Roger the Engineer

Stealing this from the top comment because it perfectly encapsulates my feelings on this record: Great guitar players need a lead singer who can do two of the following three: 1) sing, 2) entertain, and 3) write music. All three are not needed but two of the three are. Pete Townshend found Daltrey who could do 1 and 2. Keith Richards found Mick who can do 2 and 3 and Jimmy Page found Plant who can do 1 and 2. Keith Relf couldn't do any of the three. The result is excellent guitar playing (Jeff Beck’s in the case of this album) being stranded in a wasteland of songs that, from all other perspectives, are painfully mediocre.

I was excited for a 60's album but I only got halfway through it. I didn't hate though and will try again later.

Never caught my attention, some songs were alright but wasn’t my thing. Highlight of the album to me was The Nazz are blue and Jeff’s Boogie

are there any good non-zeppelin blues-rock albums? just one?

Old 60’s rock, sounds so much like many of the bands from that era

Waarom is dit giving Beatles van Temu? Nee oke ik vind het gw boring 4.5/10

This was mostly a subpar experience, but I do appreciate that it was also a Clapton-free experience. It's also not worse than yesterday's Stones album, so a 2 it is.

impossible to pay attention to, even while driving

the best part of this album was clocking the pussycat dolls sample and listening to when i grow up before getting back to it. 2.5

Not terrible but I don't know why it's here

just boring

The Yardbirds’ historical importance is almost entirely about who passed through the band — Clapton, Beck, and Page forming one of the more remarkable guitarist lineages in rock history. Roger the Engineer is the best argument for the recorded output, and it still doesn’t make a convincing case. Jeff Beck’s guitar work is genuinely impressive — inventive, playful, and pointing toward things that would define a generation of players. “Jeff’s Boogie” in particular shows a technical and musical imagination that was clearly ahead of its time. The playing earns its reputation. The songs surrounding it don’t. Too much of the album leans on novelty and experimentation rather than fully realized songwriting, and Keith Relf’s vocals are unremarkable at best — a significant liability when the guitar work is doing this much heavy lifting. When the voice feels like an afterthought over impressive playing, the songs themselves start to feel like showcases rather than music with something real to say. The Yardbirds matter because of what they launched. This record is more interesting as a historical document than as a listening experience — and at this stage of the project, that distinction is worth making clearly. A 2 that respects the guitar work without pretending the album around it justifies the listen.

2,1/5

Probably unfair to compare to Dylan live, our previous listen, but this came out at around the same time, and well, there’s no comparison. It sounds wan and thin, despite the active genre experimentation, and only a few of the songs stood out. Maybe just dated, at this point.

This album sounds flat with a so so singer. Not the experience I was hoping for when this album came up.

This album felt very unnecessary for a list of the albums I must listen to before I die. What I was thinking as it was playing was how they just took a listen to the radio and wrote songs that were reminiscent of everything else they heard-some bluesy rock, some psychedelic rock, some British folk, some British Invasion rock. It was all fine, and only a couple of songs got on my nerves. But then nothing really stood out as something I wanted to ever listen to again. I had hoped for some tasty guitar licks from Jeff Beck, and Jeff's Boogie was where I thought I'd get that. But it was as uninteresting as the rest of the record.

2/5

I listened to most of this album while stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and it was honestly only marginally more entertaining than sitting in silence

do these guys even know what they're doing? Would I listen again: nope Deserves to be on this list: nope 2.1

Had no clue Clapton > Page > Beck as guitarists. Nothing jumped out, rooted in blues!

Final thoughts: interesting as a historical artifact but not something I needed to hear before I die ********************************************** —Lost Woman…decent bass but otherwise meh —Over Under Sideways Down…fun but sounds like it was recorded by mics n the other side of a football field —The Nazz are Blue…solid blues number. Jeff Beck shines —I Can’t Make Your Way…I’m annoyed by this —Rack My Mind…basic 60s garage rock stuff —Farewell…feels like a Syd Barrett —Hot House of Omagararshid…has a “Little Green Bag” groove going. Not as good as “…Bag”. —Jeff’s Boogie…harmonics! It boogies —He’s Always There…I like the middle breakdown. Not much else —Turn into Earth…the altered state recording —What Do You Want…to listen to something else —Ever Since the World Began…well, I need money

meh absolutamente sem sal

I don't have a baseline for this. At face value, it's kind of a whatever 60s album for me. I felt like I was in a fever dream listening to the same song on repeat. 2*

Favourite tracks: Lost Woman, Rack My Mind, Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, Psycho Daisies I'm guessing it's because this album was made in the 60s and mixing technology wasn't as advanced but a lot of the songs on here don't hold up. They have great riffs and good vocals but it all seems too distant. I would've liked it if it was a bit louder and clearer. And like always, the extra tracks always better. 2.5/5

vocals are just terrible

1.5/5

Not really my thing, as classic 60s pop/rock

Album sounds a bit ass to be honest

Not much to recommend here aside from Jeff Beck's guitar, which elevates of a few of the tracks here (most notably "Lost Woman" and "The Nazz Are Blue") but most of this is blues rock and psychedelia that feels almost primitively basic, to the point where I was surprised it was recorded in 1966. Yes, this is the album that introduced the world to Jeff Beck. He went on to do much better stuff, and you're better off going and listening to that instead.

