Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Ngl this is amazing, I like this
I get annoyed when Clark is listed among the great songwriters; to me, he's a tier or two below that. That doesn't mean he's a bad songwriter, though, and there's some good stuff here, even if it is a bit mellow and same-y. Best track: For a Spanish Guitar
I quite like actually its like a more country version of old Harrison
a tough collection of songs - Dylan/Manuel's "Tears of Rage" is the pick of the bunch - but Gene Clark sings them all with great depth.
I liked it enough to listen to it twice, but there was nothing that jumped out at me particularly, though Stand By Me was recognizable
Nice country album
Dylan-esque folk rock. This is a sound/style I enjoy. This kind of music always feels so classic to me, kind of like coming home I guess. Maybe not the most groundbreaking album. I listened to this over two days. The first day it wasn't really clicking with me but the second day I quite enjoyed it. 1975 in particular was really great. Probably more like a 3.5 for me.
I love beautiful, sad songs and this album is chock full of them. Really good stuff. This could become a 5 star album for me after listening about 10 times, but for now I'll give it 4 stars.
I rather enjoyed this album. Mellow and folky.
Kon mij zeker smaken. Lekker rustig, heb er zelf een dutje bij gedaan
Mile zaskoczenie, bo od tej strony nie znalem jeszcze glownego teksciarza byrdsow, pana Gene, ktory na swojej drugiej solowej plycie dotitnie pokazuje, ze mial on lwia czesc zaslug jesli chodzi o sukces bandy, bo zazwyczaj jak sie mysli o byrdasch, to na mysl przychodzi Crosby i jego gitarkowanie, McGuinn jako glowny wokalista, ale rozbudowane lirycznie teksty utrzymane w psychodeliczno folkowym klimacie, to jednak w wiekszosci zasluga Clarka, no i nie mozna zapomniec o harpie, ale co do samego albumu white light, nagrany w 71 z czlonkami latajacych braci burritosowych i bandy stefka mlynarza, material jest dosc krotki, bo tylko 35 minut na 9 kawalkow z czego wiekszosc to kompozycje orginalne clarka, jedynie tears of rage dylana jest tutaj coverem, na plycie dominuja proste kompozycje oparte na dwoch gitarkach i harpie, zarowno gitarka i harpa operuje pan Gene, no i oczywiscie jest on glosem plyty, bo to przeciez jego material, urzeklo mnie podczas odsluchu jak album progresuje swoje brzmienie, pierwsze traki same gitarki i harpa, co przywodzi na mysl styl country z folkowymi wokalami, dochodza kolejne instrumenty, tutaj bongosy, tam drumsy, kolejne organy, elektryk, klawisze, w wyniku czego juz przy tears of rage i konczacym plyte 1975 czuje sie jakbym sluchal klasycznego rokowego materialu, folkowe brzmienie w ciagu 30 minut zupelnie ewoluowalo, a obie czesci plyty slucha sie rownie dobrze, to dopiero sztuka, a sztuczki mozna szukac w solidnych tekstach, ktorym najblizej do wspomnianego juz dylana czy neila younga i jego folkowego okresu, niestety nie dodam nic na plejke, bo spotifaj nie posiada w swej biblitoece akurat tego albumu, ktory widocznie nie sprzedal sie zbyt dobrze, jak zreszta cala solowa tworczosc Clarka, a wielka szkoda, ze taki artysta jest znany tylko jako czlonek byrdsow
Laid back, mellow vocal
Great folk songs even though this is not my favorite thing.
Beautiful, easy listening.
Great melodies, perfect for driving
Folk de guitarras clásicas, mejora cuando se inclina más hacia el pop. Tranquilísimo y bello.
Surprised me, quite liked it.
Always grateful to get recommended more country music, as I don't know the genre all that well and being exposed to the best can allow me to garner a greater appreciation. Sounds a bit like Dylan at some points but is nowhere near as grating. It's a sweet and mellow album, as the warm sounds of Clark's voice and guitar float through my ears. I wish it had a bit more substance though. Nothing wrong with a simple album, it just ends up not being wholly remarkable or memorable for individual moments. Still rocks near the end though and I can always get down with a barn-burner! Thanks for the music, Gene.
smooth
Gene Clark is good
Pretty good singer-songwriter fare
just some real nice folk music. Gene White - founding member of The Byrds
While admittedly not the most exciting album, I'm a big fan of the Byrds and their members' solo work. Loved it.
Harmonica, good old country
This album has more of a country sound to my ears, but Wikipedia says it’s a rock album. Either way, I like it. I don’t know that I’d necessarily look up more by this artist, but I did enjoy this album. It was good music for chilling.
I had never heard this before. Some tracks that were covers ( maybe he did the original?) Can hear his influence in Springsteen
Do you want a hug, Gene? Really gorgeous and open country-rock. Winter In is superb.
Quite nice folk/country mix. Enjoyed "Because of you"
Another solid effort from ya man Gene Clark. I know who he is now... decent!
Glad to have learned about this guy—some songs I really enjoyed, others were more meh.
Acoustic/ country sound. Reminds me of Dylan. Album is okay - average. Not sure if I would listen again. 3 stars
This almost feels like something I can get into. In hear the seeds of later bands I like, like Uncle Tupelo. But, without additional context, I'm confused as to why an album that was only a success in the Netherlands made the list.
Frankly I thought this was very nice, if not a little bit boring. Enjoyed listening a lot up until the final sort of unfinished sounding tracks. Great little middle-of-the-road folk album.
Old-fashioned c&w
Probably not a good sign that the best songs on the album sound like a less interesting Bob Dylan rip-off. I'd simply prefer to listen to Bob Dylan. Admittedly not all songs sound like him, and Gene Clark is clearly a good musician, but I wasn't particularly entertained by White Light. The songs weren't bad and it was quite pleasant overall, even if not all that interesting compared to other albums. I think a 3/5 is fair.
