The Notorious Byrd Brothers

However groundbreaking it may have been at the time, to modern ears it's all a bit mid.

Nothing special here

Bit dull

Average at best

I dont remember a single song. But I remember that listening the album wasnt unpleasant

..

Only thing I can say is that the instrumental tracks is my favorite and the last track was unsettling with the commentary from the band.

We've had a few albums by these guys and I feel like I'm hearing the same thing with each album. Yea, I couldn't get into this until I heard Mood Raga and I wondered, how's our old friend Shankar? I severely underrated his album back in the day. I guess the bright spot for this album was I thought of Shankar. Everything else was just one big, meh. Nothing memorable and nothing worth going back to relisten. Safe to say I'm not a fan of the Byrds. At least they made miss Shankar. 2

Nowhere near as insufferable as Sweetheart of the Rodeo, but also generally pretty bland. Congrats on using a phase effect, I suppose? I don’t know. Think I just don’t identify with the 60s mentality at all.

Überwiegend ruhiger Rock, plätschert so vor sich hin. Mich hat es nicht begeistert, auch wenn nichts stört. 2/5

This put the No in Notorious.

no, please, just, no. Some of the melodies are nice and smooth but this is boring. Very psychedelic and i don't know, maybe psychedelic rock is not my thing after all. Very Magical Mystery Tour. Some are interesting, but for the most part it's just boring, I can imagine people enjoy it, just not my thing in general. 2-2.5/5.

A fine collection of Pop-Americana-Psychedelic-Folk songs. Without any of the Byrds' classic hits, the record lacks any real highlight. The lush vocal harmonies are typical of the California scene that The Byrds were a significant part of. Hey, look! It's another album featuring the accomplished studio drummers Hal Blaine and convicted murderer Jim Gordon!

Sick to the back teeth of Beatles rip offs now. Slightly psychedelic pop rock, ham fisted attempts at Indian music and general groovy vibes. I don't think this was quite as offensive as say the kinks (no harpsichord) but I don't feel I've heard anything new from listening to this. Please no more.

Mira, se deja escuchar, pero uno no puede dejar de pensar que en la medida que añadimos décadas a este proyecto o aumentamos la cantidad de discos o sacamos algunos que, la verdad, solo tienen valor para un nicho muy reducido.

I'm Wayne's World, there is a joke about a band playing called The Shitty Beatles and that they live up to the name. I imagine that band is actually The Byrds

Man, the Byrds suck.

No. As much as I love the sixties sound, this seemed like a phone in. They were really missing David Crosby.

Одна из групп, так сказать, "второго эшелона" легендарных шестидесятников. Ибо сначала все вспоминают Битлз, Стоунз, Бич Бойз, Дорз а уже потом только всяких Byrds, Turtles, Monkees, Troggs, Kinks и прочий зоопарк. Очень жаль что я не услышал эту запись в период своего пика интереса к кислотной музыке того времени в юношестве, мне бы это однозначно зашло. Что-ж, это прям классика любимой моей психоделии, эксперименты с записью, использование moog, смешение жанров, ну вот прям как по книжечке. Временами, из-за фолковой направленности, напоминает, будто более "радикальную" версию Bookends. Во время прослушивания порой находит ощущение того, что альбому не хватает "перехода за грань" некоего хулиганства что-ли, чуть большей авангардности, тут то ли не хватило изобретательности, то ли скорее побоялись пугать слушателей, которые, не дай бог, нарекут альбом "не радио френдли". Ладно, чёто я разговорился сегодня. В любом случае, несмотря на всё это, альбом приятный, клёвый, психоделичный, и многое с него я заберу к себе в плейлист, хотя и вряд-ли назову его любимым из-за вышесказанного. Отдельно выделю: Space Odyssey, Dolphin's Smile.

My favourite album by The Byrds. That blend of psychedelia and folk... chef kiss!

This album has a real ethereal vibe. One of my favorites. Totally classic Byrd groove.

Цікаво, послухаємо) Гарний альбом)

Love the music and love the voices. Maybe not their best album but it’s still so good. I went back and forth between 4 and 5 but had to go with a 5.

Not an album I'd paid attention to before. But that will have to change; Recorded in the middle of changes within the band (Gene Clark is back, David Crosby is out) and without (one of the first recorded uses of the Moog Modular synthsizer), and featuring their first work with Clarence White. It still sounds very much like a Byrds album though. Some bits of pedal steel (and of course Clarence White's guitar work in spots) foreshadow Sweethearts of the Rodeo, so this album is kind of a bridge sylistically. This will definitely get repeat listens.

Yes incredible record

Really excellent and worth another go

Anything they touch is gold

Great

im sorry for doubting you

One of my favourites of all time

Oh this album is just ridiculously good. So serene, and the transitions are just beautiful. Each song is a banger and I was begging for this album to be longer. Probably the Byrd's best collective effort so I was shocked to read about it and see they actually were going through a really rough time. Guitarist fired, drummer quits, rejoins, then is fired. Session musicians came to the rescue. And what followed was psychedelic genius

Tough if I like this or their follow-up more. There were so many surprising choices on this album and think they all work. It makes each song feel just unique enough where I tend to have trouble hearing the subtle differences in most country rock songs. There were some beautiful songs on there and think I’m going to return to it often. The only song I didn’t care for was Space Odyssey but even that is quite pioneering. Rating: 4.7

I just love music from this era. It’s a great album. Funky, but classic, and strong lyrically. Why have I never listened to this whole album before now?

The Fab Four-dozen gone done a masterpiece! I’ve been down so many rabbit holes in attempting to fully grasp the world that created this record – reviewing Byrd-membership timelines; reading dozens of Wikipedia pages; returning to Clarke’s solo output, then to Parsons’ (even though neither actually appear on this record in any meaningful capacity); feeling somehow guilty that I didn’t know more already about McGuinn, since he’s the only thing that stops this being a total Ship of Theseus; at times even wondering to what extent The Beatles, the band that first bonded Gene Clarke and Roger/Jim McGuinn, are ipso facto responsible for country rock – that it feels good to just say it: I fucking love this Byrds album. And I love it precisely because everything you need to know about the world that made it possible is in the actual songs: themes of love, war, psychedelia, community – even the weirdo “Moog Raga” in the bonus tracks is, from a certain perspective, a very generous piece of expositional messing about. David Crosby’s contributions – “Draft Morning”, “Gathering of Tribes” especially – shimmer with a sort of ineffable cool that sounds almost parodic. (I know and love bands like Sonic Youth, Stereolab, and Stone Roses; the idea that they were fleshing out two minute bursts of pop genius from the late sixties wasn’t ever going to occurr to me.) “Natural Harmony” – a Hillman joint – is a spectacular piece of sci-fi art pop; “Goin’ Back” (Carole King cover) confirms The Byrds as one of the great reinterpreters in 20th century rock; “Space Odyssey” got me picking up an Arthur C. Clarke earlier today in the search for that special kind of buzz good speculative fiction delivers. This is a brilliant, brilliant album. It holds nothing back – and in the process creates a world entirely of its own. A world of rabbit holes I doubt I’ll ever tire of exploring.

