Fifth Dimension

The Byrds have been a really interesting band to learn about in this challenge. I've heard them as a classic early 60s rock group, an establishment challenging country band, and as lovers of sonic experiments. I've read about the revolving door of band members, including several great songwriters of the era. This is my 5th and last of their albums in this challenge. It feels like a stepping stone between different parts of their career. With the departure of Gene Clarke, they maybe felt more willing to experiment, mixing folk rock with early psychedelia. The lyrics touch on drug use and science. The band apparently hoped that radio stations playing their songs would reach alien life one day. The sound blend different styles, effects and (painfully) the sound of a jet engine. It's a fairly disjointed album, which suffers a lack of focus or clear message. But there are some amazing songs here nonetheless, which foreshadow later work of the band and its members. It's not the strongest Byrds album but there's still a lot to like and to think about here.

Old school psychadelia. Good for what bit was at the time

This was fine as background music.

I smell suede and patchouli.

Why are there so many Byrds albums on here?? There hasn't been a single one worth listening to.

76/100. It might not be their most consistent release, but the highlights are strong and show the band pushing their sound into new territory. A really solid step into psychedelia from one of the era’s most influential groups.

One or two classics, but quite a bit of what we'd later call "filler." Pleasant listen, though.

eight miles high is underwhelming 3/5

For me, this was like if Simon and Garfunkel decided to make more energetic songs. There wasn't anything that was necessarily amazing or terrible with this album, it just didn't do anything for me.

The third Byrds album I've encountered here, and apparently there are two more to go. Zero reason to have more than one of their albums on this list. Absolutely none.

Meh. Sixties pop. Well played but nothing to write home about.

Ça y va fort sur les Byrds dans cette liste.

C'est vrai que ça fait pas mal de Byrds... Comme mentionné sur les Notorious, j'aimerais prendre plus de longtemps pour m'y plonger davantage, je trouve que ça a du potentiel et ça m'interpelle, mais beaucoup d'albums subtilement différents. J'ai préféré Sweetheart et Younger Than Yesterday pour l'instant. Première toune la voix me fait penser à Dylan 60's c'est à s'y méprendre.

C’est beau là les byrds

Nice album. Enjoyed the instrumental parts.

7.5 / 10

Couldn’t finish it 1.5 stars

Byrd up

Cruisy listening Fave track: Eight Miles High

Is this the Americans attempt at ripping off the Beatles or something? Inoffensive and a bit bland. 2.5/5

this album feels like a wannabe-Beatles album. something that is good, because it’s reminiscent of something great. in my opinion, this one could be phased out against the test of time.

Released in July 1966, **Fifth Dimension** represents a watershed moment for The Byrds—and for rock music itself. It captures the band in a state of flux: founding member Gene Clark had just departed, leaving Roger McGuinn and David Crosby to shoulder the songwriting burden. The result is a transitional album that sheds the folk-rock cover band identity of their earlier work and lunges toward psychedelia, jazz, and experimental territory. It is messy, ambitious, and historically crucial. --- ## **Music & Sound** The sonic palette of *Fifth Dimension* is the album's most striking feature. McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker—previously used for chiming folk-rock jangle—is here pushed through fuzz boxes and phase shifters, creating a distorted, angular sound that predicts psychedelic rock . **"Eight Miles High"** stands as the centerpiece. Recorded while Clark was still in the band (making it the only track featuring his writing contribution), it merges three distinct influences: John Coltrane's free jazz (specifically "India"), Ravi Shankar's raga drones, and the band's own folk-rock DNA . The result is a modal, droning masterpiece with a guitar solo that mimics Coltrane's sheets of sound—arguably the first true psychedelic rock recording . Elsewhere, the experimentation varies in success. **"I See You"** and **"What's Happening?!?!"** incorporate Indian-influenced instrumental breaks that sometimes feel grafted onto Western melodic structures rather than integrated . **"Captain Soul"** is a surf-rock instrumental jam with harmonica overdubs—entertaining but slight . The closing **"2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)"** features actual jet engine sounds and cockpit chatter over a repetitive country-folk figure, functioning more as a sound collage than a song . The rhythm section deserves mention. Michael Clarke's drumming throughout is superb—particularly his jazz-influenced work on "Eight Miles High" and the rock-waltz pattern on the title track . Chris Hillman's bass playing, already excellent, gained prominence in the mix, providing muscular foundations that anticipated his later country-rock work . --- ## **Lyrics & Themes** The lyrical content reflects the band's expanding consciousness—both chemically and culturally: - **Space and Science Fiction**: The title track **"5D (Fifth Dimension)"** explains Einstein's theory of relativity through a folk-rock lens, though audiences inevitably interpreted it as an LSD reference . **"Mr. Spaceman"** is a tongue-in-cheek attempt to contact extraterrestrials via AM radio broadcasts (McGuinn later admitted the physics wouldn't work—radio waves disperse too rapidly in space) . - **War and Peace**: **"I Come and Stand at Every Door"** adapts Turkish poet Nâzim Hikmet's Hiroshima poem with devastating effect. The lyrics—spoken from the perspective of a child killed by the atomic bomb—are haunting: *"I need no fruit, I need no rice / I need no sweets or even bread / I ask for nothing for myself..."* . The track's droning arrangement and thumped snare create a mournful, hypnotic atmosphere . - **Psychedelic Ambiguity**: **"Eight Miles High"** ostensibly describes the band's flight to London in 1965, but the "high" double meaning was intentional. Lines like *"Rain grey town, known for its sound"* (contributed by Crosby) and *"Nowhere is there warmth to be found"* suggest both jet travel and drug-induced displacement . - **Traditional Folk**: The album includes two folk standards, **"Wild Mountain Thyme"** and **"John Riley,"** arranged with orchestral strings that some critics found overwrought . Notably, this is the first Byrds album without a Bob Dylan cover—a conscious decision by McGuinn to prove independence, though he later admitted it was a mistake: *"His songs were good for us"* . --- ## **Production** Allen Stanton's production marks a technical improvement over previous Byrds records (produced by Terry Melcher). The vocals are recorded with greater clarity, and Hillman's bass is more prominent in the mix . However, the stereo mixing employs extreme panning—instruments hard-panned left or right with little center presence—which some listeners find disorienting and inconsistent . The use of session musicians on strings for the folk ballads adds baroque texture but occasionally overwhelms the arrangements . The album's experimental elements—reverse tape effects, jet engine samples, raga drones—were cutting-edge for 1966, though the integration isn't always seamless. As one contemporary reviewer noted, *"With the exception of 'Eight Miles High,' I don't feel that they have found a consistently successful way of integrating a Western vocal line with Indian instrumental solos"* . --- ## **Influence & Legacy** *Fifth Dimension* is historically significant as a primary catalyst for psychedelic rock. Released two months before The Beatles' *Revolver*, it helped establish the sonic vocabulary of the genre alongside the 13th Floor Elevators' debut . The album's influence extends across multiple genres: - **Psychedelic Rock**: "Eight Miles High" provided the template for raga-rock and acid rock, influencing everyone from The Grateful Dead to The Doors . - **Jazz-Rock Fusion**: The Coltrane-inspired guitar work on "Eight Miles High" predates fusion by several years . - **Country-Rock**: Tracks like "Mr. Spaceman" and "Wild Mountain Thyme" point toward the band's later *Sweetheart of the Rodeo* direction and the broader country-rock movement . Critically, the album has been reappraised upward over time. Contemporary reviews were mixed—*Crawdaddy* magazine lamented Clark's absence and called for his replacement —but modern critics recognize it as a pioneering work. It reached only #24 on the *Billboard* chart, but its cultural impact far exceeded its commercial performance . --- ## **Pros & Cons** ### **Pros** - **"Eight Miles High"** remains one of the greatest and most influential rock recordings of the 1960s—a perfect synthesis of folk, jazz, raga, and psychedelia . - **Vocal harmonies** remain gorgeous throughout, particularly on "I Come and Stand at Every Door" . - **Experimental courage**: The band abandoned a successful formula (Dylan covers + folk-rock) to pursue genuine artistic growth . - **Musical diversity**: The album encompasses folk, country, jazz, raga, psychedelia, and proto-space rock . - **Historical importance**: As one of the first psychedelic rock albums, it opened doors for countless artists . ### **Cons** - **Uneven quality**: Side two particularly suffers from filler—the "Hey Joe" cover feels perfunctory compared to Jimi Hendrix's contemporaneous version, and "2-4-2 Fox Trot" is essentially a throwaway . - **Gene Clark's absence**: The loss of their primary songwriter is palpable. McGuinn and Crosby were still developing their writing chops, resulting in some underdeveloped material . - **Inconsistent integration**: The Indian-influenced elements sometimes clash with Western structures rather than blending organically . - **Vocal limitations**: Without Clark's lead vocals, McGuinn's nasal delivery and Crosby's limited range are exposed on tracks like "John Riley" . - **Pacing issues**: The album starts strong but loses momentum in the final third . --- ## **Verdict** *Fifth Dimension* is a flawed masterpiece—an album of transition that captures a legendary band shedding its skin. While it lacks the consistent brilliance of *The Notorious Byrd Brothers* or the revolutionary impact of *Sweetheart of the Rodeo*, it stands as essential listening for understanding how folk became psychedelic, how rock absorbed jazz, and how The Byrds evolved from Dylan interpreters into genuine innovators. It is the sound of a band taking risks in real-time, sometimes stumbling but occasionally achieving transcendent beauty. For "Eight Miles High" alone, it deserves its place in the canon; for its broader experimental spirit, it remains a touchstone for adventurous music.