This album is like vanilla ice cream. It's good, it's pleasant, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. The problem is that I'd almost always rather have some toppings on it or just choose something with a little more flavor. The songwriting is solid, and the album has a warm, laid-back atmosphere that makes it easy to listen to. Nothing ever really irritates me, but very little stands out. That's ultimately my issue with White Light. It's consistently good without ever becoming great. I can appreciate the craftsmanship, but when the album ends, there aren't many moments that stick with me.
Started out strong, but eventually just blended into the background. Good album, but not sure it’s an “I have to listen to it” album.
Gene Clark is a fine writer. Some nice tunes on here. Nothing that made the charts in it's time but his songs are what they call adult contemporary.
Floated by quite nicely, a decent slice of America. Perhaps the covers were not needed but a good album to play on a summers day 3.4
I thought this was good, but the influences were glaringly obvious. One minute it sounded like Dylan, the next Paul Simon. Not a bad album, just not a unique one.
Solid and pleasantly listenable. A bit lacking in originality though. Felt like I had heard it before even though I hadn't.
When I listened to this, I thought I saw the White Light.
A bit too long and a bit too whatevs.
meh 2.5/5
Very Dylan-esque at first (who influenced who here?) and then morphed into sort of Byrds-y/James Taylor sound, still with a hint of Dylan.
Lovely sound that's right up my alley. Unfortunately the whole thing is a touch flat to climb too high in the ratings but I could have this on in the background all day every day.
Strong Bob Dylan vibes which makes sense since this guy had a stint with the Byrds. A solid album and the lyrics are good enough but this kind of music has been done better in different places enough times.
I'm not sure what sets this apart from the myriad American folk albums of the same era, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it
Some decent folk. Nothing that that really captured my attention, but decent enough in the background.
Very middle of the road for me, not something I'd come back to.
Kinda faded into background noise, but good. Liked a few songs. Leah - 5/7 Leprechauns Austin - 3.5/7 Leprechauns
Нунорм
Pleasant listening.
Llegamos al jueves con un desconocido, integrante de una banda que sólo ubicaba de nombre y que salió en éste reto. Disco folk, con ciertos toques a lo Dylan (White Light es un clarísimo ejemplo). Tranca. Me gusta como música para viajar en auto, con un clima otoñal, nublado. Favourite track: Because of you Gracias y hasta mañana
Quite enjoyable but also quite throwaway.
Laid back country rock album from the former Byrd. A simple and uncluttered sound, pleasant enough listen.
Early 70s singer-songwriter country rock with a guitar and harmonica just isn't a genre that I relate to easily. I'm sorry to say that my experience of this album was largely about hoping it would end soon. The guitar-playing here is nice, though too often eclipsed by the vocals. It's a good record for people who like records like this. 3 stars
le début j'ai cru que j'allais m'ennuyer et je me suis ennuyé mais la fin de l'album est vraiment pas mal c'est vrai que c'est redondant un moment mais sa voix est très douce l'harmonica c est non white light............... favs : 1975, tears of rage, with tomorrow, because of you pk il est autant détesté par contre?
It’s a solid album and it was fun to listen to. Saved a few tracks for my playlist, but nothing life-changing. A good 3/5."
Goodness. Really pretty, soft and slow at times but something I would definitely check out again. High 3.5ish.
Nice folksy vibes, though no particular track stood out.
Favorite Track: Where My Love Lies Asleep Least Favorite Track: White Light
aight
Solid, pleasant album. Three stars
Llevando el bodrio a lugares increíbles. Nota: 2.7
Mmmmmmm.
Perfectly fine background music, but not exactly the most interesting thing I've ever heard. This definitely felt like it was more than just generic, some moments stood out to me just enough for me to say I actually enjoyed this overall, but not quite enough for me to actually remember any details to talk about in this review. In a way this is the best kind of "boring album," in the sense that I found nothing actually wrong with it, and if anything thought it was decent, but it wasn't really interesting at all and was pretty much just pleasant background noise while I did other things.
3/5
I saw country in the genre and thought I would hate it, but it wasn't bad. More in the vein of Dylan than country. It went down easy.
Not horrible...just not my thing.
Trying to be like the great solo artists of that time and not really getting there.
inoffensive and easy listening (with the exception of that awful Stand By Me cover). not bad, but unclear to me why it's on this list
Some very pretty songs. I know it’s good but it didn’t move me very much.
I've never really known this guy. Soft music, nice, but left me feeling a little empty.
nice
Very strong album of nice songs. 3.5. Might relisten after a break to see whether to push up to a 4.
not really into that
It was OK. Nice Folksy sound, kinda like Bob Dylan. Nothing really stood out to me, though. Overall, I would give it a 3.4/5! 😐
It's fine but nothing special.
fishin' music
This was alright, heard much worse folk.
Perfectly pleasant, but it was a struggle to find anything in this album that excited me.
As soon as I saw this guy was a member of The Byrds, I knew this was going to be mid.
Gemütlicher Sound der 70er incl. Einer guten Fassung von “Stand by me”.
Nice folk rock, some of it with a lush production. Those were my favorite tracks — the ones where the arrangement elevated the song and made the music feel big. Overall, not much stood out but it was enjoyable.
Sometimes I'll go to work on a song and start producing it using tried and true methods and just start putting stuff down, and before I know it I have a full drumset recording, bass guitar, electric guitar in the left ear, electric guitar in the right ear, acoustic guitars layered, percussion toys layered, synths layered, production elements like swishes and swooshes in section transitions.. all in a whirlwind of 4-8 hours. Then I'll take a break, listen to the song and think "man I just packed this song with way too much STUFF". This album feels like the opposite of that. All of the layers and voices work with each other on each song; they don't fight for frequencies, they don't clash. They respect each other, and it's songs are perfectly minimal when they need to be. I really appreciate that. He's also got a great voice. Sometimes it's soothing, calm, and serene, like on "With Tomorrow". Other times his voice is almost Dylan-esque (but less frustratingly nasally in my opinion), like on the title track "White Light". While I think I do prefer this softer singing style from him, I think I get a little bit bored in the second half of the album- specifically track 7 and onward. Overall, a nice listen.
