Reviews (page 7 of 8)
The Byrds are a pretty influencial 60's band, with folk root, a psychedelic sound and incredible vocals harmonie beachs boys style. This album is their countribution to 1967 (the best musical year) and it look like it will be justifies to this album to be here. We know that the Beatles and The byrds mutualy influences themself and it feel like it in a lot of songs. Have you seen her face is probably the most obvious, it feel like a early Beatlemania song, but with Rubber soul instrument, its a really good song. A critic reference it as a West coast Revolver, and i agree with that, but with still their own folk rock style and vocals harmonies and experimentation that make it original. They seems to merge all the different musical style at the time, like pop with the Monkees, country rock, acid rock and british invasion. Time between and The girl with no name are the country songs, they are good, but not very unique i think, comprare to other songs in the album. Like i said acid rock was an influence on the musicality of a lot of songs, but also a lyrical influences, as LSD seem to have inspired the song toughts and words, The Byrds were experimenting with drugs like LSD at the time, apparently with the Beatles too. There is a other Byrds cover version of a Bob Dylan song: My back pages. It show their great admiration for the man and his folk style that make them so great at their debut. Altghout this is not the greatest psychedelic album i have heard, probablt not even the best Byrds album, but it is clearly at the same level as some of the greatest 60's act, like the Kinks, the who, the Stones or the Mamas and the Papas and Beatles album like Rubber Soul, Help or Beatles for sale. They managed to merge all of this and create an not completly diffrent thing but with lots of originality. The Byrds will remains as a very important act of that time and this album prouve it.
Perhaps the least-focused and engaging Byrds album on the list so far, which is saying something. Running out of things to say about these middle of the road 70s albums, everything’s blending together and it’s hard to put together specific cons other than me just being tired of albums like this.
6/10
Very jolly. This unmistakably sounds like the Sixties to me, in a good way. You can clearly hear the band's influence on Rubber Soul, for example. The songs didn't speak to me particularly, but it passed some time in my working afternoon very pleasantly. The opening track is probably my favourite here, as the subject matter seemed less obscure than the rest of the album.
It's not exactly Sergeant Pepper or Pet Sounds. Musically it's quite a mess. I found it a tough listen with some pretty basic production. The songs are half decent, but it sounds like there was a push to try new production methods.
Meh. It was OK. Not a fan. Will likely never intentionally listen to a Byrd’s song ever.
It's clear how this album influenced future bands. Most of it was great, there were a few tunes that didn't really do it for me but I can see how those tunes influenced future bands I really enjoy.
I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. I like psych rock, but I find that psych music, particularly from the 60's, all sounds very similar. They are all rooted in similar characteristics. So I went into this with that mindset. And I actually found a lot to like. The guitar on songs like "Renaissance Fair", "Everybody's Been Burned", and "Thoughts and Words" was actually far more advanced and well played than I thought it would be. "Thoughts and Words" specifically has this really cool reverse effect on what sounds like a guitar. It definitely fits the psychedelic label. I think that is something this album actually excels at. The album feels legitimately psychedelic in some places. I think the vocals also fit the more relaxed sound really well. The only song I have any real distaste for is "C.T.A. - 102". It has these weird synth sound effects in a later part of the song, and then the song just cuts out and transitions to the outro where someone is talking with a weird alien effect over their voice. Nothing about this song is cool in my mind. The effects just seem obnoxious and novel. The last three songs on the album aren't anything special either. Something I noticed while listening to this was the way everything was panned. All of the instruments are panned either hard left or hard right, and the vocals were set in the center. Which means if you are listening to this with headphones or earbuds, and you take one out, it instantly ruins the listening experience, since parts of the song are missing. This seemed to be a thing they did in the 60's when mixing albums, and it always confused me. Not sure if it was due to a technical limitation, or if it was a creative decision. I love when an album pleasantly surprises me. It's nice to not expect much and get something far more interesting than you imagined. Of the two 60's psych records I have reviewed so far, which both conveniently came out in the same year, I enjoy this one the most.
I had only ever heard a few random hits from The Byrds before, and I never paid them much mind. I've got to say though—grainy cover art aside—this is an intriguing album. It's difficult to pin down the genre and the era that this fits into, and I completely understand that this isn't going to be for everyone. It starts with a fairly normal sounding 60s era rock & roll number (with more untethered bass than a certain Simon & Garfunkel album, I might add... ahem). But you know what, including that trumpet and guiro is an interesting choice—that's not "normal" rock & roll. The next tracks kind of mellow in the 60s a bit longer before taking the listener back to the sounds of the 50s. And then BAM! What the heck is this—folk rock? And country rock? I think the message from the artists here are, "Stop trying to put us in a cage!" [Tangent] In track six, Everybody's Been Burned, I can't help but wonder, did the Broccoli family fire some Byrdshot at them for using that cord progression? Okay, next up, stuff gets weird. Like, what is this voodoo? As prog fan, this is kind of mind-blowing because I had no clue this type of experimentation and electronic modulation was happening in this era. Did these Byrds themselves excrete and scatter the seeds of giants to follow? Or, am I simply ignorant of others doing the same? Here's what I do know: lyrically and aurally Mind Gardens casts a spell that compels me to add Rush's Witch Hunt to the end of this playlist. The rest of the album continues to hop back and forth between these sounds: folky, rocky, country... Byrdy. This album is perhaps a bit much to digest all at once. I mean, I like pizza, and I like Mexican, and I like Lebanese, but I don't think I'm up to eating it in the same meal—at least not every day. But I'll be hot-danged if I don't try it from time to time.
This is the closest I've gotten to a 4 so far. Didn't quite get there, largely due to a really good point Kevin made in his ABBA review: I can't help but compare this to more contemporary music that I like and find it lacking. I bet I would have given this a strong 4 if I had been born in 1960.