Did they cycle through guitar players because said guitar players knew the music sucked? 2 stars, but only for Jeff Beck. RIP

Beck's guitar? Yes. Everything else? Nah

At first, I had a hard time understanding why this record is on this list (mainly because I forgot about this band). But then I realized it’s (again) about a white man playing guitar like many great Black musicians before him. But because he is white - and British - he gets a lot of accolades. And yeah, Jeff Beck was a brilliant guitarist, no doubt, and some songs on here are actually worth revisiting. But it’s oh so dissatisfying to read all the critics praise of his style without ever seeing one mentioning his “influences” (aka the musicians he “burrowed” from).

Forgettable

Beck’s guitar is definitely the highlight. If this came out later, his playing would be much more prominent in the mix. Instead it’s almost hidden in the background of what are otherwise pretty standard country rock songs. It’s a pretty unique effect in that way but that’s about all I got from it. Pretty weird album cover for the time it came out. Rating: 2.4

I can appreciate what this did for psych and hard rock, but listening to it now, it just feels very by-the-books. You can hear the blueprint being laid down, but nothing really jumped out or demanded my attention. A lot of it feels more historically important than actually exciting to sit with in 2026. It’s just not got the chaos or atmosphere I gravitate toward. Respect the influence, just not something I see myself coming back to.

Classic

A few good blues rock tracks but the rest sound like odd novelty songs.

Incredibly mediocre album. One track stood, Jeff's boogie as there was no singing.

5/10 No real standout tracks, no strong opinions about the album - it just kind of happened. Bland 60s music. The definition of average.

Nothing to see here

1.6

You know how Kim Kardashian is famous for being famous? I think the Yardbirds are too. Without the legacies of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, The Yardbirds would have been another obscure act buried in a list of British Invasion bands on Wikipedia. But, because we must hear the most famous guitarist-uterus in rock, we get "Roger the Engineer," a 36-minute collection of mediocre-to-bad tracks with occasionally inspired guitar work. The opening track features a melody that rivals anything written by The Shaggs. Even the high points of this record ("Over Under Sideways Down," "Jeff's Boogie") do little to stay in mind.

It's the first time in this project that I have what is to me a completely new record. I like the guitar and the creativity, but I don't like the vocals, especially the backing vocals. Favorite fun track: "Jeff's boogie". 2.75/5

Standard 60s blues / rock. Only listened to half of it.

Jeff Beck aside this is just a standard 60s rock/pop affair

Not really my thing but enjoyed a couple songs

5/10 - got a bit worried when I saw another 60s album from an obscure band but could have been worse!

No. 95 I enjoyed it, but there’s probably not a great deal to return to.

More background noise 60s music. I feel like if an album was made in the 60s, it’s in this list. This one didn’t even have a one hit wonder hit, just generic 60s music. 3/10

Trying to review a 60s “white” rock album by the standards of later rock is like watching a boxing match between a Mike Tyson and a baby.

Fun enough but probably benefits from people thinking fondly of the 60’s.

Best Song: Over, Under, Sideways, Down. A song that is just quirky enough to enjoy that old-timey feel. Worst Song: Hot House of Omagarashid. Not only is this song annoying, but it feels like the artists' intention was just to be annoying. What a success. Overall: Old and it feels old. Undoubtedly very influential and ahead of its time, but that doesn't make it any more enjoyable to listen to with modern ears.

I get how important this album was in forming a bunch of musicians that went on to huge success, but it just doesn't do much for me. 2 - a good album but not my thing

Bluesy so sounds like everything else

Realmente -1/2 estrella por duplicar todas las canciones. Lo entendimos la primera vez.

Not really my favorite but still an interesting album. Due to celebration of New Year’s Eve I haven’t listen to the whole album yet.

This wasn't in the book. Still...whatever I suppose?

Not for me. I know Jeff Beck is this guitar god but there's only one good riff on the whole album (that riff drags this up from one star to two).

I would have liked to like this album.

Mediocre 60s rock. Meh. Nothing stood out except Jeff's Boogie.

eh

A couple good tunes but not a lot that stood out.

1 or 2

Most of these songs are corny...especially the vocals. Nazz Are Blue is an exception. The sustain on the solo reminds me of Nigel Tufnel.

geit eso

Alright look, this one was on me. 1hr 20 mins? Bloated

The Yardbirds are lame

This album sounds like ass, and the songs are all pure cornball shit.

Some of this was okay. Some was just too much. All those ya, ya's!

Eh. Nothing too memorable about this

No thanks. This seemed to be three albums: a passable sub Rolling stones attempt at early Rnb, a twee english folk album and a psych freak out later on. None of them dine particularly well.

Alright

Would’ve given 2.5 but can’t. Not a bad album per se just not for me. Never been a fan of rock n roll, always thought it was very formulaic.

Bit too much boogie for my moody

Not impressed. Just more 60's era rock. I didn't think there was anything groundbreaking here. My rating: 2/5 tabs

*1966. *Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page... But I'm not sure if Eric left before this album. *Strange album - it was all over the place, with what sounded like Beatles influence, Rolling Stones influence, some jam band bits... *Some good stuff, but wouldn't revisit. RATING - 6/10

classic rocknroll

Just felt weirdly and not fun bluesy sometimes. Not altogether bad but I wasn't enthused.