- .... so fucking good. -

Really enjoyed this, I like the dreamy hippie stuff.

Great music that was ahead of its time.

An interesting mix of country and folk-sounding music with some psychedelic shit mixed in. I really dug what was going on here.

An absolute stunner, like a country tinged Velvet Underground. You can hear shoegaze, proto-heavy metal, baroque psych, space rock. A gem!

Great space cowboy/cosmic Americana music

Amazing really enjoyed the dolphin and tribe song on b side

So glad I got to hear and discover this. I love the style and cool info about the Moog. Also loved the Triad song.

the third byrds recommendation on this platform that i'm going to be listening to. this is their fifth album, and wikipedia states that this is the pinnacle of their experimental music, blending all sorts of not just genre elements, but mixing techniques and early introductions of the moog synthesizer. tensions were high during their recording sessions, but it all came through in the end. it got to the top 50 billboard charts. listening to this group once in a blue moon, especially these past few years... it's like a weird cousin that you barely know and yet somehow they come to your house for christmas. it's early attempts at creating boundary-breaking, experimental rock recordings... the best thing i think this lp has is its ambition. and you might enjoy it well enough or you might think it's dated. it's probably the best byrds album out of the bunch.

Triad.

The last great Byrds album, reflecting a more grown up post Sergeant Pepper’s version of the band, with and without both Crosby and Clark at times. The songs are very strong and the sound is leaner and less lush, with old friend Rickenbacker buried and adding only the occasional sparkle. The effect is impressive and very worthy of inclusion In this exercise.

Another great Byrds album that I was unfamiliar with. What I loved here is that they retained their signature sound, but expanded upon it. The Moog bass in "Natural Harmony", the country twang of "Wasn't Born To Follow", the 5/4 verses of "Tribal Gathering"...all are interesting departures while not going too far astray. I'm realizing I'm a bigger Byrds fan because of this project; I haven't heard a bad album yet from them.

A very pleasant listen

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘺𝘳𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 is one of the more psychedelic albums I’ve come across from the late 1960s. Even by the standards of the era, the record has a dreamlike quality, blending folk rock, psychedelia, country influences, and studio experimentation into something that feels surprisingly cohesive. What I like most is how subtle much of it is. Rather than overwhelming the listener with effects or lengthy jams, The Byrds weave their psychedelic ideas into concise, melodic songs. The result is an album that feels adventurous without losing its sense of direction. It may not be the first album I think of when discussing psychedelic rock, but it’s one of the most rewarding. The more time I spend with it, the more there seems to be beneath the surface.

I usually rate albums on how they hit me now rather than their historical impact, but I'm going to add a star here for the latter. This is mostly songs I've never heard before, but very very impressive for the time. By my count I think there has been four Byrds album I've seen on this list, which seems like maybe two too many, but I'd keep this.

This project has confirmed for me that time spent with the Byrds isn't wasted. This may be my favorite next to Sweetheart of the Rodeo, with songs like "Goin' Back," "Wasn't Born to Follow," and "Change is Now" standing out. I also appreciate the "OMG 1996" futurism of "Space Odyssey" and, on the expanded version, the left-field "Hey let's be a throuple" track "Triad."

Nothing stood out overall and I’m a TD bit familiar with the Byrds but don’t go out of my way to listen to their music

Excellent

I can't believe how good this album is. My initial expectations were that "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" was an attempt to cash in on the psychedelic craze of the late 60s. Turns out I was completely wrong. The last song is my favourite on "The Notorious Byrd", on par with "Revolver"'s "Tomorrow Never Knows". It's a shame the whole album only lasts about 28 minutes. 4 stars for "The Notorious Byrd Brothers".

8/10

This was a good one, love the Byrds.

Great album. This is the Byrds in transition. David Crosby, Michael Clarke and Gene Clark becoming revolving door members leaving Mcguinn and Hillman toexplore a simplified approach and experimenting with country instrumentation. Great guest guitar work from James Burton and Clarence White and pedal steel by Red Rhodes, but also mixing in some Moog synthesizer. It’s an interesting approach and turns out to be extremely influential. 4.6

A jingle jangley good time.

ive been conditioned to not like this band but the album is just nice y'kno

A fun psych rock album.

that’s not how you spell it

Some good trippy stuff and some decent folk. I liked it better than Younger than Yesterday, but still a 3

Probably the best album I’ve heard from these guys

This shit was gas! What on earth happened between this and Sweetheart of the Rodeo? I LOVED this! More of the classic Crosby songwriting that I was missing in Sweetheart. WAY more psychedelic and way more my groove. 3.8

Like many people, I'm really only familiar with The Byrds' BIG hits. As I opened this album, I was concerned that it was going to be a situation where the album sounded nothing like the big hits. Definitely NOT the case. The Byrds are true to their sound; you can hear the same jangly guitars, sweeping orchestrations, and meaningful lyrics that their big hits suggest. They're clearly an important sound of their time. As a GenX'er, I don't fully resonate with this album, but it was certainly enjoyable. Not like some of the garbage this project produces.

In-fighting dialogue was interesting.

Some real gems

D... d... did they transmogrify David Crosby? "Change is now, change is now Things that seemed to be solid are not" Madlads! They transmogrified David Crosby!!! "Truth is real, truth is real That which is not real does not exist In and out roundabout Dance to the day when fear it is gone" 🎠🎠🎠🎠

Mouais pourquoi pas C'est un concept, une idée, je n'en suis pas fan Mais c'est sympa à écouter

Not an unenjoyable Byrds album at all, which caught me by surprise as neither of the other two I've heard have made a positive impression on me. The improved production values, generally brighter songwriting and greater emphasis towards psychedelia, particularly as you approach the back end of the album, all contribute towards a more engaging listening experience for me. The arrangements here largely felt more free-form, textured, and, crucially, catchier, with a perceptible country twang to the instrumentation that, thankfully, doesn't seep through into the vocals. I was feeling a strong 3 star rating at first, but there is a chance, at the right price, that I'd buy this, so I'm going to round it up.

Great collection of songs that sound really good together. I could see this becoming a favorite of mine if I spent more time with it. SHOTR is my favorite Byrds album and this one feels like a cool bridge between the folkie jangle and alt-country sounds that would follow. I want to give it a 7, since there's no half stars I'll be generous and round up

Lovely will return to this

We zijn overduidelijk weer in de 60s beland, met het inmiddels vijfde en voor ons laatste album van deze beruchte Byrd broers. Muzikaal biedt het niet per se iets wat we nog niet eerder hebben gehoord. Al gaat het dit keer wel verder dan Beatlesque muziek. Ik hoor juist meer op country, folk en western gestoelde muziek, maar dan wel veel psychedelischer dan de originele genres. Het zijn gitaren in allerlei vormen, waarbij er regelmatig een psychedelisch geluidseffect overheen wordt getrokken. Ze blijven veel in harmonieen zingen, wat ik wel kan waarderen. Het heeft wat weg van wat David Crosby later met andere kornuiten zou gaan doen. Het is dat vijf albums zoals gewoonlijk te veel is, maar ik moet zeggen dat ik dit album wel geinig vind. Tribal Gathering is echt een vet nummer. Ze hadden wat dat betreft in deze lijst beter 2 andere platen weg kunnen laten. Ook al heeft dit album geen hitjes, ik heb hier met plezier naar geluisterd.

