Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Kind of boring... No original takes here and nothing special
Hm, klingt für meine Ohren ziemlich ähnlich und ist auch nicht wirklich störend. Halt so Western Mukke für die man sicher mal in Stimmung ist, dauerhaft könnt ichs wohl nicht zu hören, stellenweise schnöselig
3 Sterne 60er Jahre Musik, juckt.
Ебаное кантри
This is the 221st album I’m rating. I always confused them with The Yardbirds. Adding to my Playlist - You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, I Am a Pilgrim, The Christian Life, You Don't Miss the Water, You're Still On My Mind, Pretty Boy Floyd, Hickory Wind, One Hundred Years from Now, Life in Prison, and Nothing Was Delivered. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 11/11 songs. I hold a soft spot in my heart for country music.
2 out of 5. Following up Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors from yesterday is a tough gig, and while everyone played well here this album didn't make it for me. I also have to say the album art is great, and normally I'm not into the cowboy stuff.
Too country for me. I could also appreciate the album for the music maybe, if it wasn't for those run of the mill stupid lyrics. Not my cup of tea.
It’s been a week for cozy mellow albums. This is one of those types that sounds good, and is always reminding me of other albums I want to listen to more. The Christian Life is absolutely bone-chilling.
Strong start, but turns into a plotting wall of sameness pretty quickly
7,5/10
Look, it ain't no 12 Golden Country Greats, but its a fine album.
God-fearing, tame country music, not my jam. Although as a background while doing some work helps with focus. All I Have Are Memories (the instrumental version) comes straight outta Bikini Bottom
Tried and failed to get into country rock. This goes down with the Eagles as over rated.
Much as I like The Byrds, it's the Gene Clark/David Crosby era that really grabs my attention, especially when they were doing Dylan’s songs better than Dylan did them. With Gram Parsons, it all went a bit too 'Dukes of Hazard' for my liking, with the vocal harmonies and that signature chiming 12-string seeming to take a back seat. 'One Hundred Years from Now', stands out, harking back a little to their earlier sound, but for the most part, this one loses me a bit.
Off the cuff remark: hmm that country thing again and I gather it was a bit of a shock to Byrds fans at the time. It speaks volumes to me that by far the best songs on here are Pretty Boy Floyd an You're Still on My Mind - both covers, good covers but still... Revisit?: I think I will but it's just not doing it for me..
Plodding.
A progenitor of the "alt-country" genre that created Uncle Tupelo to Wilco to many many others. This album doesn't blow me away in any emotional way or as something completely brand new, but it's a great mix of rock and country, and I think it deserves 4.5 or 5 stars and is a classic and just brilliant songwriting (again, for the genres).
Very country
The Rodeo??? Keep dreaming you wannabe british americans. 2/5
The Byrds ditch David Crosby and spawned the genre of country rock. Thanks guys, we have suffered ever since. Maybe this album is a cautionary tale of what happens when you do too many drugs? The first two songs are just boring, then the Christian Life is an absolutely terrible song, perhaps enough to drop this album to a one singlehandedly. You Don't Miss Your Water is pretty bad as well. Just these boring, formulaic country jangles everywhere--music for the unimaginative. Some of the later songs aren't as annoying, but that's about as good as this album gets. Groundbreaking it may be for people who like country rock. For those who don't like country rock, blame the Byrds. 2/5
A lot more country than I expected The Byrds to be, although I should have guessed from the album title. It didn’t have any of the songs I knew from them. It was an easy listen but nothing caught my attention really, save for some overtly Christian lyrics. Some of the vocals were reminiscent of Bob Dylan too, although no bad thing.
Reading through the reviews for this album make me sad. 5 stars to every whiny Radiohead album that comes along. Heaps of praise for every Brit (Shit) Pop artist featured on this list. But, all anyone can muster for this classic is "Yee haw!" and a one star review!? 5 stars just to skew this rating a bit higher (truthfully deserves a 4, tho)
Not a bad album if you like country rock and/or Gram Parsons. He’s definitely the defining sound of the album. I’ve always thought the Byrds were kind of so-so, most of their hits are covers of other people’s songs. Notable tracks include You Ain’t Goin Nowhere, You Don’t Miss Your Water, Hickory Wind, Nothing Was Delivered, You Got A Reputation, and Lazy Days.
Had no idea they made a country record. These dude were trailblazers! I can hear their influence in a ton of other bands
I like it!
Not my cup of tea, the first half was fine but then I found it a bit repetitive, and I just don't like Country. I'm sure that for country music fans this is good, but I just wasn't feeling it.
Predecessor to many a great album, shame Parsons and McGuinn only stayed together for this album
The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rode is fantastic…this is where Uncle Tupelo, Whiskey Town, Drive By Truckers, and all of their offshoots are from!
Not my style. At all. ★
Fav: One Hundred Years From Now Least Fav: Life In Prison I don’t mind The Byrds, but finding out that this was a country album ruined it for me. It sucks, it’s boring and I’m grateful it’s only sround 30 mins
The Byrds and I just never really hit it off.
You aint goin nowhere - 7/10 I am a pilgrim - 6/10 The christian life - 5/10 You dont miss your water - 5/10 youre still on my mind - 5/10 pretty boy floyd - 6/10 hickory wind - 7/10 one hundred years from now - 7/10 blue canadian rockies - 6/10 life in prison - 7/10 nothing was delivered - 8/10 you got a reputation - 6/10 lazy days - 7/10 pretty polly - 7/10 Sort of sounds like if the Beatles were from Tennessee.
65
Seriously disappointed in this one.
I need a little less country. I need a lotta bit of rock and roll.