Cool guitar vibes

1.5 but feeling generous

Lite för kaotisk för min smak

Another new album for me, but I really love the rock here. Lost Women is a fantastic opener, with a very catchy hook. There's some 60s-standard blues rock here that is decent but doesn't feel new or different in any way to most of what came out at this time. After the opener a lot of this felt a little underwhelming. I'm guessing at the time this stuff was blowing people's minds but for me, in 2025, it wasn't as impressive/interesting. Overall a fine, not great or even really good, listen. 2/5

Eclectic

This may have been seen as groundbreaking at the time, but not today.

I found this an example of good but not enjoyable. I’m feeling harsh today so that means a 2

Subpar psychedelic rock. No standout moments other than Becks guitar solo. 2/5

Let Beck cook. I can do without most of the rest of the album. 2.75*

This type of Psychedelic Blues music that emerged in Mid-60's England was rendered irrelevant when Jimi Hendrix made the scene. The Yardbirds just don't hold up as virtuosos once you hear what followed them. Jeff Beck did his most significant work well after this. Even Jimmy Page's brief stint as their post-Jeff Beck guitarist just seems like an idling stop over while he was preparing to launch the mighty Led Zeppelin. What remains is a relic best appreciated by nostalgic Baby Boomers and Blues historians.

Old guy music

I really wanted to like this but it was just noise to my ears.

Cool, fun, but I didnt feel touched

Not bad but no standouts for me Favourite song: Lost women

A bunch of the dumbest music ever, then Jeff Beck plays something cool, then more dumb music. Glad Jeff went solo.

As a listening experience, it doesn't do much for me. And I'm not convinced it's terribly important historically; more deserving of inclusion in a footnote than a page in the annals. The same year the Beatles released Revolver which actually features songs worth hearing, and the next year psych rock is everywhere with scores of albums considerably more interesting to listen to than this. (Side note: I'm 400 albums in and the albums featuring British kids playing at "the blues" outnumber the albums featuring the Black Americans who actually bled it through the music by about 10:1. Not good. )

Mediocre kinks knock off

2.5 stars I know some very famous guys were in this band. When I hear Yardbirds I think of their cameo in Antonioni’s Blow-Up. Never listened to them til today. It has a kind of a shaggy, proto-garage rock charm. Found myself losing interest after a few tracks.

I’d only heard one song by the Yardbirds, For Your Love. I like that song a lot, but it’s not on here. This album wasn’t bad. I liked the non-bluesy songs on it the most. I don’t really know what to make of this album, because it felt all over the place. I guess that could be good, to keep things interesting, but even with the mix of styles it still sounded fairly dull 🤷‍♀️

Bits of this were at least interesting, if not enjoyable. That’s the nicest thing I can say about it

Not great.

It was ok, but its age shows.

For every song I liked there were two I didn't. Some odd choices by talented musicians.

Yeah sorry Roger but I don’t know about this one. I’m just finding a hard time seeing why it blings on this list- I’m sure I can see why people enjoy it but influential?

Shit! I always thought Clapton had something to do with this lot, but no. I quite liked its quirky psychedelia. I shall give it another listen soon as it may grow on me more.

Another boring 60s album. Nothing new

Yet more 60s psychedelic / guitar-thrashing Grandad Rock 🙄 OK, I accept this was a seminal band but Jeff Beck (or Clapton or Page come to that) never, er, floated my boat maaaan 😏

Das Werk war für mich eine herbe Enttäuschung. Statt innovativem Rock-Klang bietet das Album größtenteils wirres, unkoordiniertes Gedudel, das weder musikalisch überzeugt noch atmosphärisch trägt. Die teils wilden Experimente wirken eher wie planlose Klangspielereien als durchdachte Songs. Zwei Sterne – einer für den Mut zur Eigenwilligkeit, ein weiterer für den historischen Stellenwert. Hören muss ich’s trotzdem kein zweites Mal.

I really didn't get much from this album. It felt generic in a bad way. I know the Yardbirds are important, the whole Page-Clapton-Beck thing, but sometimes blues rock can just be dull. I'm sure lots of people out there will dig/do dig this one. It felts about eleven tracks too long

Fairly generic 60s rock, nothing special here 2.5*

Generic 60s

Started OK but quickly descended

Listened in Mono. Guitar is very good, album cover freaks me out. My god the haircuts on these boys. Horribles. Who decided those? Why? For what reason? Incomprehensible. Nightmarish. Hot House of Omagararshid has a really cool sound to it. I love the wibble-wobble noise there. He's Always Looking There is very well layered. The percussion is addicting and the güiro (?) is really unique. Turn into Earth is also really nice. The bell, the vocals, and the wind-like noise really contributes to this very church-like atmosphere. The guitar is REALLY good. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago is a good sign of this. The acoustics on Mr Zero is really nice. The latter have is much, much stronger. I don't particularly like Knowing right now, but I probably will later. Blue Sands feels very Cowboy Bebop...though it's definitely the other way around. Rating System: 1/5 (1-2/10) = Bad 2/5 (3-4/10) = Mediocre. 3/5 (5-6/10) = Good, but wouldn't listen to again. 4/5 (7-8/10) = Good, would listen to again. 5/5 = New favourite. Solid 2/5, with a lot of 4/5 songs in the back half, but kinda weak as an album, and way too long. Specifically, 3/10 as an album. Highlights: Hot House of Omagararshid Turn into Earth Happenings Ten Years Time Ago Mr Zero Knowing is a song I'll probably get into later. Blue Sands might be good for a Cowboy Bebop playlist.

