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Author Topic: Bryds  (Read 20874 times)
Fantastico!
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« Reply #25 on: January 16, 2006, 06:22:35 PM »

Ballad may be my favorite Byrds album. So I'd go for that. But Dr. Byrds is criminally underrated. Incredible album.
Untitled is mostly great. Farther and Byrdmaniax have their moments but are inferior. I hate the reunion album, but others don't.

Dr Byrds is their "Who By Numbers" their "Hot Carl and the Passions" their "Walls and Bridges" their "Back to the Egg" their "Goats Head Soup" their "Landing on Water" their "Street Legal.".....
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Jeff Mason
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« Reply #26 on: January 16, 2006, 06:26:22 PM »

Notorious is THE best sequenced album of all time.  Deal with it.

You start off with the hazy horns and altered vocals of Artificial Energy, an attempt to paint a picture of a speed trip if you will. An aggressive and IMO successful experiment.  As it ends, it immediately starts up with the dreamy Goin Back.  Crosby may have hated the fact that Goffin/King wrote the song, but the song itself shimmers, with some beautiful slide guitar from Red Rhodes and Rick chimes from Roger, along with the (on this album) omnipresent strings.  The lyrics combine a wistful nostalgia with a progressive view of the future.  It fades gently after a particularly nice set of harmonies into Natural Harmony, which uses an unusual mix of pedal steel and Moog synthesizer powered by a great Hillman bass line and some more altered vocals.  This slowly drifts into the album's great masterpiece gradually, Draft Morning, an early anti-war song (as re-written lyrically by Rog and Chris, music by Crosby), perhaps the most inspired Byrds arrangement ever, with Michael Clarke's best playing, a devastating bass line and perfectly set gunfire percussion.  As the song fades with Taps playing on the Rick, it floats dreamlike into the other Goffin/King song, Wasn't Born to Follow.  The most country like song on the album, it starts off sounding like early country rock, but on the startling bridge detours straight into pure 1967 pyschedelia before returning to the original feel.  The production matches the yearning for freedom spoken in the lyrics, and it was an obvious choice for Easy Rider a few years later.  The song actually ends, so a slammed door is an abrupt transition into Get To You.  This is a very hazy country waltz as filtered through an acid consciousness.  Thus ends the original side 1.

Side 2 opens with Change is Now, with some of Roger's most inspired altered sounds on the instrumental break and full band harmonies as all four Byrds play here.  The next song is one I especially like, Old John Robertson, as I like the phasing effect on the cello break and the subject matter (a silent movie star as seen by kids in 60's Hollywood).  Tribal Gathering is one of Crosby's crazy time signature pieces most likely influence by some jazz artist (Coltrane?  Davis?) that he was playing at the time.  The lyrics are another paean to some California love-in gathering that he loved so dearly.  This fades into the heavily processed sounds of McGuinn rubbing his fingers against his guitar (sounds a lot like a Dolphin) as Dolphin Smile comes in, an escapist fantasy about the sea.  This is one of the key songs on the album as Clarke was unable to play it correctly (listen to the hidden bonus track on the CD), leading to his eventual departure towards the end of the sessions (almost half the album was McGuinn and Hillman with session men).  The album closes with Space Odyssey, a track that should be near and dear to JRausch's heart.   Grin  It is from the original short story that inspired 2001, The Sentinel, and it is much clearer than the movie as to what is supposed to be happening.  The spaciest song on the album, it strives to get a spacey effect (it just makes it my least fav track on the album).

The CD adds a neat raga on Moog, an unused instrumental track, the famous outtake of Triad, and alternate versions of Draft Morning and Change is Now.

This is simply the best Byrds album, one of the best albums ever, essential to anyone hanging around this board.  You can tell that Gary Usher was hanging around the cream of LA psychedelia throughout the album and the playing is continually inspired.  If you have not heard the entire album from start to finish, GET IT NOW!