I was absolutely not expecting this to be a full on country album, but honestly, I’m not mad at it. I actually really liked it. And it’s refreshing to hear any kind of country music that I don’t immediately hate with the fire of 1000 suns. But this was really good. The storytelling was great, as was the musicianship. Lots of cool slide guitar and country style chickin’ pickin’.
Dude this list keeps surprising me with terrible music
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere 4 I Am a Pilgrim 3.4 The Christian Life 3.2 You Don't Miss Your Water 3.5 You're Still on My Mind 3.1 Pretty Boy Floyd 3.4 Hickory Wind 3.3 One Hundred Years from Now 3.4 Blue Canadian Rockies 3.2 Life in Prison 3.3 Nothing Was Delivered 3.5 Score: 3.390909091
This is the Byrds’ 6th album, and it’s the furthest I’ve gone into their discography so far. Honestly, this album feels like a completely different band. The Byrds are usually known for blending psychedelic rock and folk, but this album is straight-up traditional country. Back then, it might have been called country rock, but by today’s standards, it sounds more like classic country than most modern country music. I’ve listened to a lot of their solo work, so I knew they had this in them, but this one still felt like a big leap. That being said, it’s a really good album, and I enjoyed it a lot. Just don’t go into it expecting it to sound like their earlier albums.
I thought I liked the Byrds but overall this album didn't land for me on this listen.
Favorite tracks: Lazy Days, Pretty Boy Floyd, Pretty Polly Very confused by this album - I haven't really listened to The Byrds, but I never thought of them as country. My favorite track was easily Lazy Days as it's the closest to rock, but I did also enjoy their storytelling tracks. This album is definitely the closest I've come to liking country!
I kind of love the idea of The (bunch of hippies) Byrds coming into country music and threatening the very conservative Nashville establishment. But I also kind of hate that Gram Parsons came in as a live band member and changed the direction of the band. Very early in this challenge, I got a Gram Parsons solo album and I just didn't get it. It's just kind of mediocre country music (in my opinion). Given the legacy around Parsons and the influence he held over his bandmates, I really feeling like I'm missing something. So I'm trying to listen with an open mind but I'm struggling. Maybe I'm biased from a lifetime of hating Nashville country, but I do like Johnny Cash and the other outlaw country artists. This isn't that. It's very hard to sound cool when you're bragging about your Christian lifestyle. The thing is, The Byrds flirted with country music in their other albums but it was different. In small doses and with less twang, it worked. Without David Crosby and with Gram Parsons, The Byrds were a completely different band. But to be fair, they were never the kind of band to sit still and so I have a lot of respect for the boldness of this change in direction. But even so, I'll stick with their earlier work after this.
From jangle to twangle, they're great at everything
Chato demais!
Meh. Good thing it wasn’t any longer.
I’m just a country gal, and this is a lovely country record. Sweet songs, cool album cover. Easy listening.
ok i'm 4 songs in and this is severely not for me.
County is country
This was unexpected after recognizing the top songs on their Spotify page. I really liked the sound of it. These guys wouldn't be out of place touring with some of the bands that I like to see.
Certainly very different to the other music I knew by "The Byrds". But - although me not being a country fan - I found it quite pleasent to listen to. Quite ok. It still leaves me a bit surprised why this is in the 1001 list. Aren't there better "real" country albums out there? Or is this really so special because The Byrd was one of the bands introducing "country rock"?
J'ai écouté Sinners hier (très bon, btw, allez l'écouter, là!), pis la musique des Byrds me fait penser aux riguedons des vampires racistes. Je sais pas si c'est une bonne chose, mais le country a mieux passé que d'habitude. - Salut Cyril! Je suis content que ta rentrée ce soit bien passée! Lançons-nous direct dans le vif du sujet, j'ai une ptite pause un peu pogné entre deux contrats en ce moment. 100% enthousiaste à l'idée de plusieurs listes d'albums regroupés par continents, ça nous donnerais une meilleure idée de l'ampleur et de la richesse culturelle de chaque pays. Je serais curieux de comparer la musique du Vietnam avec celle de l'Indonésie, par exemple. En plus, ça ferait pratiquer à bien du monde leur géographie! D'ailleurs, je ne m'y connais pas tant à l'extérieur du monde Québecois/Anglo-Saxon, c'est pour ça que j'espérais que la liste soit plus diversifiée. Je me suis quand même poussé à explorer par moi-même depuis quelques temps, pis je suis tombé sur beaucoup de bon stock, principalement dans la sphère jazz/funk/bossa nova japonaise, latino et africaine. Je t'en name drop quelques-uns: Manu Dibango (le boss), Azymüth, Antonio Carlos Jobim (l'autre boss), Himiko Kikuchi (Flying Beagle, my beloved), Casiopea, Masayoshi Takanaka, Goblin... Ah oui, 2000 cd c'est chaud quand même!😅 Je vais essayer de contrôler mes pulsions consuméristes, mais le thrill de la chasse est plus addictif que n'importe quelle machine à sou! Drôlement, c'est aussi King Gizz qui m'a inspiré à brûler des CDs avec Polygondwanaland, "l'album gratuit", tellement gratuit qu'ils ont partagé les masters et les fichiers de designs sur leur site web. Tu peux même graver l'album sur vinyle! Bon, je dois retourner bosser, moi! Je continuerais demain!
This album is like Life in Prison. If I could die, my pain might go away.
There’s nothing I enjoy about this rockabilly style, and I grow more callous to it with each album offered on the list. My apologies to the Sweetheart, your rodeo fuckin blows.
reminds me of a worse John Denver. So many waltzes. Boring. Twangy. Grating and irritating by "Blue Canadian Rockies"
was not expecting honkey tonk.