Oh man, this album is all over the place. You can definitely hear the transition happening from the rock of the late '50' and early '60's to the sound of the later 60's. I even hear some hardcore/punky sounds in there. Other tracks make me hear the sounds of blues and/or jam bands. And then there's just some weird stuff. I'll be honest that other than "For Your Love" I don't know much about the Yardbirds other than they were a British band in the '60's. Listening to it feels like something between the later Beatles and the Moody Blues, with a dash of extra drug use. I bet this was pretty edgy back in the day, but it kind of gets washed in with the rest of '60's Brit rock from the time today. Probably more famous for being the launch pad for Clapton and Page.

Some songs feel like a real showcase for Jeff Beck's guitar playing, but I found this to be wildly inconsistent and the vocals completely forgettable.

Near the beginning of this album I was ready to give it a three, but it wore on me as it went on and the I try to Ever Since The World Began tipped me down to a two.

This isn't actually very good. It is only historically significant.

Uhmmm si? Ya me olvidé Nota: 2.4

Bit random and strange. A lot sounded the same. Songs are quite short but there are a lot of them. Good to just put on in the background, but not my fave.

This doesn’t stand out at all, not seeing why it was included on this list

Old school rock vibes, but the best so far I've heard especially considering it's British rock 🥴 Still don't prefer it. 2.6

Yardbirds, the band great musicians were in before they were good. It's a mess. The singing is not very good. Guitars are at times, but not all the time. Most of the songs are not that great. Favorite song: lost women

60s, I’m not into it.

Meh

Eh.

Is it remarkable that one band had, at various times, Clapton, Beck, and Page? Sure. Do I like any of those three as guitarists? Not really, but I do have time for Beck every now and again. This should be the Yardbirds that most speaks to me, then, but it doesn’t. English guys doing blues, English guys doing psychedelia, no thanks.

It's fine. It just sounds like everything else from that moment in time. It's clear the '60s were an important era for modern music, but I'm starting to feel like some bands were a little over rated. Maybe I needed to be there.

Lost Women is a highlight, I Can't Make Your Way is terrible, and there are some really odd genre-defying tracks that never really hit the mark. Overall quite a boring listen.

ist halt auch schon alt/älter

Bluesy, Chuck Berry-ish, a bit churchy, and dated. Definitely had that 60s sound. Beck’s (Jeff, that is) guitar shined, the rest not that impressive. L = (1.5*s) extra .5 ‘cause they had to compete with The Beatles J = (2.4*s) We had a Yardbirds bootleg on vinyl at 4Ex that blows Roger The Engineer away…

I've only previously been exposed to The Yardbirds through greatest hits. I'm always impressed by their history but have never gone out of my way to listen to their albums. It was nice to have an excuse to check out Roger the Engineer which was a decent 60's rock album. There's still a lot of blues influence but it scratches a certain itch that The Yardbirds were always good at. It's a fine album, nothing special, but I do feel like The Yardbirds deserve an entry. 2.44 stars

I don’t get it.

Dull

★½

This is like two different albums… the blues songs are decent. The other songs are incredibly corny. They seem like decent musicians, but I am definitely experiencing 60s British psychedelic rock fatigue. I can acknowledge that they’re good but also that I don’t enjoy listening to it.

Normally with albums I've already listened to in the past like this one, I check it out a second time when it comes time to rate it, that way I get my fully accurate opinion on it and not my opinion from a year ago where I was only half listening. However, with this album I have no doubts rating this album a rather poor score, as I just remember the boredom that came with this rather tepid release. Is it important in the history of blues rock as well as Led Zeppelin, a band I'm rather fond of? Yes, but that doesn't make this any more dull. Only really giving bonus points because of the history surrounding it, but when you listen to What's Going On by Marvin Gaye right after, it's hard to have any thoughts about a release like this.

it’s not surprising when young men devote themselves to self-satisfied hedonism, the surprising part is when mature men let them

I get it. This is the band that had Clapton, Beck, and Page... guitarists held in high esteem by old white men who claim to know the blues better than the inventors of the genre. I feel like I'm in an Austin Powers movie here, and the songs are fine, absolutely dated, and the playing, while massively competent, is formulaic and boring, to me.

Meh. Wants to be psychedelic but there's too much jamming. Wants to be rock but there's too much jazz drumming. Wants to be blues but it's too folky. It's all over the place...pick a damn lane.

Gammal rock som trycker hårt på walking bass, så ger stark blues-rockvibe. Ingen låt som riktigt stack ut, men helt ok.

Meh.

Great guitar playing, up to the point of flexing, in a context of dull songs and singing. I know why the yardbird's rarely did it for me. The rating is not 1 thanks to Jeff Beck.

Not my cup of tea

Um. I wanted to like this but I found myself wanting each song to be over.

Whiteman blues has been tiresome since day dot.

Stundtals ganska bra för att vara Så gammaldags ändå. Tvåa.

Just fine

The swinging 60s proto-psychedelia wouldn’t normally be my thing but Jeff Beck’s guitar licks elevate it past mediocre. It’s a fun listen. It’s also pretty wild that The Yardbirds germinated all those guitar gods in their short time.

