Best Byrds Album '65-'68

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

?

Poll Results

OptionVotes
The Notorious Byrd Brothers 9
Younger Than Yesterday 4
Fifth Dimension 3
Sweetheart of the Rodeo3
Mr. Tambourine Man 0
Turn! Turn! Turn! 0


groovemaaan, Monday, 16 June 2008 14:59 (seventeen years ago)

notorious byrd brothers, definitely.

dog latin, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:00 (seventeen years ago)

The Notorious Byrd Brothers, no contest

Tom D., Monday, 16 June 2008 15:01 (seventeen years ago)

Younger Than Yesterday, no contest

Dr.C, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:06 (seventeen years ago)

Younger than Yesterday or Notorious Byrd Brothers, contest

vaqueros, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:11 (seventeen years ago)

Fifth Dimension for me, mostly for 'Eight Miles High' and 'I See You'.

NickB, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:15 (seventeen years ago)

preflyte?

Mark G, Monday, 16 June 2008 16:11 (seventeen years ago)

Younger than Yesterday or Notorious Byrd Brothers, contest
^^^

James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 16 June 2008 16:15 (seventeen years ago)

The Notorious B.Y.R.D.

am0n, Monday, 16 June 2008 16:56 (seventeen years ago)

younger and notorious is probably the race....but do have to stump for the pretty trad folk rock jangle of turn turn turn..that's such an awesome record

M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:06 (seventeen years ago)

The Notorious Byrd Brothers > Younger Than Yesterday > Mr. Tambourine Man > Fifth Dimension > Sweetheart of the Rodeo > Turn! Turn! Turn!

... today anyway, I'll probably change my mind tomorrow

Tom D., Monday, 16 June 2008 17:08 (seventeen years ago)

Sweetheart of the Rodeo ftw! (I see I am in a minority)

Ned Trifle II, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:22 (seventeen years ago)

Like Tom D. each day can bring a new top five. Lately, I've shifted back to Sweetheart. I think that and the debut are the most consistent records here. Younger, Notorious and Fifth all have higher peaks, I think. But all of them also have chunks of dated 60s silliness. Then again, Notorious will be my fave next month.

QuantumNoise, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:34 (seventeen years ago)

Haven't we done this already? "Notorious Byrd Brothers" by a landslide anyway.

Geir Hongro, Monday, 16 June 2008 21:43 (seventeen years ago)

I thought so too.

Alex in SF, Monday, 16 June 2008 21:44 (seventeen years ago)

Sweetheart, definitely, but I'd take The Gilded Palace of Sin over any of these, and any other set of records, too, probably. Almost seems like it should cut off before Sweetheart, though, cause i mean i would probably take Untitled over Tambourine man and turn turn turn

people explosion, Monday, 16 June 2008 22:43 (seventeen years ago)

notorious

Zeno, Monday, 16 June 2008 22:52 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

ILX System, Monday, 16 June 2008 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

When I was growing up, I'm sure Younger Than Yesterday was always *the* Byrds album. Now Notorious Byrd Bros seems to walk it. I'm not complaining - it's my favorite too.

Alba, Monday, 16 June 2008 23:07 (seventeen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Just picked up the remastered Notorious Byrd Brothers in Manchester, Vermont over the weekend for $7.99- it's the best Byrds I've heard yet. (Still haven't heard 5D or any of the later ones.)

Gary Usher's production is tremendous, songs layered so beautifully, harmonies sound even more exquisite than usual. Hillman's bass playing really stands out and his tune "Natural Harmony" practically invents Elephant 6 (especially Olivia Tremor Control.) Whether or not that's a good thing is another thread.

This version of "Old John Robertson" is like more spaced out dude than the single version.

The only clunker is "Space Odyssey"- "Triad" is a million times better and it's a shame it didn't make the album.

It's amazing how consistently great the early Byrds' albums are- just tower over most of the competition.

When it comes to the old psychedelic folk pop rock thing this is the real shit- sorry for the rambling...

