yourself, Babe” - love the drums and vocals. Dig the harmonic solo. This particular album version includes alternative versions of “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” and several other songs. It’s always interesting to hear a different song arrangement.

Attempt to copy British music of 60s. Hey, Mr.Tambourine Man, do I need to simplify you, classify you, deny, defy or crucify? Better scorify you with 3,5 becausy this music melodify and relaxify me.

Great album, most tracks are good

Hang on, the Byrds used to be good? What the hell happened?

Holds up

And so begins my descent into Byrds hell. Do you know how many albums are either theirs or feature someone from them? 12. At least, because I didn’t even check, but I know there’s 5 albums from them, 2 Gene Clark solo albums, 2 CSN/CSNY albums, 1 David Crosby solo album, 1 Gram Parsons solo album, and one Flying Burrito Brothers album. Why? They do not matter THAT much. Anyway Mr. Tambourine Man is pretty good. It’s good, jangly folk rock, and the title track is a classic. Good album, but it’s kind of hard to look past the looming shadow of the other Byrds albums.

Glorious Californian sunshine folk rock debut! Beautiful crafted songs with loads of great vocal harmonies. Half original, half covers with some of them being real knockouts. 8,5 out of 10

A definitive 60's music moment was the arrival of these jingly-jangly 12-string-guitar-sportin' mofos. SUCH a gorgeous sound. And those harmonies. Sublime.

A delicious smoothie made of a choice blend of The Beatles and Bobby D

Some really pleasant folk, nothing too flashy or shiny though.

Much better than the 1968 Country Album that was very hard to listen to. This sounds more like other bands that came out of the 60s like The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Cyrkle. I suppose if I received this album first I wouldn't have hated on them so much LOL -- and I can see how they began to experiment with their music by '68. Seems like the whole seen was experimenting by 68. Enjoyed this.

This is my second Byrds album reviewed on this generator. This is their debut album, and should be more folk rock than psychadelica (which they had started experimenting with on the other album I reviewed by them (The Notorious Byrd Brothers)). The first thing that catches your attention when listening to this record is Roger McGuinn's 12 string Rickenbacker guitar. It has such a jangly, rich sound to it. That coupled with the beautiful harmonies attained by the band makes for some beautiful, soft, easy listening music. Bob Dylan wrote 4 of the 12 songs on the album. The rest were originals, mainly written by Gene Clark. The bands sound was like that of the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, or Buffalo Springfield (that early 60's hippie rock vibe). The term "folk rock" was first used to describe the Byrds, and the handle kind of stuck. Overall, a great record today, and one that I will absolutely visit again. Favourite songs: I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better, Spanish Harlem Incident, You Won't Have to Cry, Mr. Tambourine Man, "Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe", Chimes of Freedom Least favourite songs: The Bells of Rhymney 4/5

pajaros

I didn’t hear this album till the very late 60’s. For me, The Byrds were a singles outfit in that decade. And I hadn’t heard Dylan’s original version of Mr Tambourine Man when The Byrds released their version. The sound of McGuinn’s 12-string was totally new to my ears. They do well with the other 3 Dylan covers, but the highlight of the album is Gene Clark’s I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better, one of five songs on the album that he either wrote or co-wrote with McGuinn. Clark was a great songwriter. The band’s harmonies really shine on the Pete Seeger classic, The Bells Of Rhymney. But why they bothered to record a version of Vera Lynn’s WWII anthem, We’ll Meet Again is still a mystery.

So there are five (five!) Byrds albums on the 1001 albums list. Which seems, to me, too many. I would accept the argument for the inclusion of Sweethearts of the Rodeo and this album, though. The concepts make perfect sense: contemporary folk songs played in the style of the Beatles. And they invent the whole template of jangle-pop. Massively influential over the years, this is still a really enjoyable album. Great playing (McGuinn really took to that electric 12-string), great singing, including wonderful harmony singing, and some top notch songwriting (four Dylan numbers, and some terrific Gene Clark originals, notably I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better). And it packs a punch, at only 32 minutes. The closing cover of We'll Meet Again is a mis-step, but otherwise a classic album.

ait

Ne me semblent pas savoir grand-chose à envier aux jeunes Beatles. Belles harmonies, mélodies réussies, inventivité