Oh, I also love these Byrds songs:

Renaissance Fair
Time Between
Thoughts and Words
Lady Friend
Nothing Was Delivered
Hickory Wind
Bad Night at the Whiskey
Wheels of Fire
Fido
Tulsa County
Chestnut Mare
All the Things
Lover of the Bayou
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Jeff Mason
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« Reply #27 on: January 16, 2006, 06:28:08 PM »

And the only band to go through so many great lineups. Total changeovers, always remaining great.

very interesting but true (for my knowledge).  Who else could survive the loss of Gene Clark, and then the loss of Gram Parsons?  The one and only Bryds.

I only go as far as Notorious.  What do you recommend from there.  Ballad of Easy Rider? S/T? Untited? Dr Byrds & Mr Hyde (?)

The expanded Untitled is my favorite of the later albums.  But of course you need Sweetheart of the Rodeo, one of the most important albums ever.
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Fantastico!
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« Reply #28 on: January 16, 2006, 06:30:24 PM »

And the only band to go through so many great lineups. Total changeovers, always remaining great.

very interesting but true (for my knowledge).  Who else could survive the loss of Gene Clark, and then the loss of Gram Parsons?  The one and only Bryds.

I only go as far as Notorious.  What do you recommend from there.  Ballad of Easy Rider? S/T? Untited? Dr Byrds & Mr Hyde (?)

The expanded Untitled is my favorite of the later albums.  But of course you need Sweetheart of the Rodeo, one of the most important albums ever.

sweetheart is after notorious I thought?  Oops.  Yes I have it, but file it under Gram.  Seriously.
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I. Spaceman
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« Reply #29 on: January 16, 2006, 06:31:00 PM »

Essay it, Jeff. Expound and essay it. We need that kind of stuff at the SS. Great writing.
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Jeff Mason
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« Reply #30 on: January 16, 2006, 06:40:28 PM »

I have considered writing a Notorious essay, but wasn't sure if it wasn't too obvious ground for it.  If Old Rake likes the idea I could be easily persuaded to write more...
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I. Spaceman
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« Reply #31 on: January 16, 2006, 06:57:20 PM »

Rake, tell him.
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Andreas
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« Reply #32 on: January 17, 2006, 12:11:50 AM »

Notorious has two big flaws: Arttificial Energy and Space Oddyssey. Two songs that I can't get into at all. The first one has no melody and no flow, and the second one is a boring drag.

The remaining tracks are pure genius. Especially the three Crosby tracks, but also Change Is Now and the dreamy version of Goin' Back. (The best version of this song! Sorry, Dusty and Carole.)

Is there a Draft Morning version with Crosby on it? Does anyone know the original lyrics? They mention in the liner ntoes that it was rewritten by McGuinn and Hillman.

Younger Than Yesterday is their strongest album from start to finish. The remixed CD contains the original version of Old John Robertson, which I find superior to the Notorious album version with the phasing experiments. Note that several songs on the remixed CDs are longer than the original mix. They extended Mind Gardens by some 20 seconds (as if that was necessary Smiley ).

Favorite songs:
I'll  Feel A Whole Lot Better
Bells Of Rhimney
She Don't Care About Time
Set You Free This Time
Renaissance Fair
Thoughts And Words
Everybody's Been Burned
Lady Friend
Draft Morning
« Last Edit: January 17, 2006, 12:13:42 AM by Andreas » Logged
koeeoaddi there
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« Reply #33 on: January 17, 2006, 02:05:12 AM »

ok i registered especially to post this reply........

some thoughts:

1) the sequencing on Notorious - agree its one of the best with one exception - Draft Morning. that shouldve been at the end of side 1, so we could have a complete ending, rather than having to fade it out and merge it with Wasnt Born To Follow

2) Crosby was the byrds best songwriter? puh-lease! i admit he has own unique style, but Gene Clark is clearly superior, as was Hillman in my opinion.