"Dance to the day when fear is gone."

ColinO, Thursday, 10 July 2008 04:23 (seventeen years ago)

Surprised "Mr. Tambourine Man" didn't get any votes, that's a pretty fucking great album!

Tom D., Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:06 (seventeen years ago)

I am dumb, cos the only one of these I've never heard is the winner. The only one I don't like is Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. Is Notorious Byrd Brothers country Byrds or jangly Byrds?

Colonel Poo, Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:11 (seventeen years ago)

Psychedelic Byrds

Tom D., Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:54 (seventeen years ago)

Oh good I might like it then. Really can't stand the country stuff :(

Colonel Poo, Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:56 (seventeen years ago)

it's funny when you go your whole life without hearing that fits so perfectly in your mindset as a great album. i've only just recently gotten into the byrds, but "notorious" is already a keeper.

the next grozart, Thursday, 10 July 2008 10:45 (seventeen years ago)

I missed the poll, but vote would have easily been Fifth Dimension

Mackro Mackro, Thursday, 10 July 2008 17:16 (seventeen years ago)

^^^^^^^ verbatim!

Myonga Vön Bontee, Thursday, 10 July 2008 20:24 (seventeen years ago)

two months pass...

why no love for 'fifth dimension'? its a great record. 'mr spaceman', 'eight miles high', 'what happened', 'i see you'...

Michael B, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 17:47 (seventeen years ago)

I guess, like all so-called "transitional records", it sort of falls in-between two chairs. Those who prefer "Folk Byrds" will vote for "Mr. Tambourine Man", those who prefer "psych Byrds" will vote either "Notorious Byrd Brothers" or "Younger Than Yesterday". And those who prefer country Byrds will of course go for "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo". "Fifth Dimension" is a little of everything without really fully realizing any of it at all. It's a great album though, all of these are.

Geir Hongro, Thursday, 2 October 2008 00:03 (seventeen years ago)

Especially with the added bonus tracks, 5D's my favourite. Even the throwaways ("Lear Jet Song" and "Captain Soul" are unusual and atypical enough to work as parts of the whole, in a "Yellow Submarine" sort of way. Plus it's got McGuinn's most unhinged playing throughout, and he thus single-handedly (OK, "double-handedly") saves "Hey Joe" from being too far behind all those other '66-67 versions. And "I Come And Stand At Every Door" woulda been a nice soundtrack to that famous only-aired-once "Vote for Johnson" ad (with the little girl and the flower.)

Myonga Vön Bontee, Thursday, 2 October 2008 08:41 (seventeen years ago)

i can't get over "get to you" from NBB. i tried covering it but the 5/4 time signature's next to impossible to follow.

dog latin, Thursday, 2 October 2008 09:02 (seventeen years ago)

NBB sleeve never fails to tickle my funny bone

Tom D says "...get them fuckin' up here, ya fuckin' walloper!" (Tom D.), Thursday, 2 October 2008 09:04 (seventeen years ago)

"get to you" rumored to have been mostly written by gene clark
great song

velko, Thursday, 2 October 2008 09:07 (seventeen years ago)

I dig the acid guitar break in "change is now"

This album is the perfect mix of country-folk and classic psychedelia, it would have gotten my vote.

ColinO, Friday, 10 October 2008 05:05 (seventeen years ago)

five months pass...

Bloomsday thread I see.

I have just been listening to NOTORIOUS BYRDS BROTHERS for first time - it's very strong!

the pinefox, Tuesday, 31 March 2009 10:15 (seventeen years ago)

Leaving aside 'Goin' Back' I think 'Draft Morning' might be the highlight - love the effortless combination of jangle and fluid bass rolling this song into the light.

And what about 'Universal Mind Decoder' on the extended CD? McGuinn's best playing since 'Eight Miles High'?

the pinefox, Tuesday, 31 March 2009 10:16 (seventeen years ago)

Actually agree with almost everything said on this thread, for once.