I don't know why I need to listen so hard to every album by The Byrds to decide what rating to give it. I guess it's because it's always at least a 3 - they're good - but I can never tell if they're THAT good that they should get a higher score. Mr. Tambourine Man is a great song and one of their classics (even if it was Dylan's). So the album starts off great. And to be honest, on multiple listens, I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better and It's No Use are great too (both Gene Clark originals). I still think their strongest songs are Dylan songs (All I Really Want to Do, Chimes of Freedom) but they do a lot to make them and the rest their own. Their harmonies are great and that's the one big appeal on every album. I think Jim McGuinn's guitar plays really well on most of the songs, which really gives it a distinctive sound, and a rich sound when you add in David Crosby's and Clark's guitars. So, take the fact that this is a solid album from start to finish (side one better than side two) and the fact that this was more or less the beginning of folk rock, and that's how I get to a higher rating than other albums of theirs.

Better than Dylan versions...

"Mr. Tambourine Man" is the debut album by American rock band The Byrds. This album was influential in popularizing the folk rock subgenre and characterized by the jingly sound of Jim McGuinn's (later Roger)12-string Rickenbacker guitar and complex harmony vocals. The album contains mostly covers of folk songs ( Four by Bob Dylan alone) and originals written by McGuinn and rhythm guitarist and vocalist Gene Clark. Other band members included David Crosby (rhythm guitar/backing vocals), Chris Hillman (bass) and Michael Clarke (drums). It was recognized as the first effective Ameican challenge to The Beatles and British 60's Invasion and was an international success reaching #6 on the US Billboard LP chart and #7 in the UK. The classic guitar, bass and harmonizing open the Bob Dylan cover "Mr Tambourine Man." It was the first song recorded for the album and producer Terry Melcher did not think the band as a whole was ready to record so he had the famous LA session band The Wrecking Crew back McGuinn on his 12-string. It was the only song on the album where that happened. It reached #1 in both the US and UK. Gene Clark wrote and sung "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better." Layers of guitars. A pounding tambourine. Criss-cross singing. Tom Petty covered. A tremendous deeper song is the Gene Clark written "Here Without You." A little darker. A mid-tempo ballad. More great harmonizing and the Rickenbacken guitar. A Bittersweet trip through the city reminding him of a former lover. "I Knew I'd Want You" contains a little less of the jingly guitar. It's slightly dark again. The first flush of romance. Another Clark song...sense a trend? Both McGuinn and Clark wrote "It's No Use." A more straight-forward rock beat. Pyschedelic guitar foreshadowing where The Byrds would go next. Jefferson Airplane were in the room. The album ends with a cover of 1939's WWII era "We'll Meet Again." Slower. Jingly guitars are back. It is an interesting start of trend for The Byrds where they would end their albums with an unusual song. The sound on this album is distinctive with the jingly guitar and harmonizing. Obviously influential in many future artists. I will say that the jingly guitar can get repetitive. The original songs written by Clark are outstanding and the highlight of the album for me. Gene Clark would leave the band before the next album was released. Fortunately, he went on to record some outstanding music and I will be seeing some of his solo albums and more Byrds upcoming.

Better than expected. I like that the songs are short and sweet. Actually enjoyed this pretty well. 3.75/5

me lo esperaba mucho peor, pero ha sido una grata sorpresa. rock estilo 60´s esta guapo, me recuerda a los Beatles un poco.

Good album, primarily a lot of Bob Dylan covers. I can see myself returning to a few of these tracks.

Just my vibe

Repetitive? Probably. Sounds good? Definitely.

Jingle jangle

it's so weird how easy the byrds are to listen to when they're folk rock. i don't care for folk rock much! but the byrds have a bubblegum pop twist to their folk rock, and it's so palatable. i thought maybe initially this wasn't much of a groundbreaking album, but that thought was because after this album's release in 1965, the byrds' style became so popular and reused. i know this style, because i've heard it so many times before! regardless of its influence, mr. tambourine man is good. it can come across as simple sometimes, because of how easy it is to listen along. but upon further analysis, the byrds have plenty happening in each song. "mr. tambourine man" is a catchy song to grab you as you begin the album. gene clark, for his first songwriting forays, created charming, pleasant songs, even if one of them happens to be breakup song "i'll feel a whole lot better." this, combined with covering bob dylan's impactful songs to make them a heck of a lot better, makes for a great album, especially a debut. a small easter egg: george harrison used a guitar riff from "the bells of rhymney" into his song "if i needed someone." i cannot imagine the feeling of being a brand new band, and someone like george uses your guitar riff.

