Reviews (page 4 of 8)
3/10
Knew from the first song I was going to hate it Got four more albums from these wankers to look forward to
Not bad, but kinda just typical old rock.
I have and love this album
Not much to say, quite an forgettable album. I don't really enjoy country albums 2/5
Okay.
Just cannot give a shit about this. Boomer slop
Another album by The Byrds… how are there 5 damn albums of theirs on this list. It’s so average. Yawn. 2.5 / 5
It's probably the best 60's psych folk album there is. That being said, it's just okay.
3.2 1x
About what I expected. Enjoyable enough.
It's a decent folk rock album with some neat touches of psychedelic influences here and there. Side one is really strong but side two is a letdown (despite opening with 8 Miles High) with 2 instrumentals and a typical cover of Hey Joe. Overall, half a great album.
Sounded a bit 3rd!
You know that birds aren't real, right? That they're CIA drones to monitor the population? Anyhow, I digress. Eight miles high isn't bad, the rest is rather bland and forgettable.
Bob your head to the sixties groove, baby. Some kind of album from waaay back when your (great?) grandparents were grooving.
Odds and evens, I liked all the odd numbered tracks, I found all the evens a bit too folky for my tastes.
Was fine.
This was pretty pleasant. I thought Turn Turn Turn would be on this album since every song sounds like it is building up to it. So it was surprising it wasnt on here. This was pretty nice.
Of all the albums I’ve listened to so far, this definitely the most boring. I don’t get the “psychedelic” label as nothing about this is trippy or even remotely interesting. It was truly a drag to get through this. I didn’t even want it as background noise, but atlas, I made it through. I don’t know why this is recommended as a must listen… I wasn’t familiar with The Byrds before this and I’m 10000% certain I could’ve gone the rest of my days without ever hearing this. I’d be fine..
Meh
Love the Byrds
Lekkere muziek, heel harmonieus maar wel een tikkeltje gedateerd. Ook staan er geen grote hits op dit album (zoals Mr Tangerineman)
"Why" sounds like an REM song. A lot of this seems like it could have been influential for 1966. I also have the same feeling I'm sure most of my teachers had about my effort levels: minimal and half assed. Learned Gram Parsons didn't join until the 6th album.
Theres a ton of great 60s music… and this isnt part of it. I love Eight Miles High and I Know My Rider (which is a bonus track). The rest of the album all sounds alright, but not noteworthy. The most “2.5 stars” of an album ive ever heard
Pretty boring, this album. This band feels like a mediocre example of the music of the era, and you'd be better off listening to any of their contemporaries than them.
Wasn’t into this one
Country.
Funny how something that is very like another thing can have a totally different reaction. Mama's and Papa's album left me cold but the Byrds are okay. On my patented -100 to 100 scale where being tickled by someone you don't like is -60 but being tickled my someone who gives you sticky pants is +40 this is a 30
So, across this album. The instrumentals are quite nice. But the slow singing kills me. Which makes the songs, hey joe. Captain soul and 2-4-2 fox-trot stand out to me. The best of the three byrds albums this list has put me through
Delightful, it's a bit short so it's 1 point off. 4/5
10 I’m giving it full marks cos I love the album cover so much
This is what people who rated Abbey Road a 1 heard when they put on their headphones. Not their fault. 1
wasn't a fan of this - i couldn't even concentrate on listening to the songs. it just felt a little too bland which made it difficult to distinguish between songs. i can appreciate the influence they had over music (psych rock etc.) but i struggled to finish the album without getting bored which is concerning considering it was only half-an-hour long.
Good sunny afternoon album This is a great album! I like how all of the songs are not the same and it has great energy. I feel like I’m listening to Hendrix and The Beatles and something else.
The Byrds clearly have 1 or 2 albums that don't need to be on this list. This album being one of them. However, I'm so glad they got 5 albums on the list as it introduced me to their discography and I've become a huge fan. They are an interesting group in that they don't truly have any massive hits like their contemporaries. Their best songs are often covers. But their overall sound is just so good I don't really care This album is probably a 3.5
Psychedelic Folk! A bit more rockin' than I thought The Byrds would be, was expecting more pop.
My wheelhouse 4.5
Eine echte Boomer-Perle. Ganz nah an den Wurzeln und noch keine krankmachenden Ausläufer. Einfach Musik! Handgemacht! Authentisch! Gut!
One of my favourite Byrds albums, maybe in large part because of how large the title track looms (alongside Eight Miles High). Definitely my first Byrds album where I started taking them seriously as something other than a glorified cover band.
i liked
When this came up I assumed it would be an automatic 5… but I have spent three weeks wavering between 4 and 5. Wild Mountain Thyme, Eight Miles High, and John Riley are great tracks but the rest is rather bland and forgettable.
I liked some of it but couldn’t finish, way too long
Pretty standard 60s
Typical of the 60s and not outstanding in any way. 6/10
American or British???
My inner hippie really enjoyed. 4.5/5
I like the Byrds generally, but this wasn't the peak of their music for me. This album was _very_ Byrdsy to me, and it was just a little too psychedelic in a sort of annoying way IMO. Their version of Hey Joe sounded rushed and weak kinda(?) and I didn't really love any of the other songs either. Overall I loved their harmonies, as always, and they are clearly very gifted musicians, but this wasn't the right album for me. Three stars.
There are so many Byrds albums on this project. But dang it they're all good. A relaxing 60s vibe
Fun enough for a 60s rock slog.
although they are not a band i consider one of my favorite bands, i really do love the byrds. i think probably most people don't understand the context and the influence they had at the time, which is fine. this album finds them at a critical point in their history. one of the original members of the band, gene clark, who was one of their lead vocalists and primary songwriters, has left the band. at this point, their iconic folk rock sound is starting to transform. sometimes it's towards psych-rock and even jazz ('eight miles high'), sometimes it's towards country ('wild mountain thyme' and 'mr. spaceman'). it's sort of the canary in the coalmine for what's to come in music, and for them as a band. that being said, it's not my favorite byrds album. it's a bit uneven (i think the first side is way stronger than the second, even if the second side does lead off with what is the most important song here, 'eight miles high'). but listening to it, i sort of fell back in love with it, warts and all.