Not too bad, 8 Miles High is probably the best, Hey Joe is disappointing.

Good California rock sound.

Psychedelic Folk Rock from the mid 1960s. A little bit dated now perhaps? Contains their cover of "Hey Joe" which was covered by many artists in the 1960s including Jimi Hendrix and Love. Best known track on the album is probably their hit single "Eight Miles High".

Did not need another Byrds album. 2.65

No. 122 This is alright - nice album but nothing really stood out.

Early psychedelic rock isn't for everyone, but it sure is right for me. This album isn't so much sound as it is texture, rough and smooth at the same time, both soothing and biting. And I can't get enough of it. I wish that the Byrds hadn't moved toward country. Not because the country stuff wasn't good, but because I want more of this. 5/5

lame

Four days ago, as part of this challenge, I listened to Sweetheart of the Rodeo. I thought it was terrible. So when Fifth Dimension came up next, I wasn’t exactly excited. Thankfully, this is a completely different listen. Gone is the heavy country and overt Christian folk feel. Instead, this album leans into psychedelic rock and jangly pop and it’s far more interesting for it. It feels adventurous, colourful, and much more in line with the mid-60s experimentation that makes that era so compelling. There’s a real sense of lift to the record. The melodies are strong sometimes dreamy, sometimes slightly trippy and you can almost feel that “being on a trip” atmosphere running through it. Lyrically, it’s often soppy and lovey-dovey, but in a way that suits the shimmering, spacey sound. Favourite tracks: “What’s Happening?!?!” is a great song, full of energy and hooks. “Fifth Dimension” captures that psychedelic edge perfectly, and “Wild Mountain Thyme” (listed here as “Wild Mountain Theme”) adds a softer, folk-tinged moment that actually works far better in this context. Least favourite tracks: None really, every song is worth a listen. Album artwork: Pure psychedelia. Bold, strange, and very much of its time Overall: A pleasant surprise. Inventive, melodic, and far more enjoyable than I expected. This is The Byrds leaning into psych rock rather than country / folk and it suits them.

01) 5D (Fifth Dimension) - 6,5 02) Wild Mountain Thyme - 7,0 03) Mr. Spaceman - 8,0 04) I See You - 6,5 05) What's Happening?!?! - 6,5 06) I Come and Stand at Every Door - 6,0 07) Eight Miles High - 7,0 08) Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go) - 6,5 09) Captain Soul - 7,0 10) John Riley - 7,0 11) 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song) - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,73 (67/100) Current ranking: 543/836

Thoroughly middle tier. Not bad, just not interesting (to me). A 3 overvalues but a 2 is too low.

One of five Byrds albums that doesn't deserve a place on the list. Some poor covers mixed with some average. The album is all over the place. I'm sure it's here for "cultural and historical significance" but fuck that, it's weak. 2/5.

Fine classic rock

Really enjoyable, unique sound

Learning i kind of hate the Byrds, one or 2 ok songs per album, otherwise this is bad

It wasn't bad tbf

Kinda boring old 60s rock album but it definitely has some highlights like Eight Miles High so it ends up just being okay

All these songs sound the same.

Very groovy

Good, but kinda samey

Good album. The tracks I enjoyed the most: "I see you", "What's happening?", and "Eight miles high". This is probably between 3 and 4 stars for me. The guitar sound by Roger McGuinn is really good. After listening to the "The Notorious Byrd Brothers", I'm enjoying more The Byrds. So, I've come back to this and this is now getting a solid 4 stars rating.

I dig the deranged guitar solos. Other than that, it's just another psychedelic pop/rock album.

