Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Incredible album all the 3ay through. Beautiful guitar work and poignant lyrics. Standout song is my back pages which is so good that it's in the album twice
Great! I really enjoyed it. The last track, Why, is my favourite.
Foundational. Amazing.
Five stars for the extraterrestrial message on C.T.A. - 102.
6/10
Older than Tomorrow
Really enjoyed this. I hadn't listened to the Byrds prior to this experience, and the previous album by them didn't do it for me. This feels much more like they are doing their own thing and in their prime. You can feel the influence the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel and others had on them, but you also see how they evolved their own unique style and substance. Quite a few classics in here and I'll be coming back for more
YES. HELL YES.
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.
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.
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.
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?!
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!
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
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.
Fun fun fun! I would listen again!
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
So good
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.
Much more my wheelhouse, enjoyed the harmonies and folk vibe.
My second Byrds album and much better than the last. They're reminiscent of the Beatles and come off poorer by comparison. It might seem unfair but it's both true and inescapable and it's hard to imagine McGuinn & co. weren't cognizant of it. All the same, it's a lovely record. The guitars jangle but still retain a little warmth, while the harmonies are completely lush. The best song on the recording is their rendition of 'My Back Pages'. I was going to say the lyrics and tune were so good that I had to check if it was a Dylan song. But then I did and it is. McGuinn's guitar work is spacey and meandering, offering some contrast to the vibey folk that everything else is doing. You can criticize it for being a bit poorly integrated, musically (it sounds like I'm jamming aimlessly with a record in basement) but these ideas were pretty new. They're not fully polished but that takes time. In all, it's a weak 4/5. That the best song is a Dylan cover really highlights my feelings about the rest of it but it's still good.
(Decent 7/10) A pretty nice album by these guys, I think I prefer 5th Dimension but this one isn't bad at all.
I'm trapped in the mid/late 60s this week. What the hell was up with CTA 102)? For a second I thought I was listening to Duck Stab again (which would be fine...I enjoy The Resident's weirdness). The Byrds are fine. Kinda boring if you're not in the right headspace. There are better records from this period, but this is fairly accessible and doesn't challenge the listener. Probably a 3; I'll be kind because I have a soft spot for this era and go with a 4.
this album feels like a 60s infommertial for psychadelics. hard to tell the songs apart it feels like they took one of the band members journals and just read it in the studio so they could get maximum value out of the tapes and vinyl. the reverse instrumentations are sick as fuck got me thinkin how I can utilise them in melodies dece album but I feel like you can only enjoy it in the sun
Do judge a book by its cover
É um álbum bem rico e com muitas camadas. A Guitarra/violão é belíssima. CVJ Aria.
75/100. Musical evolution rarely happens through replacement. New ideas arrive, old ideas remain and for a while they coexist. Released in the middle of 1967, it captures a period when musical boundaries were rapidly dissolving. Folk-rock, psychedelia, jazz influences, pop experimentation, and even hints of country music are all beginning to blend together. Rather than committing fully to one direction, Younger Than Yesterday exists right at that crossroads. There is curiosity running through the songs, a willingness to question accepted truths and look for new perspectives. That mindset fits perfectly with the cultural moment in which the album was created. The songwriting is consistently strong, but what grabbed me immediately was the guitar work. Those Rickenbacker guitars sound absolutely incredible.
The second 60's album in a week that has really surprised me. Usually, these things have two great songs at most, with a bunch of filler. This album was very pleasant early psychedelic rock, without a single dud in the track list. Clearly influenced heavily by The Beatles, and the unique challenges and opportunities afforded by the 12-string electric guitar. Good stuff! FOUR STARS
Nice birds i like the birds i liked the different songs
First half of the album is solid but kinda samey. Second half gets much weirder and more interesting as a result.
Uh oh it's another smoking loads of weed at university classic! I think this holds up pretty well tbh, like you think it's the usual jangly 60s kinda fare but then there's some proper crazy experimental wigouts that they're doing at the exact same time, and I really like that contrast. Its just got that edge of actual weirdness without trying too hard to be wacky.
Hard to choose a favorite amongst the Byrds’ first five great albums. Chris Hillman and David Crosby shine on this one after the departure of principal songwriter Gene Clark who left them with “Eight Miles High”, but otherwise left a bigger void on the previous album, “5D”.
Short, Sweet, and catchy. Fun implementation of non-conventional sounds keep the album from feeling too derivative. Not a perfect album, but very easy to listen to and engaging enough. Top tracks: So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star, My Back Pages, Why
Good stuff. They stole it all from The Beatles, but that’s okay. Everyone wants to be them. This Byrds album seems more complete than anything else I’ve heard from them - love the reverse guitars.
ok definitivamente tengo algo con los discos de los 60, me encantan
Bastante bueno un producto de su epoca
Kann man gut hören
This was surprisingly good considering the other Byrds albums. A cool soundtrack to a sunny day The Minions cameo was a surprise but otherwise, good.
Out of the gate, the Byrds established themselves as one of the most forward-thinking rock groups of the time. But less than a year later, jealousy led them to kick out the best songwriter right as it seemed they were reaching a new peak. The resulting album, Fifth Dimension, was a very uneven affair, featuring arguably the band's best song (written by the now-fired Gene Clark), "Eight Miles High", along with some of the worst filler ever recorded by a major band, like "Captain Soul" or "The Lear Jet Song". After taking some time to regroup, the Byrds came out with Younger Than Yesterday. And though they're now working within the trends rather than setting them themselves, the album works mostly because Chris Hillman, who had never written a song for the band before, suddenly emerged as the best songwriter in the band. In fact, all three songwriters in the band (McGuinn, Hillman, and Crosby) are operating at their peak level on this album. You're not hearing the future born before your ears when you listen to Younger than Yesterday like you would with Mr. Tambourine Man or the better songs on Fifth Dimension, but you'll hear a solid set of original songs by a band who's typically better known for their covers. It falls just short of classic status when compared to what other bands like Jefferson Airplane and Love were doing at the time (or especially compared to Revolver, to which it's clearly indebted), but it's certainly worth your time.
Very good album.
lovely late spring 30 degree inertia
Good classic rock music - lil bit backgroundy
groaned when i saw the date, but to my surprise this was not derivative rock-pop slop. it was peaceful. it was groovy. thank you byrds
The sound of a band figuring themselves out - including figuring out that David Crosby shouldn't be in the band - at the exact moment when the rest of society was also trying to figure itself out. That explains some of the inconsistency (Crosby's "Mind Gardens" is a genuine misfire) but also a good deal of the youthful energy on display here. "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" is exactly the right amount of catty, and the gorgeous "My Back Pages" is rightly regarded as a classic of this era. As a whole, this is not quite up to the best rock of this period but that's a high bar; it's probably among the best of the second tier.
Fun and good!
It’s good. Some really cool tunes on it. Nothing mind blowing though.