These guys are just B tier through and through
Not an album I’m familiar with but it’s great 1960’s psychedelic folk rock so right up my alley. Eight Miles High I did know and is the best track. Conjures up the vision of Roger McGuinn singing on Top of the Pops, with his oblong shaped shades perched on the edge of his nose looking so fucking cool (song might have be Mr Tambourine Man but he looked cool all the time) 5/5 21/8/25
Pretty good, esp for 1966.
This is another album that was fine, even enjoyable to listen to, but it's inclusion on this list is suspect. It sounds like pretty generic 60s psychedelic folk to me, and as far as I can tell it didn't do anything original or groundbreaking for the style.
Looked back at the last album review we had for the Byrds and didn't find anything memorable. I could say the same for this album though it was decent background music. Right down the middle 3.
This album was about the epitome of "just fine" music. Nothing specifically excited or engaged me, but I didn't mind it being there. Only songs I look back with memory of are Mr. Spaceman (has a nice little hop to it and some quality harmonies), Eight Miles High (heard it a bunch of times before -- classic summer of love sounding track), and What's Happening? (probably my favorite individual song on here). Otherwise, I'll most likely forget this by noon. I'd say this straddles a 2/3 line. Going 3 because it was inoffensive.
Beatles-esque. Good stuff. Easy listener.
The Byrds be sounding like the Byrds on this one. Really disappointing I was hoping for some crazy psychadelic music on this album with the name being Fifth Dimension. Pretty standard 60s rock.
Love a good psychedelic album that's under 30 minutes. There is some crazy abstract guitar on this bad boy. I See You and What's Happening? really show it. Doesn't always work but I think it thrives here and pushes the songs to the next DIMENSION. Big fan. Even with the subpar Hendrix cover this was still highly enjoyable to me. The guitar really shines on some of these songs.
Honestly, this was okay, just too dippy for me.
Folkrock, 1966 -> 2
I can see the historical importance of the album and some of the songs did grab me. Fighting between 2 and 3 stars.
Didn’t really click w the first Byrds album I listened to, really enjoyed this one.
Mit dem Album verabschiedet sich die Dand vom reinen Folk-Rock und öffnen die Tür zur Psychedelia. „Eight Miles High“ sticht als visionärer Höhepunkt hervor – ein hypnotischer Mix aus Jazz, Raga und Rock. Zwar wirkt das Album stellenweise unausgereift, doch gerade diese Experimentierfreude macht es spannend. Ein mutiger Schritt in neue Klangwelten, der den Geist der späten 60er perfekt einfängt.
I got through nearly the whole album without writing any notes. I guess it's that kind of album - just a nice, 60's, floaty kind of time. I didn't recognise a lot of the covers. The Hey Joe one I appreciate on the basis that it's a genuine different take on a classic, rather than just doing the same thing.
Better than it started. Hey Joe
Another 60s album. Doesn't please my ears, I'm not a fan. Sorry.
I can never seem to see the brilliance in much of what The Byrds did. It’s always just fine and dandy. 5/10
Really good.
Real. nice. 4 *
Good album lots of songs feel like the same. Although they did establish a unique sound that you can listen to any song and know its theirs whichbis tough. Great band
nice album, chönnt mer weder lose. aso muessi eig nomol lose, han ned alles so ufmerksam glost
203/1089 - Eight Miles High was really good. The rest was competent but pretty dry.
The grooves were nice but the lyrics were underdeveloped (I could have done without the detailed Hiroshima accounting). Not bad for 1966, but not quite inspiring.
Guitar noodling and harmonization. Loosely goosey but in a mostly talented way 3.3
Lidt bedre end den sidste med Byrds, den her havde vist lidt flere originale sange, men de gør stadig ikke noget for mig
Imo en del bedre end deres debut, de har tilføjet den rigtige mængde psykedelia!
No more Dylan covers!
One good hit, several average songs.
Pretty boring songwriting but still a pretty enjoyable listen
Meh. I was expecting a little more from this.
Pleasantly surprised with this album. Loved the underlining eeriness to many of the tracks. Some of the melodies reminded me of Neutral Milk Hotel.
These guys could not write an intro, outro, or bridge to save their lives. Every song comes in on one note, and just stays on that note the whole time.
I liked this one more than I expected. It gave me some good groovy psychedelic rock, which I definitely love. Nothing crazy that stood out, but I definitely want to listen again.
Another great album by The Byrds although five albums on this list is a bit much probably. 1966 was the era when they went more psychedelic and they got an important role in the counterculture at that time. I like the jangle pop sound of the album - Mr. Spaceman, and Hey Joe cover are great, and my personal favourite is Eight Miles High. It's a strong album by them and one of their best.
At times slow and introspective, at times jaunty and whimsical, The Byrds’ “Fifth Dimension” really leans into the psychedelia of it all. Jangly guitars, high thin vocals with nice harmonies to fill them out, and tight instrumentation bring this album together. Sometimes it really kicks into high gear, and it shines in those moments. “Mr. Spaceman” feels like a lost Simon and Garfunkel track, akin to “Mrs. Robinson.” Sometimes the album slows down, and while the variety is appreciated, the slower tracks were far less interesting to me. Overall this is a fun time, showcasing what the band was all about - psychedelic music that sometimes had something to say and sometimes was just meant to be fun and inject some whimsy into life. It’s a great example of what psychedelic rock was all about, and it came out during that genre’s peak. Four stars. Standout Tracks: I See You, What’s Happening?, Eight Miles High, Captain Soul
33/1001 :: The Byrds - Fifth Dimension Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 5 Fav Tracks: Mr. Spaceman Never been a Bryds guy but I don’t hate it at all. Just sounds really 60’s. Jangly. Psychedelic What ever… That said loved the song Mr. Spaceman and also thought the Hey Joe interpretation was pretty cool. Onto the next…
pretty solid but i didn’t find anything special in it
Consistent, a good classic
This is the second time I have been recommended this band. It’s fine, but I do t care for it
Not a lot to say about this one. It's ok. Super short songs, but a lot of them. It definitely all ran together for me and I found myself not paying attention to it at all. I don't really know why this album would be included on this list, and surely one from The Byrds would have been enough. This is my first one from them but apparently they have 5 on the list? Seems excessive to me... 2/5
Classics
Eight miles high and what’s happening stand out.