Favorite Track: Wasn't Born to Follow

It's the Bryds. Great

Alright, the final Byrds album of the list. Finally. I have heard 5 albums from these guys and I still think they're just alright. All of these albums kind of sound the same to me and none of them are particularly special. 5 albums is far too many for the Byrds. I would've gone with 2 or 3 myself, but that's just me. With that said, The Notorious Byrd Brothers is definitely one of the better albums of theirs on this list. I do personally prefer Younger Than Yesterday, but I can see why someone would call this their best. It is arguably their most balanced album, with just enough psychedelic, folk, and country elements that all come together to make a pretty solid album, all things considered. Plus, the album only has one cover on it, so the album gets bonus points for originality! For the most part though, the album's pretty much the same as all of the other Byrds albums on the list. Jangly guitars, vocal harmonies, you get the idea. The songwriting is pretty good. I like songs like "Wasn't Born to Follow" quite a bit. Despite it being the only cover on the album, I do think that "Goin' Back" is one of the stronger songs on the album. It's another Byrds album. What do you want me to say? Low 4/5.

Brit folk rock, with some kinda country/western lean (slide steel)

The horns on Artificial Energy carry the song but it's a steady opener. Goin' Back is more what I wanted - softer, but with a nice harmony and interesting folk instruments. The next couple of tracks are a little more experimental and I like it, still pretty but with just enough dissonance and tension and with a nice smooth transition between the two. Draft Morning is the stronger one. Wasn't Born to Follow is more standard folk rock, it's certainly pleasant enough. After that it gets better again, the songs feel slightly off kilter in a way I like. Get to You is ethereal and Change Is Now is a bluesier rocker, the guitar now in the spotlight. Tribal Gathering is a stark change from the folk, I don't quite know what to make of it, moody bass and quick half-spoken vocals, then a grimy guitar riff. Dolphin's Smile is another pretty one and then Space Odyssey to close. It's the most psychedelic cut on the record. I mayb ewith the production was a little clearer, but the songwriting here feels forward looking. Goin' Back is still my favourite but this is all very good.

O final de Draft Morning?? low 4.0. É um album muito gostoso e atmosférico, as vezes soa um pouco repetitivo mas a sua curta duração ajuda em não ser um problema. A produção é muito boa, mistura o folk com o psicodélico de forma bem natural, e algumas músicas conseguem evocar perfeitamente uma vibe cósmica/espacial.

Very baroque pop which I love but will always associate with the Beatles because I’m uncultured (working on that).

à un moment ça part en musiques minecraft

I enjoyed this one very much. One of the greatest surprises in this project so far. Solid 4 stars. Direct, distinctive, and inspired songs. I also enjoyed the lyrics. Some songs I particularly enjoyed: Goin' back, Draft Morning, Change is now, Old John Robertson, or Tribal Gathering.

A fabulous sounding album. Somewhere between The Mamas & The Papas and late Beatles, a lovely mix of rock music and choir music. It seems quite ahead of its time for 1968, with lots of cool effects and unusual sounds. A very enjoyable listen with lots of character and beautiful noises. Vocals are impeccable.

i wasn’t expecting to enjoy this, but found myself struck by how much the tracks on this album sound like the very same modern indie rock i’ve been creaming my pants over since i was thirteen. draft morning sounds like a cindy lee song. i’d go as far as to say that i caught the deep roots of some of montreal tracks buried in this album. apologies for my prejudicial attitudes against boomers, mr. byrds.

This is so fun. I actually loved the final 'song' behind the scenes/in production thing that they had going on. It's really silly and makes me feel more engaged with the artist. In terms of the music I did enjoy this a lot and thought the songwriting and instrumentals were very good. Oh and I was a big fan of the little alien interlude bit

This did end up growing on me more and more and for that reason I'll probably listen to this again. Was maybe a bit hippyish but very palatable and uncontentious.

7/10 – Good

Reminds me of cream

A hugely influential album. Lacking a little in low end bass making it sound a bit tinny. 4 stars. Favourite track - natural harmony.

Good to hear something by the Byrds other than Mr Tambourine man

j'apprends à les aimer les ti oiseaux, c'est un bon substitut aux Beatles dont je connais déjà les albums par coeur. Je vais pouvoir me mettre à connaître leurs albums par coeur aussi. Je suis d'accord avec Guillaume que Sweetheart of the Rodeo et Younger than Yesterday sont meilleurs.

Fatigue des Byrds? J'ai aimé mais je pense avoir préféré les 2 autres. Leur album country était vraiment marquant pour mois on dirait.

I'm a big fan of 60s psych rock in general, so this was always gonna be a win for me. The Byrds happen to it exceptionally well. This record nails that signature Laurel Canyon sound of sunny psychadelia with an slightly sinister undertone.

Enjoyable psych rock. Not familiar with the Byrds but impressed with this one

Don't have much to say. 3.5/5

I always kind of laugh off The Byrds as a Dylan cover band, but this album was a bit more edgy and experimental than I expected (and not a single Dylan credit!). I generally enjoyed the first half, but they nearly lost me with “Space Odyssey” which was too much of a 1968 time bomb, even for me. 3.5 rounded up.

This is a great album with one hell of a backstory. From being one of the first albums to utilize the MOOG to David Crosby's ménage à trois (as heard on one of the bonus tracks) the Notorious Byrd Brothers offers the listener stellar harmonies and dreamy landscapes to chill out to. Favorite track this time around was "Draft Morning"

Not my cup of tea.

209/1089 something i immediately notice is how well the tracks flow together, it REALLY enhances the experience for me when it comes to this type of easy listening music enjoyed this album, don’t have a lot of insight to add but The Byrds are 2/2 with 4 star albums for me faves: Artificial Energy, Tribal Gathering, Wasn’t Born To Follow, Draft Morning, Dolphin Smile 71/100

_sweetheart of the rodeo_ is my favorite byrds album, but they didn't make any bad ones. and they made a few great ones, including this one here.

Very cool album. All the fats on here will rate radiohead highly and this lowly without seeing some next level innovation, rhythmically, mooglically, harmonically. Cool shit. Horny croz bonus track!

So much more depth than the other Byrds album we’ve had. Some cool musical effects, decent variety, and even some lyrical depth.

i love 60s music so much.

sweet!

4/5

Will listen to again

Always a pleasure to hear the Byrds singing.

Really enjoyed this one a lot! Another album/band I'd never heard before. Has almost a Beach Boys meets country rock kinda vibe. Good listen!