Pretty nice album, might grow on me more.
Never come across this before…. It’s a rather charming album. Won me over with its gentle charm. 3.5
Generic and plain, but didn't dislike it enough to be a 2.
I'm not too high on Gene. I liked his contributions to the first few Byrds albums, but his solo stuff feels underwhelming to me. It's in the same neighborhood as Flying Burrito Brothers or something, but kind of less interesting. Title track is probably my favorite thing here. 3 stars.
Has White Light but doesn’t pack any ‘white heat’. Just a snoozy boring country blumptry album. No Other is the better Gene Clark entry on the list but I’d much rather get some Toto and Bobby Caldwell on here than those two bleh bleh picks.
I had never heard of Gene Clark, but it turns out that he was one of the founding members of the Byrds and was their main songwriter who write a lot of their more memorable songs. Clark didn't have much success as a solo artist, which is probably why I didn't recognize the name or any of the songs on this album. The album has a singer/songwriter folk sound to it, with a little bit of old school country on a few of the songs. While the songs are all pleasant, I didn't find anything extraordinary about them. Good album and fine to listen to, but not sure it belongs on the list.
Den där ”stand by me”-covern finns det inget behov av. Inte uselt, men kommer glömma det här fort. Kanske finns ledtråden till varför på Wikipedia: ”It only achieved commercial success in the Netherlands”. Men - sen lyssnade jag på den en gång till, och då växte den faktiskt på mig. 1975 och for a spanish guitar var bra. Stand by me om möjligt ännu kassare dock, ett haveri. Tänkte ge 2a men landar kanske på svag 3a ändå?
Svag trea. Låter som Bob Dylan.
Dit album heeft hele mooie nummers, maar ik vind het niet bijzonder genoeg. Ook vind ik het soms wisselvallig met nummers die niet leuk zijn. Het gitaarspel op dit album is wel echt prachtig. Bijvoorbeeld bij de nummers with tomorrow en spanish guitar. Het nummer white light vind ik irritant en where my love lies asleep. Deze nummers zijn ook wel mondharmonica heavy. Veel nummers zitten er ook wel tussenin en vind ik een beetje mid. Ik zou zeggen 3,5 sterren, omdat er een paar hele mooie nummers tussen zitten.
Well, it's not bad. Decent country rock even if I'm a country-hater, but not really a must-listen.
White Light was honestly a pretty okay album. This is the first time i have heard anything by Gene Clark (even counting the Byrds albums because he wasn't involved on either of the ones i did) but his music seems to be more or less what i expected it to be being this very country, singer-songwriter album. The album itself is alright, the music was good and the songwriting was good too. The problem was that these songs could get really samey, this got to a point where i had trouble picking out a favorite and least favorite song since they all sounded so similar to each other. I didn't think it got tiring but there is no doubt that it got forgettable. Best Song: One In A Hundred Worst Song: Stand By Me
Listened Before? N Good country album. The inclusion of Stand By Me is unusual and feels like a grab for a hit, but other than that this is a solid effort beginning to end. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Because of You
The name Gene Clark isn't ringing a bell for me, though I do recognize some coversongs by title here, and I'm kind of looking forward to those. This is alright. I enjoyed the covers, and the other songs are just okay. No complaints, but not much to write home about either.
Decent album.
Sounds like the Byrds. An overrated band, IMHO.
One of those albums I think I need to give a couple more listens. I gave it a couple runs today and it sounds good enough for folk country with some excellent harmonica with Because of You and Spanish Harmonica being my personal standouts. My partner told me this album made her very sad. I need to listen again be I wasn’t that sad. 3 stars
This was okay. Not something I’d gravitate towards usually, but good for expanding my music palate.
Disappointing
Better than what I thought it would be. To me, this album sounded like what I think AM radio in the 70's sounded like.
pfffffffffff
bob dylan si ct un gros random
Ràs
Meh... I wasn't crazy for it. But I certainly don't dislike it. It's good. I could really hear this guy's songwriting influence on The Byrds. The wiki entry says it was unsuccessful in America upon release, which is no surprise. (Cause that's what we do. Ignore great works and then praise them a few decades later.)
Answers the question “What kind of music did Gene Clark want to make after leaving the Byrds?” But make no mistake, this is not the second coming of Sweetheart of the Rodeo. It’s really just OK. For a short album of only nine songs, it actually drags at points. Barely has a pulse at times. Comes to life in the last couple of songs.
Peaceful!
The Virgin 1975
Decent album. Maybe a little slow, but I don't mind it.
It's a solid mix of many different styles known by Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen and other folky artists. I wouldn't say it's super necessary to listen to, but in case you can't get enough of The Byrds you should listen to this solo endeavour.
Not a standout album for me, but definitely pleasant the whole way through. Not much else to say really. Favorite Songs: “With Tomorrow”, “For A Spanish Guitar”, “1975” Least Favorite Song: “The Virgin” Mid 3.
Bit too country for me.
Calling this album "pedestrian" is a little disingenuous. It's just a really accessible folk album.
inoffensive country album. nothing wrong but nothing particularly special.
Folk, country, Dylan, Bob Denver. It fits well within it's singer songwriter niche. Not my bag, but it works far better than others I've heard of its time and genre.
I thought that this whole album was not as bad as some people were saying in the reviews. This album is not a 1, but very much not a 5. There were some pleasant songs on the record, but in the end, I did not remember almost any of them, and I will probably forget that this album ever existed.
I do like folk rock and singer/songwriter albums, so this was right in that wheelhouse. Did feel at times a little derivative though, like a well-polished singer doing his best impression of Dylan.
Some decent driving music.
ja
Very nice easy listen
I've had a bug up my ass about this sort of soft boomer country rock stuff -- so much CSNY/Eagles adjacent shit on this list. But I like this. It's chill country rock. It's missing the clash of egos that a lot of this group of dudes did together.