Key things to note. This record sounds better over loud speakers. The mix is very peculiar, the vocals are fairly centered, but most of the instruments are about 90/10 either left or right. I imagined it was how it might sound to be around a campfire. My favorite tracks were My Back Pages and C.T.A. - 102 Over all enjoyable but I don't know when I would be itching to spin it back up.
Maybe there are not 1001 decent albums
Listened through once in the background. Sounds like a very solid 60s rock album with the usual fare: fuzzy, bumping basslines; vocal harmonizing; plenty of percussion; and some psychadelic elements. After first listen, the main standout was My Back Pages, which is a very catchy song with a great chorus -- I feel like I've heard it before. Album opens with So You Want to Be Rock 'N' Roll Star, which taps into all of that 60s rock energy. I really like this song, with the exception of the cheesy overdubbed crowd samples. The whole composition feels like something the Dead might have tapped into during this era, with solid instrumental work, percussion, and horns making an appearance. Have You Seen Her Face sounds like a pretty generic 60s song in a good way. Definitely getting my tambourine fix. Time Between and Everybody's Been Burned Before are both jams on either side of the coin from one another. Time Between is a hoppy, southern folk number that once again would feel at home on Workingman's Dead, while Everybody's Been Burned Before is a slowed down and moody melody -- really into this later song. The singing and composition is so pretty. This one drifted into the background after this point as I was reviewing some stuff for work, but I found myself grooving along. I'm way more into this one than I expected going in. I'm a 4.5 / 5, tempted to give a 5, but I don't think there was enough separating it from the pack to merit. 4 / 5.
Nice beachy, old school rock n roll album. Easy and pleasant to listen to! CTA - 102 was interesting, and I thought it was going to mark a drastic change in the style of the album, but then it just went back to its regular sound. Nothing too crazy about this one, but it was good.
This album was a great combo of classic 60s rock and then some pretty trippy songs it was a nice balance to stop any repetitive sound. My highlights were Thoughts and Words and Mind Gardens for the psychedelic aspect. Then followed with the ending of My Back Pages and Why for the rock
Classic 60's album but did not expect it to be so psychedelic from the beginning harmonies and such. Quite a pleasant surprise. WTF is happening in CTA - 102????? That was strange to put on this album but certainly got my attention. That backwards looping or whatever on Thoughts and Words was very Tomorrow Never Knows-esque. Definitely inspired by Revolver on this. More backwards looping on Mind Gardens. This shit is tripPpPpPpPpPpPy. Also what a cool fucking name for a song. Solid album I really liked a few songs but there were some duds I felt as well. 3.5 would be appropriate but I'm going to round up because I really liked those songs and it's Friday and I'm about to go swimming. You're welcome, Byrds.
Weird as hell. Not too great to listen with a hangover. Backwards sitars and actual ayyyyliens chattering in my ear.
Quite good fun 60s jangly and occasionally psychedelic music, before the Byrd's got too country.
Older than Tomorrow
A lot of fun to listen to.
Ok, some of it was interesting but didn't really catch my ear
This album has a near 60 year legacy and I doubt I’ll remember anything about it after 6 minutes.
Hearing stuff like this really drives home how much the Beatles were in a league of their own
Classic early Byrds.
I feel about this album the same way that I feel about the previous Byrds albums, which is to say that it's not bad, but I also don't like it very much, and I'm happy to have completed this review so that I can stop listening to it, though it's perfectly fine if you like it because, again, it's not bad, and it has artistic merit, it's just not for me 3/5 Please let this be the last Byrds album on this list (monkey paw curls and another Randy Newman album appears tomorrow)
Quality sixties, 3.5 stars
Best Song: Everybody's Been Burned. It's got a sort of suave, Bond-song energy to it. Worst Song: C.T.A. I bet that alien bit at the end was fire back in 1967, but now it just sounds goofy in a bad way. Overall: An old album from the origins of rock that sounds more important than it sounds good.
I think we've had an album by the Byrds before. Maybe it was the Yardbirds, I'm not sure. Anyway, I had a slightly negative mindset going in, but this was pretty cool. Shows that preconceptions can be wrong.
A microcosm of 1966: sitars, backwards guitars, jangling 12 strings, psychedelic imagery, close harmonies, eastern melodies. I liked this a lot.
rather uninteresting compared to the album they made after this which was pretty enjoyable. couple decent tracks in the intro and "thoughts and words" but the rest is samey and forgettable.
For all that I've heard about The Byrds, was pretty disappointed in this. Really felt like nothing special for the mid to late 60s. 2.5/5
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
It was an alright album, I didn't recognize any of the songs other than the cover of Bob Dylan's My Back Pages. Basically a typical 60s folk album
4th album by this band, and whilst this is better than some of the offerings on here it's still not amazing. Some songs are instant skips, but appreciate it's experimental, some tunes are pretty good like "Renaissance Fair" 2.4
These guys brought it here, sounding like the Beatles, sure, and doing the beatle-thing, but we'll enough. Kept things interesting as can be for the time and place
an enjoyable listening experience.
Yeah, not bad. It feels familiar. It's like finding a jacket like one you used to love while at a thrift store.
It’s fine.
Trash.
Pretty pleasant, but mostly forgettable, with the exception of the Dylan cover
I feel like the last 10 albums have been from this time period. This may not help my review of this one.
Was ok, not loved
Rating: 6/10
Definitely the most ambitious Byrds album. Best track: Thoughts and Words
Except for the first track, I didn't care for this at all.
It is a short album. Nothing sounded really recognizable. It was not a bad album, but it was not a particularly good album. I do question why there are so many Byrds' albums on this list. They aren't that good. I guess , it is better than a two but not really a three.
Solid sixties album with My Back Pages and Rock N Roll Star as obvious highlights. Rest of album is pretty solid bar the awful Mind Gardens, which prompted me to start a discussion on a forum about bands who went 'full maharishi' who really shouldn't. Three and a half.