• This album's sound is exactly what I imagine when I think of music from the 60's. • I liked Goin' Back a lot, the chorus sounds really different to how I expected it to go. • The middle section of Wasn't Born to Follow is very psychedelic, but it fits in with the rest of the song well. • Old John Robertson is pretty sad I liked this album, it was better than some of the other 60's albums I've listened to so far. It has that typical 60's production, but that helps to serve the songs in many instances. I also liked the psychedelic elements a lot more than I did during the Os Mutantes album. Favourite song: Goin' Back

It's a bit of a weird start, and the maximum trumpet injected and jolly vocals made me wonder how this would end.  Aging music, drop the anchor, and that would be the end of that.  It then briefly went into a little typical 60's pop.  Melodic harmonies are incoming...Maybe these were the hook for the album as after that it changed for me.  I don't want to listen to wholesome 60s fodder, but I do like listening to great production and music fusion.  By end of track 3 it started to sparkle then we were away.  It was oddly psychedelic at times and often sounded like a slightly mental country song.  E.g. "Change is Now."  I did like the intricate guitar sound as well.  OK there are elements I don't love but get rid of the first 2 songs, and I am happy to say I would want to re-visit this album so will bump up to 4 as I think it's edging that way for me.  I can be pretty sure nobody in my house will like this album too which will be amusing for me.

Another 1968 Byrds album selected within the space of a few days. Yet the sounds between both albums are night and day. This album is what I expected from The Byrds, whereas the other album was straight country. Weird. Anyway, this album was another psychedelic jangle pop joint from the greatest harmonisers of the 60s.

Another good Byrds album - could have done without the psych instrumental at the end. Obviously taking the same stuff as The Beatles by this stage.

I like that it's a bit different from the other classic rock-ish albums. I like when they use mixed meters or just insert random interludes. It's similar to a lot of the albums on this list but it's different enough that I still enjoy it. Also, some of the sounds they're using are pretty wild for 1968. I feel like they understand the formula and conventions of the genre enough to start to mess with it. Moog Raga is very interesting. Rhythmically this album is a 5/5 for me, I think they do so many cool things. I do have some questions about the content of the lyrics and story... more so curious about what they're going for. It's so interesting listening to them fight in the alternate ending. For them to achieve what they did with this dynamic is wild to me.

I enjoyed the listen, it was very relaxing to hear something so calming but yet so energetic.

liked it a lot more than I thought I would but some parts are repetitive and could have a bit more wow factor

Really good sound with several outstanding tracks - and the inclusion of an apparent dust-up within the band during a recording session - very strange.

Very nice country rock. Got that late 60s Woodstock sound like the Allman Bros or Country Joe and the Fish. I liked it.

Ethereal vibe. The instrumentals are a trip.

"Goin' Back" is obviously great, but I'm also partial to the psyched-out dreaminess of "Draft Morning", "Get to You", "Change Is Now", and "Tribal Gathering". McGuinn gets a bit McGuinny at times, but his guitar work on this album in particular is damn good. A solid mix overall of their classic jangliness, a hint of psychedelia, and a foreshadowing of *Sweethearts* to come. 4/5

Þessi er mjög næs, vel nýttar nýjar upptökugræjur, effectar og moog. Fínustu lög svona heilt yfir líka. Hendi fjarka á þessa með góðri samvisku.

Schönes Pferd auf der rechte Seite. Due Musik ist gut, einwenig harete riffs . Würde ich kaufen..

Similar to The Beatles but with nice rhythyms, nice music.

Great album in it's time. Innovative sounds blending music genres.

Was chill and enjoyable. Soothing soft sound

Enjoyable, great instrumentation.

Phenomenal 60's California psychedelic country rock. Way ahead of its time sonically, with all the synth, panning, flanging and other studio action. Definitely some high guys working on mixing but in the best way. Jangling and breezy, with some poignant songs in the mix. 'Goin' Back' for instance, should be corny but was very emotional for me. Loved the odd stuff on the end of re-issue as well!

Это точно не лучший альбом конца 60-х, но это всё ещё альбом конца 60-х. Фолк-психодел, что уже забавно. Лучшая песня: Space Odyssey

The Byrds er gott band og mér fannst afskaplega gott að hlusta á þessa. Í lokin var svo upptaka af meðlimunum að rífast og þá las ég mér til um allt saman og varð smá leiður. Samt frábær plata og þvílíkur endir á Artificial Energy!

Låter grymt ju. Gärna något för samlingen

Есть инфа, что если бы я послушал все альбомы группы The Byrds, которым уже поставил по три звезды, все они выросли бы до четырех. Но пока это лучший их альбом, или самый запоминающийся. Лучшая песня - Wasn't Born to Follow.

Cool psych album. Seems to have been a turning point for the band with members coming and going around this album.

That was pretty cool.

love the vibes

Nice pop psych ⭐⭐⭐⭐

So 60s. Like charmingly and egregiously dated. So much effort into trippiness, but still all those Byrdsy elements of blues and country, chiming folk, guitar jams. Kind of amazing in its own way.

I think I heard “Catch me if you can” or variant in several songs, a sharp message in this Vietnam era album, but layered in luxurious waves of folk country rock. Sidebar: I don’t like when the linked version of the album is padded with deluxe and bonus tracks. I only listened through “Space Odyssey,” the last song on the original work.

Goin’ Back felt amazing on the ears

Mellow - liked it a lot

The folksy ones! This was pleasant and bucolic. 3.5 rounded.

Leans into the psychedelia a bit much sometimes, but great harmonies and songs overall.

Much better than the other Byrds album I got. A good mix of 60s folk rock and psychedelic

I think I quite like the Byrds actually? This was the second one of theirs in a row that surprised me, maybe I ought to revisit Younger Than Yesterday. 3.5/5

is gud

4.5

Good 60s jam band

wow did they kill all their momentum with Moog Raga. Holy shit what happens on Universal Mind Decoder that scared the shit outta me

Artificial Energy-6/10 Goin' back-7/10 Natural Harmony-7/10 Draft Morning-8/10 Wasn't born to follow-8/10 Get to you-8/10 Change is now-7/10 Old John Robertson-8.5/10 Tribal Gathering-7.5 different form normal style👍🏻 Dolphin's smile-7/10 Space Odyssey-6/10 Moog Raga instrumental -3/10 fart noises on repeat Bound to fall instrumental -7/10 Triad-6/10 Goin' back extended-7/10 Draft Morning alt ending-8/10 Universal mind decoder-7/10 Overall good album but it felt like background noise. Not my favorite 7/10 but still very good

Lay down the shag rug in the back of the van baby, we're going on a road trip and listening to this album.

Great fireside album in the evening. Some unique sounds Moog Raga was especially weird and fun.

