The Notorious Byrd Brothers

Classic

Some cool tones in here. Some pretty whatever songs too. I like the fart song. Moog Raga. Hell yeah

So nice to hear! 3.5

I think I like this enough for a 3 but need to identify the songs I like

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.

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

3.3 Thats it, we did it. We got through the 5 Byrds albums on the list. 4 to many for me

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

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

Not their best, imitating several other melodies and style from bands like The Beatles

Nothing stood out at first, b once they really got going with the experimentation it was great.

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

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

sympathiek plaatje... iets te veel 'go with the flow'...

Nothing crazy here. You wouldn't miss anything by skipping this one but it didn't hurt either - T

inte fy skam alltså.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

Good 60’s sound

It did not gel with me the way I wanted, but some parts were brilliant.

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.

Probably a bit too country in its roots for me.

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

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. (⌐■_■)

Nothing stood out as particularly good, but the Byrds are always pleasant to listen to.

2.5

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

nice and progressive for its time. 3.5

Nice

All I really want to know is... what instrument did the horse play?

Cool one and the Moog Raga bonustrack made my day!! Boing boing boing! The Byrds rock.

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"

It’s a shame that you can’t do 0.5 add ons. More 3.5 than 3. Easy listening.

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.

There's too much of The Byrds on here, but I reckon this album can stay.

Okay-ish.

Okay

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

sonic youth owns man

decent album

I kind of know what to expect now whenever I get a Byrds album (this is my third one). Usually lighter psychedelic rock, with some country and folk mixed in. It's not bad, but also not particularly memorable. Experimental, but a bit dated. Interesting to hear that this was one of the first albums to use the Moog synthesizer though.

There's some cool songs on here, it's a very alternative folk sound, I do like hearing the psychedelic influence. I'm sure I listen to artists who've been influenced by this, be it this record or by other Byrds projects. It loses me on more than a couple of places though, very strong Americana that I can stomach, but still slowly annoys me. I wish those instrumental bonus tracks had been placed on the original track list. It is ahead of its time. It kinda feels like 1968, that's much stronger when you get a feel for the moog raga bonus track. Otherwise, original album sounds like an album I could've forgotten about from an indie band in 2018. 2.7/5

I swear I've already listened to this one

Expected from the era.

Good fun, folky rock album. Similar to a lot of their peers, but nothing I didn’t like

Psychoyeehaw? Surprised that I liked this as much as I did.

chill

Not bad, not great, just kind of meh. 2.75 / 5

By 1968, The Byrds were already a band in flux, with lineup changes and clashing egos threatening to overshadow their music. The Notorious Byrd Brothers reflects that tension—it’s a record that flirts with psychedelic experimentation while still tethered to the folk-rock sound that made them famous. Unfortunately, the production feels thin and distant, with the instruments lacking punch and the vocals washed in reverb, giving the album a slightly hollow feel. Still, there are bright spots: “Goin’ Back” and “Wasn’t Born to Follow” shine with tender melodies, while “Change Is Now” showcases the group’s trademark harmonies at their most inviting. It’s a patchy listen, but those moments of clarity remind you why The Byrds mattered, even as they struggled to keep their wings steady.

Classic rock sound. Enjoyed it. Space oddity had a song that sounded like it utilized a kazoo

3 Throughout this entire list, I’ve been told that The Byrds are a sort of proto-psychedelic band, and I’m finally just now hearing it with this album… which is ironic considering the country/folk vibes given off by the cover. Granted, I’m pretty sure the horse is only there as a jab at ex-Byrd David Crosby, despite what the other members have had to say over the years - it feels pretty damn deliberate to me. I digress, I’ll finally concede that The Byrds have a psychedelic sound to them here… but is it a sound that was really all that formative for the genre? Surrealistic Pillow, Are You Experienced, and The Door’s debut were all already a year old at this point, and Donovan already had a few albums under his belt. Also, these guys ditched this exact sound not even a year later with their followup and actual country album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo. I know The Byrds had been around a hot minute themselves at this point, but I can’t help but wonder if their influence on the genre is perhaps a touch overblown. That said, I thought the overall sound of this album was enjoyable, and in particular, I liked how most songs flowed into the next. Still, this suffers the same problem for me that all of their other albums do, in that no one song in particular feels like a standout or really all that remarkable in any way. Given this is more of a psychedelic album, you could argue that’s not the point, you’re just supposed to unplug and enjoy the ride, but I found this ride pretty tame - if we were going based off the Cedar Point scale, I guess this would be like the gondola that takes you over the park. Maybe I’m just a little too young to understand their importance, but I don’t really think The Byrds are for me. They’re not bad, but I think you can find the same sounds captured on their records in better forms from other artists, some I’d be willing to concede they probably influenced.