Would have liked this way more if I wasn’t already sick and tired of The Byrds Incredible album art
A classic
top ten as far as album covers go
I can’t listen to an hour of this
aw man this brings back memories. I think this was one of the only country rock albums my dad had on vinyl. A lot to love here, especially the more bluegrassy tunes. A relaxing day at the lake sitting on the deck with this playing is a core memory for me. Nice storytelling too, all around a great album!
Some enjoyable country and western music by a band I haven’t generally enjoyed! This one was good though!
43 Byrds albums later and we finally get to the one I like. Or love actually. Gram Parsons was a singular talent and the Byrds were right to basically make him their band the same way Fleetwood Mac would do with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks a little less than a decade later. This album influenced so much of the music I love, and besides its influence on other artists, it is simply a great album in and of itself. Also one of the coolest covers in popular music. Everything about this album is wonderful.
nice enough
Can't really articulate why, but I actually really fuck with this. 3.5/5
Not super familiar with The Byrds, way more country than expected.
I have absolutely no idea why this is in the list. The most mediocre country ever. Nothing memorable.
Really didn't like this.
Pretty Boy Floyd closing verse is amazing social commentary. Those who like country music will enjoy this album, I'm just not a fan of the genre.
I don't know what I was expecting going into this, but The Byrds doing "traditional" country was not on my bingo card.
Not my thing.
I like the Byrds, but this is not at all their best work. Still a good listen, but could have put a different more deserving record instead of another Byrds album.
Fine
Doesn't hold up. Boring and basic. A fine background listen, that's about it
Well crafted but no. Not an interesting style overall. I'd toss this from the list. The Band and other bands cover this sound much better.
Nothing exciting.
Country Beatles?
My favorite Byrds album, even though it's not really representative of the rest of their work.
I’m loving how I feel like swaying in a field while my hair flys out behind me. Both the fiddle and the banjo add such an upbeat, wholesome quality to the record!
One of the best albums ever
This was way more country than I had expected from The Byrds, to the point that I went back and checked their discography to make sure I wasn’t confusing them with another band. But nope. I liked some of the songs, but I doubt I’ll ever go back to this album.
More boring ass slow poke Americana. Every song sounds the same. My kingdom for something with some grit, some balls.
What in the Crosby-less garbage is this? Some of it is ok I guess but most of it sucks.
I didn't really find the groove with this as much as I'd hoped I would but it was still pretty great. It's a bit twangy, even for which is saying something, but overall the songwriting is good and the performances are good and I enjoyed it. It's pretty clear this was built around You Ain't Going Nowhere which is the clear 'single'
Liked this a lot more than Byrd Brothers and helps me see how people got so into these guys.
There's nothing bad about these guys; there's just something about the genre and instrumentation and pace that grinds my gears. It might just be leftover aversions from childhood. But I'm never going to get through this whole album.
More of a 3.5. Jangly, radio-friendly, country pop. Pleasant to listen to and somehow more "authentic" than later bands of a similar ilk, such as The Eagles - and definitely miles better than modern country pop.
A little too much gospel for me
Having listened to "White Light" by Gene Clark (a member of The Byrds) I was a little worried about this album. My parents never listened to the Byrds while I was growing up so this is my first time listening to them. Like so many of some of these albums on this must listen to music list i wonder not only why was this one selected but why do we need to listen to 5 other albums by the Byrds. If they are all like this they will all be middle of the road country rock, no need to get all worked up 5 times for this. I think that there are just better representations of this sound.
Correcto
I enjoyed this...
Kantri roots meininkiä. Liian kristillistä paskaa. Varmaan äänestää Trumpiakin.
Not so bad considering I don’t like country music. But not that good, either. At least they’re not BritPop like every other album on this list.
Love the Byrds. Didn't realize they were so folky/country!
The country vibes were there, it had a flow as background quality, but nothing that really sparked my interest.
I'm not a country fan typically, but I appreciated this album for what it was. I liked the more upbeat songs best. Didn't care for the overly Christian themes on some songs.
Hier kwam ik gewoon echt niet doorheen. Country is niet mijn ding.
I've heard some music by The Byrds before. I thought it was nice. I feel cheated.
Great tunes.
ihan hyvä
Obviously good in its time. Just not for me.
Enjoyable listen of some pioneering country rock
Country music excursion for The Byrds. An excursion l won't be taking again
My favourite byrds album, the addition of Gram Parsons was a stroke of genius.
Birth of genre
Ok, but unspectacular country
A pretty good Country album that has some highlights ("Pretty Boy Floyd") but wallows in mediocrity at times.
Alt Country!
Better than Coldplay
Got boring pretty quick.
Nostalgie tome 2! Du bon country très (trop?) populaire dans les soupers de villages du bas du fleuve!! Une étoile de moins pour le côté languissant!
J'aime beaucoup cet album. Les Byrds sans David Crosby mais dans un peak de carrière.
Ce que j'aime beaucoup de cette époque, c'est la façon d'embrasser la plus pure tradition américaine avec affection, mais avec aussi un sourire sardonique. Tsé le genre de toune t'as jamais écouté, mais tu peux quand même compléter chaque phrase. Pis ben les petits licks de guit country avec ben du tone ça vient me chercher, je sais pas pourquoi. Un peu far fetched comme référence mais en ce sens ça me fait penser à nos Cowboys, ou comme quelqu'un ici l'a si bien dit, notre Cayouche national (RIP). Sinon beaucoup d'emprunts stylistiques à Help! (album des Beatles que j'affectionne particulièrement avec Rubber Soul). Le timbre de voix, les arrangements vocaux. Particulièrement marquant sur You Got a Reputation. PS: 2 compos du GOAT...