I really liked the classic folk vibes from this album mixed with the synth. There were some really cool sounds that came from the synth as well

Absolutely no drugs were involved in the making of this album... Well... until Tribal Gathering that is where things start to get FUNKY. By the time the Dolphins Smile comes in, we are on the come up. Space Odyssey hits and its like *Mimes a Mind explosion with hands*. Moog Raga tip toes in and now we are peeaaaaking. Then we slowly start to come down within the remainder of the album, which are all really pleasant songs. I wonder which instrument the horse was playing? Was he on drugs too? I have questions... Anyways, this album is like a drug trip in itself from front to back. Also knowing the fact that they started with 4 members and ended with 2 by the end of it is kinda wild. Interesting to hear the little blip at the end of the album from the live recording, the drummer, producer and lead singer arguing with one another. Dope stuff, will be returning to this. 8.5/10

7/10

I genuinely like The Byrds, even if half there claims to fame are Bob Dylan covers

Goofy album but I really enjoyed it. Moog Raga was so silly I don’t think I’ve laughed like that at a song before. Favorite track: Get to You

The Notorious Byrd Brothers, at least the original eleven-track event, is a brilliant thing of juxtaposition: lyrically, instrumentally, perspectively, even cosmically. It starts off w/ an unexpectedly funky gem, apparently reeling from the effects of speed: 'I'm coming down off amphetamine / And I'm in jail 'cause I killed the queen.' It then goes into an exploration of all stuff psychedelic, from loving relations to a metaphysics of evanescence: 'I can recall a time / When I wasn't ashamed to reach out / To a friend'; 'Change is now, change is now / Things that seemed to be solid are not.' I guess what I love most about this record is the brevity of the songs, almost punk-like in their economy, as well as the intimations of Americana and country music.

Goin' back war n schöner smoother Song, aber auch das ganze Album geht runter wie warme Butter. Sehr angenehm!

Reminds me of Billy Strings, so I dig.

Muy psicodélico. Una pena que sus mejores temas sean los ajenos. Pese a todo ello en suépoca erainnovador y se merece una buena nota. Prefiero otros discos de ellos.

Good early psychedelic album

Better than Coldplay

Oozing with creativity and sounds that formed the foundation of rock for decades to come

Such a great fusion of psychedelic, country, and folk along with the impeccable vocal harmonies of McGuin and Crosby et al. Definitely ends on a goofy note with "Dophin Smile" and "Space Odyssey" but some great songs on here and some interesting late 60's sonic experimentation. Hadn't heard much of these guys beyond "Mr. Tambourine Man," "8 Miles High, and "Turn, Turn, Turn," so it was good to hear their more psychedelic leaning side.

Goddamn, I need to listen to more of the Byrds' stuff. Definitely my cup of tea, they sound like if Simon and Garfunkel misbehaved and just dropped copious amounts of acid. But also love the swinging country on so many songs, i didnt realise how unique these guys were

I don't wanna know, what they smoked...:-)

Ahh, a nice return to some late-60s adventurous psychedelic folk-rock! That's a lot of stuff in my wheelhouse. Find the midpoint between Simon & Garfunkel's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme and Jefferson Airplane's album Surrealistic Pillow and you have a good idea of what The Notorious Byrd Brothers is like. This is my first Byrds album actually, but I like it a lot and apparently they have other albums on this list, so we'll see what the future holds. For now, I think this is great (not perfect), and must-listen #223.

Psychedelic guitar reminencent of country, but quickly takes an interesting turn into exploration of sound.

Virkelig god brug af psykedelia. Den her var super fed.

Good

this was nice!

Torn between 3 and 4. Probably should give it a 4 based upon when it came out and how it played then, and it is definitely better than other albums I have given a 3 on here...

I’ve enjoyed several Byrds albums on this list. This wasn’t my favorite, but has some great moments. Goin’ Back is one of my favorites from the band. Get To You is another highlight. It’s an album I’d like to buy on vinyl and play from time to time, accompanied by a joint and some nice smelling candles.

Psychedelic and country. It works!

They strike a nice balance between rock and country, good vibe songs, nice harmonic singing, good stuff

Good

#696. Starting an album off with a song about doing meth and killing the queen is a wild strategy. In fact, I'm going to give it an extra star just for that. 4/5: why not.

This is now the 2nd (3rd?) Byrds album presented to me and I think I can safely say that I could probably listen to any of their stuff!

I think I found this pretty interesting

I fully admit that I was expecting to dislike this album based on the Byrds music that was played on the radio when I was young. But I actually quite enjoyed it! Pleasant surprise. I also never knew they were moog pioneers. Respect.

Peut être 5 étoiles avec le temps

surprisingly good

My third Byrds album in this challenge and a very noticeable change from their earlier work. The overall feel of the album is very experimental. The Byrds were one of the first bands to incorporate the Moog synthesizer into their music, which is already pretty bold. But this is also a key album in the direction of the California sound, mixing folk, country, and psychedelic rock. It makes "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" a very bold album and a big step from their poppier early days. These sessions also saw a major shake up from the band, with the dismissal of David Crosby, which would further change their future going forward. Regardless of the personal drama behind the scenes, this remains the most distinct Byrds albums I've heard yet. It's not quite my favorite one, but I really do appreciate the spirit of the album.

I really liked this. My only real experience of the Byrds was Turn, Turn, Turn. This was fun and a little groovy.

Very chill, great for background noise. 7/10

3.5 but let's round up because was an agreable surprise. Psychodelik folk something like that.. some songs I really appreciated.

I could listen to the Byrds sing pharmaceutical disclaimers.

Sounds like cowboy ghosts. What's not to like?

Maybe not my favorite album by theirs, but you can't go wrong with any Byrds-album. It's a really short album that seems to fly by in a moments notice. It's nice and comfy Folk rock that was quite a trailblazer at the time. The Byrds don't often get mentioned in discussions, even though people love them and they're included multiple times on this list. I'll gladly listen to more of them.

I dig it.

A pretty enjoyable blend of pop and psychedelia. Never listened to a whole Byrds album before, despite knowing they were super cutting edge. You can hear the experimentation but it's still subtle enough that it feels like they weren't just trying to push the envelope, they were just trying to make great music.

Cool experimental psychedelic rock

Thumb up

this is good 60s stuff, had to skip the pissing about with synthesizers though

4 - really good country psychedelic folk

Great overall sound, but unique across each song across the album. Moog Raga instrumental is terrible.

no estuvo mal

This was a very interesting album. I am already familiar with The Byrds, but was not familiar with most of the material on this album. I only knew "Wasn't Born to Follow" prior to listening. The sound here is very lush and rich, and the harmonies are excellent. The album takes inspiration from other genres like country and psychedelia. I enjoyed this quite a bit and I would listen again.

3.5

3.5

I like the way that it really kind of straddles the jangle, psych, and upcoming Americana sound. (8.6) ★★★★

4.5

Can’t hate the Byrds

What a weird album. Some of it didn’t age suuuper well but most of it hit pretty well for me. Some sweet heavy, spacey riffs

Good album. Variety of musical styles and new for the time recording tech. If you get the extended version, it’s fun to listen to the last “song” which is them in the studio putting g together a song.