Another album that’s just ok
We have Pet Sounds at home.
This was quite enjoyable. I think it lost a little steam towards the end, but there's some cool stuff on here. Definitely better than the other Byrds album I got on here. My favourite song was Thoughts and Words.
Great record from a definitive 60's band.
Interesting album, definitely the 2nd best of the 60s stuff I've gotten so far Its a bit odd at points with strange sounds in Thoughts and Words being hard to listen to but overall a very good listen
This is one incredible interpretation of a Bob Dylan song and then an album of filler.
Fairly uninspiring.
Just okay, not much to get your teeth into.
Just didn't enjoy it. The bad brought down the good.
Some decent songs, some terrible songs
Алкоальбом: слишком много ингридиентов в коктейле, но при этом вкусно
Хорошо звучит, несмотря на то, что это 60е. Романтично, лирично, и при этом - не скучно. Эксперимент с музыкой "квазара" - прикольно)) За душу не берёт, но в историческом контексте альбом для группы прорывной. Хороший альбом для каких-нибудь посиделок, чтобы включить на фоне/на виниле.
когда увидел входные данные, готовился на 1-2, а в итоге вполне вкусное, приятное
not for me...
Such a sweet cozy summery type album! I love putting on the Byrds but rarely put on their full albums, and it has been such a shame to admit! Very well crafted songs, great harmonies and just very pleasant earworms of songs! 8,5 out of 10
Ég er barasta heilmikið skotinn í þessari plötu líka. Hef orðið örlítið afhuga mörgu sjöundatugar stöffi í seinni tíð, en Byrds eru bara vaxandi. Næs gítarsound og áheyrileg lög.
Wow, they had some good drugs.
3. I quite enjoyed this. Might listen again but wouldn't buy.
Should be a 3.5.
I liked it!
Some great songs, worth more listen with headphones and weed.
I'd give a 3.5 if I could, pretty good standard rock
An interesting listen. They were clearly exploring new things and wtf is with C.T.A. - 102. Came outta no where. But it doesn't quite completely work for me. 3.5/5
niet speciaal
Nee deze voelde ik niet helemaal. Had niets speciaals
Ok
4th Byrds album?? Man, they must've been hugeeee in the 60s. (very telling of my age)
I quite like the rocky stuff, I quite like most of the psych stuff. The silly tape noise, I really did not like. And the country stuff can absolutely get in the sea.
Seems to be transitional, some stuff works, some stuff is miles off. The Dylan cover is the best thing here.
You can tell it's from the 60s. Lot's of harmonies, but some experiemtal stuff as well.
It's very okay. There are some tracks that are fun - the opener and the sci fi one, and. A lot that's just very well produced and just okay. Feel a little like this is a critics band, not one that's that enjoyable to listen to. O followed this with Boney M and enjoyed the latter far more.
YES. HELL YES.
Pretty solid
A solid 60s/70s feeling album with some gems
Relatively good but never really captured me like I was hoping
Fine folk-rock with some psychedelic bits thrown in. Can be pleasant, can be annoying ("Mind Palace" sticks out). Very middle of the road, despite my usual enjoyment of David Crosby. Favorite tracks: "Thoughts and Words", "My Back Pages", "Why"
2nd album by The Byrds in the row. This one much more psychodelic.
Two Byrds albums in a row? Well ok then. So I just came off listening to "Younger Than Yesterday" by The Byrds. And let me tell you, after listening to their experimental album "Fifth Dimension" the day before, I was somewhat relieved that this one didn't make me feel like I was in the middle of an acid trip. "Younger Than Yesterday" is an album that showcases The Byrds' unique blend of folk, rock, and psychedelia. It's like they took a bunch of musical genres and threw them into a blender, and what came out was an eclectic mix of 60's style rock n roll. The album features some of the band's most popular tracks, including "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star," which is the perfect song to listen to while doing your air guitar routine in the mirror. And "My Back Pages" is a timeless classic that makes me feel like I'm wearing a tie-dye shirt and smoking a doobie. What I like most about this album is how it manages to be experimental without being too out there. It's like they were testing the waters with "Fifth Dimension" and then realized they needed to come back down to earth a bit. And boy, am I glad they did (because I don't think my brain could handle a Sixth Dimension). Overall, "Younger Than Yesterday" is a groovy album that will make you want to dust off your bell-bottoms and dance around like it's the Summer of Love. It's like a musical time machine that transports you back to the '60s, minus the questionable fashion choices. So if you're looking for a good time, put on this album and let The Byrds take you for a ride.
I got this CD on sale about 8 years ago just before I got back into vinyl. I ended up with a copy of Mr. Tambourine Man as well. The Byrds were sort of an unknown to me. My younger brother was a fan. He also dug other bands that took me a while to get, like Radiohead and The Beach Boys. He also like bands I never got into like Toad the Wet Sprocket. To me, the Byrds weren't the band that had David Crosby and Roger Mcguinn and gave us the gift of Chris Hillman and Graham Parsons or Gene Clark. I didn't know all of this until later. To me, they were a pop outfit that mostly did safe covers of Dylan. An electric version of Peter, Paul and Mary. Mr. Tambourine Man didn't really do anything to dispel that feeling. But this album with its lush baroque psychedelia changed my feeling about them and led me to explore the rest of their catalog discovering that Crosby and those guys mentioned above were in the band and eventually arriving at Sweethearts and Notorious Byrd Brothers and really becoming smitten with the band. If only my brother didn't make weird choices with music like falling in love with stuff like Me Phi Me so that he was a more consistent source of quality listens for me.
This is the third Byrds album we've had on the list so far and I've enjoyed them all. They consistently deliver 60's folk rock with psychedelic vibes, beautiful vocal harmonies and sometimes a silly song about UFOs. This one is particularly easygoing and light. But it’s not simplistic. There are some mysterious, moody songs too. And great guitar work throughout.