Excellent. Coutry/folk/un peu rock. Bien aimé le trio de départ de You ain't goin' Nowhere, I Am a Pilgrim, et The Christian Life. On voit l'influence de Gram Parsons! Comique de l'avoir 2x de suite!
Favorite Track: Blue Canadian Rockies
This was pretty good for a Byrds album. I can see how it's in a weird middle space between psychedelia and country, with neither group really embracing it.
Esta chill
First time I had to go through a whole country album. It's not unpleasant to the ear, but it's incredibly boring and the lyrics are some of the most vanilla I've ever heard. The last three songs are great. Overall, a 'meh' experience. 3/5
It was better than the other albums of theirs I’ve had on this list as it at least had a bit of personality. Not bad, middle of the road stuff.
Pretty chill southern americana. Doesen't stand out that much though.
I briefly surveyed the reviewers of the album while listening and it's interesting to me that one way to feign being an intelligent music listener is to denigrate country music. "Look over yonder porch; that fellow playing the banjo is married to his sister and he's fucking his cousin." How witty, how droll. Is this album for me? Well, not all of it. "The Christian Life" made me want to burn down a monastery. But there is a lot to love here. You could claim it's cliche, derivative, twanging crap...etc, etc, etc, but you'd be wrong to do so. Set aside your prejudice and your scintillating wit and listen beyond the twang and the fiddle. You'll be rewarded.
Nice album. Some really good songs on this one even though I don't really think country is my thing. Life in prison is a very strange song. Perhaps I'm missing something but it's just a guy feeling sad because he killed his wife??
A fascinating album since it seems nobody knew how to take it at the time of release: way too hokey and earnest for the critics, way too twangy and traditional for the hippies, way too soft and hippy-dippy for the rednecks. Despite that, it’s stood the test of time as a foundational album for alternative country. The Byrds’ harmonies and jangly guitars blend beautifully with country standards and style. Best song: Hickory Wind
Lord what a boring album. Not painful though so there's that. 2
Nice country album. Can’t say much stood out in particular but I liked listening to it. Best song: I Am a Pilgrim Notable(s): Pretty Polly
Made a bad day feel worse
Didn't know The Byrds went country
Urgh, can't bring myself to even complete the first track
Will not go back to this. First song, Bob Dylans cover is probably the best.
100% unnecessary. A mediocre country album from a decent rock band. Maybe the peak example yet of this list's tedious infatuation with 60s/70s white guys over everything far more interesting, experimental or diverse from the past 30 years. That said, 100 Years From Now is pretty cool.
This Byrd is NOT the word.
Just this side of country from a Wilco album and it's not really my thing, but it's good for what it is. A 2.5 for me, but bumping for significance.
Écoute pénible. Album beaucoup trop long (il ne fait qu’à peine plus de 30 minutes, mais quand même). Tounes pas très inspirantes. Mais, les musiciens sont bons. Chaque ostie de toune commence avec de l’ostie de slide guitar ! Pourquoi ? POURQUOI ?? Et pourquoi un virage vers le country rock ? Selon wikipédia, ils étaient plutôt dans le rock psychédélique juste avant. Juste non.
Like alright I guess, got a bit bland at points but not the worst thing ever, still only 2 stars though
The two first songs are good. Then it's like "country described by people who hate country"
I really loved this. I wasn’t that familiar with The Byrds but loved this early country rock flair.
Rock/hillbilly nonsense
nothing special for me
The influence of Gram Parsons is so evident and his influence on country Rock is profound. It is not wonder that the two outstanding songs for me were both written by Gram Parsons. On top of that is a fine collection of great country covers. A record I would like to own and listen to again. 5 Stars
This is a country album. I was kind of surprised because I was more familiar with them as a folk/rock band. But this is pretty much straight up old school country.
Lovely record, with some great covers! Especially the Dylan cover❤️
Slow rodeo music
Why did the Byrds make a country album with steel guitar? Gross.
this album felt lackluster. the strong start quickly fizzled out and it all blended together for me.
Butterflies And Zebras And Moonbeams 1001 Albums Generator 79 (07/22/2025) The Byrds, the vessel with which David Crosby got his start in the musical world, are often dismissed as a "Bob Dylan cover band". After listening to their sixth studio album (and first album without Crosby), Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, I have to say that description is not accurate. I find Bob Dylan much more interesting. Okay, that's a bit of an asshole thing to say. When this album started with You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, I felt like I could hear a really interesting band that honestly sounded like it was an inspiration for a lot of great alt-country that came way later. The guitar work was interesting, the vocal harmonies were beautiful, and the song was exceedingly sell-written. Oh wait, this is a Bob Dylan song. Okay well. Damn. The second track, I Am A Pilgrim, is just classic bit of bluegrass with fiddle and all. This album really starts out quite strong. Other highlights include the piano-led You Don't Miss Your Water (again the slide guitar here is amazing) and the upbeat, harmonized Blue Canadian Rockies. The last song, Nothing Was Delivered, is also a really nice song that reminds me of the more country-tinged moments in the Beatles' discography. It also does this cool thing I love where it switches between swung and straight. However, most of this album was nothing special. As I said, the start and end are strong, but the whole stretch in the center is pretty dreadful, forgettable country rock. It's clear that the boys in The Byrds have lots of talent, and I do think that my mood on any given day will affect my feelings about that day's album (today was a shitty day), so maybe I am being unfair. However, in two listens, nothing really stuck with me. It seems that this album is quite a change in style for The Byrds. Perhaps I will enjoy their earlier records more. But as it stands now, I cannot call myself a fan. 2/5, propped up by some really high quality tunes amidst a sea of blah. Favs: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere I Am A Pilgrim Nothing Was Delivered Least Fav: Life In Prison
Their best songs are the covers. Lyrics are overall frankly weak and cliche. The compositions are pretty good and I liked the harmonies, more country-tinged than I anticipated. The last song really saved this album for me, I really dig those trad folk murder ballads
By far the most country I've heard The Byrd's play in, so it's not surprising that most of this wasn't really all that interesting to me
Didn't make it to the end. Just sounded like a country album, rather than the more 60s soft rock sound they're known for 2/5
3+ Stars (9/15)
As the title suggests this album is very country oriented especially compared to the generally folkier sound the Byrds go for. I enjoyed this a fairly high amount. I really loved the harmonies on “One Hundred Years From Now” I really liked “Nothing Was Delivered”, “You’re Still On My Mind” and “You Don’t Miss Your Water”. The only song I had a strong negative reaction towards was “The Christian Life” just a little too much. But I really like that older country sound this was good.