Nada especial en mi opinion

No, this didnt give me anything.

the sort of album where nothing i hear sticks in my brain for more than about ten seconds. it sure is hippie music (value-neutral)

When I hear a description of "psychedelic", I expect more weird sounds going on, but this didn't come across like that. I thought it was easy-listening rock music with a folk feel, catchy and pretty accessible. I didn't mind the listen.

The song writing here is enjoyable, and the vocal performance and especially the harmonies are really lovely, but nothing really sticks with me specifically. Also of note is that the mixing on the instrumental layers of the tracks feels really muddy, even considering the era this was recorded in, and not in an intentional way. Maybe I need to reframe the way I'm listening to the tracks but it does take me out of the experience a bit. Fav Track: 1: 5D (Fifth Dimension) Best Three Track Run: 1, 2, 3

Психодел тех лет, интересная обёртка текста, но в исполнении это не так чувствуется. Напомнило дебютный альбом Pink Floyd, вышедший примерно в тоже время, поэтому есть с чем сравнивать. Некоторые песни содержат в себе интересные формулировки, но не более

Spacey. I can see where this influenced so much that came later. 3.5/5

Listened to this driving from London to Cambridge…in other words a bit distracted. There are a few moments that held my interest but overall like an inferior version of the Doors. 2/5

Prima. Maar zou niet zomaar nogmaals aanzetten.

At this point... why do I need to hear the Byrds? I'm 400 albums deep and have heard pretty much every version of this style I need to hear.

Groovy baby, yeah!

I think there are probably better options to represent this era of music, this is not it Best Song: 5th Dimension Rating: 4/10 Stars: 2

3.5

there are 5 albums by the byrds on the list, and the inclusion of this one in particular is pretty unjustifiable. worse songwriting than the others (bye gene clark, wish you were here gram parsons) the performances are lackluster in comparison, it just doesn't offer anything you can't get better elsewhere

I like the first track and then it kinda devolves from there. Some really strange covers here.

maybe i was just having a bad day but i think it's pretty unremarkable. like B-grade Vietnam period piece ambience. not unenjoyable, and there are a couple of really neat songs to help tide you along. the Hey Joe cover was sick

Rating: 7/10 It’s a fine 60’s folky rock album, would go as far as saying it’s “pretty good”. Wait, these guys were doing this in 1965? You know what, this is great! The A side is an all around good time, the opening track being the highlight, an Eight Miles High should go into 60’s playlists for sure. Then we get to hear Hey Joe again, and I was into the groove of Captain Soul. Maybe it’s not quite a 4 for me right now, but this could be an actually cool Beatles-esque band to get into

Decent cowbell jangle, even better when putting it in the "released in the 60s" category. Good enough sound to have me like it, but not deep enough to get me to listen to it again 5.3/10

not bad

this is the second byrds album I've had on here and now i want to throw that guys guitar out of the window. it doesnt sound good, it doesnt sound 'kooky', you dont sound like jimi hendrix, you've just taken too many drugs to realise you can't play the fucking guitar!

For how boring and forgettable The Byrds are, I can't believe they have 5 albums on this list, and then their members have another 8ish albums. Enough is enough, they are okay at best. The best thing I can say about this album is that it sounds like music and everything seems to be in tune. Every song is a 10 second idea stretched out to a 3 minute song. Nothing here really has a chorus, they just vamp until the song is over. If this was the only Byrds album on this list I would call it unremarkable and give it a low 3, but they are now my mortal enemy and I will give them a Mid 2.

3.0 - Ok

3 Stars (8/15)

I’ve grown to respect the Byrds a lot more, there’s usually a few songs I enjoy even on my least favorite albums of theirs. This is one of my least favorite from them however. Even then they do tackle unexpected topics in their lyrics. Decent enough, but does feel like one or two too many of theirs on the list. Overall, it’s a pretty consistent record with the back half being a bit better than the front. Rating: 3.3

I get why The Byrds are important and influential but they’ve never been a favorite of mine. And do they really need five albums on this list? This one was pretty good though. Favorites were Mr. Spaceman, What’s Happening?, Eight Miles High, and Hey Joe.

Sort of a hodge podge, mostly good songs but kinda schizophrenic

Not quite to my liking. This sounds like a band in transition to me. I preferred this to the more country sound of another Byrds album in this project. But overall, I'm not impressed.

Unremarkable but inoffensive.

Sometimes, albums that only got 3 1/2 stars in the Rolling Stone Album Guide are my favorite albums by that artist!

More cowbell was had

unfortuneatley another low score. not bad just not my cup of tea

Enjoyable album. Outside of Turn Turn Turn and Mr Tambourine Man, I'm not too familiar with their back catalog. This definitely utilized stereo production as drums were on one side and guitars on the other.

Brilliant, harmonious guitar pop. Comforting

Mostly this album is solid. The Lear jet song is awful, though.

Another Byrds album? Do we really need to chart their progress this closely? Anyway, it means I don't have to think very hard about what to say, I think my opinion of The Byrds is about as developed as it's going to get, and here it is: this is fine. It's fine. The only really notable thing for me was that the opening track sounds quite Dylan-esque in structure, very Hey Mr Tambourine Man, almost a rip off. I guess he rubbed off on them.

Ambient moody good bit of 60s 👍

First Byrds album I've liked as they develop a psychedelic sound.

Very enjoyable listen, all the songs are good, well written; no song reaches the high of Eight Miles High, that song is amazing, but great album if you want some folk rock!

I see how this was inspirational, but it’s just ok now. Also it sounds like this was recorded on a potato. Extremely bad levels.

Good time!

Not really my type

That went by quickly. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing lol

This is just such average b-list 60s music. I'm familiar with The Byrds, I know a handful of their songs, but there is a good reason they haven't managed to remain as relevant as say The Beatles or Jimi Hendrix, and listening to this painfully mediocre albums makes it very clear why they are "just another 60s band."

I've no idea why this is the 4th album by these that I've seen. I can't understand. It's so dull and it's mostly cover songs

Look I’m sure there’s a contingent of people that are annoyed that *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and 98 degrees all sound the same (they kind of do) and that is just a symptom of the time. The Byrds is one of the 60s versions of that and meh. It’s fine. So very average - nothing memorable.

einmal mehr byrds - einmal mehr furchtbar.

Schönes Lieder

This is honestly one of their weaker albums. What's more is that I think the Byrd's best songs are covers of Dylan.

1/26/2026. I need no fruit, I need no rice. I need no sweets nor even bread. I ask for nothing for myself. For I am dead, for I am dead. 6/10

This shit sucks. If I had NOT heard this before dying I definitely would have been better off. 100% shows the shitty bias of the list - this group has 5 albums on this list. And OMG that guitar work is so bad.