Hard for me to listen and not hate the very hard-panning of the instruments. Man is it grating... Yea this album was alright for me, the songs didn't really blow me away but they weren't terrible. The mix choices unfortunately permeated throughout the listening experience.
Skemmtilegri plata en ég bjóst við.
Rock clásico. Suave
HL: “My Back Pages”, “Mind Gardens”, “Renaissance Fair” if bonus tracks count, then “Lady Friend” Nice 1st Byrds album, easy-breezy folk rock, and then the backwards guitar in “Mind Gardens” jolted me out of that pleasant reverie 😬 Their version of “My Back Pages” is probably my favourite Byrds song. Might be 4 another day, but let’s say 3 stars since there were a few songs this listen that went in one ear & out the other March 11, 2023
Amerikai Bítlisz/Pop Dylan fiúbanda. Néhol idegesítő, de egyébként kellemes háttérzene.) 1-2 újrahallgatós számmal.
Was probs a banger in 67. Today it's just alright
chill hippies, solid 60s
3-4
The Byrds hebben mij ooit met 1 plaatje heel blij gemaakt, dus ik ben geneigd ze eeuwige liefde te verklaren, maar het is nu na een paar kut platen toch echt klaar.
Beetje een allegaartje. Aantal hele mooie nummers maar ook een aantal die niet om aan te horen zijn.
Ziijg. En die stukken waar die zanger redelijk solo zingt zijn niet te doen.
First time listening. A quick listen at just over 29min. This is a good and consistent album. The Byrds combined country, psychedelic, rock, pop, and jazz into a profile all their own. There's a sophistication in their instrumental interplay that I find enjoyable. It sounds fairly simple at first but a closer listen reveals it to be pretty intricate. Doesn't mean I'll revisit often.
Happy to give this a close listen. Interesting timing because this could be heard as a "response to Sgt. Pepper" album, but this one came first! Has the distinctive Byrds sound, but really not much else to recommend. A rather dull experience, indicative of how The Byrds don't have enough great songs to fill up a greatest hits album.
Sympathique et agréable. M’a rappelé les jeunes Beatles
Meh, pretty dull and partly responsible for the explosion of terrible jangle-pop nonsense yha followed. Not for me
1.5
A lot weirder than I expected.
An improvement on the last album I heard by them. That’s hardly a ringing endorsement though.
Den gode 60’er rock ting, uden at blive for trivielt, lidt psyk, country
25th. 20 days travelling. Saturday at Shakeen’s farm. 6am. Woke up thinking of Jenna
Some highs and fewer lows here, with most of it being inbetween. I quite like So you wanna be a rockstar, My Back Pages and Everyone's been burned. Really dislike Mind Gardens, and to a lesser extend the end of CTA 102 (what the hell was that?) and Why.
I've come to adore David Crosby, but this was too dated and too jangly for my tastes. I did enjoy the occasional dashes of mysticism, though.
Musik man blir glad av.
I'll give this a rating between the best song "Everybody's Been Burned" and the atrocity "Mind Gardens."
Pleasantly surprised by this one. While I had heard a few Byrds songs I never really knew what they were all about. Easy breezy songwriting, great harmonies, with a psychedelic experimental twist.
This just didn’t engage me at all
Excellent songwriting and harmonies. Always amazed at how much talent came through this band and how much influence they had. Chris Hillman came out of nowhere as the principal songwriter for this one and he didn’t disappoint. Laid the groundwork for the country rock he further develop with the Flying Burrito Bros.
Rounded up to 4. Best Byrds album I've heard - genuinely interesting and innovative, and really satisfying too
It was ok - missing Mr Tambourine Man though
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.
Not unpleasant to listen too, but you can have too much jangly 12 string, whacked lyrics and reversed music.
It's nice, I liked it. However, it doesn't really stand out for me.
Second time listening to this album, and my opinion is largely the same. This is my favorite Byrds album so far, and My Back Pages is my favorite track
Beatles vibes, psicodelia temprana mezclada con canción. Sobre el final se va poniendo más Rolling Stone. Son contemporáneos así que imagino que tienen las mismas influencias. Me re va
Tiene cositas de revolver. Me gusto pero pierde un poco de fuerza al final.
First time through that second track, Have You Seen Her Face, sounded like The Beatles. Second time through though I could hear the Byrds as I became more familiar with their sound. CTA - 102 is interesting and my fave track would be The Girl With No Name.
Yeah, this was fine - nothing massively captivating, but pleasant enough. Fave track - I liked the oddness of "C.T.A. 102" - especially the fake backmasking. 😆 "My Back Pages" is catchy, too, and uses the album title as a lyric.
Was lovely in the background of Crash Bandicoot but upon further listening I just wished it was The Beatles Favorite song: It Happens Each Day
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.
Gentle songs combined with some experimental and at times whining material.
Good album. Had some really interesting songs and parts to it
3/5. An okay pop rock psyche album. Some songs seem pretty evolved while others are trying way too hard to be psychedelic.
The first track was good, got me excited for a cheery 60's pop/rock album, but then it devolved into so much psychedelic experimental bullshit that I just got sick of it. That one track with the weird voices speaking what sounded like a made up chipmunk language... WTF was that?!? The Byrds needed to just stick with sweet, wistful pop/rock jams and be cool.
Good record
Personal preference, but there is nothing appealing about the sound of the 60's. If you're into that, though, then man is this album for you. It was a boring slog to get through this entire album.
Fav song: Thoughts & Words
Some interesting songs on it. Some of it quite experimental but not my thing. Overall interesting look into early? psychedelic rock Saved tracks: Have You Seen Her Face, It Happens Each Day, Don’t Make Waves
has a very 60's sound (makes sense!)
Gitaren i den renessansesangen (?) va jævlig kul
Interesting. Below. Like the horns.