Solid, but nothing special. Best songs: The Virgin, White Light
Sounds very conservative now but a nice listen, none the less 3.4
No private session used for Spotify. Seems like a very pleasant mellow country rock early 70's album. I gave it a couple of listens, not sure if I will give it more maybe while sitting in the cabin, drinking cheap beer in the morning.
Nice but a bit too different from my usual playlist to include properly into my routine. I lack references in the genre.
Découverte de l'artiste. Album de ballades/folk agréable à écouter. Convient parfaitement pour une journée pluvieuse à l'abri des intempéries. Best song: 1975
Cool mais sans plus. J’ai bien aimé le style dans l’ensemble mais il est pas mémorable pour autant…
It's okay. Kinda sounds like music an AI would generate.
Short and sweet. More of an outright country album than ‘No Other’, which I also enjoyed more. This was still an exceedingly pleasant listen, but because I know he’ll go on to do something more exploratory and unique, I’ll rate accordingly. It’s pretty, but also a little sleepy - understated to a fault.
Good album. Nice folky music but doesn't lift to heights of even the byrds
Had never heard of this man until about a week ago when I got another one of his albums. I don’t know if he’s just worn me down, but I enjoyed this album much more than the other. More interesting guitar work. Still, I think it’s an exaggeration for him to have two of his solo albums on this list. His stuff isn’t that varied or exceptional.
Fine. Not bad not great.
Pleasant and full of demos?
The album summary for White Light by Gene Clark states that “It only achieved commercial success in the Netherlands, where rock critics also voted it album of the year. Like all of his post-Byrds records, it did very poorly on the US charts.” Ok, so, it didn’t chart so great, and no one bought it. I’ve often guessed that the point of this book is not to present you with the 1001 best albums of all time, but albums that are at least from prominent artists that you might not have heard before. After rolling this album today and being greeted by that wonderfully depressing header for the album, I did some barebones research and checked what Wikipedia had to say about the book. My initial assessment was incredibly wrong. Literally the second sentence for this book on Wikipedia states that “It compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics to be the most important, influential, and best in popular music between the 1950s and the date of publication.” Ok, so now it needs to be asked. What in all honesty is this album doing here on the list?? Honestly, I’m being serious here. They don’t follow their own criteria!! Unless you’re counting the Netherlands, this album is not important in the slightest, wasn’t influential for anyone, and certainly wasn’t popular. Hell, just going back to Wikipedia and searching for “White Light (Album)” puts this as the 6th result in the search results. I repeat, it’s the SIXTH RESULT when you SPECIFY that it’s also an album. What are we doing here guys?? We can do better than this. To make matters even worse if you can believe it, including this one, the book has 7 The Byrds related albums altogether. I guess the entire panel are just really big fans. There is absolutely no reason on Earth there should be more than 1 of these albums. But no, we must listen to all 7 apparently. Maddening. Anyway, all that being said, and regardless of why it’s here, I did like this album. It’s listed as Country on the site but I’d say it’s much closer to Singer Songwriter. The aspect that’s going to make me remember it is the harmonica. I won’t lie to you, I’m a sucker for a good harmonica, and this album’s got it pretty good. The singing is alright. Fine most of the time, just ok at others. Nothing special. The music is a little boring, I could for sure fall asleep to this. It’s not terribly impressive or amazing, it certainly shouldn’t be on this list, but I actually kind of liked it as a whole. It’s peaceful, kind of upbeat, his voice is ok, and the harmonica really brings it home and ties it together nicely. I don’t think it needs to be 51 minutes long, that certainly doesn’t help its case at all, but whatever. It was fine actually. I don’t think this album deserves to be under 3 stars, personally. Unless the reviews are mostly just raging over the fact that 7 The Byrds albums made the cut over something like Demon Days by Gorillaz, any single MF DOOM or Tool albums. Then I would completely understand the frustration and would agree it’s warranted. My favorite song was “For A Spanish Guitar”. Some good harmonica solos, pretty goated. Easy dub. 3.45 out of 5 as a whole. Better than I expected, but truly shouldn’t be here at all.
6.5/10
the vibe was relaxed but the album quickly became background music for me and felt like the same song all the way through. I didn't hate it though.
3/5 It was alright... I don't really listen to country much, but this album very much felt like every song was the same. Nothing that really stood out to me, even though the vibe was nice and chill.
Some more boring folk rock, there are a couple songs that save it but it's all too much the same
Gene Clark's later album No Other (1974) got a 4-star rating from me. It felt insanely underappreciated as a record. White Light is a slight dip in quality, but it still has some highlights. A chill, laid-back, surprisingly simple sound for the powerhouse year that was 1971. I guess I was hoping for something more intense/emotional, or at least something that pushes musical boundaries a little harder. That being said, the understated ballad With Tomorrow is gorgeous and I wouldn't mind one bit if the entire album were soft-spoken ballads with crisp acoustic guitar recording that tickles your brain. It's by far the strongest track on the album, though the opener The Virgin makes a solid showing. Stand By Me, despite being nowhere near as interesting or iconic as Ben E. King's version, is still great. Covers of that tune are hard to mess up. The title track has an extremely generic country-folk sound. I find with that genre, to stand out from the crowd, you either need to have a distinctive voice, distinctive lyrics, or both (exhibit A: Bob Dylan). The lack of standout instruments, chords, melodies, textures – *any* musical element whatsoever – really shows that this is a filler track. (Still enjoyable as a kind of guilty pleasure, though.) Speaking of chords, where are the interesting harmonies to make up for an otherwise horrific lack of complexity? I found myself jamming to the B-side-esque song "1975" simply because it had the first use of a ii chord amidst the sea of I/IV/V/vi. Same with Ship Of The Lord (with what I think is a VIIb chord). Good stuff. But these tracks are exceptions that prove the rule. The final two tracks, Opening Night / Winter In, are also good – but the fact that they have identical keys, instrumentation, chord progression, everything, is very odd. And a bit of a limp way to conclude the album if you're looking to go out with a creative bang. (I like that it has the same chord progression as Pink Floyd's Brain Damage, though. And this one came out first!) For A Spanish Guitar is iffy until the harmonica solo at the halfway point, which I could listen to for hours. But is the song played with a Spanish guitar? It sounds pretty region-neutral to me. Clickbaity title. 3/5 Key tracks: The Virgin, With Tomorrow, 1975
I had high expectations for this since I loved the No One album so much. This wasn’t as good for me for some reason. 3/8/26
Un tipo realmente especial, como Brian Jones con quien podría ser comparado. De White light puedes jurar que es un tema de Bob Dylan y nadie te lo negaría. For a spanish guitar es elegante como pocas y Because of you sienta cátedra entre los cantautores folkies. Tears of rage es simplemente brillante. Yo prefiero el debut Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers o No other, este se me hace un poco insulso, o es que lo he pillado demasiado temprano por la mañana.
