Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
1967
Album Summary
Younger Than Yesterday is the fourth album by the American rock band the Byrds and was released on February 6, 1967 on Columbia Records. It saw the band continuing to integrate elements of psychedelia and jazz into their music, a process they had begun on their previous album, Fifth Dimension. In addition, the album captured the band and record producer Gary Usher experimenting with new musical textures, including brass instruments, reverse tape effects and an electronic oscillator.The album also marked the emergence of the band's bass player Chris Hillman as a talented songwriter and vocalist. Prior to Younger Than Yesterday, Hillman had only received one shared writing credit with the Byrds, but this album saw him credited as the sole composer of four songs and a co-writer of "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star". Byrds expert Tim Connors has remarked that two of Hillman's compositions on Younger Than Yesterday exhibited country and western influences and thus can be seen as early indicators of the country rock experimentation that would feature—to a greater or lesser degree—on all of the Byrds' subsequent albums.Upon release, the album peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and reached number 37 on the UK Albums Chart. It was preceded by the "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" single in January 1967, which reached the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. Two additional singles taken from the album, "My Back Pages" and "Have You Seen Her Face", were also moderately successful on the Billboard singles chart. However, none of the singles taken from the album charted in the United Kingdom. Music critics Richie Unterberger and David Fricke have both remarked that although it was largely overlooked by the public at the time of its release, the album's critical standing has improved over the years and today Younger Than Yesterday is considered one of the Byrds' best albums. The title of Younger Than Yesterday is derived from the lyrics of "My Back Pages", a song written by Bob Dylan, which was covered on the album.
WikipediaSo You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star is a wild awesome groove that sets the hooks in deep. CTA-102 comes in outta nowhere with the weird. hard to see where it fits. lots of great time signature and rhythm work. Hot shit the late 60's was just a genre soup where every band borrowed every texture and sound under the sun. Yea a real landmark of an album
Above average summer of love fare. Definitely influenced by superior mid 60s psychedelia like Revolver and Pet Sounds. Some cool songs though. "Renaissance Fair", "Mind Gardens," and "My Back Pages" are the stand outs. You can definitely hear some early Crosby, Stills, and Nash in some of the songs, which makes sense given that David Crosby was the Byrds' lead guitarist.
It is rare to find a band in the late 60's that can tread the same ground that the Beatles explored at the same time without sounding entirely derivative. Bravo.
Enjoyed the whole thing. You can tell these guys were ahead of their time with trying new things
This was a beautiful morning album. I think the thing I liked about this is that it was so tightly packed, and while it lacked a little something to pump it to a five, it was a high four.
This is our thyrd Byrds album, so I was bracing myself for this to break the streak of great albums this week. However, this was a really fantastic project. So much more overtly psychedelic than the previous projects (one was a country album). Really great production effects, and a lot of variety from track to track. At points, this does feel quite country/folk, then something snaps back and we're in psych territory again. Perfect example: CTA -102. That seemed to be a normal '60s rock track, but then it gets squeezed through a low-pass filter and we hear unintelligible alien chatter. I thought my phone malfunctioned; imagine what some person in the '60s would've thought hearing that on their turntable! I also recognized My Back Pages, and that's because it's a Bob Dylan song. Anyway, this album is excellent and keeps the streak alive for a wonderful week of new/old music. Five albums, average rating of 4.8/5 for the week. Favorite tracks: Everybody's Been Burned, Mind Gardens, CTA 102, My Back Pages, Time Between. Album art: Lo-res by design? That appears to be the case, and I think it kind of works here. This seems like a very unassuming, bland rock project, weathered by time and shelves, but you put it on and it's barely terrestrial. Great job, Byrds. 4.5/5
Prior to this, I knew some of the Byrds' music but this album delivered way more than I expected. Younger Than Yesterday is filled with catchy tunes that I'll be relistening to often. My favorite tracks are Have You Seen Her Face, Everybody's Been Burned and Why.
Wow, some wild stuff on here! Backwards sitars and electronic experimentation. Love it!
Love the byrds, there's allot of music that wouldn't exist without the foundation they helped lay. Using odd instruments and an interesting spatial audio setup made them true innovators
A couple of songs were a little too 1967 but there are some beautiful songs on the album. Everything's been burnt could have been a modern Bond theme, Have you seen her face another classic. I haven't listen to the Byrds since in was in my early 20's; never heard this album only Greatest Hits. I missed out.
