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Post by B.E. on Apr 18, 2020 16:37:58 GMT
Any thoughts? I'm currently listening through their discography. I listened to a lot of Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn! Turn! Turn! in high school, but little else and little since. How about you? Which albums, songs, or iterations of the group do you like/dislike?
I'm only 4 albums in, so I've got a ways to go...
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 18, 2020 16:52:32 GMT
I got somewhat into them in the first half of the '00s, never becoming a completist, but I have everything through Sweetheart and also the self-titled '70 album. For me, they introduced a great sound to the pop/rock world, but they're not quite a top-tier group. What holds them back for me is, I've never been a big fan of their songs. Some are fine, but for the most part it's their covers (usually of Dylan, but also on Sweetheart, for example, or "Goin' Back" on Notorious).
But I really enjoy hearing their best material. That intro to "Turn, Turn, Turn" alone makes them hugely important.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 18, 2020 17:12:02 GMT
I only have these two CDs:
I enjoy them very much. I pull them out occasionally and will listen all the way through. The Byrds still sound great on the radio. Occasionally Roger McGuinn will pop up on one of those PBS oldies shows and i enjoy that, too. I read somewhere that David Crosby has been trying to get McGuinn interested in forming one more Byrds' lineup and doing something before Crosby passes away. I don't think McGuinn is interested.
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Post by jk on Apr 18, 2020 21:42:47 GMT
I really love their jangly stuff!
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Post by lonelysummer on Apr 20, 2020 7:56:24 GMT
For me, they were at their best in the beginning. I love the harmonies of the original lineup, McGuinn's jangly 12-string, and those melodic, pretty Gene Clark songs. I got the Preflyte album last summer, it's almost as good as the first two proper albums. I have everything up to Sweetheart, haven't listened to much of the stuff after than. McGuinn's Back From Rio is a great latter day album with a blend of the old Byrds sound and a contemporary sheen in the production. The Dylan covers on the early albums are nice, but rarely do they surpass the originals. Yes, I am a major Bob fan.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 9, 2021 1:57:01 GMT
Their cover of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is something else! A rare instance for me of enjoying a long song without tiring of it. Nearly five minutes long, but I just get lost in it. A very somber take on the song. Great stuff.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 9, 2021 2:00:44 GMT
I got the Preflyte album last summer, it's almost as good as the first two proper albums. At this point, I've only heard their proper studio albums (and some live recordings). But, damn, I really need to get around to Preflyte!
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Post by B.E. on Mar 9, 2021 2:44:23 GMT
Okay, I decided to make a playlist covering their 5 albums released during '69-71. Why? Well, I'm very familiar with Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn! Turn! Turn! and I think both are great albums (I'd rate them a 9 and 8, respectively). From there, Gene Clark's White Light and the Byrds 1973 reunion album are probably my favorites. I'm certainly partial to the original lineup, and Gene Clark in particular. So, I'm not interested in breaking up those albums. Nor am I interested in breaking up Sweetheart of the Rodeo as it very much stands alone in their discography. So, that neatly leaves Younger Than Yesterday, Fifth Dimension, and Notorious Byrd Brothers on one side and Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde, Ballad of Easy Rider, Untitled, Byrdmaniax, and Farther Along on the other to condense. Frankly, I think all of these albums pale in comparison to their first two. And, they just aren't strong enough for me to listen to in their entirety with any regularity. In other words, they are prime playlist material! That said, Ballad of Easy Rider is pretty darn good. I can listen to that in its entirety (and I have numerous times this past week). I'd rate it a solid 7. Anyway, here's my playlist breakdown: 6 songs from Ballad of Easy Rider, 4 from Untitled, 3 each from Farther Along and Byrdmaniax, and 2 from Dr. Byrds & Mr Hyde. Oh, and I purposefully left off "Chestnut Mare" and "I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician" because I'm very familiar with them and regard them more as hits than deep cuts. 18 songs; 1 hour. I surprised myself with this playlist - or, the Byrds surprised me! I didn't think there was an hour's worth of late-era material that I'd enjoy so much. I think it flows quite well, too. (Though, the volume balance of a few tracks is noticeably higher/lower than the rest, but...oh well.)
