Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I preferred the first couple of songs over the rest of the album. I thought that the album overall was pretty forgettable, but for the occasional fun instrumental, this one will get a 3.
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.
Starts off fairly standard and devolves into some weird experimentation stuff
I remember this album cover vividly from my dad's collection. I was a master of the turntable by 6 yrs old and I dove into what he had available (Usually due to the cover! The horse got me!). I've heard this one before, my dad loved the Byrd harmonies and had several albums by them. Sounds dated from the very first note. They have a very distinct sound and special harmonies, you know their sound right away. "Goin' Back" was familiar, as was "Wasn't Born To Follow". I'm a bit surprised this Byrds album got the nod instead of their debut (which had actual hits on it and established their sound) but then this list includes "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" which kinda sucks. I continue to be baffled by this T1001 playlist. There was nothing on this album to justify a spot in what should be the creme de la creme. Help me understand why it was included. It was boring, dated, without hits or hooks and fell short of my expectations (as a kid, and again today). 2 stars
Ok, um disco de folk da idade da minha mãe... E me manteve empolgado, as músicas curtas mantém a energia alta e achei engraçado como conhecia uma canção do album e não fazia ideia disso. Não sei quando ouvirei outra vez, mas com toda certeza o farei
fine
7/10 – Good
This felt like a prototype for a better psychadelic album. Still good but just not fully fleshed out
Reminds me of cream
🥱 I liked these guys when I was a kid because they sounded like 'the Sixties.' (This was back in the nineties, mind you.) But now, it sounds too much like 'the Sixties.' That was a long 28 minutes!
++*: Artificial Energy ++: Natural Harmony, Draft Morning, Get to You, Old John Robertson, Tribal Gathering +: Wasn't Born to Follow, Change Is Now, Dolphin's Smile, Space Odyssey +-: Goin' Back 7,7/10
A hugely influential album. Lacking a little in low end bass making it sound a bit tinny. 4 stars. Favourite track - natural harmony.
I should like the Byrds more but I don't.
It's pleasant enough but even after a few listens nithing really stands out or is memorable
Good to hear something by the Byrds other than Mr Tambourine man
This album has some okay moments but other than that it's as dull as it gets. You could ask me about the album in a week's time and I will have forgotten everything about it. It's not absolutely terrible - the songs themselves are pleasant enough to have on - but it's just so boring.
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.
Repetitive. Sterile. Bad mixing on some songs. No reason to return to this album.
This is exactly what I figured the 60s would sound like. Very hippy dippy but not my scene.
Delightfully weird. I'm glad to know this one is out there
Psychedelic rock/pop music from the 1960s. Some parts of this gets very freaky in an "ahead of its time" sense, like "Draft Morning," which becomes a chaotic sound effect collage right in the middle. Unfortunately, despite bringing interesting ideas to the table, the song writing on this one doesn't do much for me. Still appreciate it though.
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
A really nothing burger physc rock album. Never really been a fan of the band so I’m not surprised. That moog song sucked super ass tho
For all of the psychedelic rock albums that sound exactly like this album, did I really need to listen to this particular Byrds album? Like, sure, it was experimental and fundamental in developing the folk-rock sound, but do I seriously have to listen to another three of their albums?
The Byrds had some GREAT tracks, but I don’t think they ever produced a great album. This certainly isn’t. It’s interesting. They created a series of interesting sounds. But in 1968, pushing your own psychedelic boundaries didn’t distinguish you. And the only one of them who showed any talent for songwriting - Gene Clark - was long gone by this point.
Hey it's a Byrd no it's the monkeys no it's the Beatles no it's the beach boys wait no it's was the byrds
Artificial Energy 3.4 Goin' Back 3.7 Natural Harmony 3.3 Draft Morning 3.6 Wasn't Born to Follow 3.3 Get to You 3.3 Change Is Now 3.5 Old John Robertson 3.3 Tribal Gathering 3.6 Dolphin's Smile 3.2 Space Odyssey 3.3 Score: 3.409090909
Not bad, but not a fave.
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"
Songs and they sound mostly the same, but pleasant.