Jangle on, baby!

Really love the vocal harmonies throughout the album very pretty.

Yeah it’s alright.Perfectly fine 60s rock pop.

Solid album. A lot of the changes were easy to see coming, but mainly because they defined the formula along with the Beatles of how a pop rock song progresses

I enjoyed this, a lot of the tracks are derivative though.

As they influenced so many of the bands I love, Fanclub and Smiths to name but 2, it's great to hear where the whole jangly power-pop Rickenbacker sound started. Ok they leant heavily on Dylan, but this is pretty flawless and the original songs are very strong as well. Heretical view: I prefer this Byrds to the now much-more fashionable country-rock period.

A brilliant debut album by the pioneers of the folk-rock genre with their jangly guitar sound that has been often imitated, but never quite as good as the Byrd's signature sound. Though this album is best known for the covers of Dylan songs, it's their original songs that take this record to the next level. Influential still to this day, this album is one of their best.

For sheer prettiness, it doesn't get much better than this album. Some of the loveliest harmonies and most gorgeous guitar ever put to record. The best tracks disproportionately outshine the lesser tracks, which makes this a bit less than a 5. But still a delight. Fave Songs: I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better, Mr. Tambourine Man, The Bells of Rhymney, All I Really Want to Do, Here Without You, Spanish Harlem Incident

Jingle jangle RIP David Crosby

Duude dom va så mycke mer swag när dom gjorde country på guuud 4 btw

Very solid covers and originals. Better than the last times I’ve heard it

Kova

Again, nice easy listening

I love the sound of this early rock album: the simple guitar melodies and the lyrical vocals are refreshing. But the songs don't have a lot of progression; the theme repeats in pretty much the same way for each verse, which is a bit boring.

Turns out I super like this band! Many recognizable songs. Love the vibe.

Hmmm, think I was in a bit of a mood the first time I listened to this - liked it a lot more the second time around. Folk rock with a splash of psychedelia? Yeah, ok. Fave track - "The Bells of Rhymney"

A-ok!

that one jingle-jangle thing they do is so fucking good it almost makes up for the ho-hum stuff but not quite

Sixties classic. This album is strong, concise, and consistent. Teenaged, classic-rock-loving me would have gone apeshit for this album. Definitely deserves to be on the list.

Thinking about it, I’m not sure I’ve heard anything by The Byrds. I’ve certainly heard of them, but I’m not sure if I’ve actually heard them. Excited to hear them for possibly the first time today! Songs I already knew: We’ll Meet Again (although not this version) Favourites: All I Really Want To Do, Mr Tamborine Man As soon as this album started playing, I knew I was wrong about not hearing The Byrds before. Their whole sound, and mainly the way they sing and harmonise, was very familiar, and it turns out I do know at least one song (Turn, Turn, Turn) which isn’t on this album. I found that in itself very impressive - I instantly recognised them based solely on their sound. In regards to this specific album, it is mostly covers although the only song I recognised was We’ll Meet Again so they were mostly new to my ears, at least. A very nicely composed and sang album, which was fun to listen to throughout.

Sounds like the beaatles prtty good

Some lovely songs performed extremely well. A little dull though and tbh I think you could mix this up with the soundtrack to Mighty Wind and most people wouldn't notice.

Play a song for me

Folk rock. Un 4.

My favorite so far. Catchy, soothing, very easy to listen to over and over.

Classic 60's folk/bubblegum pop. I enjoy the tight harmonies. My parents are huge folk fans, so this type of music takes me back to my childhood.

I can never get enough of McGuin’s 12-string Rickenbacker. Not every song is great, but overall this is a strong record.

This has been my favorite of the Byrds albums so far that we've gotten going through the list. Good stuff, very similar to early Beatles. I liked it,

I suggest you to listen Me siento Mucho Mejor by Charly Garcia, a really nice cover of I Feel a Whole Lot Better translated to spanish.