3.7

Not bad, but not great. You can hear why it was influential but why they were falling off (that and the personnel changes).

Cool album

I knew absolutely nothing about this band before, and I didn’t expect much from what seems like a very dated psychedelic folk band. But it was a pleasant surprise, and I quite enjoyed the album. Sounds a bit like Simon & Garfunkel, but softer and trippier. Some songs are a bit too country for me, but there’s always an interesting psychedelic twist somewhere that make them worthwhile. This is not usually my kind of music, but for some reason it seems to work here (not sure if it’s the band itself or my receptive mood today), and by the end of the album I was almost ready to buy a Volkswagen van and join a community. It gets a bit repetitive – a longer album would have been boring, but this one is really short with mostly 2-minutes song, so it didn’t bother me.

Good music. The Byrds have a very distinctive sound with the chimey guitar and ethereal vocal harmonies . The anti-war song "draft morning" is captivating.

The Beatles but not as good, nice, pretty, poppy. Not love at first sight, but yeah, it must have influenced. Vocal harmonies sound nice, and some songs like Tribal Gathering are excellent with a delicate touch of rock. Kinda too folky for me… especially since Cheap Thrills, we just had yesterday and from the same year, feels much more exciting. Yet I might give it another try.

Album 878 of 1089 The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968) Rating : 2.5 / 5 This was another one where I expected more. I seem to remember liking The Byrds, but this album didn’t reinforce that at all. It struck me as pretty drab. The vocals were nice, the musicianship solid, but the songs themselves - while some were quite pleasant - just didn’t do anything for me. I know they have better in their catalog, but this one left me underwhelmed.

scale(s): 1 - skipping if heard it again/actually skipped it 2- meh can be skipped/reaches point to skip 3 -nothing wrong/easy listen/not seeking out 4 - would listen to again 5 - must listen "saying the name of the song early scale" (SNSES) Will be accounted for when I can remember. Artificial Energy: 3 Goin Back: 4, Excellent rating on the SNSES, Natural Harmony: 3 Draft Morning: 4- 0/5 on the SNSES Wasn't Born to Follow: 3 Get to You: 2 Change is Now: 3 Old John Robertson: 3 Tribal Gathering: 3 Dolphin's Smile: 2 i genuinely did not remember listening to this soo Space Odyssey: 2 Moog Raga: what the fuck 1 Bound to Fall: 4 Triad: 4 Goin' Back AGAIN!: 4 Draft Morning- alternate end: 4 Universal Mind Decoder: really like the minutes of silence and dont think i can rate this one. Ok actually 10 minutes in is hilarious they're just bitching at each other so this gets a 6/5 overall 3/5

scale: 1 - skipping if heard it again/actually skipped it 2- meh can be skipped/reaches point to skip 3 -nothing wrong/easy listen/not seeking out 4 - would listen to again 5 - must listen Artificial Energy - 2.5 Goin' Back - 4 Natural Harmony - 3 Draft Morning - 3 Wasn't Born to Follow - 4 Get to You - 3.5 Change Is Now (Single Version) - 3.5 Old John Robertson - 3 Tribal Gathering - 3 Dolphin's Smile - 2.5 Space Odyssey - 3 3.2/5 for first 11 Extended Album: Moog Raga (instrumental) - 2 Bound to Fall (instrumental) - 2.5 Triad - 2.5 Goin' Back (Extended Version) - 4 Draft Morning (alternate end) - 3.5 better ending Universal Mind Decoder (Alternate Backing Track) - 1 - I'm sure it is interesting if youre a big fan of the band and like silence and them talking to each other 2.97/5 with extended

It was pretty good, very psychedelic flower rock. I could totally dig it and have listened to and enjoyed similar sounds from more recent artists.

Overall: 6/10 This is my first real exposure to The Byrds. The harmonies on this album are so incredibly beautiful. The best part of it by far. There's a bit of a country feel on these songs, but I'd still call it a rock album. I actually think some of the songs would have benefitted from being a bit longer, as a lot of this album feels unfinished. Fav Song: Goin' Back

The Byrds have always been an interesting novelty to me without ever really connecting. I can appreciate all the genre mixing and experimentation, but none of it really elevates any of the songs, wch on this album probably play better stoned.