This is exactly what I would expect from a band named the Byrds big fan of this. They are notorious. Just noises man. Fuck yeah. Very early folk indie vibes very S&G I'm into this. Giving me very Hobbit vibes. Not a lot of variety in sound however. B ut it's gets a pass bc I like it. Yeah not much to say very enjoyable not very memorable or varied but great listen and definitely in my playlists. Favourite: Tribal Gathering Least favourite: Dolphin's Smile
A nice chill psych folk and rock album not many highlights here except for "Goin' Back" 7/10 Favourite: Goin' Back Least Favourite: Old John Robertson
Not my cup of tea.
Decent album. Nothing exciting, but enjoyable enough. 3/5
I didn't mind this but it doesn't really stand out from any given psychedelic rock album from that time.
Innovative at the time, but doesn't hold up too well.
very outdated album, you could tell it was made in the 1960s. I still enjoyed listening to it nonetheless. Best track was Goin’ Back.
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
Moon Raga is not my jam. Sounds like elaborate farts made by someone who inhaled a lot of helium
Fairly shite
Sooooo boring
nah
_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.
***a good, easy listening album
Los beatles más drogados
The Byrds are always great. Enjoyed this one a lot.
Was not expecting some of the more country forward songs on this album and they were very pleasant sounding.
One of my favourites of all time
Some good tracks, but overall a little too folky for my taste.
Washed through, did nothing for me.
Never heard of this. Favorites: Goin' Back Thoughts: Pleasant enough, this is the music I'd listen to if I was next to a babbling brook under the sun.
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!
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
I no longer get excited by the phrase "late-'60s musical experimentation," but on here it seems to work. The songs are catchy enough and don't overstay their welcome.
However groundbreaking it may have been at the time, to modern ears it's all a bit mid.
It was alright
So much more depth than the other Byrds album we’ve had. Some cool musical effects, decent variety, and even some lyrical depth.
Better than the previous one the list gave me, still boring, but still mercifully short. Too much stuff from these guys.
i love 60s music so much.
sweet!
Wasn’t overly keen on it for the most part, would be decent with substances I guess for the prog moog parts
Nothing special here
Not one of their best
4/5
Will listen to again
Thankfully I had never heard of the Brothers Byrd and hopefully I never do in the future
Just ok. Not great
Some ok tunes, seemed derivative for time period after a while
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!
Pretty good. Very nice album, enjoyable listening.
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
es como música de radio que no volvería a escuchar pero no es mala
цікаві електронік саундс
• 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
This record was ok. There were some cool parts. The Notorious BYRD was lot more accessible than I thought. Psychedelic folk is probably a good way to describe this record.
Only one song over 3 minutes (listened to original album without bonus tracks). So it went down very easy. Is it weird to not like 60's psychedelia, but enjoy 70's progressive rock? Because that's how I am with this one. The 60's psych stuff grates on me, the country influences are an interesting mix that's not totally unsuccessful, and the early hints of 70's progressive rock make me wish this album was made maybe 5 years later. A lot of the songs feel more like demos / ideas than fully fleshed out songs... overall, nothing I would come back to.
It's a interesting álbum, but unfortunately It's not My type. I appreciate the effort, anyway.
I gotta listen to it i forgot 😅😅
Good album. Lots of variety, good production, quick runtime. The country songs are terrible, but that's the genre for you. 3.0/5.0: Good
i blinked and this was over. it didnt leave much of an impression either way.
British twangly twee tosh. Does nothing for me at this point.
It was fine. Clearly experimenting and trying some things, most of which mostly worked.
gentle- good calm background
It's only a couple of weeks since I had Younger Than Yesterday by The Byrds and this album has a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses. Mainly, you can have great songs and you can have musical experimentation, but you can't have both on the same track.
Favorite Track: Wasn’t Born to Follow
There’s some interesting experimental stuff mixed in with more “normal” 60s pop rock. They aren’t afraid to try things and there’s some historical context that they were pushing the boat out, metaphorically and musically speaking. Kudos to them but catching up on my reviews from Saturday and apart from the weird (Moog Raga) and interesting (Universal Mind Decoder) it hasn’t really stuck with me. So a 3 it is.