Nice lil chill album, some of the riffs so classic I was thinking they were the start of modern songs. Nice chill classic country
Liked the slide guitar, liked the harmonica, loved his voice. But perhaps lacked a little edge.
Enjoyed this, felt a lot like something Neil Young might have recorded around the time he was making Harvest Moon
sympa en vrai, ca menerve qu'on puisse pas mettre des demi argh
2 stars was tempting because of how dull this album is, but decided that's not consistent with the rest of my rankings. 3 stars for being so plain that I have no opinion. - Love me some Americana/Folk... If it can hold up - A bit bland so far - Yeah I love the sound but it's not gripping me. Too high-brow/lyrical? Will have to impress me sonically to bother with the lyrics - Didn't finish. Not out of dislike, just boredom
Wasn’t ready for that. Wasn’t ready for it being what it was, nor for it to be as well done as it was. Guess I should be less surprised given the time when it was done. But did I really need to hear that before I died? Debatable.
Pleasant enough but not anything I'd revisit
A fine to good album, but nothing particularly noteworthy. I'm sure there are more influential or left-field picks out there that would be worthy of a spot on the list over this.
3.5
It's fine. It's okay. It's just there.
A decent country album, nothing special. The harmonica is mixed a little too sharply, and can sometimes hurt your ears. Simple and easygoing music, but nothing crazy or original that caught my attention. Lovely sounding stuff though.
Not a bad album by Gene Clark. A folk/country album that's mellow and easy on the ears, which lends itself to several listens, aided by the short album length. This is more palatable than something by Bob Dylan, and I liked Clark's version of Dylan's "Tears of Rage." I think Clark could've relaxed a bit with the harmonica, because we already have one Bob Dylan and that's more than enough for us. Anyway, Clark's at his best with his love songs, and I will die on this hill.
I'm a bit behind, so it's interesting that I'd get a Gene Clark album and my next one will be The Byrds. Are they trying to flip me a double Byrd or something? Anyway. This is folksy and pleasent.
Eh. It's folksy stuff. No complaints, I guess.
Not sure if it was really my style of music but won me over with great guitar playing, wonderful voice.
Nothing wrong with it, but I was underwhelmed.
Dutch rock critics picked this over Led Zeppelin IV which was also a 1971 record. Shows you what critics know. It's fine, it's a style that has been done to death. I hear some basic music and basic lyrics. Not hearing anything innovative or worth a re-listen. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
Caught be by complete surprise. This is not the type of music I normally enjoy. Was pleasantly surprised.
Not something I would choose to listen to myself, but it was nice on my drive to work.
It's nice. It's fine. I can totally see the influence on Beck's Sea Change, which I love, but apart from a couple of tracks it didn't really resonate with me.
A bit monotonous but not bad.
听过了叮铃哐啷之后，开始觉得乡村无聊了
This is a pretty chill album - relatively old, so it was at around the time when music was starting to get a bit too intense, but I assume people would enjoy having this in the background, as I did today. Overall, a bit meh from a staying-entertained point of view, but it's not too bad.
Nice!
bored but mostly fine overall
I am utterly fascinated by the briskness and certainty with which Wikipedia insists on informing me that this album achieved commercial success **ONLY** in The Netherlands. I am fascinated for two reasons: firstly, why has Wikipedia deemed this piece of information second sentence worthy? Secondly, how did Gene Clark (of The Byrds) manage to release an album that was, implicitly, a commercial failure everywhere *except* for The Netherlands. I have decided to do a (small) amount of research into this, instead of just reviewing the fucking album. I have discovered, per Dutch professor of sociology, Mel Van Elteren, that, "All kinds of American popular music have been embraced by large groups in the Netherlands during the postwar era. One major exception to this general tendency is country and western music. Although its various brands, from old-time music to country-rock, do have their enthusiastic groups of Dutch aficionados, none of these draws a really large audience, comparable to, let's say, middle-of-the-road pop music, rock, or even rap music. Country is hardly visible or audible in the public realm." This is a little helpful, but mostly just confusing. Am I to believe that niche, sub-cultural interest in Americana on the part of the Dutch public is enough to constitute a commercial success in the eyes of Gene Clark's label? It is possible, but still doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Also, while I haven't taken a particularly close look at this facet, I have also found discussions about "Dutch Americana". This leads me to believe that Americana originating from The Netherlands is at least prevalent enough to warrant a unique genre descriptor, which may be an indicator that the country has *some* broader interest in the genre. Similarly, I have discovered that several (fairly recent) Eurovision performances from The Netherlands have been Americana inspired, which is another point in favor of public interest. However, this is just about everything I can find on this topic without expending resources on actual literature regarding the subject. So I will call it for now with the tentative conclusion that the success of White Light by Gene Clark in, and only in, The Netherlands *may* make some small amount of sense. Anyways, we're here to discuss whether on not this is any good. And it's fine. Gene Clark's take on Americana is not particularly inventive or unique, but the songs here are largely well-written and well-performed. A couple of psychedelic flourishes mix things up now and then, but this is mostly meat and potatoes folk rock. Which is to say, if you like folk rock, this will keep you fed, and you'll probably find something to enjoy. But if you're not sold on the genre, White Light probably won't change anything. Although, I would like to mention the lyricism here before wrapping up. Even though his style of writing isn't exactly new, he does manage to pen a few really exceptional images. but all in all, I thought this was fine. I'm kind of baffled by how much this website's top reviews of this album seem to absolutely hate it. Much in the same way that I'm kind of baffled by how The Netherlands alone seemed to love it.