I have an appreciation for the simplicity of this era of rock & roll. I listened to a good amount of Buffalo Springfield (Stephen Stills, Neil Young) when I was younger, so it's kinda fun to hear from David Crosby. Maybe I'll check out The Hollies soon to have background on Graham Nash before a CSNY album shows up on this list. Not totally sure how to feel about this album, it's a pretty light and fun listen but I didn't get a ton of impact. The biggest stand out for me was "Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go)", but only because it was truly painful to sit through compared to the Hendrix version. Otherwise, I'll take the critics' word for how influential this album was on the beginnings of psychedelic rock and the rest of the 60s.
3.0
Old school quite Crosby stills and Nash already
Not for me, sorry. Pleasant enough, but doesn't grab me.
I listened this album four times. The first two times it felt very dull and stale, but with the latter ones I started to appreciate a little bit more, as I found this record to sound very pleasent. Apart from that, I do still think that this LP is very flat in terms of ideas and experimentation. There's some, but it could be more and better. Nothing more to add, this is just a decent album.
This was pretty fun. Although, with the exception of 8 Mile High, nothing really stood out. Just about worth a 4.
4/10 Another one that shouldn’t be on this list. All the ingredients for a good album are there, but it just doesn’t work. Song choice and songwriting isn’t right, it is well put together but tends toward folk rock with a psychedelic wrapper. Problem is that everything they do here is not as good as others, say Dylan, Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel. Best: Eight Miles High
Was okay. Eight Miles High is one of those songs that instantly place you in the '60s, and is the stand-out on this album. Nothing to really bring me back though...
Singles are okay, the rest is boring middle of the road folk pop and sounds like everything else from the valley, which this list has way too much of.
All over the place! Mostly fun. Some wild guitar.
Really good! :) It was jangly and fun, and I liked it.
Probably the byrds best. Venturing into psychedelic pop it sounds ground breaking an equivalent to revolver, maybe even pushing the envelope further.
Pretty good
Felt very chaotic, couldnt focus on or enjoy it.
It was a nice album, nothing special I don't think though. But Eight Miles High was definitely the best song. Wasn't a huge fan of the voice. 7/10
All songs sort of blended together but in a nice way
Hey Joe. There's a song that sounds like A minor jam. Une autre qui sonne comme les Beatles genre Rain ??????
I listened to the original release of this album (rather than a remastered version), and I think it desperately needs remixed. The use of only the L or R speaker throughout this album is so damn irritating. I almost DNF'ed on the very last song and it wasn't even 3 minutes long lol. This album was a snoozefest other than a few exceptions that still weren't worth relistening. 2/5
Ugh, I'm not sure how much byrds I can take. At least this one doesn't have any Dylan covers Listening -Vocals still seem trying to be Dylan-lite on this opening -I love Wild Mountain Thyme, an old classic of Irish music. And this is a good cover. But it just has a little too much going on -Mr. Spaceman is a stupid song. but fun. My primary memory of this song is a cassette tape when I was kid of Muppets playing with various human musicians. Anyway Jimmy Buffett played this with Gonzo, and obviously it had an impact. Anyway, I had fun, but this song is totally empty. -In general, I feel like their instrumentals are always a little too much going on. -Eight Miles High is quite cool. The slowly building open, the guitar solos. But I'm not sure I actually like it very much. It's just a peek into the fact they could be musically creative if they wanted. Review: I wanted to be more optimistic about this one, but it still feels like watered down 60s rock. Like, its just very soft and doesn't really feel like it has anything to say. Eight Miles High is enough to bring it to 2.5, but even the songs I like feel poorly produced and busy. At least it's short. Rounding down. Ostensibly the Byrds were one of the biggest bands of the 60s and I think it's the equivalent of small-town midwesterners getting excited when a dish has black pepper and is thus "spicy": 60s people just weren't ready for musical complexity in popular music yet. At least they helped give us that dope Gene Clark album from earlier by starting his career.
Maybe we've had too much of The Byrds or related solo projects, but I found this album to be far more boring than their other works, which is kind of disappointed since I liked the earlier ones on this list so much more.
I listened to about one song. The sound was a Beatles- esque folk music like sound. Non super catchy but good lyrics.
Great sounds, songs could be better
Lyrics obviously not the byrds strong point in this one but you can see this influencing a lot of music going forward.
I liked the Byrds way back when I was young, but the whole psychedelic folk thing just doesn’t do it for me much now. I still appreciate their harmonies though. And Eight Miles High is great.
Don't know about that jet song but the rest was great!
I hate this type of music. I tried, but just couldn't.
Actually really decent
A good album and it still hangs together fairly well after all these years. It was fun hearing the Byrds version of Hey Joe. I think I had learned at some point that it was a cover, but I didn't realize that other famous bands had covered it prior to Jimi's excellent, slower and more mind-bending release. I love the harmonies and hearing David Crosby at what may be his sweetest and most melodic phase on this album. However, this has almost zero replay draw for me. I can't see myself ever circling back to it, it holds no place in my memories but just stands in my mind for a precursor for amazing things to come.
#22 Fifth Dimension ~ The Byrds The Byrds stake their claim as one of the first psychedelic folk acts, which is nice. They have David Crosby, which is nice. I can definitely hear a bunch of acts they've influenced, like Tom Petty and REM, which is nice. But I guess the issue is I don't necessarily hear anything of substance for the first few albums. I guess it's a bit too easy-listening for my taste. Like sugar water. The album feels very inconsistent. Some songs are pretty good. 8 Miles High is the biggest stand out, but after that song, my god I nearly fell asleep, and that's not necessarily a good sign, because I get excited or piqued by the lowest of tricks. Still it's not as bad as Beau Brummels, in the sense that there's something redeemable and charming I find about this album, but certainly an album I can't really see revisiting.