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.
My first reaction was that this is like a less polished Simon and Garfunkel with more experimental elements. After a repeat listen, there is a bit more going on here and it's quite an intriguing album. There is some experimentation and some of those experiments have aged fairly badly ('Moog Raga' I'm looking at you...), but there is also mix of surprising themes and lyrics that add a depth to this album that I originally missed. It is less polished that S&G, but it also has a bit more bite.
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.
Solid folk pop album with some really fun moments. Takes a bit to get going (A side notably weaker in my opinion) and ends on a strange note, but inoffensive and decent to listen to overall. Top tracks: Change Is Now, Tribal Gathering, Dolphin's Smile
One of the okayest albums so far
Goin' Back sounds a lot like House of Cards by Radiohead. Overall average, fun album with solid production.
Klassisk 60/70-skiva. Ett sound som är habilt. Går inte igång riktigt på det, krävs nåt lite mer, som det bjuds på i sången "change is now". Den är grym. Resten ok.
Habil skiva, trevlig lyssning och föredömligt kort. Change is now sticker ut som den bästa låten och hade önskat några till i samma kaliber för högre betyg.
this is an album where i understand that it was perhaps groundbreaking at the time, it doesn’t really hold up today imo. the ideas here were fleshed out later and greatly improved upon. sounds like a prototype CSN&Y. “Draft Morning” is an insane song, and the moog is sick
It was ok, I liked the first half or so of the album but it got pretty old after a bit 3 stars 6/10
Nothing stands out about this album, good or bad. It is truly a whole album with lots of variety and some innovation (early use of the Moog synthesizer and notions of threesomes!).
The difference between the "greats" and the rest is, the great albums, bands and songs are fondly played by future generations. The rest are only remember in lists like this. The Byrds are in the latter category.
Innovative, groundbreaking, aged as elegantly as roadkill.
My complaint with the Byrds' debut record, Mr. Tambourine Man, was that the songs were too similar to one another. They hit their musical stride with the title track and seemed to stick with it a little too closely, since every subsequent track had roughly the same mood and exactly the same instrumentation. The Notorious Byrd Brothers does a better job, though what it boasts in variety, it balances out with a healthy dose of datedness. Old John Robertson and Dolphin's Smile are extremely weak tracks that focus more on sounding as goofy and airheaded as possible without actually being interesting. The latter in particular is just an echoey mess of vocals and other noises. The only solace is that these tracks are the two shortest on the record. Artificial Energy is a strong opener, featuring large-and-in-charge horns and great vocal harmonisation. Reminds me of late-era Simon & Garfunkel. The following track, Goin' Back, alleviates any worries I have of the album being monotonous. It's soft, lilting, and the standout instrument is the bassline. Draft Morning is arguably even better, since it contains a rise and fall in tension. Which is almost invariably a great choice for any song. A Day in the Life, Heroin, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You... some of the finest tracks of artists from this period follow the same pattern. Wasn't Born to Follow makes perfect sense as the most popular track, but I'd have to be in a different mood to adore it as much as more laid-back songs on the record. It's cheery and acoustic-guitar-heavy – a surefire combo to win over the crowds – but the most interesting songs are elsewhere. 3/5 Key tracks: Goin' Back, Draft Morning, Change Is Now
Another pleasant enough yet questionably “essential” album from The Byrds.
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.
at first i was like what is this hillbilly business but then i heard the ending of Get to You , absolutely lovely makes me wanna embody a hippy holding hands with their community and dancing in a circle . Dolphin’s Smile also caught my eye. Out at seaaaaaa
Didn't really do anything for me. Some unique instruments though. I skipped through some of Universal Mind Decoder - Alternative Backing Track.