I will not include the bonus tracks from the 1996 CD reissue in this review. I know I've listened to The Byrds before, as pioneers of folk rock, psychedelic rock, and country rock. I just hadn't listened to anything off this particular record until now. Younger Than Yesterday saw the band continue to dabble in psychedelia and jazz elements following their previous record, Fifth Dimension. Not to mention, the band and producer Gary Usher continued experimenting with textures such as brass instruments, reverse tape effects, and electronic oscillators. All of these efforts combine for an album that definitely saw The Byrds flex their musical creativity, even if The Beatles' influence was still apparent. In fact, let's address the Beatles comparison right away - this album came out months after Revolver, and it shows in some of the song compositions and tape effects. Songs like "Have You Seen Her Face" and "Thoughts and Words" would have easily fit on a record like that. Plus, the opening number "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" saw jazz legend Hugh Masekela contribute some poppy trumpet improvisation that reminded me of how Eddie Thornton, Ian Hamer, and Les Condon played trumpets on "Got to Get You Into My Life". They're not bad, but it's hard not to notice the clear influence that Revolver had on the development of psychedelic rock from such examples on here. Thankfully, The Byrds do enough toying around to not come off as full-on copies. They brought in saxophonist Jay Migliori for the eclectic medieval ballad of "Renaissance Fair", there's the pensive, jazz-influenced "Everybody's Been Burned", and Chris Hillman contributed the jaunty country-rock tunes "Time Between" and "The Girl With No Name", the latter of which would prove to be the band's next direction. Even their cover of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages" proved to be strikingly good. The only experiment that proved to falter was on "C.T.A.-102". I know that Jim McGuinn and his friend Bob Hippard were trying to write a serious song, wondering about the existence of extraterrestrial life. But it's severely undercut by the electronic oscillator effects, chipmunk vocals meant to represent aliens talking, and other such production techniques that come across like pandering to the stereotypical representation of aliens in popular media at the time. Overall, Younger Than Yesterday is a solid psychedelic rock record that saw The Byrds do just enough to differentiate themselves and embrace new techniques.
Better than I thought it would be. Some interesting experimentation going on. I also didn't realise that Counting Crows' Mr Jones references the opening song on this album until now.
Pretty good. Should stick to covering dylan. Neida
8,7 / 10 My back Pages ist ein banger - Wurde sogar von den Ramones gecovert. Habe mir noch "Have you seen her face" gespeichert. Wann Blink-182?
I've listened to Fifth Dimension many times over, but I guess I was sleeping on this album a bit too hard. McGuinn's wannabe Dylan singing voice fits nicely with this psychedelic sound they were experimenting with at the time, and the guitar work is cool stuff. 8/10.
7/10 While enjoyable, nothing here really stood out to me enough to make me want to listen to this album again. However, I can see the influence their music had on many acts that came later.
I'm very interested in the Byrds now that I know what they are. If I'm being honest, I confused them with the Yardbirds for the longest time and had no clue David Crosby was in the band. But that confusion has been cleared and I think the idea of this band is spectacular. Not every song passes the test for me, but whatever they got going, they gotta keep that up. I read that Gram Parsons joins up later and being somewhat a fan of the Flying Burrito Brothers, I can't wait to hear. Consider me sold (8/10, 4/5 on this scale)
Better than I thought it would be, really surprised me at times with its experimentation that felt fresh while still being very of its time. I like how weird it got with the one alien song and the backwards notes.
A solid outing from the Byrds. You can start to see where they were headed next as well as see some of what folks would do in later projects. Good jangly rock that expands beyond folk.
Very good album. 4 stars. I think all songs are pretty good ("So you want...", "CTA -102", "Everybody's been burned"...). And the cover of Dylan's "My back pages" is algo interesting.
Ahhhh, this hits a lot of the sweet spots for me. I used to appreciate the Byrds more for the seeds they planted - out of which some of my favorite bands sprang (Big Star, The Replacements, GBV) - than I actually enjoyed listening to them. But man, they really have the tunes and the melodies to suck you in - big time. Took me a while to realize. Might be because I was approaching them through their classic tunes. And after spending more time with this critically hyped ad band, I started to realize that, for me, the “weaker” spots on this beautiful record are actually the most beautiful ones (aka the more obvious Beatles worship and the country-infused parts). The more the Byrds eschew classic songwriting traditions and lean into weirdness, the harder their music hits.
This is mostly good with a couple great spots - and one truly horrific vocal adventure with a terrible piece of writing. Good Dylan cover.
Enjoyable 60s pop.
The Beatles meets Willie Nelson. A fun album with several catchy hooks. Would definitely listen to it again.
LA rock bands from the 60s are whats right with LA ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Highlights: “So You Want To Be A Rockstar," "Mind Garden," "The Boy with No Name"
I liked this bar one song so I might revisit
Nice
I enjoyed this. It explores similar territory as the Beatles did in the late ’60s, but it doesn’t feel at all derivative. Overall, it’s a concise, cohesive, and adventurous little pop album.
really good album, nice vibes on it and all
5. gang er lykkens gang, så kom der sgu endelig et rigtig godt Byrds album
Bizar produktion (på en ret sjov måde), fyldt med bangere.
I didn't really come away feeling like there was anything really special about this but I did enjoy it. It's just straight-forward USA country-ish rock... I think this is 'in my wheelhouse' and that makes it easy for me to consume. Others in my listening group didn't love this, but I didn't mind it. Giving it a 4 but it probably just barely squeaks in above a 3.
Kind of a midpoint between the early jangle folk-rock of the early stuff and the later country rock of Sweetheart of the Rodeo. It's a little psych, a little country, a dash of pretension and a bit of the Monkees for good measure. I like it, but it is my least favorite era of the Byrds if I'm being honest.
This album starts with some pretty dated stuff that sounds like rock music of the 50s, but once you hit like around the halfway point it really picks up a lot. I was really impressed with some of the sounds on this album, I wasn’t really expecting it from them. I think there’s definitely a lot to like here, it’s really solid. Favorites: Time Between, Everybody’s Been Burned, Mind Gardens
# The Byrds: *Younger Than Yesterday* (1967) — An In-Depth Review Released on February 6, 1967, *Younger Than Yesterday* represents a pivotal moment for The Byrds. Following the departure of primary songwriter Gene Clark after 1966's *Fifth Dimension*, this fourth studio album found the band at a creative crossroads—transitioning from folk-rock pioneers toward the country-rock territory they would soon define. The title, taken from Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages," perfectly encapsulates the album's themes of maturation and looking backward to move forward. --- ## Lyrics & Themes The album's lyrical landscape is remarkably diverse, reflecting the distinct personalities of its three primary songwriters: **Roger McGuinn**, **David Crosby**, and **Chris Hillman**. **Satire and Self-Reflection:** The opener "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" delivers biting satire aimed at manufactured pop bands like The Monkees, with Hugh Masekela's jazz trumpet adding an unexpected sophistication. Yet there's irony in the critique—the song also subtly acknowledges The Byrds' own "prefabricated" origins, including drummer Michael Clarke's initial recruitment based on looks rather than musical ability . **Romantic Idealism and Disillusionment:** David Crosby's "Renaissance Fair" (co-written with McGuinn) captures the wistful, medieval-tinged ambiance of the Southern California festival scene, serving as what critics call "a radiant evocation of... the sensual idealism of the hippie dream" . Meanwhile, his "Everybody's Been Burned" explores emotional vulnerability with haunting imagery about balancing "disillusionment and perseverance in a relationship" . **Metaphysical Musings:** Crosby's controversial "Mind Gardens" abandons traditional rhyme and meter entirely—a choice McGuinn initially derided. Yet Crosby defended it as truth-telling: "if you build walls around your mind to keep out the abuse and harshness of life and the pain, then you also shut out the joy and the love" . The track remains the album's most divisive moment. **Emerging Songwriter Confidence:** Chris Hillman's emergence as a major contributor marks the album's most significant development. "Thoughts and Words" presents metaphysical meditation on human relationships featuring backwards guitar effects creating "sitar-like sounds," while "The Girl with No Name" and "Time Between" introduce country elements that would define the band's future direction . **Dylan Revisited:** The sole cover, "My Back Pages," delivers one of the definitive interpretations of Dylan's catalog, with the title phrase providing the album's thematic anchor about rejecting rigid youthful certainty for mature wisdom. --- ## Music & Production **Producer Gary Usher** (fresh from working with Brian Wilson) shaped the album's experimental character over just 11 days of recording in late 1966 . **Genre Fusion:** The album has been described as the Byrds' "West Coastified version of the *Revolver* aesthetic" , blending folk-rock foundations with: - **Jazz elements:** Masekela's trumpet on "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" marked the first use of brass on a Byrds recording - **Psychedelia:** "C.T.A.