3) If you want something country that sounds like the byrds (sorry, cant remember who asked about that) try Wheatstraw Suite and Copperfields by the Dillards. From 1968 and 1970 respectively.  What used to be a bluegrass band goes country - pop. tis great. oh and the Sounds of GOodbye by the Gosdin Brothers, is a must. especially the new expanded version, even though they mess with the track listing.

4) Favourite Byrds SOngs - Time Between
                                         - Why
                                         - Gunga Din
                                         - Yesterdays Train
               

5) Anyone else agree that I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better has to be the most ripped off song ever?

and finally

6) Just picked up Guilbeau and Parson's Cajun Country - anyone who likes the byrds' Your Gentle Ways Of Loving Me, should definately hear the original version. Much better.

oh actually this is my final point

7) i think i actually like the later period byrds - they seem to have more soul. early byrds were a bit too clinical and robotic. you may get the odd duff song later on, but they play them with more feeling.

hmmm..........no this is my final thought.

Cool anyone else like Skip Battin? surely the most  hated byrds member, but i really like him.
not the best singer, but one of my favourite bassists and his songs arent that bad apart from on Byrdmaniax, which nobody comes away from looking that resepctable.


well there you go. my first post.
sorry if it was long winded.


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dogbreath
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« Reply #34 on: January 17, 2006, 03:08:06 AM »

Look, can we get back on-topic? As interesting as these posts are, this is a Bryds thread, okay?

I always liked "Guitar Man," myself.
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AUTOCLAVING TURNS THIS LINE BROWN
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« Reply #35 on: January 17, 2006, 04:32:43 AM »

Quote
Rake, tell him.

I'm tellin' him. Jeff, MORE NOTORIOUS! Come o'er the other side and write us an essay.

I love me some Bryds! "Baby I'm'a Want You" is good too.
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Andreas
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« Reply #36 on: January 17, 2006, 04:47:45 AM »

Quote
5) Anyone else agree that I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better has to be the most ripped off song ever?
I thought it ripped off Needles And Pins.
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Fantastico!
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« Reply #37 on: January 17, 2006, 06:16:48 AM »

Keooddiii there and Andreas, nice posts...

Jeff, DO IT UP BABY.

So Notorious has 2 Goffin King songs (Goin Back and Wasn't Born to Follow).  And it's produced by Gary Usher.  Hmm, any connection there?  Since I would associate all three of those artists (Jerry, Carole, and Gary) more with pop than folk.  Folk being another Bryds fixation.  And no Dylan covers on this record.  Hmm...  it's like a substitution almost--exchanging the Dylan for the Goffin/King.

Any serious Byrds fan should get "The Sounds of Goodbye" by the Gosdin Brothers.  Its as essential as Gene Clark or Gram Parsons.  PM me for more information.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2006, 06:56:27 AM by Jonahtan Donasdlon » Logged
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« Reply #38 on: January 17, 2006, 08:15:58 AM »

It pains me to see the band's name misspelled in the title (for shame!), but yeah, I dig the Byrds.

I like them up to about Untitled, then my interest just goes away. Sweetheart of the Rodeo is their finest album, with Notorious Byrds Brothers a distant second.
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James Kemp
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« Reply #39 on: January 17, 2006, 02:33:52 PM »

I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better

About as perfect as a pop tune can get.
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wind chime
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« Reply #40 on: February 06, 2006, 03:14:34 AM »

I have considered writing a Notorious essay, but wasn't sure if it wasn't too obvious ground for it.  If Old Rake likes the idea I could be easily persuaded to write more...

Where's the essay dude!!!! Grin
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« Reply #41 on: February 06, 2006, 05:42:42 AM »

These Byrds threads keep popping up and I keep responding.  I love it.  While I've listened to their songs from the beginning, I became the lifelong fan that I am on discovering Younger than Yesterday.

I liked every song on the album, even Mind Garden. 

