No Other

Sublime. Beautiful. Coherent. There is No Other. I discovered this in 2016, and played it to death, from start to finish. It is packed with lush vocals, rich harmonies, crisp instrumentation and perfect dynamic. Putting aside the wonderful magical storytelling, it’s just a Great Wall of beauty. Please try it, from start to end. Top tracks: Strength of Strings, Some Misunderstanding, Lady of the North

Another one of *those* albums that's probably really good if you grew up with it, but now is just more of the same

Great album. The cover is one of the ugliest ones I've ever seen, but it reminds me of that one record in your parents collection that you try to play once without thinking much of it, and then it's just much better than you expected. 4

Excellent, and brand new to me as well. This is what this 1001 album experience is all about, what a gem!

Loved it, Gene Clark is a master songwriter and this album has some haunting but dangerously exciting songs on it before ending with some classic beautiful country sounds. Excellent.

This album scratches an itch for sure. Rockin’ soulful country reminds of Neil Young, with some folky psychedelia and George Harrison vibes thrown in for good measure. A+ for me.

“No Other” by Gene Clark (1974) Country/folk rock of a bygone era. Neil Young meets Carlos Castaneda. Lyrics are thoughtful, if austere and unduly melancholy, demonstrating a certain intellectual curiosity, but treated unsystematically, even chaotically. There is frequently a definite mismatch between the emotional tone of the lyrics and the musical setting. Well performed backing instrumentals and vocals. As for Clark’s voice, it’s rather unremarkable. The album overall is very well arranged and produced, with plenty of texture to support the rather simple melodies. No ‘bangers’ on this record. The title track is somewhat innovative (for 1974), but seems to try to blend too many styles. Nice exploration of an elaborate chord structure in “Strength of Strings” on top of a Neil Young-ish melody. In sum, this is an album to listen to when you’re having trouble getting to sleep. 2/5

Unceremoniously and unfairly thrown away and underappreciated by the record buying public, No Other is Gene Clark's rightful masterpiece. This is the perfect example of letting it all hang out and letting your muses take you to your greatest potential. If only everyone had seen what Gene had seen and embraced this record for what it was and what it is; an incredible tapestry of sound that would have been weakened if left to lesser hands. The power of perfection, indeed.

A sadly overlooked album in its time. Gene Clark was clearly very inspired while writing this album and it shines as a result.

On second listen it is apparent to me that this is quite a unique album. Love the production. Title track is dope. Strength of Strings is a great way to follow it up. Was expecting everything to be fairly standard country rock but this is a tasty cocktail of influences. I just so happen to be heading to Mendocino where this album was conceived later this week.

Pleasant listen. Blown away by "Strength of Strings" in particular.

It's weird to me that this album was considered such a failure. It doesn't sound that far removed from the kind of country inflected rock Neil Young or Stephen Stills we're doing around the same time. This didn't blow my mind or anything but it's good. It seems like its commercial and critical failure really did a number on Clark and that's sad.

This is colossal, full-commitment American rock, the best of its kind and it feels like the end of “The Wild Bunch” with Clark’s hippy generation swapped in for the outlaws, out of time, values shredded, desperate, about to be cut to pieces. First time I heard this I was driving, not really listening when I was ambushed by a near tear-up as “Strength of Strings” forced its way to the front.

Exactly the reason I wanted to do the 1001 Project.

Never heard of Gene Clark (apparently from The Byrds), tagged as country. Low expectations. First track, country’ish but those lyrics, man, from there on just amazing. 5 stars. Not country in my eyes, something unique. The reason I’m listening to the 1001 albums.

Already a great album in my mind. It's a very warm, inviting record in a way; there's so much life in the music - from the moving guitar solos that genuinely add to the emotion of the songs, to the beautiful melodic basslines. The backing vocals that weave in and out add a layered warmth to the mood of it and Gene Clark has such a captivating voice. His lyrics seem very evocative, occasionally impressionistic maybe (?), but seem to have real depth and vulnerability to them. Lots of natural imagery and, on one listen, seem very forthright about the 'troughs' of life, especially when pleasure is sought to excess, whilst capturing the beauty too. Never nihilistic. I just want to explore deeper.