-102" features extensive tape manipulation, electronic sound effects, and manipulated "alien voices" created by feeding headphones into microphones and speeding up the results - **Raga rock:** "Why" (a re-recording of the earlier B-side) incorporates Indian classical influences in its guitar work - **Country-rock prototypes:** Clarence White's Telecaster work on "Time Between" and "The Girl with No Name" foreshadowed *Sweetheart of the Rodeo* and the entire country-rock movement **Signature Sounds:** McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker remains central, but Hillman's melodic bass lines—particularly on "Have You Seen Her Face" and "Renaissance Fair"—provide crucial harmonic foundation. The vocal harmonies, while dating the recordings to their era, remain technically impeccable and emotionally resonant. --- ## Influence & Legacy **Critical Reassessment:** Though it peaked at only #24 on the *Billboard* chart and received mixed contemporary reviews, *Younger Than Yesterday* has grown in stature. Critics Richie Unterberger and David Fricke note it was "largely overlooked by the public at the time of its release" but is now "considered one of the Byrds' best albums" . **Genre Innovation:** The album stands as a crucial bridge between folk-rock and country-rock. Hillman's four songs "brought to the album elements that had largely been missing from the band's recordings since Clark's departure" while pointing toward their future direction . Tim Connors identifies "Time Between" and "The Girl with No Name" as "early indicators of the country rock experimentation that would feature... on all of the Byrds' subsequent albums" . **Individual Legacy:** The album captures the original lineup's final complete statement before Crosby and Clarke's departures. It showcases the songwriting foundations that would later flower in Crosby's work with CSN and Hillman's contributions to the Flying Burrito Brothers . --- ## Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Songwriting Diversity** | Three distinct voices (McGuinn, Crosby, Hillman) create variety without sacrificing cohesion | | **Chris Hillman's Emergence** | Four sole compositions and one co-write establish him as a major talent; country-rock prototypes hint at the band's future | | **Experimental Courage** | Tape manipulation, jazz brass, raga influences, and electronic effects push boundaries while maintaining songcraft | | **Gary Usher's Production** | Clean, innovative sonics that enhance rather than overwhelm the material; experimental elements serve the songs | | **Consistent Quality** | More even than *Fifth Dimension*—while that album reached higher peaks, this maintains excellence throughout | | **"My Back Pages"** | Definitive Dylan interpretation; the album's emotional and thematic anchor | | **Musicianship** | Clarence White's guest guitar, Hillman's melodic bass, McGuinn's 12-string work, and the vocal harmonies remain exemplary | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **"Mind Gardens" Polarization** | Crosby's experimental track—lacking traditional rhythm, meter, or rhyme—remains divisive; band members themselves disliked it | | **Drummer Limitations** | Michael Clarke's technical weaknesses become apparent on certain tracks; some critics note the drumming as "a problem" | | **C.T.A.-102's Placement** | The space-rock experiment, while innovative, disrupts the album's flow for some listeners; "doesn't quite work as a bit of studio trickery" | | **Patchiness** | Some tracks ("Everybody's Been Burned," "Why") are considered "forgettable" by certain reviewers, preventing the album from achieving true classic status for some listeners | | **Dated Elements** | The harmonies and psychedelic trappings firmly anchor the album to 1967, potentially limiting its accessibility to modern audiences | | **Chart Performance** | The album and its singles underperformed commercially compared to earlier Byrds releases, suggesting limited contemporary impact | --- ## Conclusion *Younger Than Yesterday* captures The Byrds at a fascinating inflection point—no longer merely Dylan interpreters, not yet country-rock pioneers, but hungry songwriters exploring jazz, psychedelia, and pop craftsmanship. It succeeds despite (or because of) its internal tensions: Crosby's avant-garde impulses versus Hillman's emerging country traditionalism, McGuinn's experimentalism versus the need for accessible songs. The album's greatest achievement may be its demonstration that The Byrds could survive Gene Clark's departure not by replacing him, but by distributing creative responsibilities among remaining members who rose to the occasion. While not every experiment succeeds—"Mind Gardens" remains a stumbling block for many—the successes ("So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star," "My Back Pages," "Have You Seen Her Face," "Time Between") demonstrate a band evolving with remarkable speed and confidence. For listeners seeking the Byrds' creative peak, opinions vary between this album, *Fifth Dimension*, and *The Notorious Byrd Brothers*. But *Younger Than Yesterday* arguably offers the most balanced portrait of the band's multifaceted identity—simultaneously looking back to their folk-rock origins and forward to country-rock's emergence, all while absorbing the psychedelic innovations of their era.
Not what I expected at all. Enjoyable
A 4 out of nowhere, well done lads. #gobyrds
The first song I thought "right this is going to be one of those albums that was groundbreaking at the time but now it sounds a bit lacking" but the more it went on the better it got. Especially after CTA. Very textured sounds. Mind Gardens was insane on headphones. I particularly liked Everybody's been burned and why
On their way to great things. There's a lot of joy in this album... and you can hear the inspiration for Oasis. It's a bit juvenile in places, but as a build up to 8 miles high it's pretty influential. Enjoyed listening
So, so good. Surprisingly haven't dug deep with this band, especially as they seem to be the origin story for so much of the jangle pop, country rock and other stuff i love so much. Strong most of the way through, the vocal harmonies are bang on, the guitars sound great, and it typifies that part of the 60s without getting embarrassing about it. Crosby does insist on the token eastern sounding tune (Mind Gardens) that plagued a lot of albums from the time, but it's still ok.
First two songs alone worth the price of admission. Remaining songs good with the exception of the two written by David Crosby.
I used to sing Have You Seen Her Face to a certain baby when she was a cranky newborn. I then played it for her (it was actually Marshall Crenshaw's cover, which was all I had on CD back in 2005) and she perked right up! Sweet memory and a sweet album, if a little spotty, and I'm rounding up for grammatical correctness in Time Between.
Somehow less obnoxious than their contemporaries that also dipped their toes into minstrel pop. It’s not the best of The Byrds but still rocks.
Good tunes, great sound.
love the byrds. kind of hate that my favorite country albums barely sound like country music. i wanna like every genre of music, im doing my best. I love the crazy psychedelic moments on here the most. feels super ahead of its time for the 60s, some of these tracks remind of some 90s indie rock shit, def gotta be super influential for sure. love it!
4.5
4.5
Actually, I think I've come around to thinking that this is my favorite Byrds album it kind of has a little bit of everything there early jingle pop sound "So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star" and "My Back Pages", their psychedelic sound, "C.T.A. - 12" and "Mind Gardens", and even a sneak peek at their country material "Time Between". Plus this has one of my favorite Crosby songs, "Everybody's Been Burned" (9.5) ★★★★½
Cool jangly proto-country rock, with hints of psychedelia. 4 stars
Apparently, this is David Crosby's favorite Byrds album, while I think Fifth Dimension is a bit better, I do like this era of the Byrds the best. Some good stuff here, including "So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star", "Time Between", "Why?" and their excellent cover of "My Back Pages". 4 stars.
4.5
These Byrds albums seem to be a tuppence a bag on this list. There a few wonderful gems like So You Wanna Be A Rock N Roll Star and My Bqck Pages. Some hideous Byrd poop like Mind Gardens that needs scraping off. Bit of a featherlight collection even at 4 stars because it’s still classic Byrds. The Very Best Of The Byrds would sort out these chaps well.