Not something I really enjoyed listening to but feels good for the background of a bar or something
If ever there was a recording of its time and place this is it. Summer of Love, west coast California. There's Vietnam, Drugs, Psychedelia, Tribal Love, Visions, Aliens, All of us Coming Together and all the hippy accoutrements. It's sung in the sort of lush vocal harmonies that were big at the time (see also The Mammas and The Pappas and The 5th Dimension) and combines folk, jazz, rock and pop and drenches it all in more phasing and flanging and production tricks than seems possible. Imagine "Revolver" but dial it up to 11. It's all very trippy and of the moment, but I think its moment us well past. Also: "I'm coming down off amphetamine I'm in jail coz I killed a queen." Really??
I don’t think this was the Byrds album that belonged on the list. It started off good but kind or went off the rails.
Classic
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.
Some cool tones in here. Some pretty whatever songs too. I like the fart song. Moog Raga. Hell yeah
Yeah all good- some fun aspects to this music. Seems heavily inspired by the Beatles
So nice to hear! 3.5
endless meandering monotony
I enjoyed the listen, it was very relaxing to hear something so calming but yet so energetic.
I think I like this enough for a 3 but need to identify the songs I like
liked it a lot more than I thought I would but some parts are repetitive and could have a bit more wow factor
It's inevitably dated, but it's pleasantly experimental as well and I liked it. And I love the Byrds' vocal harmonies. Quick and easy, not a bad album at all, but not a masterpiece as well.
Really good sound with several outstanding tracks - and the inclusion of an apparent dust-up within the band during a recording session - very strange.
Sounds very Beatles-influenced to me, enjoyed the psychedelic elements (some of the instrumentals were quite fun), but for lots of songs both the instruments and vocals felt a bit dull, nothing stood out/took center stage
I really like how they use different time signatures than is normal to use in your basic popular music. The 5/8 was really fun in get to you and tribal gathering. I should listen to the album again to try to find other times they use funky time signatures.
Easy breezy jangle folk country pop. Ethereal, quiet, comes in, does it's thing, promptly leaves.
Such a mellow album. I could listen to it anytime.
Always disappointed when I look up a Byrds song I like and it was written/partially written by someone else. Happens often! Wasn’t born to follow, Ballad of easy rider, Turn Turn Turn, My Back Pages, Mr. Tambourine man (didn’t have to look this one up but point stands). The Byrds still go hard though
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.
3.3 Thats it, we did it. We got through the 5 Byrds albums on the list. 4 to many for me
Another Byrds album! It’s ok, much like the horse
This band do nothing for me. Late 60's psychedelic rock should be interesting but it's lifeless and dull to these ears.
"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
I don’t mind this album at all. Decent 60s pop/psychedelia, but it doesn’t really stand out in any way. Might return to a couple of tracks, though
its alright
Not bad, short, good. Fine thanks
Bit dull
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?
Not amazing, but not terrible.
esch oki gsi. gwössi weder chli weird idk. eis hani mol gliket. müesst mer vlt mehrmols lose zum chli dricho oder ich zumindest
Oh boy, it's the Byrds again. I'm not into them. They have some interesting stuff, but that doesn't mean it's great.
Þessi er mjög næs, vel nýttar nýjar upptökugræjur, effectar og moog. Fínustu lög svona heilt yfir líka. Hendi fjarka á þessa með góðri samvisku.
Not a bad effort. Technically these guys could all play but they put some of the blandest music i've ever heard. One or two gems per outing but not enough to make me want to hear a whole lot from them. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" is the one Lp of theirs that I really like.
Average at best
Not their best, imitating several other melodies and style from bands like The Beatles
Meh. Usually something like this is right up my alley but there’s some misses on here.
2 Stars (5/15)
Schönes Pferd auf der rechte Seite. Due Musik ist gut, einwenig harete riffs . Würde ich kaufen..
Nothing stood out at first, b once they really got going with the experimentation it was great.
Similar to The Beatles but with nice rhythyms, nice music.
Why?
I liked this alright. We sure have had a lot of Byrds albums on this list, but they're a band I kind of always dig. 3/5
Wasn't too taken w/ the first half of this album, but I liked the back half quite a bit, so I gave it a second listen. On second listen... I thought the same. Just ok first half, really good back half. Overall, I liked it. Wish the first half held up though. 3.49/5
I’ve read more about the Byrds as part of this Challenge and understand their role as one of the great 1960s bands, bridging folk and rock, renowned for harmonies, jangle guitar, and studio innovation. But damn it, I just don’t like their music that much, and this record sounds dated to me.