I can hear how they influenced The Beatles and other musicians, etc. It’s ok.

i like this a lot ! mix of beatles and beach boy vibes

This is more like Simon and Garfunkel and The Beach Boys than Led Zeppelin. I really thought there would be more to these guys. It’s pure harmonizing, which is a talent, I’m just surprised. I fear this is an album of mediocrity. I was really looking forward to listening to these guys. There isn’t much memorable from this album. I liked where “Wasn’t Born to Follow” was going but then the thing went back to that mellow toned harmonizing style. That’s it. That’s this album in a nutshell.

Rather generic 60s folk rock with a hint of country. Not much of note here, except for the last track being a shift in style to a more psychedelic sound.

Not too bad

The chefs in the kitchen were making some nice simple mashed potatoes and steaks and then some dumb ass sous chef said "but what if we just deep fried the entire kitchen" and then everything burned down.

Total Drama Island core, in a good way. Also what in the fuck was Moog Raga. That shit threw me so off guard. Also I don't like the flexing at the end of the album where they say how awesome they are for all the instruments they use. Like shut the fuck up. But other than that I enjoyed listening. Fave song: Wasn't Born to Follow Honorable Mention: Goin' Back

Hella mid ngl. The insturmentals songs near the end was quite unique and completely different to the whole album. Favourite Song: Goin' Back Honourable Mention: Moog Raga, Bound to Fall

J’ai du rattrapage à faire, ça sonne comme tout les albums rocks oublié des années 60, mid, on passe au prochain

This was inoffensive folk rock. I have nothing against it but it was nothing to write home about.

This is a soft pop record. They don’t have flutes and glocks and crap but they do sing ‘La la la la’

Not too bad, not my favorite Byrds album but it’s fine

Aside from 'Artificial Energy' having a great usage of horns, 'Space Odyssey' being the most experimental track, this album is nothing special. I mean, they sing and play well, and the production sounds good, but I feel that this is just another decent album from the 60's. Maybe for its time it was revolutionary. However, I honestly don't care.

This was better than I expected. Laid back sort of psychedelic. A few skippable tracks but yeah good

stare dobre byrdsy, chodzily dzisiaj po glowie beatlesy, to do posluchania czlowiek dostal ich hamerykanska wersje, prawie pol godziny przyjemnego rokowania o psychodelicznym zabarwieniu jednak stojacego na ziemi, bo nie zabraklo dobrego przekazu pacyfistycznego, to chyba ich ostatni przed przerwa krazek z crosbym na pokladzie i chyba najbardziej zmoogowany w ich dyskografii, nie chodzi tylko o bonusowego traka moogowana rage, ale spora czesc kawalkow na juz typoowo krotnim jak dla nich albumiku ma jakies elementy syntezatora, ale nadal jest to lajtowe brzmienie w ktorym chodzi glownie o brzdakanie gitarkowe, na plejce juz mialem jeden z ich najpopularniejszych kawalkow czyli wasnt born to fallow, a po tym odsluchu dodam openingowego artificial energy

There are some decent tracks here but not enough to keep your interest going. Not a big fan of the use of the moog synth on this - although it was still in its experimental phase. The whole album sounds too fragmented and lacks cohesion.

Good not great. The classic rating.

5.5 / 10 - pretty cool album, fairly middle of the road

triad, artificial energy and dolphin smile are my favourite songs on the album. Its very musically diverse with some interesting ideas, it just didn't hit me for whatever reason. maybe if I relisten again at some point I might enjoy it more

Was not too bad. Had a couple moments that stood out for me Will I listen to again: 31%

Prima Niet heel bijzonder Weinig stand-out tracks (Old John Robertson was nice) 3/5

Surprised at how experimental it was for its time. Had some good moments throughout.

This is just an all around solid psychedelic folk record full of great harmonies and interesting sonic experiments that never felt out of place. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one, but probably not going to return to it ever.

Decent. The psychedelic and folk elements don't blend well at times.

Sounded like late 60’s typical folk music. Not bad, but not great

Typical meh album

It’s fine I guess. It was also super influential I suppose. Didn’t really do anything for me. They feel like The Doors where I know I’m supposed to appreciate them and how they influenced music but I can’t. I don’t really get it. It is nice and short though.

another "meh" folksy/psych rock album.

3.0

Strong boomer sound here, have to fight through my distaste to find the quality, which there is to some extent. There's musicianship and some decent arrangements here and there, but it kinda all blends together in an unexciting blissful oblivion. The wiki article about the recording sessions is more exciting than anything on this album.

A really pleasant listen with varied instrumentation and pretty vocals. It worked just fine as background music, I might get more out of it if I revisit and focus on the music with some better headphones, in a better environment. 3 stars for now.