Nothing really stood out here for me
It's pleasant enough, but did I really need to listen before I die?
3.43
he does not need to be here twice. No other was better. He didn’t grow as an artist to me, he kept at the same thing without diverging. Did not enjoy the daughter song, gave me the creeps! Let daughters be angry honestly!!
Background country and nothing more
+1 for the album cover -1 for that cover of Stand By Me
Pretty decent.
He's alright I suppose
White Light didn't stand out to me quite like No Other did, as it lacked the same teeth. However, there's something about Gene Clark's music that I really appreciate and enjoy; its intimate. The harmonics, acoustics, occasional slide guitar, the Byrds-esque vocal tones, the country-western twang. I could go on and on, but the music just has the perfect amount of everything. Nothing forced, nothing overdone. Top tracks: The Virgin, Because of You, Tears of Rage
Decent singer songwriter stuff but didn’t really keep my attention on this one listen.
bell’album folk, ci stava come atmosfera da inizio anno anche se a tratti un po’ malinconico. comunque apprezzato molto forse anche 3,5
Album carino per iniziare il 2026. Folk abbastanza allegro con una punta di malinconia
I liked it but it didn’t stir me
I love folk music from the 60s and 70s, but this felt pretty basic. It’s not bad, I can imagine it being a good entry point for people who want to get into this era of folk, but there are much better albums out there. The songwriting is pretty good, but then it includes a Dylan song towards the end, basically just reminding you that you could be listening to Bob Dylan instead. 3/5
okay wait i kinda like the virgin giving chill summer boat vibes -with tomorrow is giving something i just don’t know what i like it though like okay -so far these 3 songs have such a different vibe -lowkey giving bon dylan a little i’m actually enjoying this -because of you is so happy byler coded omg -one in a hundred is fine -for a spanish guitar is kinda nothingburger -and where my love lies asleep -these past couple songs have been good background that i would listen to in the summer but no stand outs but honestly i still like this -random stand by me cover okay -is ship of the lord a christian song…. -wait why is winter in lowkey stranger things finale coded if it was good ya know
Well I wasn’t expecting to like this so much. Great songwriting, lovely songs. I can realisten to this for sure.
Standard
It wasn't my favorite album but I don't see why it received many low ratings in the 1 to 2 star categories. I have to give this a 3 since I actually did not mind the second half of the album. The first section was pretty annoying with that harmonica and vocals and if the album continued in that direction, I would have given it a 2.
Gene was brilliant but not 1001 album brilliant. This changes nothing. Adds nothing. It’s good but not worthy.
Started alright but then got quite boring quite fast
Bon ben c’était pas trop mon truc. Sympathique, agréable à écouter, mais c’est simplement pas fait pour moi. Cela dit, je peux dire que j’ai passé un bon moment.
Listening to this album reminds me of my dad’s socks
Second Gene Clarke album on the bounce. Equally good, similar style country but with an element of cool. Worth the listen.
If I ever need to be lulled to sleep, this is the album I'll put on.
Okay. Good.
This is the 2nd Gene Clark album I've gotten. Strong James Taylor-esque singer-songwriter vibes with an occasional flash of Dylan. Honestly, it's not bad and I kind of enjoyed listening to it. I guess I must be part Dutch. Who knew? If you're listening on Spotify, the original release is just the first 9 songs.
Why is this here
3,5
I enjoyed this well enough. It is fairly chilled out and easy to listen to. Occasionally reminiscent of Townes Van Zandt, but never actually that good. It didn't leave a huge impression on me.
Probably more of a 3.5 but pretty basic folky stuff that doesn't get me that excited. Clark did it better with The Byrds.
Definitely not the worst country rock album I’ve heard. I prefer the vibe of Gene Clark albums over more traditional country, but this album was still way too calm and mellow for me. I really enjoyed No Other (which was surprising to me because I very rarely like anything country related), so maybe the problem was that I was expecting something similar, but this album felt a lot less interesting conceptually and a lot closer to a lot of basic country rock I don’t particularly like. It was still fine, I guess, but certainly not on the same level as No Other.
Reasonably pleasant if forgettable
Perfectly fine singer-songwriter album
Couple of good tracks
Rentoa folk rokkia ja kantria. Kesäiltaan sopivaa. Parhaat: 1975, With Tomorrow, For A Spanish Guitar
6 - AVERAGE
later
wasn't a big fan of this one, but it wasn't bad 3/5
Mom: “We have Neil Young and Bob Dylan at home” Neil Young and Bob Dylan at home: This album It’s a fine album, but I’ve heard others do the same stuff much better
Pretty chill. Bob Dylan vibes
Not too bad, had sort of a Bob Dylan vibe. Was a bit repetitive in style but overall enjoyable. Standout Songs: The Virgin White Light Tears Of Rage
Simply lovely
A pleasant and low key record which is ultimately a bit one note for the running time. I could have done with Gene letting rip at some points but though it’s clearly emotional and smart it’s also restrained.
Its ok.
125/1001 | **Gene Clark - White Light (1971)** Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: ⭐️⭐️ Fave tracks: *1975* This was largely inoffensive with some Bob Dylan vibes but rather passed me by. I can understand why people would like it but not for me.
I had previously heard of Gene Clark, because of his association with The Byrds, but was not familiar with this album. After listening to this, it is apparent how much influence he had in The Byrds' sound. This album was a fine and pleasant listen, but was not particularly memorable. I would listen again, however.
Like it 3/5
Not my jam
Will inevitably suffer by comparison to No Other, but had it's moments of beauty - Because of You and especially the guitar on the incredible Where My Love Lies Asleep - as obvious an influence on Beck's Sea Change as any I have heard.