*Patrick Bateman voice* Impressive, very nice

I don't know what to say about this album. Its back story and, by extension, the story of Gene Clark is tragic. I was unsure at first. The opener is a bit country but not too much. This is fine. Then 'Silver Raven' comes and my ears perk up. Beautiful song. Then 'No Other' starts and you are on a ride you didn't know was happening. This album is a journey epitomizing the ideal of an album. This is why I love this project. Another keeper for albums didn't know I loved until today.

Another ringer for me, love this album. The absolute classic indulgent '70s coke rock album (meant as a huge compliment), with some amazing '70s guitar sounds. All songs are great, and the 4 song sequence starting with the title track beats anything on Rumours or Tusk and shoves the Eagles into a pit of shit

It rips. Combining the San Francisco psychedelic sound with the flavor of country and folk, and with the fertile, picturesque fields of the singer-songwriter genre proved to be a good idea, since this album was the result. The whole album has this fuzzy, hazy quality that's unique. It isn't full country, but it's also not psychedelic rock. Psychedelic country? Sure. It's full of spiritual allegories and old, folk inspired narratives, like the existential "Silver Raven", and the and "Strength Of Strings", the latter which has that George Harrison vibe of going epic and spiritual on us. But it's not all story here. Look At "No Other", which evokes a raga-like trance, and the longest track "Some Misunderstanding" that really gives you an appreciation of the gospel-like vocal harmonies, if done right (and here, they are). It has more to it, like the funk influences of "Lady of the North" and the straight-up commercial shooter that's the opener. I could go on about this album. It has a timeless quality you can see in a lot of today's artists in different genres, like alt-country, indie, and even some stoner and post-rock at moments. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

Never judge an album by its cover. This one looks like a shite New Romantic-type of thing, and then you find out it was critically savaged, barely troubled the top 150, and was deleted from the catalogue in short order and expectations drop further. And then you listen to it. Jesus Christ, this album is great. It's initially a little bit over countrified for my British ears, but once the shock wears off you realise what a bunch of idiots critics in the 70s were. A brilliant album.

For me, this album was another victory for share-houses. I think a dude named Tony owned the vinyl & I fell in love with it. It was the title track that I fell in love with first - the strange sound he gets with his voice. It’s an eerie song. From the man who wrote one of the 60’s greatest - Eight Miles High - & then left The Byrds because of a fear of flying. Go figure. Anyway, I’ve been listening to it for nearly 50 years & it still does it for me. Strength Of Strings stands out for me these days. Clark’s slide guitar is straight out of early 70’s Stones albums. And the song itself is very reminiscent of Neil Young’s Words(Between the Lines Of Age) from the Harvest album. But it is so beautiful. In fact, the whole of Side 1 is outstanding. Side 2 might not have standout tracks but it does the job. I got to see Clark when he toured here in 1979 with McGuinn, Hillman & Clark (basically a Byrds’ greatest hits tour). They played at The Regent in Sydney & were great. But I was hoping he might play No Other or some track from this album, but, alas, no.

I love the early 70s psychedelic country albums. This is my favorite so far.

Before today, I've never heard any of Gene Clark's solo stuff. I was only familiar with his work with the Byrds, so I am looking forward to listening to today's album. This was a fantastic folk rock/country rock album with hints of psychadelic rock mixed in. The story behind this album is a sad one. Apparently, Gene and the record label had differences of opinion. Gene wanted to release a double album, but the record label didn't want to. Upon its release, the label didn't promote the album at all, and as a result it flopped. It wasn't discovered until a re-release in the 90's, however the initial failure of the record was a financial blow that Gene wouldn't recover from. I really enjoyed this record. The use of steel guitar, especially on Life's Greatest Fool and True One was amazing, and added an almost melancholic feel to the songs. Overall, a fantastic record, and one I definately will listen to again! Favourite songs: True One, Life's Greatest Fool, From a Silver Phial, No Other, Silver Raven, Strength of Strings Least favourite song: Lady of the North (this song just didn't resonate with me like the others) 5/5

Oh wow. This is an amazing album. As soon as my first listen ended I dove into a second listen and liked it even more than the first time. The music has a ton of influences and is impeccably produced. Some great lyrics in these songs too. “Said she saw the sword of sorrow sunken in the sand of searching souls” - From A Silver Phial “We all need a fix at a time like this but doesn’t it feel good to stay alive?” - Some Misunderstanding

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Proficient.