I’m always down for a steel guitar in a rock song, and this delivers in spades. Has some great moments of both instrumentation and vocal performance. But overall I found my mind unable to stay focused on the track.

Very strange indeed, I have tried numerous times with the Byrds and I just can't hit it off with them, hence my lonely life in the dark abyss and my constant membership of several dating sites

I enjoyed most of the tracks on this record. I liked how each track blended into the next. The only things I didn't enjoy were the heavier, distorted sounds in the latter tracks. Favourite Track(s): Get to You Least Favourite Track(s): Goin' Back, Natural Harmony, Old John Robertson

While not as famous as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, The Byrds were just as important and influential.

A few great songs ("Goin' Back", "Wasn't Born to Follow"), the rest merely good. 3.5 stars

I've always been kind of lukewarm on this album, and not totally sure why it's considered their best (or one of their best). I think the two Goffin/King songs are easily the best things here, but after that it gets a bit messy. With Gene Clark and now David Crosby out of the band, McGuinn and Hillman are forced to do a lot of the heavy lifting and I'm not that crazy about them as songwriters. The aforementioned Goffin/King songs and "Draft Morning" are the highlights for me. 3.5 stars.

A notedly un-notorious Byrd Brothers collection. It’s particularly patchy and underpowered even for them and has some incredibly drab and dirge like cuts. The best tracks are all the bonus ones such as the rejected David Crosby threesome ballad Triad and the jivesome Moog Raga.

Good album

The Beatles influences are transparent horns in Artificial Energy, The psychedelic vocals in Get to You, Moog Raga's use of the Moog to simulate a sitar, and the harmonies throughout. Unfortunately, I am not sure it all works. They are better when staying in their lane in Wasn't Born to Follow and Goin't Back. The CSN influenced Triad is a strong offering as well.

Not bad, but not great.

5/10

This had much more variety than I was expecting out of a Byrds album. I might need more time with the album but after a couple listens I was left with a "just fine" feeling.

Strong 60's rock backbone with some of trippy, experimentation mixed in, this album goes by in a breeze, and really captures the desire for escape in the late 60s. No one will mistake this for Rubber Soul, but the Byrds (Version 1.0) ended on a strong note. 3.5

Nice enough, I didn't dislike it. I wouldn't mind if it came on again in the background.

Jangly guitar pop that influenced a lot of bands that I really love.

Tredje plattan med Byrds. Känns som den svagaste.

Nach der Emanzipation von Dylan, angeblich nur in Teilen mit David Crosby. Herrlich verspult und versponnen und sehr psychedelisch, aber ohne die ganz großen Songs. Wenig überraschend überzeugen vor allem die Goffin/King-Kompositionen.

Less jangly than I’m used to from the byrds! But overall about the same level of enjoyment - it’s decent but nothing really grabs me.

Probably the worst Byrds album we've heard so far, and we've heard a lot. Still decent though and maybe jsut a reflection of the turmoil the band was going through at this time. In desperate need of remastering.

Some of this was excellent and some of it was silly-

Ah the 60's what a time that must have been. And so much good music came from that decade.

Nice album but not as distinctive as I thought it might be.

This was inoffensive at best I suppose. Didn’t light no fires, and I was kind of oblivious to it? Then Moog Raga comes along and slaps you right in the tits with how crap it is.

This isn’t a Byrds album I would’ve picked for this list. Or maybe it is. I listen to it fairly often. It’s spiteful (they fired Crosby mid-session and replaced him with a literal horse on the cover), spacey, and kinda great. The sound of a band politely imploding. And tucked right in there is Wasn’t Born to Follow, a clear signpost toward Sweetheart of the Rodeo, where they finally got their act together for five minutes and accidentally invented country rock.

Not terrible, but not great either.

solid 60s sound--> don't think I'd listen again but didn't mind listening to it this morning. Only the first song about speed was familiar to me because it was on an album I got for Hanukah when I was a kid: "Do It Now" --a sentiment I always thought was a little weird coming from my parents

Favorites: Artificial Energy, Draft Morning, Change Is Now The first Byrds record without David Crosby, and likely the last really beloved Byrds album. Not everything clicked for me, but I still found it a pleasant listen.

I spent all of side 1 waiting for a song to catch my attention. 5/4 caught my attention; That song was alright. Then Side 2: What the hell? Another song in 5/4? This song is great. I almost like Dolphin's Smile but something comes short. The synth part at the beginning certainly softened my heart to it. Listening to Space Odyssey I figured it must just be his voice

Bit boring but I do love the Byrds. They musicality never fails to impress me. Just not my fave

I was going to say this was cut-rate Beatles style psychedelia influenced by Sgt. Pepper’s, but a friend told me that timing didn’t quite work and Eight Miles High was kind of like this too (my Byrds knowledge is pretty limited.) Either way, it’s fine. Goin’ Back might stand out to me the most and that’s a cover so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Background music to me

A relaxing listen for a relaxing day

Might have scored slightly higher but in one song they mugged off Elvis calling him a racist. I ain’t having that!