Chill
Great album that I have never heard before. I have very little knowledge of The Byrds work, this is my first time hearing this album and it is not bad. Very chilled out rock vibes with nice lyrics and vocals. Some interesting music with nice variety. I'm going to put this on again when I want to chill out and vibe to some nice tunes.
Never a big fan, but it’s fine
If this album were a colour it would be taupe or magnolia! Very bland and un interesting to listen to and certainly not an album I would listen to again.
Didn't really know this as an album, obviously know some of the stand out tracks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but the adaption of traditional folk songs is quite interesting. Favourite track for me though is Psychodrama City.
I was thinking this sounds like The Beatles covering Dylan songs in places, then read that’s exactly what some people said at the time. Also, I didn’t realise they are American and the band where David Crosby (Crosby, Stills and Nash) came from! I really liked the jangly psychedelia on this album.
Das dritte Studioalbum der US-amerikanischen Band The Byrds wurde überwiegend in den Columbia Studios in Hollywood aufgenommen. Die Aufnahmen zogen sich von März bis Juni 1966 hin, in einer Phase, in der sich die musikalische Ausrichtung der Gruppe veränderte. Die Band hatte kurz vor Beginn der Studioarbeiten einen personellen Einschnitt erlebt: Gene Clark, Haupt-Songwriter der frühen Phase, war ausgeschieden. Dies beeinflusste das Songwriting sowie die stilistische Ausrichtung spürbar. Musikalisch bewegt sich Fifth Dimension im Übergangsbereich zwischen Folk Rock und den sich entwickelnden psychedelischen Klängen der Mittsechziger. Der Song „Eight Miles High“ gilt als prägend für die Entwicklung psychedelischer Rockmusik, wobei er musikalisch wie textlich neue Wege beschritt. Weitere bekannte Titel des Albums sind „Mr. Spaceman“ und „I See You“, die mit rhythmischer Offenheit und erweiterten Klangideen experimentieren. Die Einflüsse aus Jazz und indischer Musik, die sich besonders in der Gitarrenarbeit von Roger McGuinn zeigen, markieren einen Bruch mit den stärker von traditionellem Folk geprägten früheren Werken der Band. Auch textlich zeigen sich Spuren des damaligen gesellschaftlichen und kulturellen Wandels. Insgesamt ist Fifth Dimension ein Album, das den Übergang von strukturierter Folk-Rock-Musik zu experimentelleren Formen dokumentiert. Trotz einiger Unebenheiten in der Produktion bleibt es ein markantes Zeugnis seiner Zeit.
Certainly not their best effort and the change in song writing shows The Byrds always emulated Dylan, it's especially true and less successful on this album. Certainly not bad as there's some good songs, including and especially Mr Spaceman but their first two albums were far better
Yeah didn't mind some of this but not really my wheelhouse. Mid 2s
This is one of those classic psydellic albums that make a huge impact and sticks with you long after you've heard it. This is one of those bands you heard about but probably never listened to.
One of the finer 60s acts. Often skipped over due to the more popular Stones and Beatles, they have an amazing back catalog and some super-tight tracks
PRetty boring album. Didn't do a lot for me. No real stand out tracks
The most Byrds sounding Byrds album?
I listened to this album. But that’s all you’re getting from me. I’ve already wrung every word I’m capable of writing about the Byrds out of myself. I’ve got nothing left. I can only say “mid psych folk jangle pop” so many times and in so many ways and I ran out of original combinations twelve Byrds albums ago. I’m done.
Wow, it was the first album ever not to include any songs written by Bob Dylan. That alone deserves a higher than usual rating
ass
Enjoyed this
6/10 - pretty decent Mr spaceman was just like Mr tambourine man
The byrds, similar to the kinks, (and most other 60s stuff on the list) are consistently good but not great. Just like 90s techno there are way too many albums from this corner of the music scene on this list that are probably not different enough to warrant all of them being on here
Classic
Does anyone sound more like the 60s than the Byrds do? Good album, but I’m not convinced it’s their best.
Really uneven and nothing super interesting here for me. Eight miles high as the high point for me but I just didn’t enjoy this sound very much. Psychedelic rock has left this so far behind it is hard to go back
I expected to like this more than I did. My favorite genres, my favorite time period, etc. But I found this album sort of unremarkable. Not necessarily bad, but not good either. ha.
Fun album, fun look into a moment in time, but not an essential byrds album.
Couldn't get into this.
After 3 songs, which I didn't even listen to in full, I'd had enough. No, I don't need to hear any more of the Byrds. 1/5
i fall the fuck off this world
An enjoyable enough listen, though I wouldn't say I typically listen to this type of rock. It's definitely "of it's time," bringing a similar vibe as The Beatles. Maybe a 3 out of 5 from me. I could listen to it again, but I'm not sure I'd reach for it that often.
Me gustó mucho pero llegó escuchando rock de los 60 varias álbumes seguidos 😅 Muy rollo beatles Le doy un 5/10 en la escala wow
Why do we need five Byrds albums on this list again? Their first two albums, sure, but everything after doesn't really bring anything new to the sound except the country album which straight sucks. What's Happening? seems to capture my thoughts about this one being on the list. At least this is my final one. It is fine. Sounds like The Byrds always do, with a bit of psychedelic song writing. There is a terrible version of Hey Joe on this album.
3.0 I've had a lot of 60s recently, and this just blends into the middle of them. Not bad, not good.
Solid psychedelic album, I appreciate how creative the Byrds were.
Rather good
One strong single and the rest filler does not make a good album, let alone one for this 1001 list.
I'm incredulous there's YET ANOTHER Byrds album on this list. Props to Mr. Spaceman for doing something different at least.
It's fine, just not my style. I was pretty bored early on.