First time of listening to this one, aware of "So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star". I can see why this was called the American "Revolver" as you can hear the Beatles influences throughout. A great album I think and gives warning about the powerhouse the Byrd's became both collectively and Individually in American rock music. You can hear the birth of the CSN&Y harmonies on "Why" Loved the aforementioned "Rock & Roll Star" "Everybody's Been Burned" "Thoughts and Words" and the Byrd's usual, a Dylan cover "My Back Pages" A great album rightfully on the list and I can't believe I hadn't heard it in its entirety before.
Interesting melodically and sonically and feels very ahead of it’s time - love some of the darker Melodies - while the songs are quite memorable and the whole album feels like it keeps you wanting more. A nice inclusion of I might say so.
This was great! I think this is the fourth album I've heard by The Byrds and I've enjoyed each one more and more A fascinating mix of folk and some more experimental electronic music, with off-kilter melodies floating around reversed guitars and modulated vocals
Surprised by this - thought it was going to be a mediocre Beatles knockoff but the whole album is a fun and psychedelic listen. Holds up pretty well in 2022! I'll be revisiting The Byrds for sure.
Not quite a 5 star record for me, but it’s close. I’m saving that for Notorious Byrd Brothers. I think the Byrds reached higher highs on that record, even if My Back Pages gets stuck in my head for days every time I hear it.
From David Crosby to The Byrds! I don't know much about them, but it feels like they are trying to be like early Beatles. Then I heard the end of C.T.A - 102 and WTF. Is that like Crazy Frog in my right ear? Bizarre. Renaissance Fair is not too bad, a bit of Simon & Garfunkel vibes. Everybody's Been Burned has a nice slightly down-tempo vibe. Another very S&G feeling track. I like the guitar work here. Almost reminds me of a Radiohead guitar track with the two panned guitars playing different things. Thoughts & Words is not bad either. The album seems to be getting better as it goes, at least for me. Not a huge fan of the right-panned drums. I assume this must be an early stereo-remaster where they feel they must pan things hard left and right. Some nice reverse tape echo effects here, probably quite unique for the time. Well, theres a few tracks after this that don't do much for me either. Ended up being just okay.
Enjoyable and very of it's time. The more I listened to it the novelty sort of wore off though.
Look I find the Byrds a particular level of melodic blandness where everything sounds the same. Always on 60's compilations, most interesting thing on this album is the appearance of Hugh Masekela Is this really a 1001 'best' album?
I’ve never been a huge Byrds fan, so I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did. I will say though this album is a lot more wild and fun than Mr. Tambourine Man. Twangy and folksy, but also acid-dripped and psychadelic. Lots of really off the wall moments on this album (CTA – 102, Mind Gardens, for ex). There’s a pretty wide variety of styles, but it comes together well. 4.5 stars but I'm feeling generous so I'll bump it up. Very good record.
brilliant - makes me feel i'm in california and that can only be a good thing CTA 102 - the best mind gardens is a better trip song than TNK and very nice 'my back pages' beatleish and 60s ofc but more subtle and shimmery
Why is it always either Bob Dylan, David Crosby, Stills, Nash, the Beatles or the Beach Boys? And why does the Byrds always combine them all on one album. Can't not like it. 4 Ok, this is considerably better than any of their other albums. It's so special compared to the others. 5 But "My Back Pages" is twice on the album? Is it part of the idea? He keeps getting older? I actually really like the way they incorporate psychadelica in this album. It's not like the 13th floor elevators which is just weird noise for 2 hours. Eh it gets a 5 for "Thoughts and Words". It's so good.