Nice album but I found it hard to finish cause it's really old fashioned for me, liked a few songs tho. The vibe overall is nice so 4 stars.
A nice surprise. Good variety between classic folk pop, weird space, and eastern tuning psych leaning stuff. At least 3 great songs with maybe 1 clunker along the way.
Good but idk
I could slowly feel myself losing my mind. It felt like watching the adult swim classic too many cooks. This felt very punk.
First Listen; 3.5; Really enjoyed this album. Lots of fun, plucky, dry guitar. Also enjoyed the psychedelic songs and the harmonies. I liked that the songs have a sort of "wandering" melodies - they don't follow what I would think is a typical progression which keeps it interesting. Favorite Track: Have you Seen Her Face
The Byrds clearly heard what The Beatles were doing in England, and decided that they could also start experimenting. And this is album is one of the results. Some hits, some misses and overall, not bad. 3.5/5 stars
3.5
Weird, but enjoyable. Loved the strange radio song
7/10
The Byrds are a joy to listen to. Their music instantly transports you to the mid‑60s—the shimmering 12‑string guitars and rich harmonies create a sound that grabs my ear every time. They may not sit at the very top tier of the decade’s musical giants, but they come impressively close. The musical identity The Byrds embodied helped define the era, and Younger Than Yesterday captures that essence perfectly.
not my favorite byrds album but still very good
Bonne découverte ! Du bon rock avec un bon côté psychédélique j'aime bien
I liked the weird little alien sounds
My favourite of the Byrds albums on this list so far.
Third Byrds album on the list and my favourite so far. Feels like a blend of the poppy sound from Mr Tambourine Man (4 stars) mixed with the psychedelia from Fifth Dimension (3 stars).
Solid
What a great morning listen! The Byrds, high as collective kites, bringing us the jangly Rickenbacker best.
When they do weird things, like the trumpet in the first song or a song about a quasar, it’s excellent. When they’re just doing generic 60s rock, it’s fine.
"Younger Than Yesterday" features the classic Byrds sound: Rickenbacker guitar, rich vocal harmonies, mellow bass lines. Along with its classic psychedelic rock sound, elements of folk rock, country and jazz (through brass instruments) are also present. The result is that the Byrds' aforementioned signature sound is combined with these different genres to create a simultaneously diverse yet grounded album. Not the Byrds best, but very good.
Listening to this on the day it came out, 2/6. The Byrds are so good.
173/1089 In general i’m just not a fan of the 60s boyband style of pop music. The sound and humour in it usually makes me cringe. On this album, however, i feel that The Byrds quite successfully walked the line between that style and a more serious, timeless guitar-led sound. it did lose a little steam for me but the middle run of Renaissance Fair-Time Between-Everybody’s Been Burned-Thoughts and Words was pretty good and a real stand out 70/100
Some cool quick catchy songs, didn’t overstay its welcome, if anything I would’ve liked a bit more
I think this is a totally under appreciated group of the 60’s.
I'll echo another review about how great The Byrds sound for being contemporaries of The Beatles and having a similar sound but not sounding like they are just trying to be them. There's a demo version of Everybody's Been Burned that everyone should listen to; it's almost haunting and is so strong. This is a great band a great album.
Not a fan of the stuff being done on that first track, but overall a pleasant listen. The mixing is enjoyable, and the production does sound like a former Beach Boys producer did it. Didn't expect to like a song named Renaissance Fair, but her we are. The Dylan Cover is pretty good. Between a 3 and a 4, rounded up.
The Byrds are back... again. I still don't think they need five albums on this list. This is my third album of theirs, and if I'm going to be honest, it's my favorite one thus far. Fifth Dimension and Mr. Tambourine Man were good and all, but this is probably the first album of theirs that I've heard to stand out as being a truly strong album. The thing that really makes this one work for me is that it appears to be the most adventurous album of theirs that they had released up to that point in their career. These weren't just guys singing Bob Dylan covers anymore. Well, okay. They were still doing that, but not as much as they had before! They're not relying on it anymore, and I think it's okay to go back to a habit of yours every once in a while after you've proven that you don't actually need it to succeed... unless it's, like, drugs or something. Don't do drugs, kids. Anyway, the experimentation and musical growth that the Byrds engage in on Younger Than Yesterday make this an album that actually interests me. Of course, the strengths of past albums are still here. I do still enjoy those vocal harmonies. But there's more here at play than what there was before. The country influences are getting stronger, and there's even some good experimentation in the studio with things like brass instruments and tape reversing. Good stuff! I will say that the album is quite short, but that's honestly okay since it helps the music to not overstay its welcome. It knows what it wants to do and it does those things quite well. The Byrds are more confident here than they'd ever been before and I'd say it paid off pretty well. Decent 4/5.
real nice vibes. similar to the Steely Dan, this album is a "King's Classic," meaning it would fade perfectly into the background of a nice homework session at The King's Cafe.
Very cool! Very 60s!
Another excellent piece of the psych rock blueprint. Many contemporaries of the Beatles or Stones fall flat, but I really enjoyed this one.
# Album Name: Younger Than Yesterday # Artist: The byrds # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Good album. Very 60s of course. Some good tunes on this. # Top Tunes: Rock n roll star / Seen her face / Ren fair / Everybodys been burned / thoughts and words # Would I listen to it again? Yes
The opening bars of 'So You Wanna Be A Rock n Roll Star' sound like 80s R.E.M., with two picked chords back and forth. It has that feeling of alternative college rock that is mighty appealing and uplifting. 'Have You Seen Her Face' is a song I discovered in the last 15 years - laid back vocal against a superb pop chord progression and crystal harmonies. And a guitar solo that tries to rival Taxman for its aggressive picking. A real treat. The obligatory Dylan cover features - it doesn't have the same transformative impact of their 'Mr Tambourine Man' interpretation but it's a great song choice for McGuin's laid back style of rock. McGuin also gets a mention, not just for his co-writing, but some really excellent guitar playing - from jangling country licks to the Indian scales.
Lots of Hits
With enough time, I really think this could go to 5 stars. An absolute joy and masterclass in early psych rock. Love it!
Fun classic
Still not impressed, even though some songs sound beautiful
Really really good
I enjoyed this more than I anticipated and was a really easy listen and loved the harmonies and chilled guitar riffs great album
Honestly a very cool and fun album. I haven’t loved everything that they’ve done on this list, but I have really liked everything where they try to be unique like on this album.
This is the third Byrds album that I have listened to and reviewed via the generator and this is by far my favorite. It has several super catchy "hits" but is also layered throughout with some pretty great experimental psychedelia. Proof that an album can have both mainstream pop appeal and push the boundaries of the genre in all sorts of new directions. While I was initially a skeptic, I do feel that The Byrds deserve the respect that so many people have for them.
This is the third Byrds album I’ve been generated from the list. I enjoyed the last two, the Notorious Byrd Brothers and Mr. Tambourine Man, but nothing really wowed me on those albums. They were both solid psychedelic albums, but I just didn’t enjoy them enough to want to revisit them. Honestly, it was enough to elicit groans when I saw that I had another Byrds album to listen to today. However, I was pleasantly surprised this time around. I’m honestly not sure what’s different about this album, other than some absolutely weird experimental bits like the backwards talking and guitar, but I really enjoyed this one. I think I might need to go back and listen to the other Byrds albums to see if something has finally clicked for me.
Tycker typ det här är bara najs, känns inspirerat o experimentellt o väldigt starkt i förhållande till andra samtida album. Detta flyger!
Skön, behagligt musik! My Back Pages är en toppenlåt
Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Nice calm vibe but some really interesting stuff going on under the surface. Kind of a sweet spot in their history before things got a little too country for my tastes.