Some interesting songs here: drums, droning melodies, lyrics.

Perfectly pleasant listen with nice harmonies and some groovy influences.

An interesting historical album from a band I wasn't very familiar with. The troubled history of the production made for a good read. A lot of the synth effects sound somewhat dated, but were certainly groundbreaking for the time. My favorite track was probably Born to Follow, the psychedelic breakdown 1 minute into it is awesome, and then that country bass just picks right back up again. I can see how the country-folk-electric sound was super influential, but not much here was particularly memorable to me.

It was enjoyable listen if you’re into that late 60’s, Summer of Love, Hippie/Folk, Chill Rock sound. 3.5 ⭐️

Podoba mi się eksperymentowanie, szukanie własnej ścieżki i mieszanie gatunków na tej płycie. Tekst i wokal tworzą jasny, korentny obraz, ale mimo wszystko czegoś mi brakuje. Nie porywa tak jakbym chciała. 6.5/10 równane w dół.

good

this was pretty good.

This was ok, kuddos for the experimentation. Somewhat interesting listen but didn’t blow me away.

The amount of band members and players that came and went (and came back again) to make this record rivals the amount of Spinal Tap drummers. The signature harmonies are still as timeless today, but there was less jangle and a slight overuse of studio effects. Still, this was a fine listen that it seems is probably more of an influential bridge to other artists than standing out on its own.

I liked this, didn’t love it. Lacked any super memorable songs, and a lot of this kind of started bleeding together.

Sure. It was fine. About what I expected but nothing really stood out and had me wanting more. 2.75

This is good but didn’t really do much for me. Shrug emoji. 3.25/5

Groovy. Far out. Keep on trucking. Mellow times. *holds up album to face, silly walks, weird voice*: “Look at me, I’m a boomer. Twang twang twang twang twang.”

Some pretty run of the mill 60s folk/psychedelic rock.

Some pretty nice psych type stuff and some country twang on some songs. Alot to unpack here. But i listened to it in the worst way. Kinda unfair. My right earbud died like 2songs in. Then it the left died at trck 10 or so. Then I finished the rest later. Couldn't have been worse foe this record. I'll give it a 3 for fairness of all that

60’s era harmony folk. I love Wasn’t Born to Follow. The rest is a bit boring. Peace and Love are good things, but no amount of grass will keep me interested in this band.

Would like to give this a few more listens before ranking. Unfamiliar with “later” Byrds material but I rather enjoyed this up until a couple of songs towards the end.

More Byrds, hooray

Reminds me of Yeasayer. Not bad all around, but nothing amazing either. A pleasant listen, but nothing to write home about.

Worth listening to and great for its time, but is a bit dated. Standout songs: Artificial Energy Get to You Dolphin's Smile

I thought (hoped) I was long done with the byrds it’s not like they’re dreadful they’re just OKAY. Honestly I find the amount of byrds picks a worse problem than the costello picks. Theres some nice songs here like goin’ back is incredible 3/5

mid

Pre-listening thoughts: oh piss off why are there FIVE albums by these guys on here Post/during listening thoughts: this was sometimes weird in an endearing way and sometimes weird in a “the side effects of medical marijuana, ladies and gentlemen” way. Although it was def like LSD they were taking not medical marijuana. So yeah. 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Goin’ Back, Old John Robertson Least fav tracks: Space Odyssey

I'm a sucker for that 1960's vocal harmonizing. Pleasant tunes, interesting arrangements and instruments. So much music from this era sounds so Beatles-esque. I have a hard time remembering who influenced who or who was collaborating with who.

Another case of albums that were probably groundbreaking pioneers in their genre that have been completely overshadowed by everything that came after them (in this case the use of the moog synth). Only realised I was listening to the deluxe version halfway through a 7 minute recording of the band having a massive, bitter, and personal sounding shitfight in the studio about the way someone was playing the drums.

Ain't no way a Beetles clone called themselves the Byrds 6/10

This is nice

I was surprised to see that this was the Byrds album included on the list. It was okay.

Cool to learn that David Crosby was in this band. But, it was just ok.