👌
This is a weird mix of pretty generic meh 60's rock and some absolutely great songs, such as Thoughts and Words. I was expecting this to be a little more country than it was, which was a nice change of pace, but I'm going to have to be reasonable and say that the album overall was pretty mixed, earning a three star. Seriously though, Thoughts and Words rivals the Beatles in quality.
Not entirely my thing. Some of the more psychadelic stuff missed the mark. Enjoyed some more than others, but overall an enjoyable listen.
This album embodies the evolution of the 60s sound.
Not a fan of this album.
Jangle but backwards. Elgnaj.
In 1963 Nikolai Kardashev proposed that the then-unidentified radio source could be evidence of a Type II or III extraterrestrial civilization on the Kardashev scale.[3] Follow-up observations were announced in 1965 by Gennady Sholomitskii, who found that the object's radio emission was varying;[6] a public announcement of these results on April 12, 1965, caused a worldwide sensation.
Very interesting production, can see how it would be influential. It just sounds a bit sloppy. Really like mind gardens tho - prob because it sounds like TISB. 3 stars I guess
I'll keep the review short and sweet, much like Younger Than Yesterday itself. I really enjoy the late 60's psychedelic folk-pop-rock that The Byrds helped pioneer. It's laid back, but never boring. 'So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star' is a finely written song. On this particular album they also do very weird stuff like 'C.T.A.-102' which I do not care for. Otherwise it's easy listening, solid stuff.
The Byrds were able to write some mighty fine pop tunes; "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll", "Rennaisance Fair", "My Back Pages" and more. Jangly, pretty and solid. But nothing groundbreaking og breathtaking. When they try something new and different, as on "C.T.A. - 102", The Byrds seem to break their wings. Younger Than Yesterday is fine, it's short and there are plenty of great tunes. It's just not remarkable.
Great vibes
Enjoy the earlier albums and songs better.
Diverse group of 60s pop tunes that remind me of the Monkees. Typical pop instrumentation, great vocals, but overall kind of bland.
Byrds come together nicely on this one. Real pleasant but the best is yet to come
Pure 60’s harmony. Easy listening.
Not really a fan
Meh
classic californian sixties rock
This is my favorite Byrds album so far in this exercise. Favorite track: My Back Pages
Eh
A little bit folky, a little bit psychedelic, a little bit country, a little bit of humor, some nice harmonies and guitar... This was an enjoyable listen.
A fun listen. A mix of styles with mostly very pleasant results. The track Mind Gardens left me a little cold, but the rest was generally good to great.
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?!
Good vocal harmonies, fun instrumentation, good old classic rock
60s pop with a dash of snark and rebellion. good, if dated.
Okayish
Jeebs, it is another one from the summer of love. What the fuck is C.T.A - 102? Renaissance Fair is a fucking banger though. It has some bangers, but I really ain't feelin it that much. 3/5
another Beatles inspired group that didnt have any interesting songs
Not really my style. I'm sure it was awesome back in the day.
Buen álbum. No es de mi estilo
This is probably the first album I can say actually feels influential! I can feel the beats and rhythms are very similar to ones I've heard in more modern 90s and 00s songs. Would I listen to it again and did I finish the whole album? No. But this definitely deserves to be on the list.
I need to listen to more 60s rock n roll! This is fun!
Meh
It doesn’t really do anything, does it? The first few seconds set out the stall for the rest of the album and it doesn’t go anywhere else. I dunno if this is meant to be a concept record of some sort, but listening through twice I couldn’t hear any theme or reason. Anyway, this isn’t ‘bad’ but it’s not my kind of thing. If I could sum it up with an emoji, it would be this… ⬜️
It's close to being good. Very good when it wants to be, very boring for the most part.
The music is good, but the sound is not really my thing. I will listen again, and focus on the quality... but it's really not to my taste!
Too psychedelic for my taste...
There are some fantastic songs on here, 5-star quality, but there’s also some weirder ones that I didn’t care for. It balances out to a three.
So close to a 5 but faded in the back half
The Byrds are very good at covers, and not much else. Only bumped to a three because of My Back Pages.
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.
Kinda boring except for the sonic experiments
Mellow listening. I enjoy the late 60s vibes and the lyrics, but there weren’t any stand out tracks for me with this one. Solid listen but won’t return to this album in particular.
se siente como los beatles pero suenan mejor?, esta bien. Es jazzy y trippy, me gusta que las canciones dejen mas de un minuto de instrumentales, tambien que ocupen otros intrumentos que no eran los estandares.
Funcinou bem para mim, boas doses de psicodelia com folk.
Hippie lovely folkiness. 4 stars
4/5
I see why 1967 liked this one.
Track 1: So You Want to Be a Rock ‘N’ Roll Star This song opens with sounds that resemble armpit farts. There’s a lot of chaos with horns, children screaming, and a mediocre song. Sounds like diet Beach Boys. Track 2: Have You Seen Her Face The lyrics describe the way wattpad explains what eyes look like. This is fine. I like the guitar solo. This song is like the typical 60s pop that you think of. Track 3: C.T.A. - 102 This is a little radio opening kind of song. It has little beep boops. It’s kinda annoying. Oh those are aliens. I was so confused. Track 4: Renaissance Fair I like this song. The vocals are cool and the instrumentals are groovy. I could casually listen to this. Track 5: Time Between This song is fine. It’s a country bumpkin sounding campfire song. Track 6: Everybody’s Been Burned Good song to fall asleep to. Great guitar work. Track 7: Thoughts and Words This is another boring song. I think I just heard someone light a joint. Track 8: Mind Gardens Snooooore. I like the weird backwards reverb sound. Nvm, the beeps get so annoying. Track 9: My Back Pages I like the guitar work on this song. I actually think the lyrics are interesting. Idk what they’re about. Track 10: The Girl With No Name I like this. It’s poppy and makes me wanna skip. This is nice sounding. Track 11: Why Idk what this song is about. Honestly thought it was a pedo song at first. This is ok Track 12: It Happens Each Day This is chill. I don’t have much to say abt it. Track 13: Don’t Make Waves Ok this is straight up Beach Boys. They are talking about the BEACH. Track 14 and 15 are the couple of songs I already heard Track 16: Lady Friend This is ok lol. Beach boys vibe again. Track 17: Old John Robertson Another bumpkin song.
run of the mill Brit-pop
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah it was ok, had a charming feel to it and sounded alright Favourite song: Track 9 - My Back Pages
Very easy listening and a nice representation of 60s pop. None of the songs on here have that bite or stand out as much as their main competitors (Beatles, Rolling Stones etc.), but as a whole its pleasent and gives a welcoming insight to thebrest of Byrds discography.