370/1001
Good
When I think of the Byrds I think of psychedelic rock, but “rock” is a misnomer as they are so much more rooted in folk and blues. Clear Dylan influence as the album kicks off, which reminds me that his fingerprints are all over my favorite music from the decade. Overall, a good album with flashes of greatness. But kind of like Karl Malone who kept facing Michael Jordan in the playoffs—the Byrds have to take their place in the 60s pantheon alongside giants like Bobby, John, and Paul, and can’t quite rise that high.
The Byrds are such an interesting band. They are synonymous with the psychedelic music scene, have well known singles (original and Dylan covers alike), and furthered artists careers for decades to come. Their sound on this album is completely recognizable and has all of the signatures that they are known for, and yet, it still feels a little enigmatic to me. Perhaps, they aren't an "album" band. The music is great, but hard to place in their overall canon. 8 Miles High still sounds fantastic, and that alone is enough secure the album's place on the list!
Groundbreaking early psychedelic record. Sheds the Dylan covers of the early records although the songwriting is lacking on a couple of filler tracks.
I think the Byrds sound a bit like a cliché for early 60s pop folk mainly because they influenced the genre so much.
This is really beautiful music, and complex, like the band that gave us such diverse sounds.
It's pretty OK. I can see how they were influential and all that, but none of it really grabs me. This feels more like a prototype than a finished product.
It's fine, nothing super interesting here over all. Not the best version of Will Ye Go Lassie, Go?, definitely not the best version of Hey Joe, just okay.
Uneven as hell. A few tracks shine; Eight Miles High, Mr. Spaceman, and Captain Soul; but the writing often falls flat, and it fizzles out by the end. Cool ideas, shaky delivery.
I don’t know that I’ve ever listened to an entire album by The Byrds. Lovely in a lot of ways, but not anything I’m dying to listen to again soon. Glad they made the impact that they did though.
5.5/10
Finally no Bob Dylan track on a Byrds album! Rejoice! Pretty groovy album actually. "2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet)" song made me laugh out loud.
Yeah psychedelic rock had to start somewhere I guess
I liked it better than their previous folk albums. I'm guessing this wanted to be more of a psychedelic record, but it kind of flops all over the place between folk, experimental and psychedelic. Three Mile High is a decent song but the sitar-sounding guitar bits are a little tedious. Hey Joe was an unnecessary cover.
I enjoyed this album but wasn’t blown away by it. There were a few catchy songs but nothing was too groundbreaking for me with this one. But I would give it another chance and recommend it to others!
I thought I was going to stay on a roll and have another 60s album ranked at 4 or higher, but this one just didn't do it for me. Nothing really stood out like I thought it would. It was still an easy listen though. 3/5.
Когда-нибудь я куплю себе пикап и буду ездить по полям под такую вот музыку... Но пока - ухи у меня болят от безжалостного панорамирования 60х. Барабаны вправо, гитара влево... Но музыка приятная, эдакий балладный кантри-рок
A couple great tracks. Decent listen. Overall not very inspiring.
Aside from Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, no woman has more than four albums on this list. No black artist has more than four albums on this list. Somehow, The Byrds have five? Let’s be fucking for real. Also I love that Wikipedia says this is their first album without Dylan material and the first song is a Dylan knock off.
Heavily influential to the 70s shift towards fantasy imagery and the eventual rise of hard rock and metal. Well worth a listen.
It was an alright album. There's nothing that makes it special. I've forgotten most of it already. "Fifth Dimension" was like its contemporaries in the mid 60s. I'd like to know how The Byrds managed to get 5 albums on this list. 3 stars for "Fifth Dimension".
Sounds like an early Monkees album. Well produced, quality musicianship, but too clean for my preference.
Second album proposé par le générateur après 'Mr. Tambourine man' que j'avais trouvé quelconque (noté 2/5). Celui-ci n'est pas beaucoup mieux. J'ai reconnu le morceau 'I Come and Stand at Every Door', il a aussi été repris en 1991 par 'This Mortal Coil' dans l'album 'Blood', bien plus intéressant mais ... pas dans la liste. 'Eight Miles High' est un peu plus original, et la reprise de 'Hey Joe' est assez réussie. Mais c'est trop peu pour donner envie de l'écouter de nouveau. =>2/5
Groovy
I liked it! Very Beatles / Pretty Odd
decent
By the time this album finished I didn't remember having listened to it. I'm sure it was jangly.
Eight Miles High is a banger, but the album is all over the place, lurching from covers of contemporary songs to resurrecting old folk songs, with the band also writing some of their own material. I'm going with 3 stars, because it's largely inoffensive stuff.
Solid 3.
Is there any need for 5 of their albums to be on this list? I mean, it isn't bad, but fuck, pick the best 2 and call it a day.... Favorite songs: Mr. Spaceman, Wild Mountain Thyme, Captain Soul, 5D (5th Dimension), Eight Miles High, 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song) Least favorite songs: I Come and Stand at Every Door, I See You 4/5
Feels insanely influential in so many different ways. Lots to love here
3.25
Another dimension, Another dimension, Another dimension, Another dimension, Another dimension
thought that this might have been blues stuff, but not really. Instrumentally this is quite like the early beatles stuff, or the early kinks. The chorus guitar and stuff is really good, and doesn't really sound like anything else I've heard at this time (except ticket to ride). Some of the solos are really interesting and not very blues, which is good, as that can feel a bit clique. Favourite songs: 5D (fifth dimension, wild mountain thyme, what's happening?, why, eight miles high. Overall around 7/10
Its twee and old fashioned and slightly too fluffy for my liking. But id the mark of a good album is that you sre humming the tunes an hour later then this is ok by me.
#572. Another solid pseudo-Beatles album from the Byrds. Pretty solid all round. 3/5: acceptable
Tuned in songwriting with divine vocals at times, bland and meandering old man rock at others. More to like than dislike.
This is an interesting one. Of course I know the Byrds and their hits and I think I probably heard their first two albums in full. This is an interesting album, it follows their breakthrough albums and without knowing a ton about the band you can feel they’re in a flux, exploring their sound. The beautiful vocal harmonies and folk rock are still there, and even though they don’t cover Dylan here his spirit is still around. You also get explorations into psychedelic rock which are very cool and blend into the band’s core sound well. Not earth shattering but definitely a good entry on the list. Three stars.