Liked this much better than Sweetheart of the Rodeo but I suspect not as much as any earlier albums that may be yet to come in the project—some annoying sound effects and the Spotify version includes bonus tracks that are frankly annoying.

Ive been meaning to listen to something involving david crosby for a while so finally listened to this and before this listened to rheir debut album and both pretty good but this is really good. I can see myself revisiting this. Good first listen.

folk, psychedelic, country-rock genreblending album. inspirerede eagles og pink floyd blandt andet. og nogle andre jeg ikke kender enndu :)

I like The Byrds but has never listened to this album: it does everything you'd expect from them really, intricate guitar and beautiful harmonised vocals.

Cool

Psychedelic folk? This is a cool listen. That last track is pretty out there, especially for 1968.

Went into this knowing (unfortunately) nothing about The Byrds, but I have heard of them. This had good production (especially with stereo headphones), cool synths, and it was pretty unique for its time. Space Odyssey was cool because they were talking about the distant future of 1996 from 1968, which would be like a song written about 2044 in 2026. Unfortch (maybe fortch) their prediction was not accurate lol. Moog Raga really stuck out to me because they played with those synthesizers so artfully and interestingly. It was ahead of its time and I'd be impressed to hear synths like that even in 2026. Many songs, but especially Moog Raga, were so alien and outer space-sounding. Idk how I felt about the Universal Mind Decoder backing track but I think I liked it? I enjoyed hearing the behind the scenes stuff and it humanized it and gave a look at the creative process, it just overstayed its welcome a bit in the way the rest of the tracks didn't. Not quite 5 stars but good psychedelic rock. Standout tracks: Goin' Back Draft Morning Moog Raga Standout lyrics: "Wander through the forest where the trees have leaves of prisms and break the light in colors that no one knows the names of" - Wasn't Born to Follow "I think I'm returning to those days when I was young enough to know the truth. Now there are no games to pass the time, no more electric trains, no more trees to climb." - Goin' Back

4/5

loved this. great stuff byrd boys. Draft Morning is my fav on here. moog raga was interesting, i liked it. its no Hunky Dory, but this is probably my second favorite album so far.

Seems repetitive but tuneful

I've gained a new appreciation for The Byrds because of the 1001. I was only really familiar with a couple of their big hits, but it's clear they had an outsized influence on the music of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Lots of different styles, great songwriting, and good musicianship.

Another nice slice of slight psychedelia from the 60s. Not quite as many standout tracks here, but overall I really liked this. Bonus: if you listened to reissue with bonus tracks you got to hear some real footage of the band fighting!

I can't believe this will be my final Byrds album to review. For some reason, I feel like I've listened to a dozen or so of their albums, but maybe that's because there's also solo albums from several of their members. But I digress. So far, Younger Than Yesterday has been my favorite album of theirs, earning a four-star rating from me; their other efforts have all gotten a three-star rating. I knew very few Byrds songs before starting this project, and it's been nice getting more acquainted with their music these last few years. My final Kinks and Björk albums to review were the only five-star albums of each of their multiple submissions, so maybe The Byrds will fall into that pattern as well! I thought this was a really good and beautiful album, but it's a bit short of five stars from me. As with other albums by The Byrds, the band is at their best when they're harmonizing, and when their guitars are creating rich and deep sounds. Thankfully, there was plenty of that on this album. However, there were some times where the band deviated from that formula, and I felt the album suffered a bit when that happened. But the songs on this album that were good were really beautiful. I was really struck by "Goin' Back." I loved the vocals and guitar playing, and I thought The Byrds did a fantastic job of making this Carole King song their own. “Wasn’t Born to Follow” was fantastic too. I loved the whooshing of the guitar towards the end of the song, and the finger-picking guitar playing throughout the song was great too. There were some really great string arrangements on this album too, like on “Get To You.” The overall country folk sound of this album was great, and it’s an impressive feat to put out an album like this while a band is experiencing so much inner turmoil. This album isn’t the sort of thing I’d typically gravitate towards, but I enjoyed listening to it today, and I think it beats out Younger Than Yesterday as my favorite Byrds album.

I don’t understand how this is so good when everything similar is so offensive to my ears!!! Are they magicians?!?

Good listen. Really liked it. Acid vibes. Definitely adding some of the songs to my chill playlist because they are vibes.

Good ambient album. Really enjoyed it. Nice and chill

I used to know a guy who was really big into The Byrds/Flying Burrito Brothers who ended up being a performative/tradlarper dickhead so I was kinda hoping this would be ass so I would feel validated in some form. Unfortunately for me what I got was a really fun listen which was likely the best psychadelic/folk music from the 60's that I'm gonna hear on this list. The final few tracks did feel a bit weak compared to the first two thirds but were still solid enough to where I didn't even realize I had burned through the whole album and was listening to the extras at some point.

I didn't really know any of the tracks from this album. Some nice jangly pop folk in there but it started to get a tiresome towards the end. Some of the tracks in the second side were really, really hard work.

I only knew the Byrds songs Turn Turn Turn and Mr Tambourine Man going in, so being greeted with horns was a surprise. Psychedelia / folk rock with twangs of country. Great harmonies. A great example of late 60's experimentation. I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Not bad, but there are better Byrds albums.

This is a very "easy to listen to" album, and I think it is one of the better/best folk rock albums I've heard. I'd like to listen to it again, but I did find it enjoyable, and I really can't give it less than a 3.5-4, because it is very well done and does seem significant to the time and basically was a supergroup.

4/5

This sounds like a band trying to be the Beatles, early Pink Floyd, the Beach Boys, the Monkees, and the Rolling Stones all at once, like a garage band who had heard all these bands and were trying to copy them with less equipment. Some love ballads, some trippy psychadelic stuff, some weird sound effect mixing. Initially none of it was especially good to my ear, but the soft and gentle nature of it got to me, it grew on me more and more. I guess not every band is going to be big, but this was nice to hear, a hidden gem for me. Moog Raga I loved.

Another pleasant '60s album with a touch of psychedelia. Low 4.

Pretty similar to the Moby Grape album, and this one actually has a member of CSN in it so this makes sense. I did find this one to be a bit more psychedelic so I'm bumping it up just a bit.

Love the mixing of this album. Felt like floating through the through a meadow whilst soaking in all the colors of the sun.

Seamless transition from the last album to this one. Pretty sad it took me until now to listen

Really enjoyed this album. It's never heard of them before now. The perfect blend of psychedelic rock, folk and country.

Bouncy southern twang Supports angelic vocals Weds country to rock

Psychedelic country rock of the first order.

When your mom says “We have The Beatles at home”. 3.5 Stars

Heavyly influenced by The Beatles

A delicious slice of psych country rock , if there is such a genre. Classic late 60s Americana. Great album.