Listened to this while road tripping with my parents. Awesome album.
Absolutely loved this. Not much more to say.
listened with bergen while driving to Ponyhenge
amazing fr Gram Parson heart emoji
not knowing anything about this album going in, I quite liked it!
i luv gramsons parsons Fav song: The Christian Life
Not the Byrds at their best…
Simple but catchy
The was a good, wholesome, early sounds. I wouldn't listen to the album again. But I enjoyed my time with it.
I'm not sure what it was, but I wasn't feeling the folksy gospel country sound this album was putting out. It feels awfully patronizing. Not a fan.
This wasn't that bad if you're in the mood for middle of the road country "rock." Not going to add it to the 5-start collection by any means, but not a bad listen.
Perfectly fine country music. I don’t hate it, I don’t love it.
beh
This is to country what fart jokes are to humour.
Big old meh.
I hate country shit usually this was extra unbearable
Honestly don't get it with The Byrds. Absolute snoozefest.
Not a fan but also not upset with this. I understand the lore, but it's not my cup of tea. Some songs on here I enjoyed, but nothing special.
As a country album, it is more palatable than others on this list. That being said, it is still not a great album and looks like most of the songs are not originals. 2.5/5 Won't listen again
Escuchable hasta ahi
Previously rated: Fifth Dimension (3/5) The Notorious Byrd Brothers (3/5) Younger Than Yesterday (3/5) ******************************************** Second time hearing this hippie country album. I think I liked it more the second time, and might be the best Byrds album so far, but still falls a bit short from wanting to listen again.
Never having listened to the Byrds before I didn't know what to expect, but I could help but picture Appalachia. I enjoyed most of what I heard and it felt like a sound track to a fallout game. That style of Americana folk music will always have a little place in my heart.
Enjoyable country rock, if a bit quaint sounding today. Would happily listen again to most of the album. Favorite song: I Am a Pilgrim
amazing, one of my favs!
8/10 Favorites: You Ain’t Going Nowhere I Am A Pilgrim You Don’t Miss Your Water Hickory Wind
8.5/10
++: I Am a Pilgrim, You Don't Miss Your Water, You're Still on My Mind, Hickory Wind, One Hundred Years from Now, Life in Prison +: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, Pretty Boy Floyd, Blue Canadian Rockies, Nothing Was Delivered +-: The Christian Life 7,3/10
Not my favorite. Felt very beatles with a country twist but not as good.
Didn’t blow me away, but there were some me good tunes.
Our jangly psych rockers go country and it is good.
Wow- I never listened to this all the way through. Fab, fab, fab and fun.
The Byrds 5 Stars, the end.
Take care of your health and don't listen to this!
Enjoyed the bonus tracks which were more jangly, less country than the album itself.
This was actually a very cute album, considering I'm not a country fan. At times reminded me of The Eagles and other times, Father John Misty.
La verdad es que me siento muy ignorante por no haber sabido lo influyentes y camaleónicos que fueron The Byrds. Esperaba otro álbum de rock psicodélico sesentero, pero esto es puro country revival, aunque más rockero. De hecho, es de los primeros álbumes de country rock y ha sido tremendamente influyente en el country alternativo que vendría más adelante. Aunque el country no sea mi estilo favorito, este álbum es muy bueno. Sobre todo me han gustado los pocos temas en los que aún se intuye algo del pasado psicodélico de The Byrds, como "One Hundred Years From Now". Pero los temas liderados por Gram Parsons son una clase maestra en country rock, con unas armonías vocales estupendas y una guitarra de acero con pedal y piano honky-tonk muy típicos. Lo dicho: buena nota, aunque tampoco sea un álbum que me vuelva loco.
Pretty much garbage country music til the last few songs, then it kinda evens out with some less garbage but more traditional The Byrds sounding tracks. Was going to give this a 2, but the country music was so bad...
I had no idea The Byrds took a left turn toward country. The only songs I knew by them were very much of the 1960s. I am not a huge country fan, but appreciate the artistry. That being said, there are MANY true country bands/artists that do it way better than The Byrds. If anything, they are appropriating an entire genre.
Though it's often called a country rock album, *Sweetheart Of The Rodeo* leans heavily towards the country side of the equation, and in doing so doesn't bring much new to the table. Only "One Hundred Years From Now" comes anywhere close to a country/rock fusion (and is the most successful track on the album).
An okay country-folk rock album. It wins no points for being cool, but is a pleasant listen.
This was a very plodding plinky plonk country album. Not for the likes of me.