You can kind of hear the sound of 60s rock change in real time on this album. Some of the psychedelic stuff is a little much, but a strong album from a great band.
Solid 3.5. I do really like the Byrds, but this one didn't hit like some of their other albums.
I got The Byrds like 5 days ago, but I'm not complaining. They are still a very good band, I've definitely come around to them after rating the first two of their albums a bit lower. There's some excellent guitar work, great production, and most importantly they don't overstay their welcome.
this is great!
Beautiful, man....
I like this album a lot! As well as this era of music. I need to figure out what a 5 star is and what a 1 star is. I didn’t like this as much as Judas Priest. So that’s the bar?
pretty solid. i don't think there's anything groundbreaking here, but i think their sound is about on par with other artists of that time period like the beatles. i see the song i enjoyed the most, mind gardens, seems to be most peoples least favorite song. i loved the psychedelic / folk sound. personally, i think they should have leaned more into that sound. standout tracks: mind gardens, everybody's been burned, it happens each day
About half of the songs on this album are really good and catchy and I love them. Then the other half are just there. When the album is less than 30 minutes, only having half of the album be memorable is not the best. I do really like the album overall. There is something about the quick vocals and simple drum beats and poppy guitars. I don't know what it is but I am drawn to this album.
Really beautiful guitar work throughout this album. Some of it gets a little too kind of out there for me where it starts to sound more experimental than musical, like Mind Gardens. That said the range on this album is impressive, to have a psychedelic experimental style of song like Mind Gardens on the same album as the country style Time Between makes for an interesting listen. Stand out songs: Time Between - love the country style on this song. My Back Pages Why? Don't Make Waves Lady Friend Old John Robertson
fun :)
I enjoy a lot of music from this period and of this style specifically, but I have always felt The Byrds' music sounded kind of dull an anemic. Their covers of Dylan's tunes were lacking the edge that Bob gives to any performance. My initial impression of this album was in line with my expectations. The first few tracks all sounded very similar. Generic 60s psych pop, but as it progresses is actually starts to sound quite interesting. Renaissance Fair took me by surprise to be honest. That's followed by a string of very cool tracks, including a Dylan cover that does not suck all the life out of Bob's version (My Back Pages). This album has earned another look I think.
Really love this super nostalgic. So many great hits and the album cuts rule. I love time between and CTA. A great great band. 4.5/5
This album ROCKED. Now I feel bad for giving Stankonia a 4.5 because I was gonna give this a 5. But I’ll stick w/ my 4.5s. This is just so short and sweet, and the tunes are GREAT. That opening is amazing, and so is the one with the reversed guitar solo. Love it
****A good, easy listening album
Prior to this album, I had only known about The Byrds. Now, I know they were some psychedelic folk freaks. Favorite Track: "Mind Gardens".
Parece Beatles, mas psicodélico.
My personal favorite of the three Byrds albums that have been in this list so far. I do beleive there is no way we actually need three of them though. It's an experimental rock 'n roll sound that has many cool moments and feels cohesive.
Interesting to hear these fellows experimenting and noodling around while keeping tight folk rock.
Byrds on kiinnostava yhdistelmä britti- ja jenkkivaikutteita aikansa rockissa. Ihan hyvä levy tämäkin.
Another great classic of the birds that is more experimental and yet still rooted in their usual style. "Mind Gardens" is a great song. I still need to find more in those songs.
Ha, of course there’s time for one final Byrds album before I finish this whole charade. But lo! The generator has once again saved the best for last. The airy jangle-folk and country tunes that I didn’t much care for in their other albums are at a minimum, with pop and psych songs pleasingly at the fore. Plus, there’s only one cover! And it’s a good’un anyway. The singles are the best tracks but I enjoyed the album as a whole. I’m giving it 3.5 stars, but I’ll round up because I know the surviving members of The Byrds will be chuffed to finally get a decent score from me at the fifth time of asking.
porra achei legal
surpreendentemente bom? depois do album só de cover deles aqui, não esperava nada. bom, a produção é interessante. chei de textura, né. é uma cópia de beatles, mas tem sua própria personalidade, vai. é bem maluco e psicodélico
Jangling guitars. Occasional horns. Classic.
Tracks 6-11 get five stars. The rest of the tracks on the original release get a 3. I guess we’ll split the difference.
1967 was quite a year for music, and this album was released in February 1967 directly between The Doors (January) and the Velvet Underground (March). A week after this album was released a 45 hit the shelves: Strawberry Fields / Penny Lane. Sgt Pepper arrived soon. Jimi Hendrix too. So in the midst of the greatest revolution of all times comes this fourth album by the Byrds. And it sounds…so 1966. It’s the Byrds’ signature psychedelic folk rock sound, with maybe a splash of Pet Sounds and Revolver influence. But it’s good stuff because, hey, 1966 was a good year for music too.
This album is sort of a "Rubber Soul" for the Byrds. While they still have a big cover single in "My Back Pages," they seem to have moved in a more sophisticated direction both lyrically and technically. It has all the earmarks of a transition (they go on to work on their hybrid country album after this), but to me, this is their best work from he original lineup.
Um what? There is way more psychedelic songs than I was expecting. They're really good too! One of my favorite things about any Byrds album is their intense vocal harmonies. What's really impressive with this album is that there's a few songs in a row that don't really have those harmonies, but I don't notice at all. The songs are so good that I don't feel like I'm missing out on my favorite part of listening to a Byrds album. I decided not to listen to the extra tracks at the end of the album before rating it, but I will still listen to them after I rate it. As much as I would say I enjoy The Byrds, I think I really don't know much of their music outside their first two albums. This one caught me quite a bit by surprise, but I really enjoyed it. Another listen or more familiarity with it might move it up my ratings, but I'm honestly really impressed with this album. Favorite Song(s): Everyone's Been Burned, My Back Pages
So I really like a lot of the Byrds stuff. They were an influence on my favorite band, R.E.M. While I recognized a few cuts, I don’t think I’d listened to this album in its entirety before. I hate the first song, “So You Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star.” Totally grates on me. Then you get some more psychedelic and experimental stuff than I was expecting, and at first didn’t sound like the Byrds sound I think of … jangly folky pop rock with a 60s vibe. But I stuck with it and there are some absolute gems on this record. My Back Pages is amazing.
Pretty good. I loved Croz but sometimes he couldn't carry a tune
didn’t get to finish it but what i heard was absolutely banging
I don't think I've ever listened to a Byrds album from start to finish before. I liked this album much better when I gave it a second, more deliberate listen. The more psychedelic songs were particularly enjoyable.
Great listen!
Rhythmically it was a good one, I enjoyed the early rock vibe they were experimenting with.
This was an enjoyable album that I liked most of mostly
Hard not to enjoy this one. Great musicianship, some classic songs, harmonies and melodies that wash over you. A bit more psych rock than I wanted at times, but overall very enjoyable.
Much better than the first Byrds album I got which was a painful slog. This one was an excellent psychedelic folk rock album. It's very much a product of its time but it was a good time so can't complain. Favorites: So You Want to Be a Rock N' Roll Star, Thoughts and Words, My Back Pages, It Happens Each Day Least Favorites: Mind Garden
I really enjoyed this album. There were a couple weird features but overall I liked it a lot. Easy listening and reminded me of the Beatles.
these guys are always a nice listen
Good rock album. Some Beatles, some country, some sounds all their own.