Liked this, get over the byrds mr album man though

Oh my god really will you stop with the Byrds? I already had them this week. And last week I had Gene Clark. And the week before that I had The Byrds again. How have I listened through 1002 albums only to have this full on Byrdstrike so close to the end? And where's the nearest telephone box? I feel like Tippi Hedren. I look forward to getting the horse's solo album next week. Although actually given that horse represents Croz, I've already had his fantastic solo effort. So what do I think of this record? Well, it's brilliant isn't it. One of the Byrds albums that inarguably deserves a spot here. You've still got the creative core members (playing at least). Wasn't Born to Follow trails the next album while maintaining the freak out psych elements with gusto. It is a wonderful piece of music. As I read in a particularly good review on here, feels like losing your grip on reality for a few seconds, like seeing a monster out the window of a speeding train. Change is Now repeats this psych vibe with a folky structure in a far more gentle and beautiful way, but equally as affecting. The introduction of the Moog synthesizer. I think I am done with the Byrds after this but it's great to finish on a clear highlight.

Jedan od njihovih razvikanijih, ali meni je nekako bolje ono ranije

I was lied to. I was told that the Beetles were the experimental, hard hitting 60s band, but these guys are so much better. They are so much less up their own ass than the Beetles and it shows in their music. This might be one of the first psychedelic rock albums I’ve ever liked…and I do a lot of drugs.

Very good. Perfect length to not drag on and yet still have plenty to enjoy

Lovely album. Crosby's Triad song was one of the best songs and should have been on the album. Some lovely bass playing by Chris Hillman and of course Roger McGuinn's jangly guitar. Harmonies on point as always Best songs: Basically all of them 4.5

It's my 4th Byrds album so far and I liked all of them. This is the most experimental and imaginative of the four, it's a great mix of psychedelia, folk, electronica, jazz and even country. Considering the changes in the band during the making of this album, it's surprising how consistent it is. There are no standout tracks, but it's quality from start to finish. The vocal harmonies are especially lovely, and I like the experimentation too (it was one of the first albums which used Moog synthesizer on it). It's also an influential album a lot, so overall I would give it a 4 and a half stars if I could, but since there's no half stars I'll stick to just 4.

The Byrds are super consistent regarding '60s country rock and folk acts—especially ones with pop leanings. There is a psychedelic twist here, apparent in the lyrical themes of the opener and the instrumentals of songs like 'Natural Harmony' or 'Old John Robertson'. The offputtingly ethereal sound of 'Draft Morning' paired with those morbid lyrics and harrowing snippets made for a gripping political song. I'd go as far as to say that the vocal harmonies and instrumentation of the calmer parts of this song reminded me of the late '80s and early '90s dream-pop sound. 'Space Odyssey' might be the most mind-blowing track here - a subtly grating, clipping drone and theremin-sounding thing drive this very ominous sci-fi song. This is the type of experimentation you'd expect out of the Beatles from this time. It's a black sheep here though, most of the other songs are relatively soft and easy on the ears - 'Goin' Back' and 'Get to You' are two of the many gorgeous tracks here. Maybe I dismissed The Byrds after enjoying Gene Clark's solo work so much more (A man who's not even on this album much, if at all - he had left by this point). But this album kicked ass - it's how I like my warm '60s music. Like a cozy hug on a cold morning.

Another classic, 60s album from the band tha launched a thousand bands. The open track, "Artificial Energy" sounds like what the record company wanted them to open the album with (maybe the title is tongue in cheek?), very up and radio friendly. The song Draft Morning is a great "freak-out" song that Wilco may have had in mind on YHF. The rest of the album is what you'd expect from the Byrds, chiming guitars, incredible melodies, unusual arrangements. All in all, a pretty damn good album.

Cozy vibes

I just can’t dislike The Byrds. Not my favorite album of theirs, but it’s still good. Also not sure there needs to be as many albums on the list by them as there are, but that’s a separate point. The best songs here are “Get To You” and “Old John Robertson” but all the songs are enjoyable. The replay value of this isn’t super high for me, which is why it isn’t getting a 5, but I still really liked it.

younger than yesterday is the goat

This was so much better than I thought. I thought Id skip this one after the first few songs but actually this just sounds really good. Low 4

An album which I was not familiar with but once listened to contains a lot of familiar songs. All standard 1960’s fayre which for a chap my age creates a lot of nostalgia. Pick of the bunch must be Wasn’t Born To Follow, one of the standout songs from the soundtrack of Easy Rider. An iconic film of the time and which spoke to my generation even here in the UK. For this reason that soundtrack should be on this list but as it’s a compilation of various artists it is not. It is also hard to find now but there are plenty of playlists compiled by enthusiasts like me, on the streaming platform’s, which you need to listen to. This is a very good album. There’s quite a bit of phasing technique’s going off which certainly puts this album in the 1960’s but that is not to its detriment. A very enjoyable discovery and an album I will return to. 4/5 7/11/24

A very pleasant album. I hadn't realised they were a Callifornia Sound group but many of the songs were very Mamas and Papas like. I'd say very much of its time, but also with hints of what's to come. Not specifically from this band but how music was going to develope. Some parts were quite progressive. I liked it a lot, but how much? This rather annoying it's very much better than a 3, but is it a 4? Hmm.

Good album. Will be added to a rotation.

full of little surprises that reward close listening. "space odyssey", set in the far-off future of 1996, is the only misstep, and it's too goofy to hate. great album

I can see why this changed music, but, it's not something I will ever return to. The points are purely for history.

This was a cool album to hear. Very much a Beatles influence in the lyrical sound but I also like hearing the electronic experimentation all the way back in 68'. I'm such a fan of psychedelia, so that sounds was great as well. Go Moog!

This is my type of rock album, when the vocals sounded like they were recorded in an empty apartment room. Voices just echoing everywhere, music sounds too polished these days dammit bring back the authenticity!!!

I have my own bones to pick with The Byrds, but this was enjoyable to be fair...

Unexpectedly good - a cut above the usual late 60's psychedelia. I'll come back to this one.

Honnêtement pour moi The Byrds se résumait à leur tube Turn! Turn! Turn! et à leur aura musicale que je savais très importante. La fan de CSNY que je suis ne savait même pas que David Crosby avait été un des chanteurs de ce groupe ! Leur folk-country psychédélique m'a embarqué, et leur influence paraît en effet indéniable : un peu comme si Syd Barrett et Simon&Garfunkel avait fait un album ensemble.

Back in my first attempt to do the 1001 albums, Pet Sounds was the very first album I got. While I had heard it before, it was that listen that made it my favorite album of all time. The next one I got was this. I was young and excited to experience these new avenues of music that I was just beginning to be informed on. The only stuff I knew about the sixties was Pet Sounds and the Beatles’ entire catalog. This album by the Byrds extended my views vastly. While the album didn’t feel a whole lot different from what the Beatles were doing (in fact, it felt like what they were doing but a tad inferior), I still enjoyed it. In the years that I have come back to the record, with a wider knowledge of music history, but especially of the ‘60s, I can very much identify the points of inspiration the Byrds were taking on here, as well as where they were pushing things forward. In comparison with many of their contemporaries, the fact that the band put country pop songs next to psychedelic mind fucks next to baroque pop ditties that are almost all incredibly well written is nothing short of an accomplishment. The Byrds, while they weren’t the best to do it of their era, showcased the peak of their abilities here. They weren’t the most talented at any of the sounds that they attempted, but they attempted them and made fantastic songs in the process. There’s not many bands that try as many styles on one singular release as The Byrds did here, and for that, they were surely successful. No, this didn’t follow up Pet Sounds. Arguably nothing can. But a musically decade defining album? That at the very least did important things for my musical knowledge going forward.