Great album in it's time. Innovative sounds blending music genres.
I don't think I'm going to survive an hour of this. Yeah I didn't survive.
3.0
They maintain their sound, and solid guitar licks, but not with the same catchiness of earlier songs. There’s just more leaning into political commentary
Not there best album
Quite nice album, some songs potentially quite long. Found space odyssey to be pretty weird but some nice songs on the album for sure. Highlights Goin’ Back and Triad.
More classic rock
Was chill and enjoyable. Soothing soft sound
I dont remember a single song. But I remember that listening the album wasnt unpleasant
sympathiek plaatje... iets te veel 'go with the flow'...
couldnt tell if i was previously sleepy but my god i couldnt even finish it :") sorry
Enjoyable, great instrumentation.
Nothing crazy here. You wouldn't miss anything by skipping this one but it didn't hurt either - T
inte fy skam alltså.
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!
Half of this album rules. The other half is hopelessly mired in the worst instincts of the 1960s. I like the half that doesn't suck.
The Notorious Byrd Brothers was Len’s collective noun for his wives 4-7. That was because they were actual birds and all brothers! 2.2 5/17 Wasn’t Born To Follow
WARNING: Albums that were not well received in their day but later were "reconsidered by critics who now consider it their best" is often the kiss of death on this list. Consider yourself kissed. I really don't think we need 5 out of the first 6 Byrds albums to be on the list. Specifically, we didn't need this one. "But they are being more experimental!" is not a justification for its inclusion when every band after Sgt Pepper had figured that out. The Byrds were an important band. There are some nice sounds on this album but their first album is the most deserving and most interesting in my opinion.
The most notorious part of this album is that it is on this list. the Byrds had basically already gone their separate ways by the time this album was released. It is fine as far as it goes, but it is the first album where you can hear their obsolescence.
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
Pleasant listen here, the vocals nice, the music, nice. Everything was nice, breezy but did leave me wanting a bit more. An example of my frustration comes on what is admittedly a fantastic track, Wasn’t Born to Follow. At one point in the middle, The Byrds start to distort the music into a hazy psychedelic whirl and it abruptly ends. It felt like such a tease. I understand perhaps they didn’t want to overdo the psychedelic and chose to present a more standard folk rock record and that’s totally fine, it’s a very pretty album. I just think it could have been more interesting if things got a bit weirder. Good stuff nonetheless. The bickering between band members at the end on the extended version was hilarious as well. 3 stars
slow and old. something I would enjoy in the moment when camping/backpacking. found it hard to enjoy at home on a Saturday night.
The Byrds released two albums in the same year they fired David Crosby and while Sweetheart Of The Rodeo isn't really my cup of tea, The Notorious Byrd Brothers sticks closer to, and expands on, their psychedelic folk sound. There's a lot more going on here, sonically and musically, and I'm here for it, though you can definitely hear the power struggle/transition to the next Byrds era. Thanks for making me listen to the Byrds!
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!
Full disclosure, I heard like half of the album and skipped about halfway through most of the songs I did hear. Too busy yesterday and the album wasn’t good anyway so win/win. I like the Byrd’s greatest hits, but that’s the extent of it apparently.
An album from The Byrds being randomly served up on Thanksgiving may seem apropos…but it’s dismissed as a mere coincidence. I’m struggling to put this style of music in a nice, neat box as it has flavors from different genres. At one point I thought, “this sounds a lot like the Beatles without the drugs”, and then Moog Raga played and I thought, “Well there’s the drugs!” The sounds are crisp and the songs are (mostly) welcoming. I know The Byrds were wildly popular during the 60’s for other song they sang, but this album was just take it or leave it for me. Overall an easy listen, but I won’t be running back to them any time soon.
This is a one trick pony and it’s not a great trick. The Byrds have a unique sound but it’s very dated and this collection does nothing but reiterate that over and over again. I mean, why make an album if every single song is going to sound exactly the same?