From the British Wave parody "So You Want To Be A Rock'n'Roll Star" (with frenzy screams of fans and all) to the genuine hits "Have You Seen Her Face", "The Girl With No Name" and "Why", from the lively "C.T.A.-102" continuing previous album's "Mr Spaceman" sci-fi streak (including space alien gibberish at the end), to the mystical heights of "Mind Gardens", and from California to the rest of the world, this record is quite the wild ride into an exhilarating sixties theme park. There's a even one mandatory Bob Dylan cover ("My Back Pages"), but this time the Byrds didn't even need those sorts of cover to flesh out the tracklisting. Probably because contrary to other LPs in the past, they now had everything at hand as in-house songwriters. *5th Dimension* had already set the psychedelic tone of an era. *Younger Than Yesterday* could now capitalize on that tone, and take things further. As far as I'm concerned, said things went downhill from that point on. *The Notorious Byrd Brothers* still had great moments, and was reputedly groundbreaking in terms of production. But the individual songs in it were hit-or-miss for me. And I'm not even talking of that weird full-on country mode of that other famous album that followed after... But to come back to this particular record, which I still find very endearing (including for its minor misfires), it is also one to listen to on the strength of only *one* of its songs, i.e. the mesmerizing and melancholic "Everybody's Been Burned", probably one of the best compositions David Crosby ever penned (and also one of his most moving performances as a singer). This song best exemplifies what's great about the whole opus: it's cinematic *and* heartfelt, firmly set in a time and place but also timeless. Listen to it and weep. This is the epitome of The Byrds' early career, and as such, it should be part of this list, obviously. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 875 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 68 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 30 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 28
Notes - Folk rock/psychedelic - David Crosby - Some elements of noise in here as well that I didn’t expect lol - Short and sweet songs - The bass playing here is great - Apparently for this album their bass player stepped forward as a more prominent singer and writer - All of the songs are super distinct and memorable but still all work together - very cool! - Fantastic vocal harmonies and performances throughout Fav - Renaissance fair - Really cool chord progression and imagery Least fav - CTA 102 - Cool but don’t think it adds too much 5/5!
I really enjoyed this. Great harmonies with a dash of psychedelia and a sprinkle of country. Plus the great Hugh Masekela on the opening track! What’s not to love?!
My expectations were low after The Notorious Byrd Brothers and the first few tracks had me nervous but it really turned around for me around track 5. First of all, they appealed to the grammarian in me by correctly singing "between you and me" (instead of "you and I") on Time Between. After that, this album was shimmery gold in my ears.
Yeah, this is great. Great songs, atmosphere, vocals, harmonies etc etc. Apart from the sounds at the end of CTA-102, I also like the psychedelic rock elements here - think they work well, in contrast to the Cheap Thrills album we had a few days ago. One of my favourite Byrds albums, only like The Notorious Byrd Brothers even more.
Starts strong with You Wanna Be a Rock And Roll Star. Love Roger McGuinn's jangly guitar. My Back Pages is also a classic. What strikes me is how much albums like this set the stage for 80s jangle rock.
Great album. Love most of the tunes, lots of good guitar parts vocals and arrangements. Some songs a little odd stopping it from a 5 rating would give it 4.5
60s choral psychedelic pop- alien references that made me smile. Worth a listen
Rock convencional, pero de repente hay toques country o psicodélicos. Fue una buena experiencia, sorpresiva, pues con "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" no me esperaba lo que venía después, como la voz alienígena en "C.T.A." o los acordes más suaves en otras canciones, como "Renassaince Fair". Mis favoritas creo son "Thoughts and Words" y "Don't Make Waves". Sólido 8.5/10.
7/10 me gustó, algunas me recordaron a los beatles pero sin los fans toxicos uwu, no lo volvería a escuchar completo
Imaginative inspired record where the band takes their jazz and country influences and make them merge with beautiful melodies. 60s pop at its best
Sí me gustó. Muchas canciones son muy distintivamente folk por eso las disfruté (por alguna razón, en general nunca percibo en qué consiste lo folk en el folk rock así que, ... bien). Everybody's Been Burned, Mind Gardens y Old John Robertson sorpresivamente oscuras, densas, lentas, con un toque místico indio y celta (como que de repente la vibra es Ireland meets India en antidepresivos!!!) de ahí que selecciono estos tracks como mis favoritos del álbum. A lo largo del disco hay efectos y arreglos (quizás hasta samples?) locos que seguramente eran muy complejos y emocionantes para su tiempo y que le dan texturas interesantes para mantenerme escuchando a pesar de la simpleza de las melodías (me acordé de Wildflower de The Avalanches solo que como un experimento más frenético que esto). 8/10, cool para un día de relax y psicotrópicos.
Younger Than Yesterday was somewhat overlooked at the time of its release during an intensely competitive era that found the Byrds on a commercial downslide. Time, however, has shown it to be the most durable of the Byrds' albums, with the exception of Mr. Tambourine Man
Really good, I liked this album more than their Fifth Dimension one I’ll give it an 8/10
Enjoyed it. A side of The Byrds I hadn't heard that much of outside of the opening track.