I actually really enjoyed this album. For ‘67 it felt like they were pretty tech savvy and experimental?? Like the first song having the crowd of girls screaming on so you wanna be a store. And there’s the end of one where they sped up a vocal that sounded dope. Couple tracks with reverse guitars and stuff. I’m not educated to know whether or not this was pushing the envelope at that time but I don’t think I’ve heard any sonics this dated that have those elements? Lyrically they were spittin some real shit!! From the first song I knew it would be a dope album, talking about the reality of being a rockstar. It got a little dull towards the end but I’m also really tired and was sleepy this morning finishing it. All in all, really enjoyed it, but prolly won’t listen again a ton
I like just about every song on this album. But there are certainly some skippers—"Renaissance Fair," "Why" is fine but it's a weak closer—and I also agree with the other reviewers in our group that this album, while good, feels a bit inconsequential and single-based. In other words, this doesn't feel necessarily like a comprehensive LP the way that Sweet Heart of the Rodeo does. Which is hindering my rating of it, especially knowing that at least two other Byrds LPs are likely to show up on this list (Sweetheart and Mr. Tambourine.) Hard to establish why this one is so important that it needed to show up here too. I will say the Byrds seem like they had a lot of fun putting these albums together! Just the way they bounced around, changed the lineup, experimented with tape machines and new technology, played covers, and tried new genres. Perhaps that's more evident here than anywhere else. I'm between a 3 and a 4 but I'll round up to 4.
I thought this album was okay. Feels very of the time and I feel like there was a lot of stuff going around back then that I would go for before this album. The experimental elements were by far the most interesting part of the whole album for me as rare as they were. I kind of wish they focused more on that aspect of what they were doing.
It was alright! Really love "Have You Seen Her Face", "Everybody's Been Burned", and that awesome cover of "My Back Pages". Can definitely tell they were in the same ecosystem as The Beatles and The Beach Boys (and obviously Dylan). But I don't think they were quite as tight as any of those contemporaries on the songwriting, composition, or performance front. Had a few other problems with it. It struck me as a little weird to name an album after a lyric in a cover song, but maybe there's some meaning there that I'm missing. Also I felt like the playing wasn't super tight; I can point to moments on every instrument (maybe except the vocal) that were pretty out of time or sloppy. And not a fan of that super far stereo spread with drum overheads faintly in the right and guitars running completely uncontested in the left (they definitely aren't the only band in this era to pan everything to oblivion but it still bears mentioning). And I don't think they quite pulled off the psychedelic effect they were going for for some of the songs from a musical or texture standpoint. Honestly only really liked about 3 or 4 songs on the album, the rest were okay at best. This one's probably a low 3 for me; some moments were pretty nice but don't think I'd love sitting through the whole thing again.
Damn I really didn't like this album. My Back Pages is an excellent song, and the Byrds definitely made it better than Dylan's original. But the rest? Not so much.
I enjoyed listening to this album! It was fun to have on in the background. Some of the songs are undeniable, and I especially loved their Dylan cover. They suffer somewhat from the same affliction that so many bands had at at the time, which is being difficult to distinguish from being a b-side track on a Beatles record. But of those bands (there are many), I found these guys to be pretty fun, and at times more experimental. when they lock, they locked! Enjoyed my time with this record.
Tricky. I really like the sound, and some of the songs are fantastic, but there was also some stuff I didn't care for, like the style of the repetition in a few tracks and the alien voice(?) in "C.T.A."
This album was bad with a couple redeeming songs. So much backwards guitar loops!
Some good, some not so good. I would give it 2.5 if I could 2/5
I liked this more than expected
No-one can deny this is the sound of the 60s. At first I felt that I was being assaulted by ‘pleasant’. I longed for ‘Turn. Turn Turn’ my favourite Byrds song which is both familiar and great and reduces me to tears every time I hear it. Then the classic three minute summer of love pop songs, although they continued, began to be speckled with melancholy and ruefulness. Yes there is the familiar sound of trippy psychedelia, but the songs with messages and story and underlying protest are the ones that stay with me and give the album its gravitas. Although I’m going off to play Turn Turn Turn now…
This album is very evocative of a specific time and place. Very Laurel Canyon. I wish I lived in the Hollywood Hills in the late 60s. I imagine the Byrds, the Mamas and the Papas, The Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, etc. hanging out, getting stoned and making music. I would hope to avoid the Manson Family, though.
Great guitar playing on this album, harmonies too. Such an unmistakeable sound to The Byrds, though I'd never listened to a complete album by the band. Sometimes the lyrics would wander into hackneyed territory, but that wasn't enough to detract from the enjoyment. Solid songs, clearly an influence on artists to come, good stuff.
Nice to hear this album again. I forgot how great it is. Though they're known for their chiming 12-string guitars—which sound so great through the album—Chris Hillman's galloping bass on "Renaissance Fair" is the instrumental highlight. They were on a roll on this one. Every song except two (CTA 102 and Mind Gardens) is fantastic. It's crazy how great David Crosby can be, and also how much of a self-indulgent ass. "Everybody's Been Burned" is one of my all-time favorite Byrds songs. The mood, the chords, his singing... (chef's kiss). But damn Mind Gardens is utter garbage and he insisted they inlude it when they had other quality songs in the can--even his own incredible Lady Friend. But more often than not, his songs are my favorites in The Byrds' catalog.