Interesting album. I appreciate when bands experiment with new sounds, but the nuance of the new toys they used here is lost on me. It kinda sounds like folk version of the Beach Boys, and I'm not a huge fan of the Beach Boys to begin with so I'm less of a fan of this. Not for me
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.
Big fan of Draft Morning, that one's been on the listen list for a while The Tribal Gathering rhythm is nutso Love the change up in direction that Space Odyssey/Moog Raga bring
Låter grymt ju. Gärna något för samlingen
This is my third The Byrds album in the past 70. They've sort of grown on me, and I can see they had a pretty wide range. This had more of a jam-bandy feel that I didn't hate.
The Byrds ditch Dylan and jump on the psychedelic bandwagon. 🙄
60s swank
The instrumentals were truly awful but the rest was listenable. I preferred their country rock to this psychedelic flavored offering. This was uneven for me but I'll generously round up. 2.5/5
Some more interesting bits than I thought there would be, however, just that 60's sound that I don't really like
This is a quick easy listen that just seems to fly by almost to its detriment. I just wish it was a little meatier. Also, I know I complained about it, but not having a Dylan cover on here makes me a miss them. I like the horse on the cover. Favorite songs were Goin’ Back, Get To You, and Tribal Gathering.
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.
Good 60’s sound
It did not gel with me the way I wanted, but some parts were brilliant.
Cool psych album. Seems to have been a turning point for the band with members coming and going around this album.
Not for me
Notorious, you say? Space Odyssey is an incredible letdown compared to Bowie's song of the same name. The album is fine. But notorious, I'm not sure. Sure doesn't sound like it.
Nah. It’s the late 1960’s. The Byrds say “let do some psychedelic stuff so we’ll be cool like everyone else!” It didn’t work.
Probably a bit too country in its roots for me.
That was pretty cool.
love the vibes
Real mixed bag this one, loved some and for others it dragged. Going back (both versions) were hits but don't think I'll feel the need to listen in it's entirety again
Nice pop psych ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Airy vocals lots of 12 string guitar mellow
there's some good stuff here, some inventive guitar that's trying to bridge country & psychedelic it also sounds too much like Paul Simon trying to write George Harrison songs music: hated. (⌐■_■)
This one is for the birds! (I didn’t like it any more than any other of the many albums that sound basically the same as this one)
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
Nothing stood out as particularly good, but the Byrds are always pleasant to listen to.
Mellow - liked it a lot
2.5
Fluffy, hippy dippy, inauthentic scramble. There’s a space themed song in there, that’s typically a red flag for me. Much prefer Sweetheart of the Rodeo, which appears to have come out this year as well
Honestly I was so tired I barely remember this album, but I think I thought it was good. It's pretty typical 60s stuff, but it wasn't bad by any means. Favorites: Goin' Back, Old John Robertson, Tribal Gathering
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.
..
nice and progressive for its time. 3.5
There is some interesting sounds but I'd basically the beach boys on acid. Which sounds way better than this album actually is.
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
oh brother it's the Byrds
4.5
Nice
Good 60s jam band
All I really want to know is... what instrument did the horse play?
Average 60's rock. Nothing to hear here.... move along.
wow did they kill all their momentum with Moog Raga. Holy shit what happens on Universal Mind Decoder that scared the shit outta me
Cool one and the Moog Raga bonustrack made my day!! Boing boing boing! The Byrds rock.
Except for a couple of hints of the country-rock Byrds we came to love, this is an album of bland psychodelia. For completists only.
Kinda boring. Didn’t care for it and easily forgotten.
The is was ok. Nothing more.
Ehhhh 2.5/5
Overall, a good listen. I felt it started strong but I lost interest towards the end. Moog Raga was "interesting" and not really in a good way. That said, 'll definitely be playing the album again. Favourite track - "Wasn't Born To Follow"
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
It’s a shame that you can’t do 0.5 add ons. More 3.5 than 3. Easy listening.
It's the Byrds. Some great and then some that just makes you go WTF?