It’s hard to go wrong with an album full of songs driven by the bright sound of a 12-string Rickenbacker. It’s their signature sound and even when I hear it in songs of other bands, I still think of the Byrds when I hear it. I love the reminiscent, almost romantic feeling their songs evoke - the hopefulness and agency of the hippie movement. Despite the growing pains of the times, the Byrds were apparently like every other 20-something of every generation—waiting for love, being burned and betrayed by love. They’re less angry about it than Alanis or Olivia Rodrigo, but still heartbroken just the same. And while SNL said the only prescription for a fever is more cowbell, I submit that the cowbell’s more agile, spritely, and chipper cousin, the tambourine, is the real cure to what ails us.

Lovely, jangly, poppy folk rock. Bob Dylan’s songs sound better sung by someone else, and the harmonies don’t hurt either.

Enjoyed listening to this one. Favorite track: It's No Use

Var viss um að þetta yrði þriggja stjörnu dómur fyrirfram. Titillagið þekkt og restin filler. En, æi, þetta er sjarmerandi sjöundi tugur. Fann að mig langaði að renna henni aftur og það er góðs viti.

4/2 hippie byrds

Jingly AND jangly.

The mid-60s belonged to The Byrds. Pleasant listening with a couple of great tracks.

Folk rock. Un 4.

Clearly influential

Great Band and era in music.

4.25

I'll give it a 4 because of the iconic sound, I thought much of it sounded the same but still pretty good.

Favorites were Mr. Tambourine Man and I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better. Very pleasant album to listen to that felt very 50’s/60’s

Yeah, it's a great sound no matter what. The Byrds always transport me to the bit in Forrest Gump when he comes back from Vietnam and goes to Washington and there's all the protests.

Very 60's, what else can I say?

Cover-levyksi varsin hyvä. Vielä odotellaan aikaa, kun Dylan tosissaan aktivoituu biisintekijänä. 4/5 nautin

Added to my roadtrip playlist.

Really up my alley! Love it! Either 4/5 or even 5/5! Absolute fave track: We'll meet again Honorable mentions: You and me (instrumental) and You Wont Have to Cry

It's all controlled imperfection. The 12 string guitar jangles like it does because its not perfectly in tune with itself. The harmonies aren't exactly perfect. The rhythm is laid back, the bass doesn't always hit the snare right on the money. It's not detrimental to the experience though. Your old shoes are a bit scuffed up and maybe there's a hole that you're trying to ignore because they're just so damn comfortable to put on. They feel right for you and often it's a relief to return to them.

Tambourine Man is awesome.

this gets knocked down a point because it’s all covers, but the harmonies were really good

The best Dylan songs are the ones that someone else sang. This album is a great example of that. There's a whole lot of Dylan on this album for an album that Dylan didn't appear on but I'm not mad about it. "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a great time capsule of music in '65. It's light-hearted, and poppy, but with that jingle-jangle of early rock. The main reason this doesn't get full marks is that it feels like cheating to load up your album with a bunch of covers and then claim it as your own.

if not for his distinct voice missing from these tracks, you could've convinced me this was Tom Petty. Apparently the byrds influenced the Beatles, and the 'Laurel Canyon sound' which is sick. Gives me more respect for the music as a whole knowing what came from it.

pretty chill album, will listen to more of the Byrds to get a hang of them. but overall a good listen. I will say nothing stood out to me but i also was listening to it in the background.

very beatles-esque

More Byrds. This gets an extra star just for being the source of "Feel a Whole Lot Better." Good 60s tunes.

Jingle jangle, jingle jangle.

3.5

Gutes Album.

Really good album, but not all the tracks are classics unfortunately.

Jangly, summer vibes, few too many covers for my liking, but done well, and that was the way at the time.

This takes me to another time where things were more simple.

Some pretty soulful vocals on this one...and they were REALLY going through a Dylan phase weren't they?

Classic 60s!

My second Byrds album, and I'm already enjoying it a lot more than 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo.' Interesting that they pulled the titular track from Bob Dylan, along with several others. Would have liked to hear more of what they had to say, but Dylan's stuff was great of course. I didn't realize that this album was instrumental in popularizing folk rock, but I can see why. It's really solid.