I wanted to love this. Instead it was only a solid like. An album forever in the friend zone. It was fine, it was good, but there was no magic, no spark, no love. Maybe at another time, in another life.

2.9 - I just dont really like it. I think this is the 3rd or 4th and its just not for me

I liked this better than the last Byrds album (sweetheart) and it was more what I expected from them.

I like the Byrds, but this isn't their best work IMHO. They started to stray from the formula here.

Experimental and transitional is how this album sounds. Overall it was better than I might have thought given it did not produce any of The Byrds major hits. It was worth a listen for historical reference...

This record has that groovy baby, 60’s vibe. Very Summer of Love. Cloyingly so, at times. It’s good, but not great. At least it doesn’t have anymore Clapton.

The Byrds gained attention both commercially and critically with their early albums full of catchy singles, Dylan covers and a jangly-rock style that has been very influential for bands taking that 12-string electric sound to another level. Less known are their albums towards the late 60's/early 70's, that are more "album oriented", with less emphasize on hit singles. These albums displayed the band's expanded sound and experimentation with mixed results. The Notorious Byrd Brothers is an album I hadn't listened to in it's entirety before. It's solid record of psych-folk/country, but also introduces modern sounds, such as synths and electronics to the mix. It's progressive sound that I didn't expect and though, I didn't care for a lot of it, it's still worth a listen especially, if you only think of the Byrds for Mr. Tambourine Man or Eight Miles High.

Oh good grief another Byrds album. At lest it clocks in at well under half an hour...it's pretty dull stuff.

Just like the other byrds

This was an alright album, never been a huge fan of the Byrds but they aren't bad by any means! This was a pretty "normal" album from them and it was nothing super amazing but it was a good folky album!

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

322/1001

This album is fine. There's some cool effects, but the tracks themselves aren't very memorable and feel very dated. I enjoyed listening to it once, but this one won't make my regular rotation.

Wow I could almost copy and paste my review from the Moby Grape album. I actually liked this album slightly better, but overall it still lands as a solid 3 for me.

Very different sounding record to the Sweetheart of the Rodeo that was released in the same year ( I guess Graham Parsons will do that to ya). This is more what comes to mind when I think The Byrds. Psychedelic, folksy rock with harmonies. Love the dreaminess of Goin' Back. Between the breathy, floating vocals, twinkling bells, and subtle slide guitar this one is wonderfully buoyant. Also love the psychedelic vibe of Natural Harmony. Something about Tribal Gathering makes me think of Steely Dan, but I can't say exactly why... Could be the harmonization? Song is a low-key jazzy jam. This was a pleasant and pithy record. Really enjoyed the opening 3 as well as Tribal Gathering. The rest were easy listening, but left less of an impression. I'd say this is high 3 to low 4 territory. Erring low.

Another solid 60s rock album that was released only like 6 months after that Moby Grape album that just came up yesterday. Pretty much the same review. Im lazy

Ah boomer nostalgia. Where anything even vaguely touching CSNY, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Bread or James Taylor is revered despite any pretence to quality. Now all of these acts could do quality. But not everything they brought out was. It’s hard to criticise the incompetence of Gary Usher as a producer given his crippling addictions which lead to an early death. But compared to Phil Spector, George Martin, Don Kirchner, Sonny Bono or Berry Gordy (as examples) his work is lacking. Muddy. And a bit pointlessly weird. I like weird but it has to work. This doesn’t. Ok some of it isn’t Ushers fault. The songs are weak. Crosby storms out or is thrown out or both twice. The market is changing away from the direction they’re going ln (ironically much closer to their original vision.). Sweetheart of the rodeo is far superior. This is ok. But not 1000 album worthy. 3.5

A bit comfy, a bit weird, which I'm sure a lot of stuff was back in the day too.

6/10

Very good

Pretty standard late 60s vibes. Not a huge fan of the genre. Maybe an earlier time it would have been better. Can tell it influenced early 70s bands though.

Definitely some noodling going on with the moog. But also the group was definitely not all in on recreating their sound. Not really any major moves away from their previous sound. One album is really enough to get the idea.

I don't find psychedelic rock very interesting, it mostly just feels really same-y to me Nad never really makes an impact on me Standouts Moog Raga 3/5

More psychedelic than I expected from the creators of Turn turn Turn but a nice blend of folk and other music from the time

Good rock band from the 60’s. Had some good breakout songs.

not my style but why not

Enjoyed this one! Had the right amount of folk/rock-ness to it to make for an enjoyable listen.

like kinda cool I guess???? idk it was a little fun but also very reminiscent of everything else that was coming out at the time in that field. i guess it's just your standard byrds album

норм. не зацепило

Classic 60s stuff here.