I liked it. A bit like The Beatles X The Beach Boys. Hadn’t heard any of the songs before. Very catchy music. CTA-102 is a strange track but overall a great album. Would listen again.
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!
siis joo että tietää pari biisiä haha kiva sattuma mutta mitä vittua koko aöbumi tuttu ei ollu 50 albumilistassa missä helevetissä oon kuullu siis mitö vittua massiivisin dejavu mitä oon ikinö kokenu 45 minuutin verran... noh on kyllä hyviä biisejä. vaikka selvästi radiopoikia nämä, beatles kopioita mutta edellisestå albumista se ero että kovakuoriaiset liiskattiin tällä kertaa....nimittäin jumputtaa musiikkia sillälai... ehkä time between...emt...oscu...sähköposti...
It is impossible to be younger than yesterday. 🤔
Note for me. Nope.
first listen it's good
I don't know. Didn't hate it. There's some decent songs by a group of very good song writers. They each grew and became better as they went on.
This was another new one to me, I only knew a handful of Byrds songs before. I really enjoyed it, especially the weird alien voice on the third track and "Everyone's Been Burned". That's a real standout track, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the link between it and The Charlatans' "The Only One I Know", I love spotting stuff like that throughout musical history. The only negatives I would have is that some of the songs are a bit same-y, and the vocal style has me questioning Tom Petty's originality!
Late 60's / early 70's psychedelic/folk rock entries on this list just never seem to disappoint. Verging on the border between 4 and 5 starts but missing just that bit of an edge to deserve the top rating. Still an amazing listen.
Solid.
Honestly everything I want from a pop album. Sure, the recording was a little muddy and there were a couple too many songs, but this was irresistible. A great record.
Lovely dad rock
Ok so this is the third album I'm getting from the Byrds. I didn't know them before this but I'm obsessed with the bands they were heavily inspired by and also covered extensively. So this was the beginning of them writing more of their own stuff and it does sound cool so far but just not ground breaking/very similar to Beatles work of the time. This is their best album I've listened to so far. There are more original moments like alien voices at the end of C.T.A. haha. Everybody's been burned sounds like a mash up between Nick Drake and Beatles which is really nice. In the end I got a bit bored by this album so it's still staying at a 3 maybe a Byrds album will come up and inspire me a bit more...
Pleasant enough. I was cooking for most of it and I don't think I was paying much attention. Still, I liked it, no complaints really.
I'm finding it hard to know how I felt about this. Like they're very well written enjoyable songs, but there is kind of one tone to it. Like I don't feel blown away but obvs it is excellent. Wish I could do a 3.5
Very nice. I do like the Byrds a lot. It did get a little similar toward the end but it's all good stuff.
The title of the last song from the original release (“Why”) sums up this album for me. It’s somewhere around a 1.5, but rounding down because if it’s already that bad, you don’t get any bonus chips.
meh
These guys simply do not get enough credit. Absolutely one of the best bands of its era.
Ah yes, the American Beatles.
started hot then gradually got worse
It’s good. 3/5
Definitely was meant to be listed to while high. Pretty fun songs, one of them was like featuring Minions?
Pretty cutesy 60s psych pop
Was quite nice
Track 2 is super weird
Ok album, sounds quite dated now but wasn't unpleasant
favourite song: so you want to be a rock 'n' roll star least favourite song: mind gardens this is the second album by the byrds ive had and it started a lot stronger than the last one. however it slowed down and got fairly boring after this initial boost.
Rallattelua. Ei ihan mun juttu mut ei ny mitää skeidaa kumminkaan. Tuli välil vähä semmonen fiilis et Beatlesin levyiltä ois otettu sitä harmaata massaa mikä ei erotu joukosta ja tehty niistä levy. Paras biisi: Thoughts and Words Huonoin biisi: C.T.A. - 102
Reminds me of what The Beatles were doing at the same time, but in an original kind of way. Interesting songwriting and execution.
Intéressant! J'ai mélangé The Byrds et the Yarbirds je crois, mais bon les 2 ont le mêe style. Dans mes cordes, même si les chansons sont similaires.
I'll admit this has been my favourite Byrds album as a whole package. Their other albums have better songs but this delivers a listenable consistency I didn't think the band were capable of.
I love the Byrds, but this album isn't one of my favorites. It's good, but I'm not a fan of the David Crosby compositions - they remind me of the songs I like least in the CSNY catalog - that sort of moody feel. Overall it's a good album and I'm sure in 1967 it was relatively cutting edge, but for me it's a 3 star album.
Not for me, i also didn’t like the german minion in one of the songs
Good Rock
Nice vibes and vocals! A bit of experimenting too. I really like the guitar in this. I've been listening more 60s music lately so this album came at a good time! (ofc there will be many many more but still) Great album! Overall 3,5/5 for me
I liked a lot of the singing, but then they just play on the guitar for ages really random and not needed… sounds messy
Didn’t really get on with this sorry
Didn’t like it as much as the first byrds album we did, liked the singles and more straight ahead tracks best, but still enjoyable. Closer to 3.5 than 3.
3.4 - A good but unexceptional piece of 60s psychedelia. Most of these studio tricks I’ve heard done much better by the Beatles or Jefferson Airplane.
C’est bien mais certaine chanson sont vraiment moyenne.on est loin d3 autres de byrds. 3
Reminiscent of mid-career Beatles, with a bit more guitar twang.
4.25
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
They spelled it wrong again
it's fine
boomer bloat and indulgence interspersed w/ jangly, lively instrumentation and three-bowls-deep console trickery; sounds nice enough, I guess?
5 albums on the list? Sheesh.
Far out man
A real yawner. Don’t judge albums by their covers, but take it from me that this cover is an accurate depiction of what you’re in for.