- .... so fucking good. -
Better album than the previous one I listened to. Musically this album is very good. Lyrically it is a much better effort. Lyrics are kept more simple and atmospheric. Good use of studio effects like phasing and flanging. Album really has a groove. Tracks don’t overstay their welcome; most are under the 3 minute mark. Notable songs include Goin Back, Natural Harmony, Wasn’t Born to Follow, Get To You, Change is Now. The phasing effects get out of hand toward the end of the album - knocked off a star for that.
Thys rycord ys boryng.
Lay down the shag rug in the back of the van baby, we're going on a road trip and listening to this album.
I found them bland back when, still do. Gotta admit though there's lots of sounds that surprised me - the sudden strings, the switch up from great country pedal steel to Robert Fripp-style soaring simple dual guitars, really really nice stuff, then right back to the snoozy harmonies. Somehow this album lives in the middle of flower child Turn Turn Turn folk and glimpses of rock and synth popping out.
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
There's too much of The Byrds on here, but I reckon this album can stay.
Not my jam
Okay-ish.
some good stuff on here but I could do without the whole track of Moog farts and the final track trying to convince two women to have a threesome with the narrator
Okay
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
I appreciate that the Byrds are highly influential, but they’ve just never done anything for me. I do like that most of their albums have a song about space. David Crosby has maybe the best song on the album with Tribal Gathering.
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!
Genug The Byrds, brauch ich nicht mehr. Danke
The Byrds are endearing and I enjoyed listening to this. Dolphin's Smile is a cute song, but my favorite is Goin' Back. "But thinking young and growing older is no sin / And I can't play the game of life to win" It was jarring when the album started over after Space Odyssey - quite a contrast from first to last track. Just a note, not a criticism. I ended up listening again, including the deluxe tracks just for fun. Moog Raga is a trip. I would listen to this again for sure, but only the og tracks.
Pretty solid listen, but not super consistent. Some of the sonic textures are really cool, particularly on Goin' Back and Natural Harmony. I like the folkier moments more than the country-esque ones. In general, most of it feels very 60s, for better or for worse, as some songs sound a bit dated. The closing track is interesting and quite forward thinking but not really good. Overall it's a pretty good album but not something I see myself returning to.
Didn’t really grab me. Though I preferred the second, more psychedelic side.
The Byrds have never resonated with me as much as some of their contemporaries. I love a lot of their songs but, other than Sweetheart of the Rodeo, I never 'got' the albums, more individual songs. And this album in particular, regularly held up as their best, didn't really land with me; I prefer Younger Than Yesterday, Turn, Turn, Turn, 5th Dimension. Not that NBB is a bad album. It is experimental blending chamber pop, country-folk, ethereal whistful balladry into a psychedelic mix in which I can hear elements which influenced the likes of Big Star, REM, Teenage Fanclub, The National, Fleet Foxes and others. It is a cohesive album despite the turmoil in the band at the time - Gene Clark had gone, only to return briefly, David Crosby was about to be sacked, as was Michael Clarke (Crosby is famously replaced by a horse on the cover...) and although the songs were rarely recorded as a band, they do sound of a piece, even if the running of tracks into each other doesn't really work for me. The production is a little weak and of its time. The horns on "Artificial Energy" sound like they were recorded from the room next door. Goffin and King's "Going Back" is possibly the best track but I prefer Dusty's version. "Draft Morning" is a good anti-Vietnam War song complete with battle sound effects. "Space Odyssey" has some early Moog synthesiser. In "Tribal Gathering" you can hear where Crosby would go next with CSN. The album deserves recognition for where it led - the introduction of Gram Parsons, who would drive the country rock of Sweetheart and then on to the Flying Burrito Brothers with Hillman; Crosby Stills and Nash; even early Eagles and Poco. So, I like it, I respect it, but I don't love it.
Lovely uplifting music, a little monotone.