I feel like The Byrds are more of an influential band than one I'd want to listen to regularly. Much better than Sweetheart of the Rodeo which I couldn't stand

The Byrds are just sort of what the 60s sounded like. I think the album was a cool mix of their original folk style and leaning into a little bit of the psychedelic rock style pretty cool album not my favorite but not bad.

3 is the magic number: As the 3rd Byrds album we have had on this list, I am sensing a pattern. They are good (great even), influential, and shape shifting, but are unable to move above a 3 for me.

3.5/5

Ah, yes. A classic album from "The Misspelled Animal Names" I don't really want to be so reductive in only drawing comparisons to another band with a misspelled animal name. I think that is unfair to what this album offers that is unique. There are some neat production tricks. I think this is an album that would grow on me with subsequent listens.

There was nothing notorious here, this was the mildest shit. Not bad, not super memorable either. Stand-out: Tribal Gathering

It exists

Solides, einflussreiches Album

This album starts amazingly with a proper focus on the harmonies the band is known for. Sadly, it then feels a bit unfocused and the guitar shrivelling is too dominant and not in line with the rest of the music. All in all just three stars because of that.

Menos interesante de lo que esperaba

I enjoyed this album, even though it did sound a bit dated. I don't think I'd go back to it, though. It didn't grip me enough. 3.5 stars

Pretty solid, but I probably wont return to it much

Does not contain "Turn, Turn, Turn"

Not bad but after the monkees it was hard to get excited

Rating Date- March 31, 2025 Initial Rating- 3 Album Number- 37 Album Plays- 5 Top Tracks- Natural Harmony Tribal Gathering Skip Tracks- Listening Notes- Only a couple of stand out tracks I’m adding to playlists, but no bad tracks either. An enjoyable listen, but not something I’ll play repeatedly.

Nice, but not for me.

It’s fine, offensively inoffensive.

It was listenable but nothing really stood out. I think if I paid more attention to the lyrics there might be something striking but 60s protest music doesn't really excite me. Musically, meh but not bad.

I have a real soft spot for 60’s music, especially when I feel like they’re trying to do weird shit. This was David Crosby’s first band, before he was in Crosby, Stills and Nash, so it’s cool to see where people came from before they were in what I know them for.

I’d give this 3.5 if I could — 60s harmonies are always excellent. I liked it overall but feel like I’ve gotta be into it to go 4 or higher

3.1 Typische eind jaren 70 muziek, wel leuk maar niet echt mijn smaak

I enjoyed this a lot, but it probably isn't something I come back to much if at all. It's just a bit too dated for regular listening. Clearly deserves to be here though.

Mediocre folksy psych rock. Albums in this genre have to be really exceptional (or maybe just weirdly particular to my taste) for me to feel anything other than indifferent toward them, and unfortunately, this one didn’t rise to the occasion. It’s not you, it’s me. Maybe. It might be you.

This album definitely needed to be on the list. I have never listened to a full Byrds album before, but it's incredible how modern some of these songs sound. Dolphin's Smile literally sounds like the start of Time to Pretend by MGMT. Other songs, like Wasn't Born to Follow, create the mold for 70s folk rock. While there are these highlights, there are also some of the worst songs I've ever heard on this album. Moog Raga made me feel like I was having a stroke. Best Songs: Wasn't Born to Follow, Change Is Now, Tribal Gathering Worst Songs: Space Odyssey, Moog Raga

#89 - Pleasant enough but can't find much revolutionary about it?

Verged on cliche 60's hippy mystic sounds at some points but I enjoyed it

Good at times, meh at times

This just about gets a 3, mostly because it’s short and bored of giving this albums a 2

Not my favourite of theirs. Although my favourite of theirs is Mr Tambourine Man and that isn’t even really theirs anyway. Simpsons: Yes

Nice short one. The music was fine.

Liked this less than the other Byrds album, still a 3 though

I know this band. Have definitely heard of their tracks. When I first heard them, being younger, immediately thought they were a The Beatles wannabe, but they are not. Interested to actually check out one of their albums. They are a little too mellow for my liking.

CSN yesterday, Byrds today, 1001AG must think I need David Crosby in my life now....

Not much to say about this one. Nothing stood out to me as exceptional, it was all pretty mediocre, but listenable.

I like the music more than the vocals.