This is an awfully pretty and very inventive record. Gene Clark’s blend of heady psych, folk and country-rock isn’t exactly my speed, but it’s pretty damn close.

A very good album. In the 70s country/rock vein. Enjoyable.

Nr. 157/1001 Life's Greatest Fool 4 Silver Raven 4 No Other 3 Strength of Strings 4 From a Silver Phial 4 Some Misunderstanding 3 True One 3 Lady of the North 3 Average: 3,5 Pretty good for the most part.

Beautiful songs. I can't believe the album was actually deleted from a record label's library. Nothing mind-blowing, but enjoyed listening to all the songs. 4/5

Some good moments. Would listen to again.

This files into the boring but good-sounding music category, which I guess is about a 7.

Not bad! I would throw this on for some older guests or something.

Never heard of this artist prior to this. At first I thought it was Glen Clark of “Hee Haw” fame (bet you young ‘ us don’t even know what that is!). First track was good, and it got better from there. Good vocal tones, guitar work excellent and very solid tunes through the first three songs of this album. Sort of reminded me of Doc Watson, with a little bit more energy. But after track three, it starts to fall off on “Strength of Strings” and then further downhill after that - the songs just seem to tank. If this were an LP, I would give side one 4 stars and side two 2 stars = 3.

Nice and folky but just more background music for me. Wasn’t blown away by any of it.

Never heard this before loved it. Wil listen again.

Quite a surprise. Will have to look more into Gene.

I have this lp

I'd never heard of this guy, and never heard of this record, but this was so good. A beautiful blend of loads of really good Country/Folk/Rock that was a pleasure all the way through. What a great discovery, will listen again for sure.

I have a real soft spot for this album & find it affecting in a very specific way. 5/5

5/5 Masterfully crafted Folk-Rock songs with tastes of Psych-Rock and Baroque Pop. It’s dramatic, it’s mellow and also very fun. An instant favourite! Top 3 Songs: No Other Some Misunderstanding Strength of Strings

I thought this was a gorgeous album. When I first saw "country" and a monosyllable artist name that I hadn't heard of, I admit I went in not expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised by the existential and psychedelic lyrics and melodies.

I've never listened to Gene Clark before, and again I might be riding the 8 day hiatus high, but I seriously enjoyed this album. Such a diversity of sounds and themes. After listening to Chapel Roan in the car the last few days, I'm just happy to listen to something that has more substance. 5/5

Кантри, соул, фолк-рок. Первая вещь не даёт сразу представления, зато дальше разворачивается атмосфера мистики и таинственности. Слушал ремастер. Альбом очень заинтересовал.

Beautiful

Completely floored by this sublime album from Gene Clark, who has slowly established himself as one of the biggest “discoveries” in this in my eyes. Not a single wrong choice made on this record.

No Other has gone completely under my radar this entire time. It’s a perfect record. Sad to find out that Gene Clark never got to see the much deserved recognition this album would later receive. I already listened to it twice since my initial listen and it will definitely find its way to my collection soon.

Absolutely loved this album. I was hooked from the first song, and it only got better. Great amount of variation between the tracks - each one felt different to any of the others. Perfect folk/country/rock album.

Awesome

Fantastic, heartfelt, and soulful. Was so into it I didn’t even check the tracks to rate them individually, and by the end I had to play it again. 10/10

This album is a great example of chill, psychedelic rock that’s perfect to relax to. They don’t have a huge following but I believe they deserve it and are underrated. I’ve listened to this album twice now and I’ll definitely listen more in the future 5/5.

This was a really beautiful album!! I'd never listened to Gene Clark before and was surprised at how quickly this album hooked me in! Really really enjoyed it 5 ⭐️

Honestly one of the best 60s/70s soft rock albums I've ever heard. Lovely throughout, amazing production quality.