I like the Byrds, I like Gene Clark, I love “No other” This is not “No other”, there little in the way of cosmic country rock to be unveiled here. To me ear, it’s a collection of broadly accomplished songs which don’t really demand that much attention. Easily skippable TBH
Pleasant enough for early seventies folk rock - a bit Dylanesque, but not aggressively so - but it's one of those albums that slipped out of my head entirely as soon as my streaming switched to another artist. I mean, *technically* I listened to it before I died, right? Even if it didn't stick?
It was okay, but I probably wouldn't listen again
Very middle of the road but pleasant to listen to so middle score.
#736. Not the worst post-fame solo album I've ever heard. 3/5: acceptable
Interesting Byrds-y not bad - but probably won’t get another dedicated listen.
Don’t have much to say about this one besides the standard: holy cow do folks on here hate it. I’ve heard this one maybe a couple times before and have a Gene Clark record but No Other is his true masterpiece.
It has moments of Americana excellence, but ultimately in terms of cosmic country it pails in comparison to similar act the FBB, or Crosby. A little too mild, a little too long, and a little too inferior to true country and western.
Pleasant enough, but I don't feel like sleeping right now.
This is the second album I got by Gene Clark and guess what…I liked this one too. Maybe I’m just a boring person, but I like this guy’s style and voice. It’s so chill and simple. It wasn’t fantastic or groundbreaking or anything, but it was nice. Real nice. That and I just really like this dude’s pic on Spotify. That’s all I’ll say about it. I think that’s all that needs said.
***An ok, easy listening album
++: White Light, One in a Hundred, Tears of Rage, 1975 +: The Virgin, With Tomorrow, Because of You, Where My Love Lies Asleep +-: For a Spanish Guitar 6,9/10
Pretty stereotypical 70s singer-songwriter stuff; soft vocals, bongos for percussion, heavy lyrics, lush acoustic instrumentation. Having said that, it’s a very good version of those tropes.
Pretty easy listening with a good mix of slow and upbeat songs
Pretty enjoyable. 3.5
Pretty enjoyable
I really liked the other Gene Clark album we had, that one had some real standout tracks and good vocals. The vocals were good on this too but the songs weren't as good. There is nothing wrong with the album but it just felt quite bland. Felt a bit like wanna-be Dylan and having his track "Tears of Rage" there kind of cemented it. Might come back to this some other time but for now a weak 3.
Very nice
A boring Neil Young. The last 2 songs were better than all of the rest of the album. Run of the mill folksy music. Meh
pleasant enough
3.5
6/10
I really nice time capsule to make me feel like a hippie in the 1970's Best Song: With Tomorrow Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 3
Ok. Bit old fashined
Really getting into the weeds of this project it seems.
Never as good as the original stuff from The Byrds is it? Pleasant enough folky-country rock, that - to be clear - I enjoyed but - equally - would not have been sad at missing out on entirely. The most 3 star album I've given 3 stars to
Pretty solid, very The Byrds and chill. Couple of great tracks that felt really well produced with beautiful arrangements.
6/10
There’s a few songs on here I really liked, and the vibes of this album are great. That being said, it wasn’t doing enough- many of the songs felt like well-trodden ground. 3 stars but I think my dad would give this a 5.
Definite touches of Dylan about this. There were one or two songs I quite liked, For a Spanish Guitar probably being my favourite as it’s stuck in my mind more than others. Find it remarkable that an album that was such a resounding commercial failure found its way onto the list
I've never listened to this album (10). Some great melodies, but not all the songs were very memorable.
Good folk music, just not necessarily worth recommending to others.
The Gene Clark backstory is far more interesting (and somehow far more sad, although that's a closer call) than this album.
Bob Dylanish
It's fine. Not particularly notable so not sure why its deemed worthy of inclusion over a bunch of other possible picks.
3/5, nice and relaxing
quand meme surprenant!
What if Bob Dylan was a more competant singer but a less competant songwriter?
Tricky one this! I love The Byrds, I like him, his songs and music, but somehow I don't love this album. There are highlights; With Tomorrow, Because of You, For a Spanish Guitar. It all sounds great and I've listened to some tracks many times. But overall it drags a little. Maybe a little earnest, no spark of genuine emotion of energy. Ah well.
This was fine. 3.3
Clearly Gene Clark was the better songwriter once the Byrds stopped being a Bob Dylan cover band. On this solo outing, Gene Clark owns the spotlight and shows you where his head is at in terms of where the singer/songwriter style of this time period is at - Country Rock is what it will become known as and this FM Radio / AOR album helps define the genre. 3.5/5
Tasteful palette, but the songwriting of the originals is a little lacking, and the covers aren’t that great.
Rv/g
I am not sure how many times I will reach for this album, but it is VERY cozy. I really enjoyed it. Gene Clark's voice is sooo peaceful and calming. The harmonicas kinda get on my nerves, but it was fun! Actual Rating....3.5 Liked Songs: "The Virgin" , "White Light" , "One In A Hundred" , "For A Spanish Guitar" , "Where My Love Lies Asleep" , "1975" , "Stand By Me" , "Ship Of The Lord" , "Opening Day" , "Winter In"
Soft Folk Rock. Was a pleasant listening... Nothing too remarcable, but just had a good time listenign to this close to the sea. 3/5.
It’s a pretty average but good album with 60s and 70s vibes (surprise, it’s from 1971). I would say it’s perhaps a bit too gloomy, but great for unwinding. Nothing stood out too much, but I think I liked “For a Spanish guitar” the most. Also, having a song titled 1975 in a 1971 album is iconic.
Not essential, but pleasant enough.
Obviamente no pagaría una entrada para ir a verlo pero que decirles gente, van 3 estrellas porque metió un tema medio country y tiene un poco esas vibes y me sale la infancia de adentro
Un álbum que podría haber lanzado Bob Dylan en sus comienzos si fuera mejor cantante y peor poeta. Folk de cantautor con melodías acústicas sencillas y placenteras que no terminan de encajar en la categoría de rock. Guitarra de un par de acordes, percusión y bajo simples y, de vez en cuando, una armónica también tocada con mejor gusto que Dylan. Aparte del folk clásico, también se intuye algo de la carrera previa de Gene Clark con The Byrds en forma de algún órgano que recuerda al rock psicodélico de su época, pero solamente de fondo y sin que llegue a tomar el protagonismo en ningún momento. Agradable aunque poco memorable. Dos y medio alto.