This was a pleasant surprise. I expected it to be The Beatles we have at home, and it was a little of that. But as a whole, I think this album stands on its own. Sorry Byrds, I was not familiar with your game. 4/5 Highlights: Renaissance Fair Mind Gardens Lady Friend Old John Robertson
I enjoyed this one. Some of the more experimental bits didn’t work for me but I thought overall it was fun and there was a good variation across the album. Fav song: My Back Pages - also liked It Happens Each Day and Everybody’s Been Burned Least fav: Thoughts and Words
Tycker det är ett bra album rakt igenom. Melodiskt och lattjo. Korta låtar dock. Sen är det kul att jag hörde att det var en BD-cover på en gång.
Stabil och bra platta rakt igenom även om det kanske inte är den genre jag älskar mest. My back pages är riktigt bra.
There's a little bit of everything here. There are a couple of great songs, a couple of annoying songs, but the rest is just average 60s folk rock. Maybe a bit above average. 3.5, and I guess I will round up since I generally enjoyed listening to it. I don't think I'm coming back to it, though.
I actually really love this album! I’ve seen reviews where other people find it derivative etc. but purely from a listening perspective and how it makes me feel, I really like it. It sits well with my ears. It reminds me a lot of the Beatles and is comforting to me. I especially like My Back Pages.
Сначала как-то средне пошло, но потом то ли прислушался, то ли песни лучше пошли, но начиная где-то с середины (может даже чуть раньше), очень понравилось. Атмосферная музыка, слушать приятно. 7 из 10.
Ну прикольно, 4.
Light hearted quick little album. I liked some of the campier songs but Everybody’s Been Burned, Thoughts and Words, and Mind Games were my favorite.
Day 33 One of my fav bands ever! I The kings of folk rock themselves! have listened to this album several times before and its a gorgeous album! (4/5)
Very good album
A very good album for it’s time. Wuite enjoyed this! 4/5
Pretty solid Byrds album.
Fun music, reminds me of childhood.
Not bad at all! I really enjoyed My Back Pages. Listening this album on the way to a very quiet park on a Sunday afternoon. Super warm outside but we chill in the car with aircon on. I’ll remember this. The rest is just ok. I definitely dislike the noise in CTA-102 though. So it’s a weak 4 for me.
Very of it's time (complimentary)
Solid late 60’s vibe
Sounds a lot like rock from this era without being generic. Nice to have in the background, but the second song stood out as a real hit to me.
"Renaissance Fair" is mijn persoonlijke favoriet, maar het hele album is zeer, zeer solide.
The first half holds up to today’s standards. Incredible opening track, worth 4 stars alone for that.
Pretty decent. I knew the first song of course, and I remember reading about "CTA-102" in Carl Sagan's discussion of the discovery of that pulsar, but the rest was new to me, and better than I had expected. I'd probably give it 3½ stars, but I decided to round up.
Just shows how fast things were moving in the 60s - for the most part, Younger Than Yesterday sees The Byrds trying to capture the simple pop charm of Help!-era Beatles, while the Fab Four themselves had already moved on to Sgt Pepper innovation as this album hit the shelves. That's not to say The Byrds weren't branching out with some studio exploration, but while the George Martins and Brian Wilsons of this world were, for example, using varispeed to add different timbres and textures to drums and vocals, The Byrds were still amused by sped-up chipmunk effects. But despite the dated novelty excursions, Younger Than Yesterday sees McGuinn and co making some decent music, and it remains one of my favourite Byrds LPs - the expanded version which includes Crosby's brilliant Lady Friend is a must. Not quite five stars, but an album I have a soft spot for.
Really interesting album, not every experiment works but for the 60s really impressive vibes
fun. my favorite was my back pages
Really a cool and creative mix of genres. Fun and serious at the same time. I greatly enjoyed it
Had several Byrds albums on the project now, and I’ve enjoyed each of them in their own way. Wasn’t familiar with any of these tracks, favorite was probably ‘My Back Pages’.. liked the second half better 3.5/5
Really enjoyable, quick listen. There were a few misfires (CTA with the weird transmission, "alien" voice), but overall will revisit, especially "Have you seen her face"
Not my favourite Elvis period but this album did give us In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, and Don't Cry Daddy, which are classics.
Music got so much better when everyone started dropping acid
Tentative 4 for me but I feel like it lost steam at the end. Stunning production and gorgeous harmonies as always for The Byrds. Their attempts at psychedelic sound effects did not charm me much, but there was enough other good stuff that I didn't mind. They do excellent covers of Bob Dylan which I always appreciate.
Out of all the Byrds albums I’ve heard so far, this one stands out as my favorite. Their traditional folk rock sound is here, complete with those iconic jangly guitars, but what really caught my attention were the heavy psychedelic elements. The Byrds truly pushed the envelope with studio effects on this album. The innovative production and experimentation are what make this album so impressive and enjoyable for me.
Enjoyed listening to this album. Have heard individual songs from The Byrds but haven't listened to a full album before!
The most sixties of all sixties bands. You can hear the influences: Beatles, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, psychedelic bands like the 13th Floor Elevators and Pink Floyd. Some beautiful melodic tracks and harmonies but they veer off course into pretentious naval-gazing at times.
3.8
Always thought of the Byrds as boring country/folky. But this is really good. A mixture of rocky stuff and pop. Always interesting. And "So you want to be .." is a blistering opening track.
The Byrds might be my favorite 60's psychedelic rock band. There's a little bit of everything here: Rock 'n' Roll bravado ("So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star"), a bit of folky pop "Have You Seen Her Face", "Girl With No Name") psychedelia ("Renaissance Faire", "Everyone's Been Burned", "Thoughts and Words"), the country twang of "Time Between" and some experimental edges ("C.T.A. -102").
i liked this a lot more than the other byrds album! i guess i like that this one is darker and more experimental…the sound mixing was crazy with the binaural side effects, i was thoroughly entertained by the whole affair…chris hillman ASMR channel when… fav tracks: everybody’s been burned; it happens each day; CTA 102
i enjoyed it! i don't find this as interesting or varied as the other byrds album we heard but maybe that's just because the other one is more familiar to me. but this was fun still.
some good songs on here but Renaissance Fair might make it to top 5 songs of 1967
Swéét änd shört.
So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star 3.7 Have You Seen Her Face 3.8 C.T.A. - 102 3.7 Renaissance Fair 3.8 Time Between 3.6 Everybody's Been Burned 3.5 Thoughts and Words 3.7 Mind Gardens 3.3 My Back Pages 3.9 The Girl with No Name 3.6 Why 3.7 Score: 3.663636364
Classic Summer of Love album. The musicality was tight even with the psychadelic stuff mixed in. The vocal harmonies were pleasant to listen to. Sort of a Beach Boys meets the Beatles vibe. It felt a little unpolished at times, like they were sort of figuring things out, but as a whole the album was pretty good.
Muy buenos y además mejoran a Dylan. Gran año 1967. Tienen oros albumes de gran nivel.
I’m not sure I’ve ever really listened to their albums, but it’s kind of impossible not to like The Byrds (or at least their early stuff). This album hits a nice spot between pop and psyche with a chilled air. No standouts as such (although the chord changes in ‘Have you seen her face’ are particularly sexy, and maybe the Crosby penned tracks are slightly weaker) but it’s just a really strong all rounder. I like.
Loved the song writing and the arrangements. Can only imagine being able to see this performed live from front to back.
Brilliant folk rock that does well dipping into different genres. The first half is a bit eclectic, the second half more classic. Bits of electronica that isn't great but brings in horns (opening "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star") and almost steel guitar western ("Time Between"). "Thoughts And Words" an example of getting too experimental. "My Back Pages" more traditional Byrds with pretty harmonizing in chorus.
I didn't realize David Crosby was in The Byrds.
Nice
I'm more familiar with the best of album, this had some nice gems I wasn't aware of.
Weird but really catchy.
That's some good Byrds.