Amazing country album — sweet and melancholy

An absolute master class in the folk/ country genre. It's really cool to see him take this approach after so much time with the Byrds and after some more basic folk solo albums. To see him weave in so much inspiration from so many other genres is just so cool. I loved the mix of folk and some heavier rock on No Other. Glad this album is finally getting its flowers.

Very sadly overlooked album. Definitely has a Neil Young sound in spots. Great listen from front to back and a true gem on this list.

Actually love the mixed media-esque of the album cover. What a really interesting Western-y album. It gave me a lot of memories I don't have, this weird nostalgia like I was riding on a motorbike across the Midwest and it's also really weirdly sad? Like it's got this desperate grip on hope and an in-between of imagination and reality. I've never heard this man before but wow Gene Clark's voice is really... I dunno, he sings to me weirdly. Lyrics and guitar are A++. Only critique was Some Misunderstanding was hella long lmao. FAVES Life's Greatest Fool 💖 Silver Raven (this is the best song on the record for me)💖💖 No Other💖 From a Silver Phial True One Lady of The North 💖

Favorite Track: Strength of Strings

Easy listening!

YEEEESSSS i’ve been WAITING for an album to absolutely wow me, and Mr. Gene did exactly that. This collection of songs actually gave me chills as I was listening. It made me feel. I wanted to smile and cry. It kinda gave some pink floyd vibes and the guitar was wonderful. The backup vocals were so powerful as well as Gene’s voice was heartbreakingly beautiful. 10/10 will listen again.

Did not expect to but I loved this

This is genre defining to say the least. This is better than any of the CSNY crowd. Also destroys the Beefhearts, Waits, Walkers, and Caves of the world

Loved it

What a surprise. Total masterpiece!

What an album! Gene Clark truly perfected the country rock sound. Tracks like Silver Raven and No Other masterfully balance country and psychedelic rock on a knife's edge—it's absolutely mesmerizing to listen to.

I really like this so far, it sounds gorgeous. I enjoyed this a lot - I can't imagine this being everyone's favourite but it's a sound I really love. 4.5

No Other puts you into a lovely, gently explorative mood, with some tight enjoyable hooks. Every song in here feels like I've already heard it in a good way, and I've enjoyed almost every repeat. Experimental enough, lovely enough, for me to risk a 5/5. Somewhere closer to 8-9/10, really, than a true solid 10/10, but it's very very enjoyable. Feels a bit like combining the best part of country, eagles, soft rock, soulful music, and a bit of psychedelic experimentation.

Great listen, and a huge surprise given my infamous antipathy towards 70s West Coast sound. But the production, especially the handling of the backing vocals is top drawer here, and the psychedelic tinges and even gospel vibes means this one soars for me.

Really happy to see this album feature. Firstly because it’s brilliant, and secondly because I’ve not heard it in years after my ex-wife insisted I get rid of my separate system as it was too big and my visual cues of albums to play went with it. I remember being blown away when introduced to No Other in the late 90s. The album is on another level from anything else that emerged from the west coast country:folk:rock genre and has hints of Clarke’s early Byrds psychedelia along with gospel and whole host of other fused sounds. Beautiful melodies, layered, complex arrangements, deep heartfelt words and those backing vocals are to die for! Simply one of the greatest albums ever made and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. I also love the fact that it received no marketing budget and so flopped as Gene Clark had blown so much on the production.

To paraphrase another reviewer, "No Other" sounds like what Graham Parsons set out to do, combining country and rock into a "cosmic" new genre. Only Gene Clark did it a hell of a lot better in my opinion. I find it hard to believe that this album was a commercial and critical failure in its time and Clark's lifetime. It's a great find.