It was my introduction to country rock and the beginning of my appreciation of Chris Hillman and Mike Clark as a rhythm section.  The whole album is good.  Its like Pet Sounds or Rubber Soul.  To borrow a phrase from Brian Wilson, the whole album is a gas.

Many people call it a transitional album, which may be true, but this band was in transition for years, all for the good, as it turned out.

I have every LP on vinyl.  In fact, it was my first complete collection of a group's albums.

My second favorite, the other one I've played the most, is Untitled.  The live version of Eight Mile High on this LP is UNSURPASSED.  Anyone who disagrees is itching for a fight.
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James Kemp
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« Reply #42 on: February 06, 2006, 01:40:33 PM »

The man speaks sense.  That live version is awe inspiring.  Can you imagine the albums that could have been graced with Clarence White's guitar had he not met his untimely end. A real musical tragedy.
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wind chime
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« Reply #43 on: February 07, 2006, 04:09:13 AM »

I still like the single version the best...the vocal harmonies of Croz, McGuinn & Clark are essential to the song...granted Clarence really rips some great playing on the live version but then again he did on every track he played...
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koeeoaddi there
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« Reply #44 on: February 07, 2006, 05:56:22 AM »

i think every version of eight miles high are great.
the 5D has the harmonies, and michael clarke is on great form.

the original unreleased version is better produced. nice and beefy.
shame mcguinn fluffs the solo at the end.
listening to that you can really tell that mcquinn's guitar parts were inspired by saxomaphone.

and never mind clarence's performance on the live version, parsons' drumming is the highlight!
totally on top of his game there.

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« Reply #45 on: February 07, 2006, 07:50:40 AM »

I can't get enough of "Sweetheart of the Rodeo." Those Byrds remasters sound better then any vinyl I've ever heard! 

"Younger Than Yesterday" is great too.

"Nortorious Byrd Brothers" has some great tunes, but that phasing merda in every song ruins it.
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donald
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« Reply #46 on: February 07, 2006, 11:48:19 AM »

KT

Parsons drums are indeed on fire on the live untitled 8MH.

The band was smokin.  Question is , jus WHAT were they smokin?

I've always been convinced that session was fueld by some sort of hi test! Wink
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richardsnow
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« Reply #47 on: February 08, 2006, 10:21:01 AM »

Notorious and Younger are certainly tops, but I reckon the post Sweetheart albums are underated.

Especially Father Along. That got such a hammering in most books I read I was expecting a real turd. But It's One of my faves.
I'd say Byrdmaniax is the worst album but I even like that. Pale Blue and Kathleens song especially.

Sweetheart is one I'm listening to most at the moment.
Can't get enough of "The Christian Life"  Love Roger and Gram's versions equally.

The Byrds really are The Beatles american counterpart , more than the Beach Boys in that they played on the records and all contributed to the writing and creativity of the music.
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« Reply #48 on: February 08, 2006, 06:32:41 PM »

Gotta say Notorious is my fav...it gels all the best of the Byrds together...Pop, Country, Psychedilic, Space rock, folk, ballad....12 string included...Sorely missed on Sweetheart...
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koeeoaddi there
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« Reply #49 on: February 09, 2006, 01:33:51 AM »

the post Sweetheart albums are definately underrated.

i think theyre all better than Sweetheart, in fact.
for the first time, the byrds had a real rhythm section.
as far as i can see, the only real criticism is that they kind of stood still for that last few albums rather than changing like they always did in the past, and their harmonies werent as good.
but then the musicianship was way way better.

i remember reading in Record Collector, where someone said teh bluegrass instrumental on Farther Along was a discgrace to teh byrds' name.
bloody typical, that is.
thats absolute nonsense, given that Chris Hillman was a bluegrass musician and gene clark clearly liked country music and that byrds toured with the DIllards.
bah!

richardsnow - have you heard the boxset version of kathleen's song? without all the strings. really lovely.
wish that had been left on (Untitled)
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