Ενα αλμπουμ το οποιο μου θυμισε απο πλευρας vocals παρσ πολυ τους beatles. Παραγωγη ιδιαιτερη και θα ελεγα οτι αρκετα advanced και μπροστα απο την εποχη τους. Καποια πολυ καλα κομματια τα περισσοτερα οχι το στυλ μου. Rating: B-

Feel like this is the fairly standard Byrds review. Just not that interesting and a little 'over before it's started'. I get the sense it's kind of self-consciously 'groovy', like maybe even their contemporaries rolled their eyes at it. There are some nice songs though, Get To You rattles along well and Dolphin's Smile has a slight Simon and Garfunkel quality to it. That's always the way with the Byrds though, at their best, they sound like someone else.

I'm a jangly Byrds man, so the album where they started to leave the jangle behind for country rock, with a side order of psychedelic whimsy is not my favourite. Three generous stars.

Which came first? The Beatles or the Byrds?

The right ammonit of trippy. Also found songs that have been covered from them By others and never knew it was theirs first.

3.2 2x catch up 12/29/24

Decent in places, average in others.

Sounds like the music of that era. I like it, but not enough to give it more than a 3. It probably deserves more love than that, but I need to immerse myself in it more.

Sure. It's fine. Also has a song ("Triad") about trying to talk a woman into a polygamous relationship, so there's that. If you like twangy psychedelic stuff, you'll like this. The outtake at the end with the band basically yelling at each other about how to arrange a certain song is pretty funny, though.

Groovy Byrds sound.

it was fine. probably won't listen to this ever again

Provide a bit of background on early country/folk rock. Interesting but not really in my wheelhouse.

The 🐦🦅🐓🐧🦜

1968s sounds silly. At times boring, at times bored.

It had some good ones overall. But something was missing. It did like the extended versions and how unique they were

Exactement ce à quoi je m’attendais d’un album de cette époque, avec la petite touche de country en plus

Cooler than some people give it credit for. I appreciate the experimentation and the mix of styles going on here. Would like to revisit 👍

it’s okay but again this is an album I think I’ve heard multiple times on this list already

Ok

Really enjoyed this album, plenty of diversity of sounds. Love the harmonies.

A pretty epic album, great production.

I like the Byrds but this was not my favorite album.

It was okay, it didn't stand out much

It's got some nice tracks here and there, and the rest are not very memorable. It was enjoyable nonetheless. 3/5

Okay dad rock album

This doesn’t have their hit Turn, Turn, Turn. This record has that groovy baby, 60’s vibe. Very Summer of Love. Cloyingly so, at times. It’s good, but not great. At least it doesn’t have anymore Clapton. Tribal Gathering is solid, Triad is a gas. 3/5

another byrds album?? why??

is there a gas leak in here? why are all the top reviews five stars? this album is just an hour of experimental nonsense without anything truly memorable. i can't imagine being alive in the 60s, buying this album for an exorbitant sum (especially in today's dollars), taking it home to play on the turntable, and hearing THIS. and THEN, an hour later, thinking, yes, that was money and time well spent. this band respects me, their devoted listener. naturally, everyone's favorite groundbreaking oddity, the moog synthesizer, is here too. too bad it sure doesn't pack the punch they were hoping for; rather, it sounds like five minutes of farting noises played on trombone champ. there are a lot of byrds albums on this list and i think all of them have been better than this one, though maybe that's not exactly high praise... favorites: goin' back, wasn't born to follow, tribal gathering, dolphin's smile

3.5

It's the creamy-soft vocals from the Byrds that make me lose interest, nearly fall asleep, or conversely put on some Iron Maiden. The music is pretty great on this though - especially considering it was released in 1968 - weird effects, synths, no fewer than *two* songs in 5/4 time signature, etc. All of which give it a little more something than what I'd expected or heard from the previous/bigger Byrds radio hits. "Tribal Gathering" is notable - totally sounds like it could have been on the B-side of CSNY's "Deja Vu" - I wonder why.... Oh and they steered further away from the 12-string jangly shit that I think of when I hear "The Byrds" which was a good call - those songs are my least-favourite. It's Roger McGuinn's vocals that I've never vibed with which could never make them a favourite old-timey band for me. Still worthy of a listen or 3 for sure and if you like these vocals/harmonies which probably most people do I'd even highly recommend it. 6/10 3 stars

Never did like The Byrds much

Meh

Most of the songs were okay. I skipped parts of Space Odyssey, Moog Raga, and Universal Mind Decoder because of an irritating, high-pitched sound. I probably wouldn't listen again though.

This is perfectly pleasant jangly 60s country infused pop. Nothing stands put, but I wouldn't hate to hear it again. One thing I will say is that I do go hard on albums that simply hang around for too long, and a sub-30 minute album makes a nice change, and less of a commitment for repeat listens.