Have this album and I like it quite a bit.

This started off good and then went sideways to weird, even for me

Very fine album

Weirdly I’d JUST been recommended this album as apparently John squire was a big fan. I can see why, wobbly guitary psychedelia. It’s decent actually.

Ein faszinierendes Album, das den typischen Byrds-Stil mit einer Prise Simon & Garfunkel verbindet. Die sauberen und gut produzierten Songs bieten eine angenehme Hörerfahrung. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die Tracks “Going Back” und “Wasn’t Born to Follow”, die durch ihre eingängigen Melodien und harmonischen Arrangements überzeugen. Gerne mal wieder.

Phew, there is a Byrds album I do like: when they do psychedelic folk. Good harmonies and haunting sound on this one, with “Artificial Energy,” “Draft Morning,” and “Tribal Gathering” standing out.

I had never truly listened to The Byrds before this challenge. Now I’m on the third album of theirs that’s been assigned and I am continually amazed!

7/10…igwas zw. Country und Psychadelic Rock

Me sorprendió el sonido, la influencia de The Beatles es muy notoria en este banda, o al menos en este álbum.

Chris Hillman is a vital organ of the American rock corpus. Discuss.

best byrds one so far

listening to this record feels almost as though you are listening to one long sound, that modulates and changes slightly as it flows smoothly into the next track. this creates an ethereal, gentle sound, which appeals greatly to me, characterised by seemingly-eternal harmonies , that pervade every single track. as is often the case with many albums recorded in this time, its production was rife with interpersonal challenges. to then create a record such as this, which, in contrast, often seems happy and hopeful, is quite a feat in my eyes.

The Bryds need a whole different rating system. There stuff was so good. This really is not my favorite Byrds album. That would be Mr. Tambourine Man and Sweetheart. But this is damn good. You can tell the influence of the Beatles and Beach Biys in the production especially. And of course Dylan in some of the lyrics. I’m giving 4 stars on the Byrds adjusted scale but clearly a 5 star on the normal scale

I liked this album much more than the name suggested I might. A very fun listen, good vibes

I'm a sucker for 60s psych rock, what can I say. This album is very spacey and chill, while still having enough energy to keep it open. I love the ethereal vocals and guitar.

Хороший альбом, мне понравился. Я, к тому же, полюбил то, что некоторые песни переходят друг в друга, составляя единое произведение.

I liked this way more than expected. Definitely a bit derivative from the psychedelic albums that came out the year previous but definitely a different spin on the sound.

überraschenderweise hats mir gut gfallen

Solid classic rock. I enjoyed this one more than Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

They weren't cappin when they said this record was "ethereal", it was quite a nice listen. I had no idea that Carole King had a hand in writing one of the songs on here which explains the wonderful lyrics. I wouldn't say this is a perfect record but it retained my attention throughout my time listening to it. Some great psychedelic rock for ya. Best - Goin Back, Draft Morning, Get to You, Change Is Now, and Tribal Gathering Worst - no bad songs 4.00/5

7.5/10 This was nice, a swerve from what I expected Yes, 60s California pop but very psychedelic with hints of country and really interesting production Good tunes, good vocals, all through an interesting lens Feels a couple of years ahead of its time Sometimes the vocals felt too low in the mix and got lost a bit Best: Old John Robertson

nice, jangly 60s music

A good album, I liked Goin' Back, Wasn't Born to Follow, Get to You and Space Odyssey.

after 5 listens i finally perceive the truth: this is pretty good

Pretty good, experimental album that took some risks that hit, and some that didn't (moog machine, I'm talking about you!) but overall a good listen. I'm pretending that whatever that ending track was doesn't exist and is merely a fragment of my imagination so that I can justify a 4.

Another solid folksy album. It gets a little weird and experimental here and there like the song Dolphin's Smile which was nice. Gave it a little extra something.

I like that the Byrds were willing to stretch and grow as a band. The fact that they were one of the first bands to use the Moog is pretty cool (although the songs they used it on were not that interesting). I knew that "Triad" was the song that Crosby had a lot of dispute with the Byrds. His performance on the live CSNY album is spellbinding. This is pretty good too, but I was so used to the live acoustic performance this paled in comparison. The first bunch of songs really open the album well. "Artificial Energy" has a great horn set, and the cover "Goin' Back" works well. "Draft Morning" was a bit on the nose for me, but most protest songs usually are. "Get To You" has a bit of a waltz feel, but I dig the 5/4 time. ("White Room" is probably one of my favorite 60s songs.) Things I did not care for: "Space Odyssey." The effects just got really annoying, and the lyrics just felt like someone who had no idea what they were talking about writing science fiction. I wish the moog was incorporated in other songs better. It's funny how we think of the band as just "Turn! Turn ! Turn!" when they went on for a while with quality work. This is an example of it, I really enjoyed this album. Top tracks: "Artificial Energy," "Goin' Back," "Get To You," "Draft Morning"

I enjoyed this album much more then I thought I would. this album is full of pretty vocals and simple yet engaging instrumentals. Really got a beatles vibe from this but I think that is more 60s rock as a whole def will listen to more

I was in the mood for this & I enjoy this band. 3.5 stars.

I love the psychedelic folk rock and early experimental vibes of this album. The track with the Moog synthesizer was funny but also kind of cool for the time.

Love the psychedelic 60's vibe. In my opinion, it lacks a certain element to be great. Wasn't born to follow, and Tribal gathering stood out as songs that was less thrown together than the rest

Begon als een gezellig folk rock album, eindigde in een halve lsd trip, 4 reten

Good, mellow background music

When you are in the mood for funky hippy music, this hits the spot!

Я ещё даже до сотни не дошëл, а это уже третий альбом птичек. И это прекрасно

I didn't realize that I associate steel guitar with country music AND The Byrds, yet here we are. Loved it.

This makes me want to drop acid and frolic freely while barefoot in the woods. Interesting experimentation, this takes a hard left turn at the end. "Goin' Back" is absolutely beautiful. "Tribal Gathering" is a blatant rip off of "Take Five"; if George Harrison had to pony up, David Crosby should have too. Though, by the way the cover looks, he ponied up in his own way.

Pretty good stuff

Yeah, great album.

Some of the album kind of melded together in the middle and the ending got a but weird. But overall it was really good music that I plan to come back to. I can see how they influenced Dylan and the Beatles and also how they influenced the Byrds.

The electronic songs are way more interesting than some of the psych rock songs, but draft morning is a classic, despite leaning more to the latter. The moog experimentation makes this a great album instead of just a decent yet forgettable album.