Lekker vrolijke '60s popmuziek. Prima te luisteren.

On a streak of underwhelming albums.. l like the later Yardbirds or a collection of hits but fingers crossed for something good today!

Some bright spots (Jeff's Boogie & Turn Into Earth), overall not a great album.

- viele Tracks fehlen auf Spotify, hat aber ehrlich gesagt auch so gereicht - war okay, aber nichts Weltbewegendes

Meh, more wannabe Beatles music for the pile.

That review about no one knowing who the singer is and the instrumental being the best track is absolutely right

The mix on the second song it maybe the worst I've ever heard, I don't even think its a mono problem because the stereo one sounds like that as well. The bass during the chorus bit is resonating so loud that you can't even hear the vocals. (hold on it is fixed later on on the album but the vocals are still so quiet). Anyway... the rest is nothing too special. Obviously parts of it are quite influential for the time, and guitar work is great. Its just the hardpanned instruments/terrible mixing affect the enjoyment so much. Favorite song: I can't make your way. Overall feels quite unfinished. Overall around 4/10

Not for me.

Un rock demasiaaado básico. Safa, pero deja muy poco.

Listened to the stereo version, not sure that was the right call. Didn't like how some of the mixing sounded. The album's a mix of psychedelic rock and blues, with quite a bit of Jeff Beck soloing. That being said there just isn't enough here I care about, quite a lot of weird or just inconsequential songs. Over Under Sideways Down was my favorite, a really unique sounding riff. I would leave most of the rest behind.

#81 Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya.

Much of this is nearly indistinguishable from its contemporaries. Nothing memorable, nothing offensive, just another album that I'm not sure needs to be listened to before one dies.

Raczkujący psychodeliczny rock. Album otwierają dwa mega mocne kawałki - Lost Woman i Over, Under, Sideways, Down. Trochę potańczyłem słuchając. Reszta męcząca/forgettable. Bardzo się zestarzało, ciężko uwierzyć, że to i "The Velvet Underground" dzielą zaledwie 3 lata. Wokal był tylko na prawym kanale w 90% kawałków, nie do końca rozumiem wybór w masteringu. Yardbirds są o tyle ciekawi, że to pierwsza kapela takich legend jak Clapton, Page i Beck. Fajnie, że trafili się tak wcześnie, to lektura obowiązkowa do dalszego słuchania dalszych, ciekawszych projektów tych ziomeczków.

Jeff Beck er en syg nok guitarist, men synes hans talent er lidt spildt på noget genetisk 60’errock

Der er nogen gode numre, men det er altså noget rod!

1.57

Bra omslag men man ska inte döma hunden efter håret. Är genuint trött på 60- talet. Det räcker nu. Jag klarar mig bra på The Beatles och The Doors. Tog beslutet att lyssna ikapp på annat istället. Gränsen nåddes här.

Nja, det här känns lamt och lite trist. Det finns nog inte en enda låt jag känner, "kul". Sen är jag lite mätt på 60/70-tal. Men det ska inte gå ut över denna skiva, inte deras fel. Men som sagt, det finns inget här som får mig att ens reagera, annat än negativt. Som boogie-låten.

British Invasion juuust before the acid hit.

This album was quite the experience. First, it doesn't really even have a name. They released it as Yardbirds in the UK, in a few other countries as Over Under Sideways Down, but now most people call it Roger the Engineer because of the weird dude drawn on the cover. I like the psychedelic rock era quite a bit, and honestly this is not one of the best releases of the era. On first listen I was leaning towards giving this a 2, I briefly flirted with rounding up, but I think I'm going to stick with my gut. There's a few decent parts, "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" is pretty catchy, and while a lot of the songs are completely ridiculous some of them are a fun enough listen. That said I'm not super into the vocals, and like half the songs sound like there's some Dr. Suess instrument in the background ("Hot House of Omagarashid). Maybe I'm being a bit too mean here, but this was a bit unexceptional to me. Favorite song: Over, Under, Sideways, Down Other: Lost Women, I Can't Make Your Way, What Do You Want, Ever Since the World Began 10/3/24

Not for me

This album was probably released mono and should've stayed that way. The lead vocals being panned hard right was very distracting and honestly probably the only thing i will remember about this album. The yardbirds are important because of their legacy and mark on rock n roll but as a standalone group i don't find it very interesting or enjoyable

Great name. Forgettable otherwise

I don’t know why this is here.

Meh

Liked Song Over Under Sideways Down

There are moments in this album where their bonafides as mid-late 60s brit blues rock/R&B greats, contemporaries of the Rolling Stones, shows (Lost Women or The Nazz Are Blue). And then there's garage like "Turn into Earth". I don't think they really knew WTF they wanted to be here.

Early Zeppelin good thing Jimmy found Robert

Pequileabr

2.75/5

Starts strong with Lost Women and to a lesser degree Over Under Sideways Down but devolves into a long list of most "ok" and aimless songs thereafter.

Not my thing. Jeff beck rocks but the songs are nothing to write home about and the production has not aged well

Well this big 3 is gonna get a 2 unfortch. Bit old sounding in a negative way.

Very grateful that my formative years had much better rock music than this.