Pretty ordinary folk/rock. Nothing to write home about. I can understand why it didn’t chart well in the US.
Diet Bob Dylan. It’s fine, but all sounds the same and includes the worst cover of Stand By Me. 3
Not bad, but also not very interesting
This was an ok easy to listen to album. There was a bit too much harmonica in sections, but not too bad.
Yet another singer-songwriter album. Nothing special about it. 6/10.
Best so far
It was better than average, but I don't think it rises to four stars. I prefer my folk to have more emotion, or be a little bit more off center.
This is the second Gene Clark project I've gotten here and I like this a lot better than the first. A lot of harmonica, acoustic guitar. It was nothing to special but it was a good time nonetheless!
Very pretty, and I loved the style, I just wish there was something that felt just a bit more unique or attention-grabbing here!
Solid country rock/folk stuff from a member of The Byrds. Nothing particularly memorable, but pleasant to the ear while it was on!
I liked more of the album as it went on, the first track I didn't care for. The album I thought of as a crossover country type of album. It definitely had that country/rock feel. I did feel some of the lyrics were poetic for poetry's sake. I was making lunch for the family listening to the album, so it was a nice background album for me. The one song that struck me the most was "Because Of You." I can't put my finger on it, but there was something about it. It was very intimate to me. I liked on the bonus tracks the alternate version of "Someone Like You," although I had to stop it at "Stand By Me". The cover of "Tears Of Rage" was decent, but The Band's cover is just so iconic to me. So it was decent, and I may put "Because Of You" on a playlist, but the rest felt a little same-y to me. I would give it a 3.25, rounding down to a 3. Top tracks: "Because Of You," "For A Special Guitar," "One In A Hundred"
I liked his album "No Other" from 1974, generally considered to be his masterpiece. This one was ok, but nothing about it stood out much. He has a good voice and his songs are fine, but nothing that makes me go "wow, I need to hear this again." Also, a lot of the lyrics are kinda meh. Favorite tracks: With Tomorrow, One in a Hundred (especially the ending), 1975 (really liked the end guitar solo - the chord progression in the verse and final section of 1975 reminded me of George Harrison's Isn't It a Pity, which came out in the prior year, but it's certainly distinct enough).
Muy clásico pero no de mi agrado
Pleasant enough
Finding myself to somehow like country more and more. Nice album. Favs: 1. With Tomorrow 2. Because of You 3. For a Spanish Guitar
3+
I liked this, but didn’t love it. It’s basic 70s folk rock. Like many albums on this list of 1001, it makes me wonder if maybe the list should be 301, or even 201. It’s enjoyable and pleasant enough, but for me it’s just a solid 3 star record.
I enjoyed it but this is something you would listen to either right before going to bed or just waking up. Doesn’t hold a candle to Dylan’s songwriting but I enjoy Clark’s voice more.
Would have preferred to see No Other here. Too many average songs at the front end. Great version of Tears Of Rage though.
2.7
Okay. Why have I now gotten 5 albums in a row from repeat artists? I didn't think about it much with earlier albums, but it's now hitting me that I've gotten 5 in a row. Can I get new things please? Now, fortunately, I have enjoyed all of these albums to an extent. Mermaid Avenue was alright, but I don't particularly care for Billy Bragg or Wilco personally. Born to Run is a classic from a legend. The Eagles debut albums is a nice reminder of the fact that I don't hate the fuckin' Eagles, man. Remain in Light is genuinely one of my favorite albums of all time. And then there's this. Why is this here? I'm not going to say that Gene Clark isn't talented. Far from it, actually. I think he's actually got a knack for both songwriting and musicality. But, like, not only does he have a better solo album on the list already, but the Byrds, a band he was in, have 5 albums! Granted, he wasn't involved with all of them, but that's still a lot. Combine that with some other albums from artists like David Crosby and The Flying Burrito Brothers and you get like 11 albums at least involving the Byrds or a member of the Byrds. That's too much. The Byrds do not have enough of a cultural impact to warrant that. A few albums across the band and its members? Sure. Makes sense to me. But this many? Get out of here! Whatever. At least the albums are good. White Light doesn't have much to stand out though. It's basically just a solid country/folk rock album. It does that style well, but it doesn't do it interestingly. The songwriting is alright. I like the songs and the instrumentation. I don't have much to say. This is far from the most interesting album on this list. Still, it's also far from the worst, and I did enjoy the album throughout, so I can't score it too low. High 3/5.
Favorite songs: White Light, Where My Love Lies Asleep, For a Spanish Guitar, The Virgin Least favorite songs: Because of You 3/5
very good album for this genre
1971, huh? Country rock rearing its exploratory head. With exploration, sometimes you find gold, sometimes you just wander around looking for it. Mostly gold or at least pyrite, but a certain sameness pervades this a little and the lyrics can seem cliched sometimes. I suppose its presence here speaks to its critical appeal, but I'm in the okay I guess boat.
A new one on me. Like a warm gentle breeze on a sunny day. Pleasant, easy but ain’t gonna change my world.
I like Gene Clark's song writing but it's usually too folkie, campfire song sounding to keep my attention. He has great musicians but very straight forward and not very interesting.
Reminds me a bit of the Jayhawks
This was fine. I suspect if I'd like it more if I gave it a few more spins. The best part was hearing Gene's voice and realizing who'd been singing all those great Byrds songs. I always thought it was McGuinn.
This was listenable, not bad. Nothing stood out, but didn’t suck 👍
This was good. Even my wife liked it. Very similar to other hippie country rock alums’ work (Byrds, Gram Parsons).
Much better than I expected after seeing “country’ and former member of The Byrds! Not a classic but not bad either.