This was so good. It's the type of album I refuse to believe came out when it did, it just sounds so polished, layered, eclectic, and ahead of its time. It sounds like something a 2000s alt-country group like "Songs: Ohia" would release. It's also very rooted in its blues and gospel influences especially with songs like 'Strength of Strings' (which reminds me of Sufjan Stevens oddly enough) and 'No Other' with those choir backing vocals. The songs here groove so steadily and beautifully, like riding off into the sunset on a galloping horse with the wind in your hair. Gene Clark was a member of The Byrds - a band I listened to as a part of this list, but already forgot (mostly) about. I don't remember if he did vocals on that Byrds album, but his vocals here were great - every note that comes out of his mouth carries so much weight, it's as if he's been troubled and in pain for many years leading up to this recording. Yet he's oddly soothing on the organ-backed 'True One' for example. The best song has to be 'Some Misunderstanding' which boasts this album's best, and most existential piece of poetry. The first half is incredible with those atmospheric explosions in the chorus, but the instrumental break in the second half (that's almost Pink Floydian) is what won me over. I can see this song becoming one of my favorites ever - a powerful 8 minutes. Another album on here that makes me happy, just knowing this exists, and knowing I can listen to it for the rest of my life. I could give a fuck about my inconsistent dumbass rating system for the albums on this list, but I can say for a fact that this deserves a 5.

would take more listens for the material itself to fully set in but (1) the material is still clearly wonderful, tons of lovely melodic and arrangement ideas and (2) whats somehow more instantly unforgettable than anything else is the structure. the A side plays it really straight (tho beautifully) before hitting u with colorful psyched-out surprises, and then the B side plunges u right back to earth with country tunes that range from warm and sparkly to dark and mystical. the diversity would be a fun time no matter what but its the way its all stitched together that helps each style hit as hard as possible, perfect sequencing tbh. ive still got a shitmillion byrds records to roll on this thing lol but this is easily my favorite byrds-related music ive yet heard...rly good split between comforting and adventurous. maybe a total masterpiece tbh, commanded my attention way more than i expected!

After The Byrds disbanded, David Crosby soared with CSN/CSNY, and Chris Hillman thrived as a country rock innovator. Gene Clark, however, struggled with personal demons and commercial neglect. Dubbed the "Shakespearean Hillbilly," his life became a tragedy—passing at 46, unaware that No Other would one day be revered as a cult masterpiece. He would have liked that—and rightly so. Released in 1974 and produced by Thomas Jefferson Kaye, No Other blends folk, country, soul, and orchestral pop into a lush, genre-defying opus. Its experimental spirit carves its own singular path, with influences from the emerging sounds of the '70s and a bold, adventurous approach to production. “Some Misunderstanding” is the emotional core, a poignant plea for connection that swells into a cinematic crescendo. “Silver Raven” shimmers with haunting beauty, its sparse arrangement evoking a timeless sense of longing. The title track, “No Other,” merges ethereal vocals with bold production, embodying the album’s cosmic and spiritual essence. In its ambition and emotional resonance, No Other foreshadows Fleetwood Mac's Tusk and echoes the expansive, layered textures of modern acts like Grizzly Bear, My Morning Jacket, and mid-career R.E.M. Its intricate arrangements and atmospheric soundscapes have a timeless quality, anticipating the dreamlike, genre-blurring indie music that would emerge in later decades. Despite this era being slightly outside my comfort zone, No Other resonated immediately. Its seamless fusion of emotional depth and experimental ambition secures its place as one of the most underappreciated masterpieces of the 1970s—a timeless achievement, especially considering the remarkable competition of that golden era. Do I own this release? No, but it’s one I’m glad I’ve discovered. Does this release belong on the list? Yes. Would this release make my personal list? As mentioned, this isn’t one of my go-to genres, but with a few more listens, it might just convert me. Will I be listening to it again? Definitely.

Amazing Highlights: No Other, Strength of Strings

Just a really nice album to listen to on a day when I wanted to be left alone. Ironic really, when the song “no other” might be about the importance of not being alone.

So good american country rock, perfect for a road trip. I will admit it did not deserve an 8 minute song, but the rest made up for it. Stand-out: No Other, From a Silver Phial

WOW! what a fantastic album! better than anything ive heard by the byrds by a long mile

I had never heard of Gene Clark until this year. Nate Garrett from Spirit Adrift talks this album up on his YT channel. This album kicks ass. A lost masterpiece is right.