Enjoy the Byrds sound. Much better than their earlier hits which I think are way over played. Solid album. 4/5
4.5…very good album…cut my teeth on this music…..still love it to this day…
I never reach for this record when I want to listen to the Byrds. I should, but it's always between "Fifth Dimension" and "Sweetheart of the Rodeo." The former never delivers on the promise and sounds liek a band trying too hard. The latter is excellent but I've worn it out a little bit. This record is just what I need. I own it. But I never listen. The Byrds are tricky for me. They have everything I love. 12-string Ric guitars chiming away under gorgeous harmonies. Copious tambourine. But they also feel second-tier for me, in the context of other music of the time. But this record is great. So it's getting a 4/5. I'd probably give the other two records I mentioned the same score or higher. So, maybe they aren't second-tier, after all? We'll see if those other records show up on the list here.
Though I don't consider this the Byrd's best album, it's still very significant and has a lot of good songs it. There is however more filler than on previous records and at the time is was overlooked, but it ages well today. The Byrd's are exploring more musical styles, for better or worse, so overall it's a solid record.
After about 13 hours since I listened to it, I don’t remember much of this album but I do remember enjoying it and thinking that it’s one of my favorite types of 60s music
Great, easy listening album. Fast paced folk with nice harmonies and great run time, what's not to love
Always great vocals from The Byrds and you never know what sounds you’ll get. I enjoyed this and was intrigued by the back taping used.
Farther out there and more diverse than the other Byrds record so far.
Good stuff. Very tight song structure. Mature song writing with a bit youthful spark still to it.
Unexpectedly enjoyed this. Very much a continuation of Rubber Soul era beatles.
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would, and will likely dig a bit more into their catalogue.
Love this band, era, and sound. Never actually listened to any of their albums til now
At it's best, the songs are short and insanely catchy ("So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" , "Have You Seen Her Face", "C.T.A.-102" and "Renaissance Fair") all feature strong lead vocals, the usual 12 string guitar sound and rich vocal harmonies, with special praise going to Chris Hillman's melodic bass lines. Sadly there is a low point; David Crosby's vocal on "Mind Gardens" is horribly off key, and at 3.28 it's the longest track. So this 29 minute album really suffers as a result. It's a shame because some of the CD bonus tracks would have been available.
Listened Before? N WOW! These guys are good! It's the most sixties sounding thing I've ever heard. I'm assuming they influenced an entire generation of musicians. I could listen to this all day. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: My Back Pages, So You Want to be A Rock 'N Roll Star
Interestingly enough, the biggest hit from this album is probably the one that fits the least. This album is replete with experimentation in the studio coming off the heels of the Beatles’ Revolver. Dylan’s influence is ever present and the cover of his song, ‘My Back Pages’ was a highlight for me. The country rock tinges, which later would be explored more in depth for the Byrds, stood out for me as well. Overall, this album did a great job in combining space rock psychedelic experimentation with the raga folk sound that made them famous
Very good album. I listened through it twice. Dunno what it is exactly that I like, but it's well put together, front to back. 4/5
Prefs: So You Want To Be a Rock'n'Roll Star, C.T.A-102, Renaissance Fair, Time Between, Everybody's Been Burned, Thoughts and Words, My Back Pages, The Girl with No Name, Why Moins pref: Mind Gardens
Yes a 60’s album that more than deserves to be on the list. So real catchy and interesting songs on here, really an American band that could keep up with the British Invasion at the time. One of those Iv been wrestling with giving a 5 but just can’t because of the song mind gardens just go right through me I can’t listen. Maybe harsh compared to my other ratings but a song that bad is enough for me to not see this as a masterpiece.
Yo, this album's weird. I have no idea why it's famous or needs to be listened to (other than being a good Byrds album), but I like it!
I continue to have no idea how to think about the Byrds. Eclectic to a fault; Californian to a fault. Both are semi-accurate descriptors of at least the first half. But it held my interest and the rest of the record is packed with simply great work. Bottom line: I have no idea how the band is supposed to work.
Great album, among the best of its day and certainly one of the best the Byrds ever put out. The guitar work is gorgeous and innovative and probably launched a hundred bands. There is the requisite amount of silly experimentation you find in rock albums of the late '60s, which makes some the album seem a little unfocused. But on the whole musically, this is an incredibly lovely and vibrant collection of songs. Fave Songs: Have You Seen Her Face, So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star, My Back Pages, The Girl with No Name, Why, Thoughts and Words, Everybody's Been Burned
This is very much up my alley. I love every single song so far. Overall great album! I enjoyed it. This album was fueling my love for music from the 60s
Nice short, upbeat songs Cat has very unexpected part at the end 5/5 material so far Thoughts and word-> ticket to ride Not loving mind gardens, instrumental is too much