Tabi.
It's OK and it's nice to hear the emergence of country rock but it doesn't have anything that grabs me.
Not feeling this one. Maybe I've just found a bad copy of the album, but I'm not big on the psychedelic sounds.
Another album more interesting as an experiment of its time an an influence on future music of the era. Doesn’t have the same staying power as other genre bending stuff like Sgt Pepper or Donovan.
Some really beautiful songs on this album. Love the harmonies.
Pleasant but forgetable.
Great 60s rock with awesome experimental vibes
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
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
Pretty good album. So you wanna be a rock and roll star
Pretty fun, far out stuff
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.
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!
Goddamit. Put this on yesterday, didn't look at the track listing. It was 17 tracks long and around the 12th track I was like "Jesus, when is this gonna be over." And of course, it's a 10 track album in a 17 track sack thanks to streaming music. But anyway, sounds like the Byrds were getting into experimenting with sonic textures and, I mean, awesome. Enjoy. But Mind Gardens is rough going. The alien voices on CTA 102 are cartoonish. This one has several okay songs. My Back Pages and So You Want To Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star are the best and that's not really a super high bar. But this is a solidly 1967 album. It feels and sounds of that year and it doesn't seem like it traveled far beyond it.
Mostly pleasant, the chiming Rickenbacker compensating for the dustiness that comes with some a dated artefact as Younger Than Yesterday. But halfway through something odd occurs - Everybody's Been Burned sounds startlingly modern, Thoughts and Words could be one of the tributaries to 1980s jangle-pop and Mind Gardens is only two steps away from the twisted, psychedelic modal folk of 'wyrd Albion'. None of this quite elevates it, but Younger Than Yesterday is a welcome, listenable time machine to days of future passed.
Good album, only got to listen once today, will have to listen again to see if it’s still a 3
pretty good!
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.
A golden age album
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
"It's deeeeecent, tell em lad" - Joe Hart.
That 60's sound is just okay to me. Those first couple songs sounded great, but that sound just doesn't inspire me. I understand that era is the greatest era in music, but it just doesn't grab me.
Was ok, geen wow gevoel.
MEGA NICE!!! Lidt Mark Knophler guitar lyd, men ellers fed 60'er lyd
A more confident Byrds album as they're more comfortable with their sound, from the folk and baroque pop of the first 2 albums to the psychedelia of 5th Dimension, even incorporating slight country ("Time Between", "The Girl With No Name") that'll evolve more in coming albums. Just as with 5th Dimension, they try a little too hard with production techniques (like annoying mixing and weird studio effects) that work against their favor. My second biggest gripe is that the songs feel weaker or more incomplete, with many feeling a bit unsatisfying. Songs go by fast, with only "Mind Gardens" going much more than 3 minutes. This makes for a very versatile and fun album to listen to, and compliments nicely with the rhythmic and soothing vibe, especially for tripping. My favorites tend to be the entrancing psychedelic dreamy songs, which fortunately dominate the album. Personally, I enjoy it more than my criticisms, and I'd listen to this album again with the bonus tracks. Favorites: Have You Seen Her Face, Renaissance Fair, Everybody's Been Burned, Why
My first repeat of an artist. I like this band. Sounds so similar to the Beatles. I like the other album a little better than this one, but still good
This album is pretty good. Folk rock is a style that's blended especially while by the Byrds. I love how jangly the guitar sounds on this record. Time Between has some great country finger pickin' guitar.
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
Not really my thing, but enjoyed the spacy, psychedelic cuts.
The Byrds are one boomer act I have little experience or use with, so this was… not bad. It sounds like watered down Dylan by way of the Monkees, and that’s fine, but not something I’d go out of my way to listen to. Still, not a bad way to spend a half hour. C
I’ve sorta herd of this band… The album opens with so you want to be a rock and roll star it’s a good song that works really well as the opener ( also the fact that I think I’ve herd the song before helped out on this one). Have you seen her face is a very good 60’s pop song I love the guitars on here. C.T.A-102 is a folky little tune with a wired electronic instrumental break, I really don’t think I like this one ( the alien like noises at the end are funny though). Renaissance fair is a really good song I love the instrumental work on this, the lyrics are a bit filler but it’s not a problem. Time between is a very short folk song I don’t love it but it’s not bad. Everybody’s been burned is pretty good I love the creepy guitars that accompany the song. Thoughts and words has really cool verses and when the song gets all warped it is awesome but i’am not a fan of the chorus. I love the guitars in mind garden it’s a proper 60’s sounding drug psychedelic song ( if you get what I mean). My black pages is a banger ( all Bob Dylan songs sound better when he isn’t singing) and the Byrds are best at doing that. The girl with no name is a nice little song but I didn’t find anything all too special. The album closes with why it’s a good single but a good album closer…no. Eh it’s very eh 3/5.
best byrds album
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
A solid album that leans toward typical mid-'60s rock ("So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star," which has a nice bit of trumpet in it and "Have You Seen Her Face," which features some fine guitar playing) and more hippy-oriented fare ("Time Between" sounds like it could be a Grateful Dead track), with a little flirtation with the psychedelic thrown into the mix ("Thoughts & Words," & "Mind Gardens"). Not bad at all.
A lot more psychedelic than I prefer
So You Want to be a Rockstar is a great song - simultaneously bright an cynical. And the other tracks aren't bad for this style and time.
Meh
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
It was ok
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.
Yes was ok
Liked this more than I had expected, given what I know of the Byrds
Tedious. Spotify says they were more responsible than any other band or artist for the entire folk rock movement. Fuckers.
I think I like this one better than the other Byrds' albums, part experimental and more progressive.
Sweet album, but kind of empty.
Generally fine, good in places (So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star) and terrible in places (Mind Gardens), and twangy in places (The Girl With No Name). Overall a little more interesting and enjoyable than not. Not entirely convinced it deserves a place on this list.