Another 60’s
Early 60’s rock
Feels like a typical l psych rock album. Nothing really grabbed my attention. Maybe need to listen in a different mood
Interesting, I guess, but not very interesting.
Folksy, hippie rock. Beach Boys meets Simon and Garfunkel. Not a huge fan.. Also country style (Mr Spaceman) Trying to be the Beatles in places? Or does it precede? Interesting dissonant end to I See You Best Track - 8 Miles High, a moody, atnospheric track Picks up from 8 Miles High John Riley is nice
Solid stuff.
Love the byrds and their sturdiness.
great
Very very uneven. "I See You" and "Eight Miles High" are really good though.
Did all bands sound like this in the 60s?
c'est fucking chill yo
Il y a quelques chansons sympathiques, mais c'est l'exemple parfait comme quoi les standards de ce qu'on appelle un album étaient plutot bas dans les années 60. Ça sonne la marde, la guit sonne le cul, le drum est tout croche, la moitié des tounes sont des covers, les 3/4 sont des fillers. Je sais pas dans quelle dimension quelqu'un peut penser que cet album est un incontournable. Les Byrds, c'est juste bon pour un Best Of, pis ça ferait pas un disque double. Aussi, en lisant les autrs reviews, j'ai su qu'il y a 4 autres albums des Byrds dans le palmares. Fuck off. Ça donne le gout d'écouter du Beefheart.
Des bonnes passes de guitare tout croche, le riff épique de Eight Miles High entre autres, pour moi c'est comme l'hymne national du psyché. Le drum dans What's Happening? 👌 La version de marde de Hey Joe fait perdre une étoile. Bonne prod overall mais les voix souvent trop en avant pour rien. Les harmonies à tout prix même si ça blend pas avec la musique? Meh. Vraiment un contraste bizarre entre des voix super contrôlées et un band pas tout le temps tight. Plusieurs tounes assez ordinaires. Je vascille entre 3 et 4 étoiles.
It's alright. Inoffensive psych rock.
Everything sounds the same. Just doesn’t resonate with me.
Psychedelic rock that sounds like psychedelic rock. 5/10
Nothing at all
I like how the Byrds evolved over the years. Basically a Pop Cover Band > Original Psyche Rock > Killer Country Rock. Jim McQuinn is an excellent guitarist and has such a unique sound with the 12-String. The harmonies are always on point. I liked the majority of the songs on this record. While not my favorite Byrds album - that would be Sweetheart of the Rodeo - it’s still a solid record.
Þetta fannst mér ekki skemmtilegt.
Not too shabby
good early era byrds album with the trademark harmonies typical of any band david crosby is involved in.
Boring
It was nothing special
Pretty standard 60's album, and pretty forgettable at that...
Итс окэй [3] Лучшая песня - Eight Miles High.
Álbum pionero del rock psicodélico de los 60. Incluso se dice que "Eight Miles High" podría ser el primer tema de rock psicodélico. Uno de los aspectos que más me ha llamado la atención es la inclusión de sonidos folk de la India a lo Ravi Shankar. En cualquier caso, a pesar de que muchos de los temas son versiones, es un álbum súper influyente a la vez que entretenido. Merece buena nota, aunque a día de hoy no suene tan especial.
This list for me into the Byrds but this album first side is good but lags in the second half.
Good trippy
Byrds aren't real
хрень
Did not listen
I see why they called it "Fifth Dimension " weird 8 out of 10
What's happening is a great song, eight miles high is an REM song 15 years ahead of its time. Great guitar tone! Rest of the album pretty scattershot, including some of the singles - the fourth measure of "why" just neuters all momentum, feels like self-sabotage 3 but good to hear the influences
This album started off incredibly strong but ended up droning on. I know that the Byrds are iconic, but this album was middle of the road. 5D was great but the rest of them kind of blended together. Also, the 16-minute long instrumental version of John Riley was a choice. It was cool hearing this casual conversation but maybe it just didn't resonate with me because the album wasn't my favorite and I don't have any emotional ties to the band
Ok
Decent.
ok.
I mean, I like The Byrds, but I felt this album fell short compared to their other works. Not terrible, but overall just....boring. 2.25/5
A bit perplexed to realize this is the 4th album from The Byrds that I have received on this list, and they are one of my few "Controversial Artists." I loved Sweetheart of the Rodeo with Gram Parsons and the other records have just been kind of meh, but I get why they are on this. This however, I just don't know. It's uneven, half the songs are cover songs or an instrumental. I feel it's maybe not essential listening when there are 3 other records from this band that are better. An odd and (one of many) unworthy inclusions on this list I think.
Nothing to note, can’t say there are any rememberable songs. Seemed ahead of their time for the decade. One song sounded like a hoover was on in the back, not sure how u felt about it.
This is pretty good. Flitting the fader back and forth from old world folk to west coast psychedelia
Thoughts before listening: I enjoy most of what I have heard from the Byrds. They were early to the game with the folk rock sound and were a huge influence on bands that I enjoy quite a bit. Looking at the tracklist, I only recognize "Eight Miles High" and what appears to be a cover of "Hey Joe", but I am sure this will be good. Review: This is cool. The Byrds were really young when this album came out, and it has the vibes of a psychedelic garage band...which is because thats basically what they were. There's a sloppiness to these recordings that I really like. The best song on here is "Eight Miles High", but I have added quite a few tracks to my playlist. 4-stars
Not much for me to recommend in this - I found it quite dull, basic covers and weird folky songs.
Byrds doing Byrds things without Gene Clark. A few moments stood out during my listen, but nothing stuck.
You can at times hear, that some of the songs lack a bit of leadership due to the departure of Gene Clark, but everything else is incredibly well-written and fresh - parts of it even has a sound and production ahead of its time.