Starting to feel like there's quite a lot of Byrds records on this list. Surprising to me but I guess they are more influential than I gave them credit for. This is a good listen, and there is a good mix of experimentalism and lyricism along with the jangly melodies. On the fence between a 3 and a 4 but this is solid so let's be generous. My Back Pages is a standout
I’ve always been a fan of The Byrds, but Younger Than Yesterday wasn’t one I was super familiar with outside of “My Back Pages.” That said, it’s a solid album that shows the band branching out a bit. Chris Hillman really steps up here with multiple writing credits, and you can start to hear the early seeds of what would become the Flying Burrito Brothers. The country-rock influence is creeping in, blending nicely with their signature jangle-pop and psychedelic touches. It might not be their most iconic record, but it’s a strong, underrated piece of the Byrds’ evolution. Favorite Song: "So You Want To Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star"
Jangly, high-quality 60s pop that really hits the spot for what you think the 60s sounds like. To that end, I think their act was a little derivative while at the same time being influential and meaningful. That's the 60s for ya.
Didn't like the Style of jt
Younger than Yesterday was very much Len’s approach go selecting his wives! 3.6
*Gasp* an actually good Byrds album... and its the final one I got, this is all that good mid-to-late 60s shit before it all went off the rails and into cocaine mountain
A good album, I liked So You Want To Be A Rock N Roll Star and The Girl With No Name of he most.
Good solid 60s rock. Love the harmonies. Favorites: So You Want to Be a Rock'n'Roll Star, Have You Seen Her Face, Thoughts and Words, The Girl With No Name Would I listen to it again: Yes
I've been enjoying The Byrds more and more with each album. They're a band that is, at the core, country-rock but with wide-reaching cross-genre sensibilities, an aspect that keeps me engaged on each new listen. They've always been quite poignant and politically conscious lyrically as well - it's something I've always appreciated about them. That and they can write some damn incredible songs - I mean 'Have You Seen Her Face' and, especially, 'My Back Pages' are two of some of the most gorgeous pop-rock songs I've heard out of the '60s. Those harmonies, melodies, and the bright guitar solo on the latter are to die for. It all sounds so good on the production end as well - I mean, you'll still get those classic '60s "experimental" studio post-production moments with songs like 'C.T.A' and the psychedelic 'Mind Gardens', but the closing 'Why' demonstrates the band's natural abilities with those jangly guitar leads. I was very lukewarm on these guys when I first heard them. But after this, 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers', and even Gene Clark's solo work, I feel comfortable labeling 'The Byrds' as one of the best out of the '60s.
Love an album with a great opening riff and Rock n Roll Star more than delivers. Overall, enjoyed it more than their debut. I boosted that one to 4 stars because of the song about Merthyr - this one gets there without any artificial stimulus.
Typical 60 sounding record, but it's extremely good in this case! The first song is a killer one, with that fast tempo, the winds section, the psychedelic vibes, etc. Then the rest of the album is not that impressive, but for the moment and kind of sound (beatles-like) this is more original than the average. Good one!
Another smash and grab from the Byrds in their short but sweet career.
Surprisingly nice!
Solid record from the Byrds. Great version of My Back Pages
Like the Beatles but a little different which is not bad. Low 4
Great package of music featuring clever production and a topical mix of styles.
trippy
I really liked the psychedelic rock here and had only heard a few of these songs. Very fun for me and a strong 4
Solid!
Good album, Mind Gardens took me by surprise
I like this album much better than Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. The Notorious Byrd Brothers is pretty impressive too.
The American Beatles! This is very similar. Great harmonies. Nice, mellow 60's music. Interesting layers of noise on some of the songs (CTA being one). That seems different than other songs around that time. Maybe ahead of their time on that. Good music and vocals. I dig this, and after hearing this and their country album earlier on the list, I'll be checking the rest of their catalog out. This is a 4.
De zon wint eindelijk terrein, en de generator haakt daar gepast op in. Alhoewel 'Younger Than Yesterday' subtiele psychedelische pop is, valt hij wel echt goed zo. Van het vorige album dat we van onze gevleugelde vrienden mochten beoordelen (Sweetheart of the Rodeo) had ik gehoopt én verwacht dat ik hem beter zou vinden dan dat ik hem vond. Deze daarentegen ging ik wat meer open-minded in, en had geen idee waar op het psychedelica-folk-country spectrum ze zich hier zouden bevinden. Ik kende wel wat losse songs, waaronder de wat mij betreft absolute underrated gem 'Everybody's Been Burned', misschien wel de beste song uit Crosby's carrière. Maar het album had ook naast de befaamde cover van 'My Back Pages' en de later door Patty Smith refurbishede rocker 'So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star' wel echt wat verborgen parels in z'n mars. 'Why' en 'Thoughts and Words' zijn nieuw voor me, en zijn wel echt peak Byrds. Eigenlijk vind ik dit hele album wel peak Byrds, waar ze de perfecte balans weten te vinden tussen de verschillende eigenzinnige songwriters (zelfs zonder m'n favoriet Guy Clark), verpakt in een prettige mix aan psychedelia, folk en country, de drie stijlen waar ze hun hele loopbaan omheen hebben gemetseld. 8/10 Highlights: Have You Seen Her Face Everybody's Been Burned My Back Pages Why
Their finest, in my humble opinion. 4.5/5
I wasn't too excited about getting another album by The Byrds, but this was better than I was expecting. 1967 was a special year for music.
quite like these guys
Liked it
Ok but not catchy enough
The inconsistency of this album was frustrating to me. There were some really innovative, unique sounding songs and then there were just throw away pop songs. But I give it a 3.55 which is a round up to 4.
Great songwriting. This must be great for background listening too, but just as intriguing when you pay closer attention to it. Loved the alien voices lol. They were doing some interesting stuff and pushing the boat out in a few places to explore the concepts
I could see why, as their Spotify bio says, "they only achieved the huge success of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys for a brief period in the mid-1960s." They had a good sound and I enjoyed the album. What the fuck was going on with the end of the song "C.T.A. - 102?" It wasn't too hard to figure out which of the songs was written by Bob Dylan. Not only was it the best one but it was easy to imagine him singing it.
A few songs sucked, but they are great
I was skeptical bc im a Beatles number one fan but david Crosby does it again . the crosbinator
Great album by one of the most influential bands of the 60s. Thought I would like it a little more than I did, but need to re-listen Best songs: Have You Seen Her Face Everybody's Been Burned Thoughts and Words Mind Gardens My Back Pages (Dylan cover)
It's a great folk-rock and psychedelic rock album with hints of what was coming in 1968 when the line up changed and they started playing more country oriented music. The hits are great, and I think the cover of the Dylan song is the best on the album. I liked this more than Mr. Tambourine Man and it's on par with Sweetheart of the Rodeo, so I'm giving it a 4.
Yes, the original songs are very good, but that cover of Dylan’s “My Back Pages” is transcendent. Their harmonies almost never sounded better.
Bueno
Hard to stand out in this era
Bello questo riff! *Lo mette al contrario"
I like it!
Giving this 4 for the very strong singles, really 3 or 3.5
jangle pop rules
a downright lovely psychedelic record, something for a rainy day indoors. i dunno, there's this part of me that feels as if i would really like this thing if i heard it as a kid, playing the CD on my boombox under my trundle bed. "Why" makes me wanna take the cushions off the couch and angle them on the frame before crawling in through the hole and hiding (i was a weird kid. i called this "playing tomb"). not everything's super uptempo, like "Everybody's Been Burned", but even that song appeals to the melancholic part of my childhood, days spent worried by trauma that i've taken care of just fine, thank you. Younger Than Yesterday is a definite recommend to anyone who likes 60's pop, which includes me. David Crosby was crazy when he put "Mind Gardens" on here, and i'm crazier for actually liking it a lot.