No to this style of country, plain and simple.
real vintage country music. very pleasant sounding and positive all the way through, lots of thoughts about life, god, and heartbreak... it's said to be one of the first true examples of country rock music. again, as good as these songs could sound, i'm just not a country guy 90% of the time. it's just not the genre for me, the way it's sung, the way it's played... i can't go more into detail, but... yeah, i'm sure lots of people would enjoy this album a lot more than me.
I Like The Christian Life is way too Christian for me and overall the whole album is just too regressive, it feels like being trapped at a hoedown in a barn where you're worried the locals will lynch you if you leave. I've seen a few people suggest that this album is tongue in cheek or ironic, but it's still too easy to interpret straight. No thanks.
On Brooke & Jubal In The Morning?
Country Rock - I don't know if I would have initially called it country rock but it sure can be countrryyy. It has all the instrumental makings of country rock with country style themes like Christianity and country life.
I can appreciate the tone switches across this album, but I have a difficult enough time getting on board with The Byrds when they do their normal thing. This album didn't set itself apart enough to warrant a spot on this list.
Trading in psychedelia for a more countrified sound wouldn't have been my first choice, but The Byrds, with the addition of Gram Parsons, deliver authentic roots-rock that makes you forget this was their first rodeo with the style.
The big country switch for The Byrds. It's funny Gram Parsons comes in, changes their whole sound, then leave before the album even releases. This album starts off great, the first side is excellent. But I got tired of it by the second side, with only a couple highlights. Still gonna give this a 4 though because it definitely was mostly enjoyable
The Byrds at their best. Excellent album.
Meh, this one is too twangy for me.
This sounds incredibly bland, no song in particular stands out. Lyrics across the album include the themes of Women, Love, Beer and Jesus; which they don't do anything special with. Even some albums by others that have Jesus or Love or Women as a theme, just do It better; though the lyrics about the beer might've inspired the horrid pop-country. It sounds catchy at times, but It didn't make the album a good one.
It doesn't feel like a coherent album. Nor does it feel like a greatest hits. But it's full of great things.
I'd need to listen again to understand what this is...
You get those X-Factor artists or boy band members with no real musical ability of their own, except for the fact they can sing a bit - for years they are propped up by a record label, and a team of songwriters and producers. Now, I'm not knocking that, per se. Someone gets famous, someone else gets rich, we know the score. Well, you know when that relationship eventually comes to an end, and suddenly this artist is left high and dry without any original songs being written for them any more and they have to record an album of swing or Christmas songs because it is cheap and easy... then they have to do loads of TV interviews to promote the album and LIE THROUGH THEIR TEETH pretending they "always wanted" to record an album of jazz standards etc. Embarrassing. Well, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo comes across exactly like that. EXCEPT Roger McGuinn was capable of writing songs like Eight Miles High and You Showed Me, and apparently he really DID always want to record an album of "traditional American music". Madness. While there was always a whiff of country to the Byrds sound, and while I cannot deny Clarence White's guitar playing is mesmerising on some of the live recordings from the time he became a full-time member of the band, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo represents a cliff-face drop off in creativity and quality from the amazing albums that directly preceded it. Big fan of The Byrds, but their music is not on this album.
There are a few songs on here that I can tolerate, and I actually don't mind country, but this type of country instrumentally on the core of the record just drives me insane. Vocally they don't even really sound like a country band; in some ways this makes it better, some ways worse. Songwriting is solid enough and why I can at least give it a 2.5; I can see someone else liking this more but this just isn't for me.
Ummm, this album cover! Cute AF. I’m not a modern country fan AT ALL but can dabble in the oldies…and if we cut down on some of the heavy-handed holy vibes do I kind of find myself vibing with, “I am a Pilgrim”…a little bit?Are the instruments blessing us just a little? I dunno…I mean, I guess what I’m trying to say is, I see another dimension where it’s me, wearing a cowgirl romper, boots with sparkly stars, and a wide-brim hat, spinning slowly around on a red vinyl barstool in a tumbleweed bar drinking a Shirley Temple while “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and “You Don’t Miss Your Water” plays on the dusty old jute box. And I’m happy for her….
I know the intention here was to try and make twangy honky-tonk seem hip to the 60s kids, but if I wanted to listen to The Louvin Brothers, I'd just listen to The Louvin Brothers. This all sounds pretty hokey to me, practically to the point of parody. There is, all the same, some pretty stellar musicianship here, but I definitely think these fellas ought to have stuck with the psychedelic sounds they were known for. There are a couple standout tracks for me: Hickory Wind and Lazy Day. Both feature and were written by Gram Parsons, whose compositions and delivery feel more authentic, like he wasn't "trying on" the sound. All in all, I think this release holds up to the record company tagline to promote this when it came out: "This Country's for the Byrds." Uhhhh, yup.
2 1/2 Stars: Listen, it sounds like a classic country album, but the lyrics at times makes it sound like a parody of a country album -- most likely earnest at the time, but plays differently for modern ears. I just don't know why anybody would choose this record when there are so many other elevated artists of the era.
This is weird as all hell. I'm all for experimenting but this sounds nothing like what made The Byrds work. Makes sense considering the amount of personnel changes but this isn't especially noteworthy in any way I can see besides maybe a chapter in a book about the band. Not sure why this is on the list. It's fine but doesn't seem to do much that stands out besides being a divergent step vs where they came from.
What is going on with this album art? This sounds like a band trying to do country as a format and not being country, which is fine. It's done well. I liked some of the tracks that got added later on the extended version more, but I won't count those. Talented musicians, a fine cohesive album. Just not going to be memorable for me.
switched off after "The Christian life". Jesus!