Most of the individual songs were fine, but I feel like the album as a whole is not great

I think I was expecting more. Nothing bad, but nothing that stood out.

Feels like every 60s album. Not bad, but…

1960s groovy rock with a lot of harmonies. Seriously, most of the songs sounded like a barbershop quartet got ahold of some electric guitars. I do like some of the instrument work on here, but overall I didn't really care for much of the vocals, which killed the score for me. 2/5

More psychadelic rock that I will easily pass on. Its not awful, just tired. Wild Mountain Thyme was my favorite here, but I think only because I recognized the cover they play in Sinners. Outside that its your basic "only vibes here, man" music.

Pretty bog standard psychedelic rock. I don’t think I even really dug this at my most weed smokiest

1966. A nice hippie album that captures the essence of the 60s

Didn’t really do much for me. Felt familiar but nothing special - I feel like if I wanted to listen to this kind of music, then there’s better artists to listen to.

Phsycedlic folk rock. British invasion era Beatles, Dylan and Simon and Garfunkle somehow mashed together but less than the sum of its parts. Not sure I'd listen again but think I've a few other Byrds albums to go. 3 out of 5

This pretty much passed me by on my first listen. Usually I wouldn't bother with a second but i'd have had nothing to say about it otherwise. Second listen and I still don;t have much to say. It was fine, a generally non-distinct album from other similar artists of the time, Eight Miles High being the only track that stood out in any real way

Nothing super memorable - it had classic 60s sound but with a few instrumental tracks.

This album definitely makes me think 60s. I've heard of The Byrds but never listened to them. I enjoyed this album.

Nice album

A very pleasant psych album. Not exactly groundbreaking, but straightforward and unpretentious, with a sweet and soothing vibe that just made me happy to be alive. But maybe I was in the right mood today. Compared to other drug-fueled projects from the same time period, the psychedelic aspect is quite discreet, you don't need LSD to enjoy it (although it would certainly enhance the experience). While I really think there's far too many Byrds albums on this list, I'll also admit that the 3 records I've listened so far are different enough from one another to avoid feeling too repetitive. It's a bit unfair that the Byrds were so massively forgotten after the 70s. 6/10

I don’t know why I started this record with such a strong negative bias, but I did. I’m still not sure it really deserves to be called an essential or to sit so high on this list. Still, on a quick morning listen, it goes down pretty easily. Nothing feels over the top. The melodies on 5D, What’s Happening?, and Eight Miles High are genuinely nice. Even the psychedelic and raga parts are well blended and actually help the songs. For once, the album feels fairly coherent … and clearly less boring than their other records we’ve had to endure. The slight Dylan touch doesn’t ruin the mood. The problem is that I can already feel this enthusiasm won’t last.

Ok

This list really should have allowed hits collections, some are absolutely essential and iconic. The Byrds Greatest Hits is one of those. A prime example of a band best represented by a collection, not any one record. And certainly not this one. Eight Miles High is the standout and it really does stand out. It's a phenomenal track amongst a lot of middling psychedelia and folk rock. It's all fine, hey I love the Byrds, so even their meh stuff is fun listening. But this is decidedly inessential

6/10 Favourite: Hey Mr. Spaceman Least Favourite: Wild Mountain Theme

*1966. *I always forget who's in the The Byrds - it's David Crosby. *Sounds very much like CSN&Y, which I dig. Although every song also sounds like Turn, Turn, Turn... *Enjoyed it, but wouldn't go out of my way to listen. RATING - 6.5/10

Elvis may have been kind when he said he appreciated modern music like the Byrds. I guess it was an interesting listen, especially songs like I See You and What's Happening. But otherwise everything else felt rather janky and overall too psychedelic for my taste.

Ganz gut ohne besonders aufzufallen.

Hat für mich nicht funktioniert. Stimme gefiel, allerdings passt die sehr häufig frickelige Instrumentarisierung für mich gar nicht dazu.

Definitiv nicht das beste Byrds-Album, gerade das Ende ist sehr unausgewogen (vom "Hey Joe"-Cover war ich richtig enttäuscht). Aber davor bekommt man einige tolle Songs in der Schnittmenge von Psychedelic und Folk, alles schön kompakt und mit "Eight Miles High" nebenbei noch einen der besten Songs aller Zeiten rausgehauen.

Fands weder besonders spannend noch langweilig. War durch Kinderbetreuung aber auch sicher nicht genug aufmerksam.

Ein großes Nichts: Nichts Positives und nichts Negatives fällt mir dazu ein.

Es ist irgendwie an mir vorbeigerauscht ohne viel Eindruck zu machen. Weder war da was schlechtes dran noch was was mich mitgerissen hat. 2,5 Punkte aber aufgerundet dann 3

Finally an album I'd consider listening to again. A good example of early-ish psychedelia. I liked that all of the songs were quick so they didn't drag on. 2-4-2 Fox Trot was odd. Never realized GD's I Know You Rider was a cover, but apparently it goes back even further than this version. 6.25/10 (3.125/5)

Found this very tedious tbh. Hey Joe was ok.

This album was ok but doesn’t inspire me enough to listen again really. I wouldn’t say there was any stand out tracks, obviously Eight Miles High is well known but I’d say that Wild Mountain Thyme is better. Concerning the Byrds as a band, maybe a best of is the best bet on this occasion, just cut the unnecessary chaff.

Pretty mid honestly. Off brand Beatles sound.

3.5/5

Very good, and pretty standard. Your basic white British band from the 60s. It’s like Beatles, the velvet underground and Simon and Garfunkel mixed into a white Man soup. Yum.

I enjoy this type of music. It’s a shame it all kind of got forgotten about. Very underrated in terms of today’s music, a must for psych fans.

I mean, interesting and folk straight from the heart... but they are just a little whiny and too melodic. I get the pioneering and experimental heart that gave license to the Doors and others to push further, but still just a 3 for me.

There's good psychedelic music out there, but this ain't it. It's so boring and not even pretty to justify how boring it is.

Beatles v2 olmuş azıcık

This is fine. Bit boring in parts, but odd in other, overall … fine.

Very brief but fun album to listen to, full of the charm of the mid-late 60’s. Highlights for me are I See You and 8 Miles High. 3.5

Soothing...

2.5

Een licht, sfeervol en verrassend fris album met korte nummers, mooie harmonieën en dat typische jangly gitaargevoel. Niet alles werkt even sterk, maar de afwisseling tussen psychedelisch, folk en country-achtige invloeden houdt het prettig en beweeglijk. Roept een sterk filmisch, zonnig gevoel op en bleek een perfecte, ongedwongen start van het weekend. Maakte me oprecht blij.