The last album with the more classic Byrds sound but with hints at what was to come. Very good album.
They’re not all great songs, but enough are to make this a worthy record. Highlight: My Back Pages
I was in the right mood to listen to this. Good harmonies and an easy style. Reminded me of that CSNY record.
There are a lot of Byrds albums on this list and they're all over the map for me in terms of how much I like them. This one? This one I liked. I'd listen to this again.
I liked this! An album as ahead of its time as it is of its time. I expected some 60’s genericness and it wasn’t really there, it was truly a surprising listen.
i love earnest early psy-rock albums like this; i feel like a whole lot of albums from around that time i've been a little critical to and this one is a lot more pleasant to hear. i swear it seemed like every rock band seemed to do drugs and create psychedelic albums, with reverse sitars, strings, vox and all. some of the more avantgarde soundscapes lose me, but the other tracks are phenomenal. seriously there's some really good tracks, and then there's a few that'll make you go "...huh? ...oh... okay".
Solid ‘60s psych. I can dig it.
Have You Seen Her Face // Renaissance Fair // Time Between // Thoughts and Words // My Back Pages //
Very enjoyable but not memorable.
This is easily the best album by The Byrds on this list, although I hope it's also the last one. I think it's not a coincidence that this record is the most similar to The Beatles. Very nice pop/rock sounds with some heavy psychedelic influence, which was definitely too heavy at times, making it unbearable to listen to. But some of the guitar solos, riffs and melodies were top notch, surprisingly good. Even the vocalist was better than expected. Overall a very solid album, I would certainly listen to it again.
Was expecting some Beatles generic knockoff but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the songs. Not half bad
I didn’t expect to like it but I did. Except for really pretty and catchy Melodie’s the album is filled with experimentation so typical for 1967. It stands out! Although I’d have to say the sequencing is a bit weird and I really don’t like the baby alien voice. Light 4
As with any late-60s rock album, it’s definitely influenced by the Beatles, but doesn’t sound derivative. It’s a sweet record.
Not bad at all - it went by quickly but it was all kind of interesting and boppy. 3.5/5 No real stand-out tracks as it's consistent and pretty cohesive, but Have You Seen Her Face and Everybody's Been Burned were catchy And something tells me that George Lucas got inspiration for the Ewok voices from CTA-102
Classic
als je het bekijkt vanuit de tijdsperiode, is dat geen slechte plaat
I like this 4/5
Twangedelic.
Trippy, experimental, boundary pushing, and remains to be a super causal listening experience as well. Super fun and light and I want it on vinyl
Excited for this one. I know one song and we start with it. Weirdos with cool hats is always a good start. This song is remembered from movie montages. It’s fine, it has an interesting sound and nice vocals. I won’t be writing letters home about the Byrds just yet, but it’s fine. Beautiful song. Great melodies, well put together. This is great songwriting. This song is ok. Not terrible or anything but the meat of the song takes a backseat to the strange noises. The weird alien ending was actually pretty cool until the voices. This was pretty good. This one is boring. The songwriting is worse to me than the previous songs. Not horrid. This thing keeps moving. The songs are so short. Pretty good song. Nothing much springing to mind positive or negative. Cool, laid back song. The instruments are virtuosic and after the guitar centre plucking from Ryan Adams (no typo) yesterday, it’s very welcome. This almost has a torch singer vibe. Like some smoky 20s club. 1920’s for you young fellas. Another nice song with incredible effects that produce the psychedelia that we were promised. Folk influence big time. I’m such a sucker for Celtic folk influenced rock. Loved the fairport convention stuff, and this is reminiscent of that. This one is kind of insane. Reverse looped instrumentals. Of course I like it. It’s weird as hell and yet still highly competent. Man. This thing rips. The lyrics are fantastically interesting. Reading them like a book. If this melody was employed in the modern age, it would be driven into the ground and not nuanced as it is here. They weave in and out of the hook so tastefully. Probably one of the best ones here. The album remains nice. This one was fine. I’m still trying to pinpoint why certain songs appeal so greatly while others are mediocre to poor. Maybe I’ll do some musical theory course and ruin music for myself forever. OR, I’ll continue to produce low quality reviews on an internet database. This album was weird, slightly haunting, exciting and had a bunch of great tracks that employed excellent songwiritng and atmosphere. This album could’ve produced more emotional weight to bump up the score, but I really can’t ask for much more than what was produced here. Top tier listen. 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Have you Seen Her Face, Everybody’s Been Burned, Thoughts and Words, Mind Gardens, My Back Pages
Honestly better than I expected for another 60’s non-Beatles rock album
Interesting album in the earlier days of rock. "C.T.A.-102" such an odd ending to a song which I suspect might be the origins of the Minions voice.
A cover band of Bob Dylan with a sound a bit more pop. A bit nostalgic but not bad
Very nice listen, but I like the more straightforward songs a lot more than the rambling hippie experimental ones. My Back Pages is a lovely all time great pop song. 3.5/4
Gentle, lovely sound and great harmonies. Ultimately a song or two light.
A notch below their best, including the of the records on this list, as evidenced by mediocre sales and tepid critical reception. It's not quite as fresh as Mr. Tam Man or as balanced as 5th Dimension or as accomplished as Sweethearts or Notorious Bros. The sour chippiness on "Rock and Roll" star doesnt' really suit them. The studio trickery on "CTA" isnt that impressive or interesting and disrupts an otherwise decent groove. And the psychedelic experimentation doesn't land very forcefully. "Thoughts and Words" is okay+ but with some generic '60s sound effects (a tricked out zither? a backward sitar?). "Mind Gardens" sounds like a '60s cliche – outdated as much of the hippie garb, man! "My Back Pages" is solid, further proof that these guys were best striaght-up interpreters of Dylan, but it does feel slightly tired compared to their other more energetic efforts in the Zim catalog. "Girl with No Name" and "Why" (though one prefers the previous B-side version) are solid ending and go a way to redeem things. Rounding up because it's the Byrds.
Pleasant with some experimentation
The most 60s album yet
Great
Tried too hard with backwards tracks and Indian instruments, but the harmonies were spot on. Mostly good songs.
Nice variety of sounds. I would listen again.
For a 60s band, its cool to hear one that is of the era, but also not completely ripping off the Beatles. I liked this a lot, with my ear first catching on Renaissance Fair. Also liked Everybody's Been Burned. Good psych pop.
I have been less than impressed with the works by The Byrds that I have reviewed so far (this will be my third, and I was also not a fan of Gene Clark's White Light), so I don't have high expectations for this album. But hey, it's less than thirty minutes long, so that's a plus! Let's get into it. This album wound up being much better than I anticipated. The sound drew upon a wide variety of influences, but the album still felt really cohesive. The blending of folk, psychedelic, and country elements created a unique sound that really set The Byrds apart from other artists of the sixties. I enjoyed this album the most when it was getting experimental and weird, like on "C.T.A.-102." The guitar playing was fantastic throughout the album, and there were some really good vocals too. I liked the second half of the album better than the first half; the guitars on "Thoughts and Words" created a really great sound, and the song went back and forth from a traditional sixties rock sound to something more experimental. "My Back Pages" was one of the best songs on the album too, and I really loved the vocals on the chorus. This was a really good album, and it definitely gives me more of an appreciation for The Byrds than their other albums that I've reviewed. The uniqueness of the sound and the guitar playing really set this album apart from other artists' experimental work at the same time.
Realize I have a thing for twelve string guitars and harmony. 4/5
A lot of unique and interesting ideas here. Def a little too indulgent sometimes, but really interesting to hear them experiment.