“McGuinn in particular felt that if the song was played on radio there was a possibility that extraterrestrials might intercept the broadcasts and make contact. However, in later years McGuinn realized that this would've been impossible since AM radio waves disperse too rapidly in space.” - Wikipedia McGuinn went searching for little green men and found Jesus instead, I read later. Ah, the Sixties! Stupid like now, but with fewer Fascists! For original songs, this has one banger, “8 Miles High”, which I’ll drag with me to my grave. Mostly, this is baroque delivery of overwrought message. I enjoy the Byrds more in the moment to moment, especially McGuin’s chirping, morse-code solos, which I’ve never heard elsewhere and wish had been built upon. Including a Nazim Hikmet poem about a victim of the Hiroshima bombing is somewhat wild, but maybe not groovy!
Quite a modest effort, redeemed by "Eight Miles High", for which the guitar still sounds extraordinary today. Mark - as we're here, check out Roxy Music's cover. Slinky yacht groover or excess parmesan catastrophe? You decide!
The Byrds are the only band to this day that Houmous & Chutney refuse to tour with. As Len has always said. We’ll take the good, the bad and the ugly but we sure as hell wont take middle of the road!’ 2.0
I mostly know The Byrds from Greatest Hits compilations, so I'm used to a bit of unevenness. This is a very uneven album, though. It almost feels like outtakes from other good albums, like material only for real big fans of The Byrds.
Mediocre and messy
The Byrds will probably go down in history as one of the most influential bands of the 60s, not counting the Beatles, of course. While they weren’t the only ones shaping the future of music, they made a significant mark. This album, in my opinion, is more of a folk rock album that definitely leans towards the direction of psychedelic rock, even though that genre wasn’t fully established at that time. Their track “Eight Miles High” is considered one of the very first true psychedelic songs ever made. Also, they deserve credit for that jangly guitar sound, which had a huge influence on music moving forward, especially in the 80s with the indie rock that came out of that scene.
There's a lot of Byrds on this list.. not sure it needs 5 albums + Gene Clark solo work as well. But anyway the slightly more psychadelic lyrics and guitar playing is cool and something different from the other ones I've heard. They also retain some more folky elements on certain tracks.. I'm a sucker for nice vocal harmonies I can see why it got criticised for being all over the place, as the styles as slightly mish-mash. I was leaning towards a 4 in the first half, but the second half is quite forgettable so 3 seems fair for a decent album
The same goes for the Byrds as for many other bands of that era: The Beatles did it better, and if I can't find anything original on an album like this, I'm not inclined to listen again. 2/5
This album starts pretty slow and forgettable, but goddamn do those 4 songs in the middle absolutely BANG! I mean, how influential and crazy is that guitar playing on "Eight Miles High"? Gets a 4 for that alone, what an album saving run. It ended fine just not as exciting as the middle
This album shows both the strengths and weaknesses of The Byrds. Tremendously innovative, and when it works (Eight Miles High), it's absolutely iconic. When it doesn't work, it's largely forgettable.
There is no FUCKING WAY this is the third Byrds album I pull in two weeks. Unacceptable!!! To the maker of this list, I hope you suffer the listening of 1001 bloated, nothing-burger pop albums this year. What’s worse is this comes on my Sunday run day. This is not music to run to!!!! “5D” is a respectable opener that is both placid and transcendental, which momentarily quelled my rage for having to listen to this album. Aa I make my way through this track list, I’m realizing this is the easiest on the ears of the three Byrds albums I’ve had so far. No matter the performance or message, like the anti-war “I Come and Stand at Every Door”, I’m having a hard time reckoning with this. “Eight Miles High” doesn’t have the star power needed to justify anything either. No, no “Hey Joe” variation will do oy for me either. No, the endearing “John Riley” won’t stop me from being mad. The Byrds are not among the handful of artists that deserve 3, let alone 2, spots on this list.
Just what this list needed - another fucking Byrds' album. One of the most overrated bands in history. Never has a band coasted so much on shitty jangling covers of Dylan or try hard wannabe jangling originals of Dylan knock offs. I've never met a Byrds fan in the wild and on the basis of this no balls, Ned Flanders idea of psychdelia album and their other dross I have no want to. Best Tracks: 5D (Fifth Dimension); Mr Spaceman; Eight Miles High
Retro, mood specific
Not the best tone. Felt disjointed but the harmonies were pretty cool
My biggest complaint is this album is far too long, there's definitely some duds that could be scrapped, but apart from that, pretty enjoyable psych-folk album, a few songs I enjoyed, decent would probably listen again.
Ok But I Prefer the actually Dyllan/Beatles
The Byrds have an instantly recognizable, unmistakable, and unique sound. Unfortunately, on this album, they aren’t putting it to any good use. The songs are fine, mostly. None of them are insulting, but it’s all fairly forgettable. I enjoyed each song, independently, but as a whole album, it’s sorta, like, what’s the point? Fine work. 3/5
If I could go back in time, I would make it illegal for these producers to turn the pan dial more than like 30%. Please for the love of god save my right ear from engine noises for 2 minutes while the actual music plays in my left. Anyways, this was still a fun album.
Very bland.
Meh, it’s listenable because its nostalgia fir my youth, but i hear to many other bands in the songs. 2
A ver, no siento que sea malo, podría escucharlo sin mas problema, pero aca juzgo solo lo que escucho, trato de no buscar contexto ni nada, y de esta forma solo puedo decir que no hay nada que me vaya a hacer recordar este álbum de por si, siento que suena como muchos otros álbumes de la época y como varios que ya me salieron en la lista
Maybe the vey moment the 1960s took off for the psychedelic flight that added a crucial dimension to rock/pop music. Lovely record, timeless, beautiful and wholesome. Still love it.
De jaren zestig zoals we ze kennen: een beetje folk met een ridderballade, wat psychedelische ruimtereizen, samenzang, gepiel op de gitaar en geblaas op de mondharmonica. Op de hoes zitten de heren niet voor niets op een vliegend tapijt, ongetwijfeld bij oma van zolder gehaald. Kortom, je krijgt wat je verwacht en het is best aardig gedaan.