Eight Miles High might be the song with the most perplexing difference in historical impact / song impact: banned from the radio for drug implications. supposedly the start of psychedelic rock. inspired interest in electric 12 string guitar. have listened so many times and found nothing to note about it. with so many Byrds inclusions you'd think I'd have a better understanding of the Byrds chronology & which times they were any good. I think I'm more confused than ever. congratulations Byrds on your very first album without Bob Dylan covers! you can do it! wait then they chickened out & named their next album after a Dylan lyric. see why this is confusing anyway this was alright. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

I’m running out of things to say about The Byrds. Rounding this up because I’ve given them three 2⭐️s already, and they’re better than a 2⭐️ band, and I did like this one a bit better than others. But come on there can’t possibly be five essential Byrds albums right

First song really good And we’ll all goooo togethheeerrr Yes I indeed wanna go to space too, f this world

I keep relistening to this, hoping it will jump out and excite me, like the Notorious Byrd Brothers did in the early weeks of this challenge. But it’s just nice, mildly psychedelic jangle pop with good harmonies. I’d happily listen to it again anytime but I’m unlikely to seek it out.

this is a pretty good Byrds record… Eight Miles High is obviously a great track, but Mr. Spaceman is a bop!!

I wasn’t privy to this Byrds record, with the exception of Eight Miles High, because of Hüsker Dü. I liked about 90% of the songs alright, but I think they used too much 12 string electric. Still folksy, but edging on psychedelia.

Pretty Hippy Dippy, but it had its moments.

Psychedelic, jangly, intricate harmonies. More of the same from The Byrds - impressive considering this is the first record after the departure of Gene Clark. While I enjoy parts (especially Eight Miles High), I don't feel completely drawn in or blown away by the album. Best Tracks: - What's Happening? - Eight Miles High Worst Tracks: - I Come And Stand At Every Door - 242 Foxtrot Rating: 5/10

There is no list this should exist on

Fun. Hippy.

It's not awful. But it's from that time where stereo was still pretty new, and they thought they had to hard pan every damn instrument. Hard to listen to.

Overall pretty forgettable.

Three fun opening songs and i like the folk sound. The album just didn't stick with me tho.

Spectacular!!!

(3.4) 1.) Eight miles high 2.) Wild Mountain thyme 3.) Psychodrama city

Meh

This one's a decent album, but it's not all that memorable. It's probably telling that my favorite track was "Wild Mountain Thyme," a traditional melody, as opposed to any of the album's new material.

I assume this is a pretty big landmark in popular psychedelia, but it doesn't do a lot for me. I don't hate it, though, it's decent enough background music if you turn it down a bit.

folk is not really my thing

I don’t like the Byrds, the guitar sound is atrocious, there’s another space song, they’re trying to do Dylan but aren’t as good as Dylan. I did like the arrangement on wild mountain thyme, a song I have weird hangups about. But their covers suck also Sweetheart of the rodeo is good The Byrds suck

164 Es como una copia acuenta de los Beatles.

Uneventful and unremarkable.

2,7/5

It was excellent. Great harmonies and one of the first bands to incorporate rock, folk, and country. An album to be celebrated.

Harmless 60's pop but nothing of note to make it seem like it belongs on this list.

This is the best part of the trip This is the trip, the best part I really like

Such a great record. Probably my favorite from The Byrds

I always have a great time with The Byrds. Well made songwriting, nicely twisted arrangements, coloured 12-strings guitars and top-tier vocal harmonies... Perfect!

Viel Gitarre. Es blieb nichts hängen.

This album is in a weird space of Beatles-esque with some covers, lacking a true musical identity. Some very fun hidden gems but on the whole a fairly uninteresting album. At least it doesn't overstay it's welcome. Top tracks: What's Happening?, Captain Soul

Not sure this belongs on the list. Its… fine

Psychedelic Rock x Country Rock…. 2 genres I like separately somehow not living up to the sum of their parts. Still enjoyed it though.

Some bangers but overall way too long. Curation!

it was ok, quite pleasant

After a couple listens I still can't find any edge to this album. The vocals are pretty, the harmonies are nice and the instrumentation is pleasant. I'll never listen to any of these songs again. I'm going to prescribe myself a generous dose of Jimi Hendrix to try to erase that polka cover of Hey Joe from my memory and hopefully the rest of this album with it.

I really like the Byrds. I admit, I cannot fully explain why but I find their songs soothing and very enjoyable. Call me basic - I don’t care. I’m going wild here - 5 stars

Jangly 60s guitar pop. A few good tunes, some a bit less interesting. I don't dig their version of Hey Joe, but Eight Miles High, What's Happening, Mr Spaceman and 5D are great. Prob just short of 4 stars for me

60’s folk. Not my thing but understand the musical aspect.

All these mid sixties psychedelic albums by bands with 3 good songs who all bought a harpsichord and a sitar sound the same to me.

Cool enough

The hits are great

My favorite Byrds album, and it is much better than Rubber Soul.

Ok

Didn't really stand out to me

4 stars

Siento que he escuchado este álbum mil veces desde que empecé este desafío x2.

The highlight of the album is obviously "Eight Miles High" but there are some other good psych rock songs on here like "Mr. Spaceman" and "Whats Happening???" The covers are kind of boring though "Hey Joe" is played in a kind of frantic garage style very different from the Jimi Hendrix one. Overall, there are too many throwaway songs like the last one about the Lear Jet. Why? Still, I love McGuinns Rickenbacker guitar and his distinctive style.

Maybe I'm just a bit fatigued with 60s psych folk since the generator seems to be churning them out a lot lately, but this one kind of washed over me. I didnt dislike anything, and it was cool to hear the Eight Miles High instrumentals, feel like they were definitely ahead of their time. As a whole though, didnt enjoy as much as the Notorious Byrd Brothers record

Enjoyed the harmonies. Good album.

When the Byrds spread their psychedelic wings…

It was fine, slightly different enough from trying to be like the beatles for the 3

I haven’t had a particularly good run of albums recently. It’s been a long time since a 4. Too many 2’s and 3’s, of which this one sits smack bang in the middle, but I’ll round it up because I feel kind today. Very little about Fifth Dimension appealed to my senses.

Pas vraiment d’intérêt pour cet album.

Helt ok, med noen sanger æ vet æ har hørt før, men ellers ikke veldig interessant.

Fifth Dimension certainly isn’t exactly what I was expecting from The Byrds, much more psychedelic. A mix a lot a stuff but still folky at its roots. A decent album. Still a poor’s man’s Beatles

I think I'm byrded out

Eight Miles High is a 4-star tune and in my book the best music either David Crosby or Roger McGuinn ever made but the rest of this album is groping for 2 stars at best. It's unfortunate for them that Jimi Hendrix also did a version of Hey Joe because the difference between them emphasizes how uncreative and uninteresting The Byrds are most of the time.