Most blues jams sound the same to me

juuh en tiedää miksi näin kauan kestänyt mutta uus vihagenre vihdoin ymmärretty.. 60 loppupuolen kulhopäät jotka yrittää jotain proto rokkia.... huoh avasi tien hyvälle valkonaama musiikille kait... olisi voinut säveltäjäkansana pysyä... sen sijaan alettiiin kitaraan rämpyttämään.. ala-arvoista sakkia.. jaa ajaa jaaa... jaa jaja... jaa jaa jaaa... jaa jaja.... jaa ajaa jaaa... jaa jaja... jaa jaa jaaa... jaa jaja.... jaa ajaa jaaa... jaa jaja... jaa jaa jaaa... jaa jaja.... jaa ajaa jaaa... jaa jaja... jaa jaa jaaa... jaa jaja.... no jaajaa pidä se vitiunt turpa kiinni!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ymmärsikö????????? ihan pimeetä touhua..... miten voi olla noin pimee..... jotain ihan pimeetä porukkaa... over under sideways down

basic 60s stuff. Fine, but not re-listenable. 2 or 3.

Solid but not memorable 5/10

Average production even for the 60's with vocals painfully from that decade. Feels like this is trying too hard to imitate the Beatles or the Beach Boys.

Not my jam.

Hard to finish

Contemporaries about the Beatles and rolling Stones ends of the doors but lacking their charisma. This album made no impact on me at all

good 60's stuff but ultimately forgetable

Was into the YB's when I was exploring Zep, Hendrix, and Cream. It was some random greatest hits cassette, so to listen to a complete album should be interesting. Meh. These guys are guitar players, not song writers. The guitar stuff is cool, but largely this is kinda boring with nothing that really excites me. There's more interesting music from this time period than this album.

It has its moments, mostly thanks to Jeff ("Jeff's Boogie" is definitely the best cut—great Les Paul picking in there). They just weren't really up to the task of this kind of material.

Jeff Beck plays up a storm, but this album is a transition between the blues purism of Clapton-era Yardbirds and psychedelia. And doesn't really do either particularly well. Keith Relf's voice doesn't inspire, the production is often thin, and the songs are underwritten. I previously reviewed this album about two years ago, which means I listened to it a few times through then. And, listening today, not a single song on this album rang a bell with me; no memory at all. I know people talk about Jeff Beck's innovative approach to the guitar. But he was just starting on that journey on this record, and there is not a lot memorable or notable that he plays here, certainly compared with some of his later recordings. While clearly beloved by blues lawyers, this album doesn't have much to offer the average listener. An album I can easily live without.

Started off kind of interesting, but this flavor of british psych rock is just so samey

I’m trying to remember anything about this from yesterday … I think I liked it? 2.5

I thought there were some interesting flourishes but it boiled down to meat and potatoes rocky blues

2.5 stars. The album was fine, not bad, but it's not a sound I'm particularly interested in, nor am I a big fan of older styles of rock and roll. There is some interesting arrangement of vocals, like on "Turn Into Earth." "Jeff's Boogie" sounds nice, even if it does evoke Royalty Free music. "He's Always There" was an exciting listen with the reveal that this was definitely used in a Pussycat Dolls song.

This was a bit of a chore to get through. We have some solid bass lines that give life to pretty dull blues tunes, and of course Jeff Beck's GOAT playing on not quite full display, but even he can't save lifeless material. That would ultimately be Page's job in this band. Yeah, I said it, Yardbirds were lifeless, saved only by the would-be legends they somehow birthed.

Come for early Jeff Beck, don’t bother staying for anything else.

Mixing blues rock and psychedelic rock in this particular configuration sure made for a pretty unique sound! It felt very eclectic. Overall, this is okay, but I didn't really get much from it. Probably around a 2.5 for me.

Old 60s euro rock

There are bound to be aficionados of this era who highly rate this album but I am not one of them.

Niks speciaals

It was ok

sounds like almost everything else produced in the 60s

Я вот прямо два раза послушал, а всё равно это воспринимается как филлер от начала и до конца. Лучшая песня - Turn into Earth.

This album started off promising. The first few tracks had a cool, bluesy rock vibe and "I Can't Make Your Way" is a great little singsong. But after track four, The Yardbirds start to grate in the old cabeza. From long instrumentals that are ear-piercing to the song "Farewell", which is like a weird Christmas carol. Joyless noise. There's no goodwill left by the time this album wraps up. "What Do You Want" has a decent Rolling Stones sound, but then they end the record with "Ever Since the World Began" and you're immediately reminded that The Yardbirds seem to have contempt for their audience. Not the best the 60s has to offer. 👎👎

I hate 60s psychedelic blues

Surely this is the final Jeff Beck Album... surely Best Song: Over, Under, Sideways, Down Worst Song: N/A

When I was ready to say farewell, the album hit me with the most Paterson 'Farewell'

sorry, aber ich und die 60er werden wohl nie mehr do richtig warm. ja, jeff becks grossartiges spiel mit der gitarre .. aber sonst?

No.please no!

Jeffs boogie and he’s still there are decent

Not really my thing. There’s some ok tunes. But nothing I’d intentionally seek out to listen to again. 2.5/5

It's alright. It's fine, but entirely forgettable. It lacks any kind of bite. 2.5 rounded down.

Bruh idk sounded so similar to everything else from that era.

"Over Under..." has always been a favorite but the rest is forgettable. Unworthy of being on the list.