Didn’t know The Byrds did country. They shouldn’t have
Loved this one. I never knew the Byrds expanded from psychedelic stuff. It's a bit brighter than other country of that era, and I can definitely see how this sound influenced pop- and rock- country in later decades.
Apparently this was like the first country-rock album, which is cool. I think that's why I struggle with it. Pioneers rarely age well, once they've been copied a million times. It's also a weird blend of hippie rock and country rock. Totally fine, lacking oomph, 3 stars - Not in the mood for this, we'll see - Background music. Country influences is fun, just not noteworthy
Listens: 2.5 Standout tracks: No No thanks. Dislike this "classic" type of country music. Too twangy, to southern. Not psychedelic enough, which apparently was a deviation from the Byrd's previous album. Disappointing.
It was alright
This laid back 60's style is very nice to my ears. I don't want to be one of those shunning buddies, and to each their own, but I could do without The Christian Life.
Thank god this wasn't the first time I heard the Byrds, otherwise I woulda thought that they sucked hard
more yeehaw than i would expect from a californian band. pretty solid
Mi primer disco country. prefiero the byrds eléctricos y versioneando a Dylan pero es muy bueno.
Rainy day, old basement flooded, AK was bummed about EJ
In a nutshell: Gram Parsons hijacks The Byrds. I get why this is in the book- it's the progenitor of country rock. But it's boring. It didn't captivate me like Wilco, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton did. Overall: 2/10
Not my cuppa, but my horse loved it.
Not for me
Not for me - managed a listen but not one I’d come back to.
Have never heard this album before, not bad but I wasn't expecting the twang. It's good for the genre, but this genre isn't really something that I'm into. I don't regret listening to it because it does seem unique but probably won't be putting it on again.
Nope, 👎 too country and too much god
I am listening to a 1997 CD version with these bonus tracks: 12. "You Got a Reputation" Tim Hardin 3:08 13. "Lazy Days" Gram Parsons 3:26 14. "Pretty Polly" trad, arr. Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman 2:53 15. "The Christian Life" (Rehearsal – Take #11) Charles Louvin, Ira Louvin 2:55 16. "Life in Prison" (Rehearsal – Take #11) Merle Haggard, Jelly Sanders 2:59 17. "You're Still on My Mind" (Rehearsal – Take #43) Luke McDaniel 2:29 18. "One Hundred Years from Now" (Rehearsal – Take #2) Gram Parsons 3:20 19. "All I Have Are Memories" (Instrumental) I've listened to this album several times over the years. Always loved it. Some of the reviews sound like those who would've hated Dylan for going to rock from folk. Open your minds, folks. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Neutraal. Niet wauw.
Not my thing!
I like the vibe of this album and the opening song is incredible, but there’s too many duds
What an odd album. I rather like Woody Guthrie and so on, so the folkier bits were a pleasant listen. Not so sure about the country aspect. Not sure why I’d listen to this again when I can go to the more consistent original sound. But an interesting listen
More of The Byrds. Good stuff.
The Byrds... great.. 1968.... GREAT... Country.... Bleh. It all starts to sound the same after 10 mins.
I am not a fan of country music, and this song sounds very generic, but it isn't unlistenable.
Excellent mix of country music with blues and maybe rock? Unexpected but pleasant cocktail. Can recommend for those who like country music in general.
Why, why? For me, country is a genre that has no place in my musical universe and immediately disappears into a black hole (the trash can). "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" has all the ingredients it needs: the title, the guitars, the fiddle, the banjo, and the vocals. Nothing screams country more, and I hate it.
It's listenable, but it just makes me irritated for some reason. There are many albums on this list that sound like this record, and most of them act on the sound better. Nothing really grabbed my attention besides the opener. Boring country from the 60's.
I despise country but this is country rock, so I managed to slog through it. Not something I’d seek out on my own but I also wouldn’t hate it playing in the background somewhere (like I would hate country).
Nother 5 banger... The lore about this album is so interesting... how gram parsons just joined the byrds and made a full on gram parsons album. prolific artist and legendary collab. just learned the iconic artwork is from a levis poster... kinda bummed... unoriginal...
Ok
This was a nice country sound to me!
Oh no, not another country album.
quite fun
Whey to much Jesus
After loving the Notorious Byrd Brothers and liking Mr Tambourine Man, I'm starting to wish the list had stopped there as they're appealing to me less and less with each entry. Here, The Byrds recruit country music 'pioneer', Gram Parsons (why?) and make an album of covers that was supposed to be something else when they came up with the idea. Parsons then apparently steered them towards this new direction, caused fights within the band and then left before it came out. Seems to me it should've been shelved but no, they released it anyway. I don't like the style at all and it feels pointless listening to albums of covers on this challenge unless they're doing something really groundbreaking or interesting with the songs. The only redeeming feature here is that The Byrds do lovely vocal harmonies so it was never actively bad to listen to. It was just a bit boring and pointless.
Hippie dippie bullshit
I like The Byrds but not because of this album.
I like some Byrds songs, but not these.
3.5 stars
Liked more than I would have expected
So
I was expecting the jangle pop of The Byrds, which influenced early REM and Peter Buck. Instead, I got the country rock of The Byrds, which directly influenced Uncle Tupelo and Wilco. So it’s all good!
There are only so many shuffle beat bluesy story style songs a man can take
I think this might be the first Byrds album that I’d say I didn’t love. It still was a pleasant little jaunt, but it didn’t seem to have as many beautifully crafted vocal harmonies as I’d come to expect. It also felt more country than folky, so wasn’t quite to general sound I anticipated either. It still isn’t a bad album, but it didn’t really feel like a Byrds album to me. I think I’ll be sticking with the others.
an all time classic in the genre.