After four previous Byrds albums, it's hard to muster much enthusiasm for yet another one, and there's not much on "Fifth Dimension" that contradicts my lack of enthusiasm, sadly. Given how interchangeable most of the albums have been so far--aside from the semi-successful effort Gram Parsons made to inject some country into "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"--I really don't understand why this particular album was included, especially since it seems both uninspired and uneven, and doesn't even have any of their radio- or fan-favorites (except the noodly "Eight miles high" and maybe "Mr. Spaceman"?); they apparently suffered more from Gene Clark's songwriting absence than they probably expected. I guess it has some claim to birthing psychedelic rock, but that seems fairly dubious and doesn't really justify so many Byrds albums. Sorry guys.

downgraded due to the fact that Hendrix's version of Hey Joe was released earlier and yet somehow the Byrds thought a speedy version with lots of cowbell was somehow a good thing.

Can definitely tell where Ride got their sound.

What flavour of The Byrds is this? It is the hippy folk, pop/rock backbeat with hints of psychadelia. It aometimes works, sometimes its a but gratimg. Like What’s Happening, for example - it has the bines of a great song, the words ate a bit half arsed and them there is an incongruous psychadelic guitar riff(?) laid over the top. Great version of hey Joe. I can see how this band

The Byrds, I'm afraid, are super one dimensional. They've got some licks that are ahead of their time, but their harmonizing gets old. Wish they would cycle lead vocals some more like the Beatles.

I loved this album! 60’s psychedelic rock?! Sign me up!! Wild Mountain Thyme and the last track, John Riley are my favorite!

Alright

This album was pleasant enough to have on in the background, but psych rock really doesn’t do it for me.

Solid classic psych rock album. Favorite track: Eight Miles High

Yea

I've had this album for years. I like it a lot. Critically listening to it yesterday, I realized that it's a stylistic patchwork. 20/20 hindsight offers the 10-watt insight that the band was still exploring what their sound should be. This only happened after David Crosby left the band. The trad ballads and covers come off the best, especially Nazim Hikmet Ran's "I Come and Stand at Every Door." This album features their classic "Eight Miles High."

meh 2/5

I quite like this psych folk stuff. This was a great listen for me.

This wasn't my favorite album by The Byrds. I do like it, and I especially like how they were creating and pushing psychedelic music in 1966. This album definitely has those cool psych elements that really take off at the end of the decade and into the 70s. I love the Wild Mountain Thyme cover, (one of my favorite Scottish traditional folk songs) and the Hey Joe cover is also really cool. Overall, it didn't really take off for me though. I enjoyed it, but there's other cooler records by The Byrds.

This album is the reason I paused this project for so long. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t particularly good either — it’s ultimately forgettable. It blends in with so many other albums from the era. The guitars have a slightly janglier edge, and the vocal harmonies are a bit nicer than average, but that’s about it. Ninety-five percent of this list feels like an endless stretch of peace-and-love, vaguely interchangeable music made by boring white people, and you have to push through ten albums before you find something that actually feels worth the effort. I suppose I’m unpausing now, hoping the next record is one of the ones that makes it worthwhile.

Yes

Quick and energetic, but a bit generic. Not bad though.

Didn’t listen

Most experimental album. The first one without any song written by Bob Dylan.

Slow slow slow

I don’t have anything to say it’s fine

I didn't love it and again, I don't take drugs so can't appreciate it in full, but it was actually pretty good.

Solid album 👍

3.5

3.0

Good album with some very listenable songs. Would listen again. 3.5 but on the 4 side.

1. dimenzion - 1 2. mountain - 1 3. zpaceman - 1 4. zee - 1 5. happening - 1 6. door - 1 7. Eight - 1.5 8. Joe - 1 9. Soul - 1.5 10. John -1 11. Fox - 1.5 12. Why - 1 13. Rider - 1 14. City - 1

Another Byrds album that is lovely but not astounding. Vocal harmonies and stacking continue to be their strongest aspect. I liked this more than ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ and less than ‘Younger Than Yesterday’ so will rate accordingly.

The initial few tracks sounded boring to me and I was quite resistant to them - they're like bob dylan, but not so great. But then I started really digging it as the album went on. If I was stoned in 1970 this would be an all timer. But, as someone sober in 2025, it's mostly just an 'okay that's fine' type album.

A forward thinking album that has that quintessential mid-60s SoCal sound. The record sounds like early CSNY demos more than a cohesive album. Enjoyed hearing once, but probably won’t revisit, given there are much more polished records with this concept and sound.

Pretty basic album, nothing too compelling here.

it is an interesting album. Great pop/folk songs combined with experimental rock riffs with hints of country and even a cover of an Irish folk song. I loved the guitar on Whats happening. Eight Miles is fantastic. Captain Soul is like a rock funk, and then straight into a cover of the traditional song John Riley in classic 60s rock style. Such great variation in this album. Love the instrumental introduction into Psychodrama City. In fact the whole song is great. Love the way the album ends. John riley Instrumental is funky and cool. Side Note: I have just realised that the The album Carnival of Light by Ride is very influenced by this album - particularly Eight miles high. Solid 4 Stars

I went into this with low expectations, but I really liked the opening track and the covers of the older songs.

Yes 👍

Go Birds 🦅

Good.

I liked this! The folkiness and the harmonies are very nice!

Like wow man.

Pleasant. Not earth-shattering.

Favorite Track: Eight Miles High

Album No. 0048 on my list. Well, I've known a few The Byrds songs before, and pretty much all songs on this were a new listen for me. To be frank, if I'd listen to this album again in a week or two, I would have the same impression. I have to say that most songs on this album felt rather boring and uninspired. The title track, "Eight Miles High", and "2-4-2 For Trott" were the most catchy, most memorable ones for me on this album, and I'll likely listen to them again. The other ones are rather forgettable - sorry to say that. I didn't like the sound of this much either, although some guitar work was quite decent. Might have given 3 stars if in a better mood, but I'll stick with the lower rating for now: 2/5 stars.

This is what happens when a folk band accidentally discovers LSD and refuses to stop talking about it. The Byrds fling themselves out of the coffeehouse and straight into orbit — guitars jangling, lyrics spiraling, and everyone pretending they know what a “fifth dimension” even is. Rating: 4.5/5 Short Review: Like getting high at Sunday service while your preacher quotes Bob Dylan. Favorite Track: “Eight Miles High” — basically the sound of turbulence, ego death, and good hair.

meh

It’s pretty good I guess

Boilerplate 60’s music. I feel like I would have liked it more if they had spent 10-15 more minutes working out the melodies for each song. I’d be giving it three stars if not for 2-4-2 Fox Trot, which might be one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard.