TTT, 5D, YTY, NBB - they're all awesome!

the pinefox, Tuesday, 31 March 2009 10:19 (seventeen years ago)

one year passes...

I've been on a huge Byrds kick lately. Been listening to 5D and YTY...like %D a little more. Eight Miles High is a big factor, but I for some cornball reason find John Riley and I Come and Stand at Every Door to very affecting. Lots of great stuff on YTY as well (CTA 103--my nomination for The Byrds' Yellow Submarine; My Back Pages; Mind Gardens; Renaissance Fair; Thoughts and Words)

scaruffi kaleidoscope (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 16 October 2010 11:02 (fifteen years ago)

lady friend is the best thing david crosby ever wrote.

dynamicinterface, Saturday, 16 October 2010 13:25 (fifteen years ago)

It really is gorgeous. Today is totally a Wild Mountain Thyme day.

Trip Maker, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:14 (fifteen years ago)

pleased to see notorious won this poll-- such an awesome album

swvl, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:24 (fifteen years ago)

"Mind Gardens"?

Euler, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:33 (fifteen years ago)

I love Crosby but...

Euler, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:33 (fifteen years ago)

And what about 'Universal Mind Decoder' on the extended CD? McGuinn's best playing since 'Eight Miles High'?
YES. Love it. Wish there was a whole album of this kinda thing from the Byrds.

tylerw, Saturday, 16 October 2010 17:32 (fifteen years ago)

I would listen to all of this byrds.

wk, Saturday, 16 October 2010 17:59 (fifteen years ago)

what's wrong with Mind Gardens?

(TS: The Salvation Army's "Mind Gardens" vs. The Byrds')

scaruffi kaleidoscope (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 16 October 2010 18:30 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

been loving "Stranger in a Strange Land" lately

clotpoll, Monday, 29 November 2010 07:16 (fifteen years ago)

one year passes...

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/richmedia/images/cover.gif

I has a box set.. (reffed this and the other poll thread for guidance)

Oh, it's £28 on Amazon..

Mark G, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 10:16 (fourteen years ago)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41FdHNtFszL.jpg

Mark G, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 10:18 (fourteen years ago)

that looks delicious

btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 10:25 (fourteen years ago)

four years pass...

getting pretty into this band

though she denies it to the press, (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 16:35 (nine years ago)

sweetheart robbed

niels, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 16:36 (nine years ago)

Younger Than Yesterday, without a doubt!

pen pineapple apple pen (Turrican), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 16:43 (nine years ago)

5D for me these days

tylerw, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 16:46 (nine years ago)

Heard "Wild Mountain Thyme" playing as I walked past a bar the other day, good vibes all around

JoeStork, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 16:46 (nine years ago)

This poll is basically right on, though all of these albums are awesome.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 17:04 (nine years ago)

yeah that is an amazingly productive/innovative/entertaining three years right there -- June '65 to August '68.

tylerw, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 17:09 (nine years ago)

Not to mention Dillard & Clark and Burrito Brothers, though maybe spilling into 69 there.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 17:13 (nine years ago)

sweetheart robbed

^this

Special Ore-ida Blues (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 18:37 (nine years ago)

Did I vote in this? I don't remember. I would vote for the debut, still sounds mysterious to me.

droit au butt (Euler), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 21:08 (nine years ago)

1st, 3rd, and 5th all worthy of best

Not big on sweetheart myself

brimstead, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 21:47 (nine years ago)

love sweetheart, but it does seem like an outlier in this poll w/o crosby or clark in the mix

tylerw, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 21:51 (nine years ago)

"younger than yesterday" is great but oh god mind gardens is so bad.

mystery local boy (rushomancy), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 23:47 (nine years ago)

never got why mind gardens is so bad. backwards guitars rule

brimstead, Wednesday, 26 October 2016 23:53 (nine years ago)

Crosby gonna Croz

a full playlist of presidential sex jams (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 27 October 2016 00:15 (nine years ago)

Notorious Byrd Bros is like the best album ever made. Sweetheart is a GP solo album.

kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 27 October 2016 04:46 (nine years ago)

Bummer of a solo album when the two best songs are Dylan covers sung by another guy.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 28 October 2016 05:12 (nine years ago)

I'm down with those Poll results.