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Post by jk on Mar 9, 2021 20:19:08 GMT
Thanks for resurrecting this thread, B.E.. I have this 26-song comp I made from a 3-CD Byrds set a kind person sent me years ago. I still have to identify many of the titles. Listening to an excerpt from each track, I realize the jangle component far outweighs the country component. But see list below.
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Post by jk on Mar 10, 2021 11:36:01 GMT
Here you go (I think I got all the names right):
01 Mr. Tambourine Man 02 Chimes Of Freedom 03 All I Really Want To Do 04 The Bells Of Rhymney 05 She Don't Care About Time 06 Turn! Turn! Turn! 07 It Won’t Be Wrong 08 Lay Down Your Weary Tune 09 The World Turns All Around Her 10 The Day Walk 11 5D 12 I Know My Rider (I Know You, Rider) 13 Eight Miles High 14 Why 15 I See You 16 Mr. Spaceman 17 John Riley 18 So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star 19 It Happens Each Day 20 Renaissance Fair 21 Lady Friend 22 Wasn't Born To Follow 23 Bye Bye Blue 24 Ballad Of Easy Rider 25 Jesus Is Just Alright 26 Chestnut Mare
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Post by B.E. on Mar 11, 2021 3:02:06 GMT
Nice playlist, JK! Mostly covering '65-67 with a few later tracks tacked on. Man, you can't go wrong with the early stuff, IMO. You've got most of my favorites, but here's a few that I'd add/substitute:
Mr. Tambourine Man - I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - Here Without You - Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe
Turn! Turn! Turn! - Set You Free This Time - He Was A Friend Of Mine
Fifth Dimension - What's Happening? - Wild Mountain Thyme
Younger Than Yesterday - Have You Seen Her Face
The Notorious Byrd Brothers - Artificial Energy
JK, I'm probably most surprised that you didn't include "What's Happening?" and "Have You Seen Her Face". The former because I know you're a Crosby fan, and the latter because it's just so darn jangly, bright, and energetic!
By the way, I haven't heard some of the songs on your list! I see that some are singles and some are bonus tracks. I'll need to listen some more, but I can tell you right now that I prefer Crosby's "It Happens Each Day" to "Mind Gardens"!
Let me highlight this one, as well. Such a pretty song:
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Post by lonelysummer on Mar 11, 2021 6:46:06 GMT
Younger Than Yesterday is one of my favorites. Notorious Byrd Brothers hasn't grabbed me the way the earlier albums have. Someday, I need to get some of the later albums like Untitled, Byrdmaniax.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 12, 2021 1:53:19 GMT
Listening to "What's Happening?" this morning and it struck me that, apart from the guitar break, it sounds like a '90s alternative rock song. Or something. What do you think? Sounds pretty modern.
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Post by jk on Mar 14, 2021 11:34:51 GMT
Nice playlist, JK! Mostly covering '65-67 with a few later tracks tacked on. Man, you can't go wrong with the early stuff, IMO. You've got most of my favorites, but here's a few that I'd add/substitute: Mr. Tambourine Man - I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - Here Without You - Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe Turn! Turn! Turn!- Set You Free This Time - He Was A Friend Of Mine Fifth Dimension- What's Happening? - Wild Mountain Thyme Younger Than Yesterday- Have You Seen Her Face The Notorious Byrd Brothers- Artificial Energy JK, I'm probably most surprised that you didn't include "What's Happening?" and "Have You Seen Her Face". The former because I know you're a Crosby fan, and the latter because it's just so darn jangly, bright, and energetic! By the way, I haven't heard some of the songs on your list! I see that some are singles and some are bonus tracks. I'll need to listen some more, but I can tell you right now that I prefer Crosby's "It Happens Each Day" to "Mind Gardens"! Thanks for all this, B.E.. I've bookmarked your post and will check out your suggestions in due course.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 13, 2021 13:32:22 GMT
I came across a Gary Usher panel interview recently (posted in the Beach Boys forum, interviews thread), and subsequently YouTube recommended this set of two Byrds-related interviews. Usher produced Younger Than Yesterday, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, and Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
Pt 1
Pt 2
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