Enjoyable. Bob Dylan songs sung by prettier voices. Harmonies are great, backed by bright guitar chords and some standard time-keeping from percussion. Bonus points for being the trend-setting folk rock album, bringing a light electric sound to the existing genre. This is the influence for a ton of my favourite music. The album itself is not necessarily a standout in the genre, but I give it a little bump because they were the first people to make this folk rock thing take off. Fave tracks: Mr. Tambourine Man, Spanish Harlem Incident, It's No Use

Four stars An all-time classic, and an album which still holds its own many years after it was released. As is usually the case with those classic albums, I won't write a full-blown review here given that others have already written wonderful stuff about them and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. Mr. Tambourine Man is just a timeless gem for anyone who has even a remote interest in The Byrds. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. Number of albums left to review or just listen to:  more than 900, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

4.75

Not my favorite from them, but it's a great feel-good album. Lots of Dylan covers as usual, so that doesn't hurt. Nothing groundbreaking, just great rock music.

Very nice feelgood album. I would have enjoyed it more on a sunny day, but this winter crap will have to do

Pioneer of the genre. Classic folk rock - Amen !

Listening to this record is both soothing and energizing, it's a positive experience. The Byrds' sound is unique, the perfect symbiosis between well-written folk and pop/rock.

dobar đir!

Very nice. Folk is like comfort food. It’s always enjoyable and safe but when it’s done well it can be elevated it’s comparable to genres where we expect high quality.

I knew this album, or at least most of the songs already. But I learned some things from listening to it and reading the Wikipedia entry. This was kind of a repurposing of Dylan, and other songs into a “pop” sound, almost Bearlesesque. I have mixed feeling about the title track as the original has so much more in it than this cover. But Dylan himself has often reinvented and changes his own songs, at least live so I reckon else would approve. The Dylan songs are by far the best ones on the album .

Oh damn, David Crosby is in this one too. And Bob Dylan too is just everywhere in western music. Obvious Beatles influences too. The rock feel of the Beatles, the harmonies of the Beach Boys and the Lyrics of Bob Dylan. What's not to like? 4.4

Really enjoyed it.

This sound wasn’t for me.

pretty good album, I don’t know how many of those songs are actually original but I know a lot of them were covers still the execution and style was great, I’ll give it an 8/10

Top album from the sixties, superb vocal harmonies and jangling guitars

The album starts great with the title song and then some very good pop songs but then peaks with the back to back songs of It’s No Use great song Don’t Doubt Yourself Babe Chimes of Freedom Before finishing gently with We’ll meet again and She Has A Way

Unfortunate that they are forgotten as compared to the Beatles. Great stuff.

8,5

Genre: Folk Rock 4/5 This was an absolute sweetheart. The Byrds, to me, prior to listening to this, were the guys that made Mr. Tambourine Man a big time hit. A sweet little song they stole from Bob Dylan and made way better. Catchy, sweet, and pretty all the way ‘round. But the fun really didn’t stop there. All over this thing there are great harmonies, sweet melodies, and a lovely mood throughout. I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better and Chimes of Freedom are at either end of a really great tracklist. It’s essentially proto-Crosby, Stills, & Nash: pretty folk pop, with soft rock hints, and it all makes for a very enjoyable listening experience.

Another solidly good album from the Byrds. Their consistency across the 60s is really something.

Frábær fílingur

Pleasant

solid. good songs. Will continue listening to this album.

Nice vocal harmonies. Has a nostalgic sound.

Very much Beatles vibes in this one, but I really enjoy it! Super funky, the guitar hits just right, basically give me more of them!

Those jangling chiming guitars, the chugging rhythm, the breezy dreamy vocals I love that sound ! I knew they’d influenced indie but I can hear Velvet Underground in this which came after. Upbeat, the sound of a more innocent optimistic time, decent easy listening music. Most of the album are covers but Tambourine Man is an amazing cover & the Byrds Gene Clark compositions are great. Is it all a bit samey ? Probably but does it matter when the sound is this good ?