2/5
As I was listening to this album I was struggling to come up with what I was going to say, mainly due to not being sure what I was thinking of it. There wasn't a bad song on the entire record, but I also didn't really love any of them either. At a certain point I realized that every song I might want to save in a playlist had something in it that distracted from my enjoyment-a guitar part, or a bit too much "psychedelia." Towards the end of the album I began to appreciate it more for that, rather than have it be a negative. It made songs that should have just been straight ahead folk, such as Old John Robertson, way more interesting. I still can't say I loved it, but I think I ended up liking it more than I thought.
Reminds me of Billy Strings, so I dig.
MOOG
I love Psych, but I don't love Pop... and there is a real fusion going on here between the two on much of this. It often sounds too approachable. Something about the melodies maybe? Moog experimentation gets some points from me, but it's primitive and a little rough. Don't hate it, but it's background music for me.
Not as good as other byrds albums. Pretty mediocre
60’s
60’s rock from the Byrde
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
Overall the album was….okay. I’d say that the first few songs were pretty nice to listen to, they were pretty easygoing. After that the songs just got odder. I may listen to a few of the songs again but definitely not all of them.
Cover 4 60s folk rock of not my jam.
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
There are too many Byrds albums here.
Maybe not the right day mood for this listen, but fun.
I don't wanna know, what they smoked...:-)
- soft rock - beruhigend - schöne klang - chli repetitov, country aghuucht
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.
The Byrds are a tough one. They're a bit like a bridge between older sounds and a new psychedelic era. With that being said, they do sound more dated than others in the genre. I get that they're pioneers and lead to many other great artists, but they aren't my favorite of the time period. Just missing a couple pieces. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
The random horse on the album art absolutely kills me. This is the first of 5 The Byrds albums I have listened to for this project, and I’m pretty sure it was exactly what I needed to hear today. I am wholly unfamiliar with this band, so having 5 albums is a bit surprising to me, but this was a great first time listen-through. Nothing absolutely blew me away, but as a whole, every song was psychedelic, rocked, and was different enough from the one before it that I was fully engaged the entire time. It all flows very naturally into itself. Love the singers voice, love the smooth bass and the psychedelic guitar riffs. Yeah, this was a pretty good one. As the “newest” The Byrds album on the list, I guess I’m now very interested to see the reverse progression of the band and find out how we ultimately got here. My favorite song on this album was “Tribal Gathering”. When the site states that this one is 4 different genres of music in 1, it’s not kidding. You can really hear all 4, and that’s for the most part what makes this one so unique and memorable to me.
Psychedelic guitar reminencent of country, but quickly takes an interesting turn into exploration of sound.
Dear god, another one of these albums. I can't take them. It's just they're so hippy like, but not in a good way. It's somewhere between psychedelia, country and folk, with these soft vocals, ugh. I can't. But I guess they were very representative of the time.
A victim of listening while doing other things but nothing screamed "you need to listen again!" although I did appreciate the occasional use of synth in a 60s folk rock album. Alright, I'll go back some time.
i liked this better than sweetheart of the radio but my qualm is just that it’s SO long. i dont need alternative versions or instrumental only and god knows i don’t need ACTUAL COMMENTARY or someone just talking about it. up until we got to the bonus shenanigans this was good though so i’m still going with 3.
This is another with a billion extra tracks that make it double the length it's supposed to be. The single "get back" was pretty naff and reminded me of their other album. But in their credit, the Moog sounds on natural harmony are great and it made the whole thing way more interesting. The rest of the album kind of went on. The songs are just a bit slow and I struggled to get into them. Every so often there would be an interesting part or sound, but it was gripping. Maybe the lyrics were strong, but none especially jump out after this listen.
Does nothing for me
The music is pretty pleasant at times. The vocals don't do anything for me. A little boring overall but with some interesting musical ideas. "Change is Now" is actually pretty damn good.
det bedste vi har haft med The Byrds indtil videre, synes bare stadig de lyder som så meget andet fra den æra. Ikke noget der gør dem her mere interessante end så mange andre psych rock bands
Virkelig god brug af psykedelia. Den her var super fed.
Great start, then came the shrooms.
It's fine. Very 60s sounding. Just like all the other byrds albums.
Very cool album - love the 60s rock sound