Very very meat and potato. Decent But not the sort of thing that would blow you away. Wild Mountain Thyme is a wonderful wonderful cover. Hey Joe not so much

Very 60s album. A bit up and down but overall ok. Middle of the road.

Definitely not bad but not super memorable. Good old 60s stuff but not a standout for me

God has given me two things to spice up my monotonous working week - this and Cemantle. A humbling diurnal battle and proof some days are good and others are a shit sandwich. Half way through the album I couldn't listen anymore, but I did get 'valve' in 21 guesses... you can't have it all. 2 stars for non-finishing guilt

“Eight Miles High” is nice and good to hear again, “Hey Joe” was cool… didn’t realize they covered it! But mostly a cosmic shrug. Feels like an artifact from a world I wasn’t quite born into.

Way too many cover songs. Are we sure that the third- or fourth-best Byrds album should be on the top 1000 list?

Pretty middle of the road album, but “The Lear Jet Song” was obnoxious enough to drop a full star, and Jimi’s version of “Hey Joe” is way better

Fifth Dimension is the fifth Byrds record I've received from this list and a tame one at that; though those five records varied in style and genre, I'm not left convinced that all five were needed to express this band's cultural importance.

Quite liked this. Absolutely despised Mr. Spaceman though. I like the album art too.

enjoyed this a lot more than the other byrds album ive had. very high 3

Didn't get to this today. Maybe Monday.

The Byrds is a band that might have a ok greatest hits album, but I doubt any of their actual albums should be on the list. Musically this album is interesting and good, but lyrically it’s one of the worst things from the decade. All of the sins of cheap, trite 60’s songwriting. Notable tracks include Wild Mountain Thyme, What’s Happening, Eight Miles High, I Know My Rider.

Ugh, more boring music!

7/10

I heared Eight Miles High first when I was 7 years old, and since then I thought it was one of the best psychedelic rock songs ever (well, maybe after Tomorrow Never Knows, but who will argue that?). I still think it is. Few years ago I checked out Byrds compilation. And I was a bit dissapointed, because none of that was that good. So I was looking forward to listening to a full-lenght album. And you know what? IIt wasn't dissapointing. It has some great moments (especially I Come And Stand At Every Door). Overall the album sounds so dated now, it feels silly. But it's all good. But yeah, Eight Miles High is not good, it's fantastic. An album with this song should be there. I just with everything else was as good as it.

These guys were clearly fucked up the whole time they were recording this.

4/5

Kind of replacement level psych rock, though they were early to the sound that defined the late 60s so they deserve credit for that. A very pleasant if slightly underwhelming listen.

Just nothing here worth committing to memory, even a little bit

Listened 11 Oct. Sublime

I love the guitar on this album

There is just some music that sounds timeless. Not that it is generic sounding, but rather that it could have been made in any number of decades over the last 60 years. I really like that. And I really liked this album.

Commercial proto-psych pop. Not bad for what it is. Couple of gems. Could do without the “Hey Joe” rendition though.

Not a fan.

There is nothing terrible on this album and Eight Miles High is an OK song. I don't know what it is about this style of music, I just don't like it very much. A big ol' meh of an album.

I like the Byrds but this is not my favorite

Good

I have never really got the Byrds. I had a greatest hits when I was younger - and it was fine - but never really grabbed me. Very surprised to learn that there are 5 Byrds albums on this list.... This ones a real mixed bag. Eight Miles High is the obvious standout. Everything else pretty meh.

Fifth Dimension I love the loping drums on 5D, as well as the organ, they feel rhythmically and sonically like a confident step forward from Turn, Turn, Turn, adding a shade of psychedelia without passing into whimsy or silliness. It seems to oscillate thereafter between reaching further into psychedelic infused folk rock and their more standard sound of previous albums, perhaps reflecting a bit of indecision following the loss of a songwriter as great as Gene Clark. When it all comes together, as on 5D and as on the fantastic 8 Miles High it is great, but it is undoubtedly a slightly uneven album in terms of overall song quality, and it certainly tails off after 8 Miles High with the version of Hey Joe, the throwaway Captain Soul and the slightly aimless 2-4-2 Fox Trot. Only John Riley really seems to work amongst these, the strings and bass are excellent. Up to Eight Miles High there are some gems though, the version of Wild Mountain Thyme is lovely, the strings feel a bit overwrought at first, but they are lovely against the typical Byrdsian harmonies. Mr Spaceman is a great bit of catchy country-rock. I See You is an interesting combination of their ‘traditional’ sound with some psychedelic 12 string and a repeating Rain like chords in the verses - it’s a great track and a real grower, maybe aided in this instance by the slight feel of being caught between two stools. I quite like Crosby’s What’s Happening, although I think he did this sort of thing better on the solo album of his we had a while back. I like I Come and Stand at Every Door too, it’s a bit of a grower, the droning feel and thumped snare give it a mournful feel, and again it feels slightly caught between different ideas. It’s obviously not their greatest album, but it’s probably one of their most interesting, and I think its a solid 4. It’s notable how early they were to sounds that would become more prevalent through 1966 and 1967, and you can really feel the influence of Rubber Soul - it’s funny how some tracks recall Rain, which was actually released between them finishing recording and then releasing the album. Maybe George slipped them an acetate or something. 🦆🦅🦉🦜 Playlist submission: 8 Miles High

The titular track is so Dylan - even when not covering him, the Byrds are enthralled to the man. The chord changes, metre, phrasing is pure Bob. Rarely can Dylan impersonators match the visceral and cerebral source material - and I feel that the case here. Gene Clark had absented the band by this point. 'Eight Miles High', the one track he did contribute to, carves a path of its own - Dylan from another planet maybe. The mystical chord progressions are equally eastern and beautifully folk simultaneously, which brings an intriguing but comforting feel to this pathfinding tune (even if the lead guitar busily stumbles over itself at times). Great stuff. Aside from these tracks, I found the album lazy. Folk reinterpretations; throwaway pop; blues-jam. On the positive side 'Wild Mountain Thyme' is another version of their 'Mr Tambourine Man'; it's over-orchestrated but still a touching song. 'What's Happening' is a self-assured tune with some majesty though. It's a gem in a lot of rough. The more I listen the more it's obvious the album hangs off the excellent centrepiece; the seminal 'Eight Miles High'. Despite a couple of nice tracks the rest doesn't come close.

Don't like it.