Heilt ok

More modern than I was expecting. 12 string reasonably well-paced, don’t get sick of it. * All I Want to Do * It’s No Use - sounds like the Guess Who, the solo is insane.

love them

Just plain great folk rock. 8/10 1. I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better 2. Chimes of Freedom 3. Mr. Tambourine Man

~groovy~

man. i'd give my life for jangly guitars

Listen, it's tight, it has real beauty. My cynicali middle-aged self can't help but ponder it in context of the relentless commodification of folk and punk in this era. In and of itself it's a great album. One point off for being a full third Dylan cover album.

Very fun and enjoyable album. Beautiful jangly guitar. Closer to a 3.5, as it wanes a bit in the back half.

As far as 60s pop goes, I like it

Probably the best songwriters around in the mid 60's, with a natural highlight being their harmonized vocals. Their instrumentation is compelling too, with varied and complex playstyles across all instruments. Even if I wasn't 100% in love with the full album, I can't not respect how good these guys are.

Mmm, not my jam. 8/10.

We got this and Fifth Dimension within the same week and it’s interesting to see how their sound shifted in Just a year (Not uncommon with the Beatles). I might give the edge to fifth dimension even though this has more singles because of the originality.. Lots of Beatles esque or Dylan esque vibes here. (Especially Dylan seeing as how half the album are covers) Never a bad thing. Fave tracks: “mr tambourine man” “the bells of Rhymney” “We’ll Meet Again” “Spanish Harlem Incident”

8/10

Liked this more than I thought I would

8/10

Prachtig rustig album van een top groep

If I close my eyes while listening to this, it sort of transports me to feeling like I'm in a period piece movie about the mid 60s. Seems to perfectly capture the spirit of its time in America.

What’s there not to like? Simple progressions and melodies, short run time, easy tempos. Easy to love and enjoy!

Great easy listening music, hard to find any faults

If it was 1965 this album would be a banger

Good enough

oldies

I dig it

-Parts of "All I Really Want To Do" sounds like "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hands" -Cool bass in my left ear on "It's No Use" -Woukd probably be cooler if I knew more Bob Dylan -Generally nice folk rock, but nothing really amazing -The Byrd's aren't real

The genesis of jangle guitars that has influenced, directly or otherwise, basically every single indie band I love.

Jingle Jangle. I prefer their version of Mr. Tambourine Man over Dylan's, but I've always been a sucker for harmonies. This album influenced seemingly thousands of bands and artists, ironically none more so than Dylan himself. Dylan went electric soon after, and I have to think hearing the Byrds take of his song (the first Dylan penned song to reach Number 1) had a lot to do with that.

3.5/5. I liked this. It reminded me a little of the early Beatles, but a little folky.

I knew a lot more songs on this than i thought i would!

What a massive album in terms of what it did not only for The Byrds, but Bob Dylan himself and folk rock in general. Of course, if you made a list of the top 5 songs on this album, the four Dylan tracks would all appear. I think we give Gene Clark a bit too much credit as a songwriter. Jingle jangle. Best track: Mr. Tambourine Man

Im pretty sure i did this one but forgot to leave feedback. 3-4 range IIRC.

Fabulous album so far, I've enjoyed every song. The harmonies are lovely and the 60s jangly guitar always sounds special.

Who knew Mr Tambourine Man was a cover. Decent tunes, not quite as good edgy and interesting as Illinois, but it’s up there.

This is definitely on the better end of 1969s pop-rock-folk. I enjoyed the whole thing except the truly bizarre Vera Lynn cover in a mock English accent. Half the album is Dylan covers, and tbh you'd be hard pushed to find a better version of 'All I Really Want to Do'. Nice dreamy but clean and catchy vibe to most of this. I'll push the boat out with 4*

Great album. Captures the folk to rock sound that the Byrds and the 60’s are known for. It lets you appreciate the leveling and complexity of what they were trying to do and did so successfully.

Un dels grans álbums de pop lluminós dels primers temps del pop. Les excel.lents versions de Dylan, les composicions de McGuinn i Gene Clark, el treball vocal de David Crosby... Una de les bandes més interessant dels 60, i una de les millors estrenes discogràfiques de la década

Vraiment bon album de folk rock . 4.5 a reecoter, plusieurs chabsons de dylab revisites.

Rítmicos y melódicos. Buenas voces. Acompasados.