The Byrds geven ons een overzicht van de jaren '60. Alhoewel. Daar doe ik de jaren '60 wat mee te kort. De verschillende stijlen worden wel vertegenwoordigd. Maar voor elke jaren '60 smaak hebben ze wel de meest matige weergave gevonden. Er komt op zijn best een vergeetbare nevergreen voorbij zoals de titeltrack en op zijn slechts een drama van een verlengde-klinkers-track (And we'll aaaaaaaaaalll go together.....pfff; Heeeeeeeejjjjjj mr. Spaceman...pffff).
Als je de hoes ziet, met het lettertype, de kleuren en de mannen zittend op een tapijt, dan weet je gelijk in welke tijd dit album gemaakt is. Qua muziek laat het een beetje van alles wat horen. Er zit hippie in, de gebruikelijke Dylanesque muziek (dit keer geen cover blijkbaar), maar ook wat meer progrock. Met Eight Miles High, wat we in Nederland kennen van de cover door de Golden Earring, hebben we het hoogtepunt te pakken, maar ook een aantal andere nummers hebben absoluut potentie. Ik lees op de wiki dat de reviews destijds ook een beetje in de war waren, doordat het een beetje een ratjetoe aan stijlen was. Ik vind dat wel extra vermakelijk moet ik zeggen, al zijn dus niet alle nummers even sterk. Gek genoeg vind ik door het contrast de oudere meer folky nummers wat gezapig klinken en juist de experimentelere meer rocky nummers wat toffer, terwijl ik bij het album wat hierna kwam in mijn review schreef dat ik dat andersom vond. Wellicht sloegen ze daar iets door in hun experimentele kant, en hadden ze het moeten laten bij wat ze hier doen. Al met al een vermakelijk plaatje. Net niet genoeg om er 4 sterren aan te geven, daarvoor is het net iets te rommelig. Maar wel leuk rommelig, prima 3 sterren.
⭐⭐ Beetje saai
I don't think I have listened to a Byrds album all the way through before. Of course, I have heard various tracks but never a whole album. Interesting. This was a proper curate's egg. Hints of brilliance, then at times humdrum. I enjoyed it, so 3/5
Easy listening - not their best or most noteworthy
The first 7 tracks were classic Byrds sounding tracks and then it seems like they took eight miles high literally during the break and came back as a psychedelia band. Luckily, I am down for both sounds.
So the Byrds go from a Bob Dylan cover band that apes the Beatles sound to a real band. Or that's how the wikipedia entry seems to describe them. I don't know much about them other than that David Crosby started here before Crosby, Stills and Nash. Definitely psychedelic elements here that sound like they probably inspired Jefferson Airplane, which is cool. Just not quite as polished or epic in the songwriting. More like fourth dimension, where Hendrix, the Doors and Jefferson Airplane are the fifth dimension... May listen to this again though, parts definitely give me that "worth coming back to" vibe.
these guys are always a good listen. on that early edge of country/rock/psych and i think they do it well
Mediocre Psychedelic Rock.
Mostly not my thing but I still found a lot to like
no :(
Half of this album sounds like renaissance faire choral music and the other half sounds like the most drug-induced psychedelic noodling ever. Luckily, I'm here for both.
Yeah nah
Feels a bit same same but I can see why they would've been huge when they first dropped (people were morons back then)
Enjoyable but not life changing - probably wouldn't seek out again. Not dissimilar from the Beatles
Very boring. Too Beatles-like.
Not my jam, but okay in the background in specific mental situations.
Initial three-track run is ELECTRIC man sm good stuff jam-packed into that trio of songs... Unfortunately it kinda starts to run out of steam the further you get into the LP, which is not to say its a BAD album but I think sometimes the experimental sounds that the group were hoping to explore don't always pay-off (i.e. 2-4-2- Fox Trot). Still great, and so important to the development of the folk and psychedelia sound that The Byrds helped shape in the mid to late 60s. For ME, I lean a bit more towards their early-70's country/bluegrass stuff, but this I still really really like! :)
Worse than the Beatles. I briefly got excited thinking this was a Fifth Dimension album. Then I saw it was the fucking birds. The absolute worst Beatles wannabe band.
Not sure
Inte riktigt min grej, rätt till intetsägande
If I wanted to listen to Duran Duran, I would have…
magnificent, chiming, psychedelic explorations of sound - great melodies, harmonies and arrangements
Album has its moments. Like the vibes but not completely my jam.
Nice and mellow. I would happily have the Byrds playing at most times. Certainly a good listen.
I've decided I don't like the birds, and their version of "hey Joe" takes all the soul and feeling from the song, and just kinda forgets about it. And 16 minutes of some interview of them at the end of the album? Totally unnecessary.
There are a few very good Psychedelic-Folk songs here. There are also a bunch of mediocre tunes as well. Gene Clark's songwriting is sorely missed and it's no surprise that the album's best song (and biggest hit), "Eight Miles High", includes Clark with a writing credit. This record gets stars primarily for its strong influence on later artists. Roger McGuinn's jangly Rickenbacker guitar tone and David Crosby's vocal harmonies birthed the sounds used by R.E.M., Tom Petty, and many others. "Eight Miles High" was adapted in the mid-80's by Husker Du as a feedback-drenched screamfest that keeps the original psychedelic flavor. Drop an extra half-star on this one for its brevity (less than a half-hour!)
3.5. More and more I listen to the Bryce the more and more I really like them
2.5
A very forgettable album that I probably couldn't hum a single melody from. It sounds good, there's nothing that puts me off, but there's just nothing special here. Maybe the guitar and bass playing was a bit progressive for the year? There were some nice licks and bass lines throughout, but also a lot of uninspiring nothingness.
BEST SONGS: - What's Happening? - 2-4-2 Fox Trot - Eight Miles High
Listenable but not my thing
All pleasant but nothing standout.
I didn't find myself that interested in it, but for 60s psych/folk rock it's really probably pretty good and well-written. I feel kinda bad that they (presumably) never got to meet aliens. Reading about this album did lead me to find out that there's a 1994 Kermit the Frog album called Kermit Unpigged (Mr. the Frog covered "Mr. Spaceman"), so that's worth something.
This band jams so well. Enjoyable!