They should have kept Dylan

8 miles high and falling faaaaaast

Love Roger McGuinn’s 12 string Rickenbacker and Gene Clark’s vocals

Holy crap. 2 records in a row that are difficult to appreciate. Yesterday Steeley Dan - Aja, and this 1966 rager. 4 of the songs are covers. At least the record represents change. It’s not all folk rock and there is an interesting shift into folk-rock-neopsychedelia with some Ravi Shankar noodling references. The Ravi Shankar passages are distracting. See What’s Happening for a prime example. Beautiful vocal by David Crosby and a bit of a jaunty tune with the Shankar Noodles. Then there is a WTF moment. Who decided that I Come and Stand at Every Door should be released? Morose doesn’t quite describe the impact on the listener. a song about a seven year old child killed by the A-Bomb on Hiroshima whose spirit walks the earth in search of peace. This is a song to overdose too. Eight Miles High and Hey Joe are easily the best tracks on the record. The psychedelic Eight Miles High and the rather excellent cover of Hey Joe are the best if a rather uneven batch of songs. The instrumental Captain Soul is also rather interesting as it captures some of the Jim McGuinn precise leads with a piercing jangle guitar tone that is the Byrds sonic trademark. John Riley has a monotone vocal matching the folk origins of the original. I’m sure if I liked folk music and was dropping acid this would be mildly interesting but as I am neither interested in folk or on acid this song is just blah. It could be Steeley Dan. The final track starts with a vacuum cleaner emulation of apparently a Lear jet. The 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song) is the least interesting track on the record and signals the end of a rather uninteresting album. Once all the way through was more than enough. When I look back on this journey I’ll know this is an album never to revisit.

couple good ones

Hardly a magic carpet ride as the cover suggests, it's more or less confined to token folk pop. The folkies of the '60s were musical elitists who demanded a puritanical level of adherence to a notional set of rules that included arbitrary and shifting goalposts; in this instance, they were rightfully annoyed. But let's be honest about The Byrds, even when they were respected, they played mostly covers, at least on their first two records. On their third album, "Fifth Dimension," The Byrds wrote their own music and incorporated electricity; the outcome was meh. The record has its moments, but there is hardly anything here that dictates an essential listen or a return to listen. The Byrds are another bunch of dudes with instruments who didn't write the material that made them famous. It's no surprise that when they do write their own music, a fifth dimension on the third spinny disc would occur. Assuming the substitution for the list must be another folk record, the album that should be added instead is S/t Jackson C. Frank. David Van Ronk's Folksinger would also be a fair substitution for Mississippi John Hurt's Folk Songs and Blues.

Pretty much exactly what I want out of a 60s psychedelic rock album

Surprisingly more enjoyable than my last experience with this band. I don't think it justifies 5 whole slots on a list like this, but I appreciate this one quite a bit. I really got into the energy, it was fun!

Alright in places. Not special or particularly well aged, production wise.

3 stars I don't remember most of this album except liking it sonically

This was fine. Their later albums make a noticeable improvement compared their beginning albums but still, this was decent. There's a couple of songs that seem like filler (more towards the second half) but honestly this is about as average as it gets with psychedelic rock. Not bad! 2.75-3.00/5

A great release by The Byrds that sounds a bit more coherent than other albums. That's for the price of some standout tracks.

I really liked this. Would love to have the vinyl. Can really hear the influence they had an many other artists, like Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.

The first half of this album s really good in my opinion but the second half is just fine I guess. The Byrds have wonderful vocal harmonies that many other bands weren't doing in that time, but the few that were are The Beatles or Beach Boys, which did it much better, but The Byrds should not be out of that conversation and this album proves that.

Folk. PSYCH!

Solid Album. No Dylan covers, although "5D" was clearly Zimmerman inspired. Strengths: THOSE HARMONIES, great covers of traditionals, David Crosby's gorgeous voice. Weaknesses: Their "jam" fillers (Captain Soul and The Lear Jet Song), McGuinn's "guitar solos" sound like a toddler fumbling around on the fretboard. Favorite Songs: "Mister Spaceman" (McGuinn) and "What's Happening (Crosby), and the CD extra songs "Why" and "I Know My Rider." Rating: 3/5

1966 'Eight Miles High' is a fantastic track, the rest of the album, not so... Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Show-offs ★★★☆☆ (5/10)

I wanted it to be better. Nothing stood out to me.

Very Beatles esque, with additional orchestral bits. Surprisingly full sounding for an 60s album

More psychedelic rock

It was pretty good. I really liked their cover of Hey Joe.

3,9

This is not my bag, man. Made me think maybe I should have given De La Soul four stars. There's just nothing interesting about this. I listened on my open-ear headphones while walking the dog, and I literally tuned it out. The sound of traffic, roofers, and ACTUAL birds was more engaging.

You can sort of hear some early psych influences among the songs on this album, and some of the songs are quite good, but this is another band that really shines on their best of albums instead of the originals because some songs are just so fucking terrible. I Come and Stand at Every Door, for example. WTF?

Most Byrds albums I’ve listened too are uneven. This one is too, but more solid than most.

Captain Soul is a great instrumental track. I don't care for the rest, although I know this has a few important and innovative tracks. And every sound David Crosby produces annoys me. And why didn't they call it Fyfth Dymension? Missed opportunity.

2/5 - I didn’t really need to hear this album. Other than Eight Miles High, nothing even prompted me to check the song title. It’s an extremely 60s record without much appeal for me. I don’t get why this is on the list.

Tsja, dit is zo lastig om te reviewen. Ik vind het nogal saai, maar dit komt uit 1966, oftewel ongeveer 60 jaar geleden. In hoeverre kan ik dan beoordelen of het saai is? Het klinkt prima, ik irriteer me niet ontzettend, Mr Spaceman klinkt heel nice. En ik merk dat de zang best wel goed klinkt. Het is meerstemmig volgens mij? Hm, tsja het is gewoon echt een prima rock n roll album. Je hoort misschien wel wat psychedelische invloeden, maar ik kan niet zeggen dat ik een echte expert op dat gebied ben. Wel weet ik dat The Byrds goed klinken, doen me soms inderdaad wat denken aan The Beatles en andere bands uit die tijd. (wetende dat dit vast en zeker een zeer controversiele mening is) Dus alles bij elkaar is dit zeker geen slecht album! fAVO: Mr Spaceman, I know my rider

8 Miles High is the best song on this album, though I do like that it's abundantly clear how good they are as musicians on every track. Also, the vocal harmonies are pretty killer.

A real eye-opener for me. Initially seemed to be exactly the type of 60s pop I expected but it improved as it went along.

Boring soulless 60’s psychedelic rock.

Just so boring, another Psychedelic Rock album that sounds like a dull Beatles and Dylan album. Silly list for putting 5 albums of them in it.

The Byrds don’t even deserve one album on this list and this is I think my third. Bit fucking pointless!