Good listen, bunch of songs I recognised, Is we'll meet again Sinatra? Sounds like a positive funeral song

Canciones muy parecidas, pero si una es buena, casi todas son buenasas

better than inadadavidadadaabda

Solid Album

Love that rich sound

pretty good house music - jazzy

A veritable classic. Even without the Shatner.

К релизам более чем полувековой давности стоит, конечно, относиться с осторожностью и давать поблажку, опираясь на меняющиеся тенденции и развитие сферы звукозаписи. но мне, если честно, зашло даже по современным меркам. конечно, звучит как всё в 60-х, прослеживается сильное влияние Beach Boys, где-то и битлов, где-то даже психодела вроде Love. Но в целом, если выдернуть этот альбом из контекста — звучит вполне живо. Я, кстати, послушал и моно- и стереоверсию. Вторая выпущена позже, и имеет свои недостатки (например когда гитара и бас разводятся в разные каналы, это вообще ужас на самом деле, не хватает только барабаны исключительно в одно ухо вывести), но в целом слушается пободрее и поразнообразнее. песни простенькие, но душевные, можно под них дунуть плюху или, например, присунуть сисястой бабе, экспириенс не испортится. Минусом, конечно, является безобразно большое количество каверов (пол альбома), а личные песни бэнда Бурдс звучат послабже перепевок, но на саму группу мне похуй, поэтому пусть будет. 4/5 всем rock-n-roll, love и piss 🤘

Excellent. This reminds me of mom.

Enjoyable

Good listen, there were a few tracks in addition to the title one that stuck out like "Here Without You". Strange for an album of mostly covers to be on this list, but it did have a lot to do with popularizing folk music and its own unique sound.

60s rock. Movie scene music. road music

I enjoyed it, lyrics were a bit silly. Their cover of Mr Tambourine Man was great, points for being that bold I guess. 7 for me

7.

Highlight - It's No Use This is the music you hear when someone is nostalgic for the 60's. It's The Wonder Years. The sweeping, melodic guitars, the chorus of vocals, the Tamborine...All of it points to the summer of 1965. This time is gone. We aren't getting it back.

It was good. I enjoyed it.

Inicios del folk rock, con canciones muy buenas, y otras no tanto

Very solid folk rock. Normally I'm eager to turn off anything folky as quickly as possible, but I made it all the way through this one without trouble, including the deluxe edition bonus tracks.

I've listened to this album several times over the years, and it is an impressive album, and an even more important one for the folk rock genre. The songs are all good, just kind of have a feel of other bands doing them better....if that makes any sense. still a great album

Nice 1960s sound, feel good music with a nice singer

The Byrds are like Crosby, Stills, and Nash before CSN. Their harmonies are great. The sound is so 60s, in a good way. I'm probably partial because this album is right up my alley, so it gets 4 stars. I could understand it receiving 3 stars from others because there are just so many other great albums from this era that sound similar and are a bit more inspired.

Excellent. Debut album from the Byrds, with that classic Byrds sound.

Realz

I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better is probably my favorite track on the album. The Byrds might’ve brought more attention to Bob Dylan but I always felt they were piggybacking off him at points. Still a great album

This was a great album. Has many of the byrds greatest hits.

Sold 60s rock.

Can’t help but think MURICA as a reaction to the Beatles

Smooth listening

7.5/10 FT: I'll feel a whole lot better

1/14 Liked this one more than their third album.

Eh, im not a huge fan of the Byrds. i don’t dislike them at all, i guess i just don’t care to invest a ton of time with them. I appreciate that you kind of know a Byrds song when you hear it, and the songs are generally not bad at all, but it all just sounds so dated to me, I guess. Before my time, I suppose. Nice harmonies, and pretty jangly, which I like, and yet none of it holds a lot of sway for me. It is, however, easy to hear the influence they had on some guys that I do really enjoy, like Tom Petty. I appreciate them for that. 7/10

It's okay. A bit light but pleasant enough. I'm more aware of Dylan's versions of some of these songs.

Still sounds great. Some amazing songs but some not as strong.

Jingly jangly Fave track: Mr Tambourine Man

Sounds like a Bob Dylan/Beatles rip off. Pleasant enough. 3/5

The album starts out with two great tracks. The remaining numbers are less interesting, but they still have that distinctive jangly folk-pop sound I associate with the Byrds, and with the 60s for that matter.