The recording quality sounds pretty poor, but maybe that is to be expected from a recording from 1966. Still, it sounds old, which others from the same Era don't, maybe becausenof mixing and remastering. It's also of a style that was prevalent in the 60s and 70s only. Comparing it to contemporaries like The Rolling Stones, The Doors, etc, I can't say they are better. It falls short of being even an average album from this list.

If I understand the genres correctly, the psychedelic songs were better than The Beatles (which is not hard to achieve but still) and the bluesy ones sucked a massive genital

I couldn't listen to this album. I tapped out after about 8 songs. Yay Beck but something was off for me. Maybe the monotone singing?

Didn’t really get this one

Some catchy bits, some nice solos, didn't really hook me in overall though. Bit too jaunty in parts

We get it, Jeff Beck likes to play the blues….but this isn’t that exciting

Over, Under, Sideways, Down

It's like if the Beatles were even less interesting (I know, just try to imagine it)

Kannen ja ekan biisin perusteella odotin enemmän. Tuntuu, ettei bändin koko potentiaali täyty? Että ihan huvikseen on tehty ihan jees biisejä. Plussaa kyllä omalaatuisuudesta, vaikka ajan soundissa pysyttiin.

Johtuuko musiikin etukenoinen horjuvuus huippumuusikoiden teknisistä salaisuuksista, joita amatöörin korva ei erota, vaiko vain siitä, että bändi ei ole jaksanut treenata? Ainakaan he eivät ole jaksaneet hirveämmin sävellellä. Tosin pilkahduksia paremmasta on kuultavissa, ja Jeff's Boogie tuo hymyn huulille.

The Yardbirds general sit outside my area of interest.

blues eh

Kinda tired of this sound

Docked a star because these dumb people the 60s had no idea how to release an album internationally so we're stuck with these weird UK/US hybrid releases. This one even had 2 bonus tracks at the start which I didn't even need to listen to. They also always have a note about some fucked up spelling. Sort it out guys.

2.5

This is just OK really, obviously great guitar playing, but nothing much else of interest. If this is considered psychedelic rock, it's the absolute safest version possible. Also, there are like 3 versions if this album on Tidal, and they all have 20-30 songs on. Ain't nobody got time for that!

A bunch of lads goofing around

This album had a strange mix of Psychedelic and Blues music but it turned out more like a shit version of the Beatles. Enjoyed the start but it fell off quickly, I wouldn't listen to this again. Highlights: Happenings Ten Years Time Ago The Nazz Are Blue

Nope, no.

Okay. Couldn’t really get into it

Didn’t click with me that much—maybe I was expecting it to be more experimental than it actually was, but it just felt a bit boring after a while. (Favorite Tracks: Lost Women, Ever Since the World Began)

Nothing too special. Good harmonies and guitar but feels meh. Maybe I’m over 60s ish folk rock 5/10

Cool to listen through and reading about the band history in guitarist legacy.

I'm sure that this sounded quite interesting in 1966. I hope it did anyway. This is all a bit up and down. There are some things I really like, such as The Nazz are Blue (although I'm a sucker for this sort of blues stuff that reminds me of early rock style Status Quo). But that's followed by I can't make your way that, frankly, I can't quite understand how it belongs on the same album. And then Rack my mind? And then the piano intro to Farewell??! In 2023 it sounds, well, a bit odd. It has moments, sure. As individual songs I like some of them, but I wouldn't play this as an album again. So, 2 or 3 stars? Hmm... It's just too odd a collection of songs for me and, I'm afraid, doesn't stad up as an album. Hell, I'm sure it's Important and Influential. But, no thanks.

I thought this was nothing, sadly. A bit to rock and roll for me. Some songs had cool parts, but it wasn't enough for me to give it a three. My favourite song was Over Under Sideways Down.

Jotkut kappaleet kaipais todella uudelleen miksausta. Aika sieluttoman kuullosta omaan korvaan

More like Yawnbirds

Dated 60’s sound (obviously). But with some ok blues tunes on it

Too many fillers and overall incoherent. It's like the album is pulling in all directions. Beck is good on the guitar as expected but that's about it.

Some of the tracks sound so dated, but then they are almost 60 years old! Apart from "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" I've never heard any one these songs before.

Ok

It’s a “No” from me.

Don’t care much for this. The guitar is great but I don’t think I really like anything else. It’s also way too long. This was all over the place. Wasn’t sure what I was even listening to.

Nice 60s rock. Very tight and well performed. Perhaps it was groundbreaking at the time, but doesn't sound particularly exciting in 2023. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Over, Under, Sideways, Down Date listened: 23/02/23

didn’t do it for me

Too dated and there's nothing really that enjoyable/catchy that rises above the 60's rock schtick. The first half of Ever Since the World Began sounds like a good black sabbath intro if they took it a little heavier. But then it turns poppy. Ugh.

Didn't get into it that much.

Another case of a legendary band that I really didn't feel anything towards. It went from something really cutting edge to something that is totally inoffensive.

Well, the timing of this was certainly amazing to coincide exactly with the death of Beck. That said, it really did nothing for me personally.

I’ve heard of Jeff Beck and he’s supposedly some guitar hero. Admittedly, I have not listened to any of his music, including the Yardbirds, until today. Maybe he is a guitar hero, but I find this album severely underwhelming. Beck’s guitar is certainly the highlight though. It’s hard to figure out why, but I have no desire to hear any of this again, except Over Under Sideways Down on rare occasion.