Dig it
Meh. Was okay.
This is not what I was expecting. I thought the Byrds were, like, hippies. This seemed to be straightforward Christian bluegrass country music. I really liked it though!
This did not engage me too much…
I'm very much into 60s - 80s country, so an album like this is very much in my wheelhouse. That said, I liked this album, but there's nothing special here. Almost the entire album sounds like filler. This is totally inoffensive and easy to listen to, but I just keep waiting for it to get better and it never did. The especially frustrating part for me is I like this band AND I like this genre. I guess I just had expectations that weren't met. I feel like giving this three stars is too generous, and two stars is too harsh. Whatever rating I end up giving to this album isn't one I'm going to be satisfied with. At least it's a short listen, so I only had anxiety about its underperformance for about half an hour. ⭐⭐
Overall, not a bad album, it was quite enjoyable having it in the background but of course it is quite outdated nowadays, and as the more aggressive music became popular a few years after this album came out, so it was probably nice chilling and listening to this.
quoting the song I loved of their last album 'why?' The American Beatles comparison was probably made loads, but then they threw it out by making poop music I guess. Its not all totally throwaway though, I just think its so much worse in every way. I think the reason why I liked the other one so much is because it felt not too blues, and that was refreshing. But we're deep into country land with this one, and the song about Christianity sucks. Not much else to say really, I just don't like this type of music much. Favourite songs: you ain't goin' nowhere, nothing was delivered Overall around 5/10
Country bumpkin nonsense
Really dig this album. Had me humming along the whole time. Love hickory wind.
Dull but not as bad as others from Burds.
A phrase I’ve had rattling about my brain for a while and finally a chance to use it - Generic biddle.
That was alright.
To my own shock- I didn't necessarily dislike this album. I think some part of this, despite it having a tad of a "twang" I actually enjoyed. I think that there is something different with The Byrds than other albums this genre etc. Just was fun and different than what I expected.
It sounds crystal clear, beautiful melodies and harmonies, excellent playing - I can absolutely see why/how many people might 5/5 this one. I just cannot connect with it, and not just because I really am not a fan of the Byrds. Purely on personal preference / taste (pedal steel, overly-twangy vocals, weirdly religious lyrics?) I won't listen again. 5/10 2 stars
The musicianship is fine here; the songs well-chosen and well-performed. But hard to hear this as a seminal Byrds album.
Such a weird turn for the byrds but this is a legit and decent country album they did for some reason
I somehow thought The Byrds were a bit like... The Small Faces or something. But Jesus... Country, and somewhat Christian country at that. Absolutely not.
The Byrds. I like The Byrds. Oh dear - what the heck is this?!? No issue with the genre shift - just that it is so pedestrian and has absolutely no place on this list.
Beautiful and perfect. Super concise too. Gram Parsons gone too soon
Enjoyed! But did kinda grow a little repetitive. But they really nail this style love to see that.
I love this album - just grows and grows on me with each listen. Does country music inevitably appeal to you as you age?
I really did not enjoy this album
Hard to belive this isn't a Best Of collection
My dad's favorite band from the 60's. I've never heard this one but knew a few tracks from youth/radio and covers ("You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"). This was the start of country rock as we know it and I suspect that's why it's on this list. A big change from the songs they showcased at the start of their career ("Turn! Turn! Turn!", "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better"). Not my thing, it just felt dated, manufactured, and just barely true country. I didn't make it all the way through most of the tracks. It just didn't speak to me at all. Not enjoyable and again it didn't feel authentic for a bunch of California boys. It must be on this list due to influence but that's where the accolades end. 2 stars I guess.
No more country
I'm usually all for country rock, but I found this a little bit boring. None of the songs really stuck out to me or made me want to listen again. I did appreciate the overall sound, though.
Meh
I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it.
Interesting departure for the Byrds. I don't think I've heard anything from this era of their catalog before. Not a bad album even though it didn't do much for me, but reading some of the history surrounding it was really interesting. 2.75/5
Mostly didn't care for this. It seems solid as country rock, I just don't like country rock. Gram Parsons is interesting though, and it's an interesting about-face from their previous material. Kudos for trying something new. 2.5/5
Music’s alright, but the lyrics got major Bible camp energy.
Gram Parsons’ work is amazing on this. Honestly, he really pushes this ceiling up on this album. The Byrds’ ability to interpret Dylan is unmatched but it’s Parsons’ work that keeps the album rolling.
country music starter pack: jesus, alcoholism, and killing your wife
Makes me want to puke into a hay bale
Pretty good
Beatles from temu
I think I like this more because it is The Byrds. Every album I hear from them is different. It takes a lot to pursue your artistic urges instead of staying in your lane and pumping out records you know will be safe with your audience. Once you remove your expectations of what you think it should be, it's pretty outstanding. The vocals really make it. Awesome album cover too.
Well I didn't see that coming! From Eight Miles High to this? It was a good listen, but totally unexpected from the Byrds - for me.
Very enjoyable. I already knew and loved You Aint Goin Nowhere but is a little too country/strumming/banjoie for my taste. Would be worth another listen for sure
Not offensive. Charming in some ways. 100x better than any modern country. Just not really my speed.
Country
Let’s be real here. This isn’t really a Byrds album. It’s the album Gram Parsons made when he stole The Byrds for a backing band, and took Chris Hillman home as a souvenir. The album is fine, it’s inoffensive and the players are really good. It just doesn’t excite. Hickory Wind notwithstanding. I recognise the importance of the album as a crossover and an experiment, and while it’s far from terrible, I will never deliberately listen to it again.
Kelly really liked it…
Great