I really like Silver Raven. It reminds me in a way of Bob Seger's Turn the Page. No Other is a complete change of pace into a fuzzed out rock song -- once again really solid song writing here. Strength of Strings is an interesting one. Opens up in a sort of opium haze with the skittering percussion and slow build. Getting some David Gilmour (circa Meddle) vibes from the guitar work here. This was an amazingly enjoyable and cohesive album with beautiful production, great songwriting, and instrumentation. I really wish for a 10 point scale here, because I feel like we need granularity on this upper end of the spectrum. This is not a 5 in the sense that Yankee Hotel Foxtrot would be, but it is not fair to put this alongside the other commendable 4s. So for me this is a completely unexpected soft 5.

- This project continues to surprise me. I guess I didn't know music as much as I thought ..... or maybe there's just so much out there it's not possible to grasp as much as we think we can .... thanks for this one. It's a beautiful record that exemplifies, at it's core, what the creative process is really about. We do this because we must. Maybe our efforts will be appreciated, maybe they won't but make it anyway. Don't give up. It's what makes us human.

4.6 - lovely album this, want to listen to more of him

This album exceeds the usual country-rock genre from the early 70s, and always found it hard to imagine why this album was ignored at the time of its release.

I previously had "White Light" by Gene Clark in this project. I gave it a 3 after one day of listening, but then it wound up being one of my top albums last winter. I'd retroactively up that rating for sure. I later talked about it with my brother and he told me that this album was a must listen. I was primed to enjoy it between that recommendation and the Rollercoaster wikipedia page, but this album blew me away on its own merits. It starts with that same warm country inflected balladeering that grew on me from White Light, and then it grows in wild and exciting directions with the heavily Stevie Wonder influenced title track and the sprawling Strength of Strings. The country is more pronounced on True One and Lady of the North is a perfect closer.

Loves: Silver Raven No Other Strength of Strings From a Silver Phial Some Misunderstanding Notes: This is probably going in my regular rotation. Totally my typical genre and it sounds so good, and the lyrics are ethereal. “Fiery rain and rubies cooling in the sun”

idk this man but i need to know him biblically

Imagine, if you will, sharing a spliff with Dennis Hopper, talking about traveling the world, mysticism, American grit. People know you from The Byrds, but you're here to make your own statement about religion and human connection, and it's gonna have a strong country twang. This is Neil Young and George Harrison's joint Americana album. It is lush, soft and smooth, like crushed velvet stained with cigarette ash.

Had no clue what to expect here. Upon spinning up the first track, I pinned it as "old country" genre. But as the album progressed, I got hooked more and more. Kind of a cross between Johnny cash and Neil Young. Will be looking for more of his stuff!

First song begins to play, not bad, going to have some country rock today I’m thinking. I’m sure this album will be a 2 or 3 for me. Second song begins (silver raven) and I’m surprised to find it haunting and absolutely beautiful, this is not what I was expecting. Third song, title song, a masterpiece with some amazing sounds and really amazing lyrics. What is happening! 4th song (strength of strings) slowly builds and in comes the guitar and more wonderful lyrics and building intensity, absolutely wonderful. Why have I not heard this of this album?! Some misunderstanding, builds to allow the guitar absolutely amaze and shine on this song and love how his voice waivers. A few of the other songs go a little to country for my taste, but by no means bad songs and all will powerful lyrics and feeling. How have I not heard this album! How are these songs not on the radio! I research to find out it got no promotion and was practically thrown away….terrible! This is a story that should be told. This album ruined him and it should have been a musical triumph. Will be an album in my regular rotation. Album cover is unique just like the album.

Wow, this really blew my mind! What a great record. Good that someone rediscovered it.

Blew me away

I didn’t know until it finished that it was from the Byrd’s singer!! It was delightful!!

Amazing... Never heard of him before. Now, I'm a fan

I love this album. It’s kind of Laurel Canyon meets prog. Gene Clark is a really good songwriter and an interesting singer. There are all kinds of moods on this album.

very nice

Wonderful album by by Gene Clark, recorded in the wake of a reunion album with the Byrds and ultimately not supported by the label, this is a beautiful assembling of songs with a light folk rock feel reminiscent of CSNY. Great, uncomplicated arrangements, great harmonies, great songwriting. No Other and True One are my favorite tracks. I'm adding this to my regular rotation.

A perfect slice of baroque pop roots rock.

Probably one of the best albums of all time. All strong and memorable songs.

Amazing work. Loved it.

Un oeu genre country, calme et top