Have never listened to this album or band. Honestly, my kind of background upbeat music. I like the heavy percussion. But it's definitely background music for me. I don't think I'd seek it out. Standouts: I can't make your way.

Interesting at times, kinda boring most of the other times. Given the era where this came out, it was clear that people were still trying to figure out what pop music was supposed to be, and I notice a lot of "homages" to different styles/regions of music throughout, but it feels kind of like it lacks substance. Also, apparently this album has neither Clapton NOR Page and that feels like kind of a rip-off. Standouts: Lost Women, The Nazz are Blue, Jeff's Boogie, What Do You Want

Really not that exciting.

2.5

does not move me. sorry

It was okay

Not that inspiring.

Hetkittäisiä leiskautuksia, muuten aika joutavaa.

Ei jääny erityisesti mieleen. Muistan ajattelleeni 2,5 tähtee, joten…

Eh

Hard to believe these guys morphed into one of my favourite bands!

With apologies to Jeff Beck's legacy, this isn't my vibe.

I just couldn't get on board with this one. Nothing bad, just blah. I guess I just don't like the sound of the Yardbirds.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s rather decent, not a lasting presence but has really good varieties of blues Favourite song: Track 3 - The Nazz Are Blue

Really poor, cover art is probably higher quality than the music. The musicians involved might have gone on to much better things, but this seems to the equivalent of viewing the work of a kindergarten student.

very meh

off brand beatles

Not that innovative compared to the Beatles

I really enjoyed half of this (Over Under, I Can’t Make My Way) but the other half seems to be fairly generic (for the time) sub-Stones R&B. The sound seems to vary from track to track too. So much so that I checked to see it was a contemporary album and not a compilation of tracks from various years. Am not really a guitar-hero kind of guy, so Beck’s involvement here left me cold, but a few okay tunes here as mentioned. Very silly title, too.

This was a challenging listen on my AirPods with the vocals in the right channel and pretty much everything else in the left. I quite liked some of the opening Mod riffs, but it then drifted into blues, and then horrid early hard rock. There was too many competing styles. It all sounded a little random. It gets a little trippy midway through. They had BAD drugs in 1966. This could have been a Friday night pub band tbh.

Je n’ai rien retenu de cet album.

Meh, j'avais des grosses attentes pour cet album. On parle quand même du groupe qui a vu au sein de ses rangs Éric Clapton, Jeff Beck et Jimmy Page. Peut-être parce que c'est seulement Jeff Beck sur cet album et peut-être que finalement j'ai un problème avec Jeff Beck, mais je n'accroche pas à ce blues rock de blancs. Il y a Ever Since the World Began où j'ai plus accroché et pogné de quoi. On a vraiment la vibe des débuts de Black Sabbath dans l'intro de la chanson. Même la voix est dans le style d'Ozzy. Mais à part ça, je n'ai pas vraiment embarqué et je n'ai pas tant envie d'y revenir. Par contre l'album a bien sa place dans cette liste.

Not for me

Sounded like 60s/70s rock. Nothing really exciting.

Some good moments (mostly the guitar playing), but overall did not like it. Lyrics were pretty bad.

2.5

Ronpiche

2 I don't hate it

I really love "Over Under Sideways Down" but the rest of the album just did nothing for me.

lacked cohesion to me, not sure what this album was excelling at

Bluesy rock n' roll from musicians who clearly had chops and a knack for song writing. Didn't realise how much evidence of the rockabilly of the 50s would be in it. Interesting from a historical point of view but wouldn't listen again.

Jeff Beck plays up a storm, but this album is a cross-over between the blues purism of Clapton-era Yardbirds and psychedelia. And doesn't really do either particularly well. Keith Relf's voice doesn't inspire, the production is often thin, and the songs are underwritten. An album I can live without.

The albums plays like an out of focus image rough cut into a puzzle of poorly fitting pieces. There is something there, you're sure of it, but it's hard to make out and you can't tell whether the focus required to put it together is worth it or not. Generally speaking, this sort of low-fi rock/punk/psychedelic thing would be right up my alley, so I'm a bit surprised to find that I can't quite settle into enjoying the album too much. I will probably come to appreciate what this album is, or the place it had in the context of musical history, but for the time being, it's just a bit too scattershot for me.

I mean it went by quickly but i don't know if that's because I had to tune it out as background noise. Not great. 5/10.

Fairly average English Invasion beat kinda stuff.

not very good - maybe one song on here that holds up

Disco de rock de los sesentas fiel a su época que desafortunadamente no me atrapó. El sonido se me hizo monótono y aunque no fue malo, tampoco fue nada memorable.

Dated and boring.

Not bad but couldn't get into it all that much

Did not really care for this album. It was pretty meddling and the songs felt unfinished. Sometimes the 60s rock has that issue. The singer was a bit nasally and the instrumentals were ok. For a rock album I can’t see myself revisiting this one. 4.3/10

Enjoyed the long instrumental bits, but the vocals really put me off.

Some catchy tunes but a bit disjointed. Some lovely guitar work but it doesn't save the album for me, not really my thing.

Wanted to like it, but tbh it just faded into the background despite repeated listens. Nice enough, but no overall standout tracks.

Meh