Blood On The Knobs, Friday, 28 October 2016 05:45 (nine years ago)

first two flying burrito brothers albums so much better than sweetheart, imo

brimstead, Friday, 28 October 2016 20:29 (nine years ago)

not that it matters

brimstead, Friday, 28 October 2016 20:29 (nine years ago)

even though they're both parsons/hillman country rock, sweetheart and the burritos actually seem pretty different to me. FBB are so much stonier.

tylerw, Friday, 28 October 2016 20:31 (nine years ago)

Yeah I need to listen to all of these - that first compilation they did is one of my favourite albums ever, although it leads me to suspect that Mr Tambourine Man got shafted here

imago, Friday, 28 October 2016 22:25 (nine years ago)

first two flying burrito brothers albums so much better than sweetheart, imo

I might prefer the 3rd to the 2nd tbh."Cody Cody" is the most "Byrds" song on any of the albums in question.

Millions of species Faye Dunaway (Tom D.), Friday, 28 October 2016 22:30 (nine years ago)

Yeah I need to listen to all of these - that first compilation they did is one of my favourite albums ever, although it leads me to suspect that Mr Tambourine Man got shafted here

It totally did get shafted, it would get even more shafted by sweetheart were this poll ran again today

brimstead, Friday, 28 October 2016 23:19 (nine years ago)

were this poll to be run

Grammar

brimstead, Friday, 28 October 2016 23:20 (nine years ago)

yeah I listened to Mr Tambourine Man just now and it's a really great album with surely many of their best songs. looking forward to hearing the rest though

imago, Friday, 28 October 2016 23:47 (nine years ago)

I'm with the folks above, don't really rate Sweetheart on the same level as Burritos or the GP solo jeans (or International Submarine Band for that matter)

blonde redheads have more fun (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 28 October 2016 23:56 (nine years ago)

yeah the first two albums are the best for me... they weren't quite as good with gene gone.

new noise, Saturday, 29 October 2016 02:22 (nine years ago)

I maintain that Chris Hillman was secretly the best thing about the Byrds. Younger and Notorious are their two best albums and those are the two that feature his contributions most prominently.

sctttnnnt (pgwp), Saturday, 29 October 2016 03:16 (nine years ago)

speaking of hillman and burrito/byrds comparisons, this Burrito song co-written and sung by hillman almost sounds like a Notorious outtake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3geFZhjZ_aE

velko, Saturday, 29 October 2016 03:28 (nine years ago)

5D is probably even better than MTM. Amazing record

imago, Thursday, 3 November 2016 12:27 (nine years ago)

for a long long time i had yty/nbb >>> everything else but nowadays i am like where are the goddamn gene songs give me gene

Roberto Spiralli, Thursday, 3 November 2016 13:18 (nine years ago)

yeah I've heard the first five now and my ranking would be, as it stands, 5D > MTM > the other three about level

imago, Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:08 (nine years ago)

all at least 8/10 records though

imago, Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:09 (nine years ago)

been enjoying this lately -- http://rocking-byrd.blogspot.com/2009/08/byrds-alternate-fifth-dimension.html
think fifth dimension is peak mcguinn-as-lead-guitarist. some pretty radical stuff for 1966.

tylerw, Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:10 (nine years ago)

What's Happening must be not only one of the best songs of the 1960s/all time but the moment MBV were invented. Can't you just hear Blown A Wish in there?

imago, Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:19 (nine years ago)

OK, they totally lose the magic on Sweetheart. But what a run beforehand!

imago, Friday, 4 November 2016 11:24 (nine years ago)

What's Happening must be not only one of the best songs of the 1960s/all time but the moment MBV were invented. Can't you just hear Blown A Wish in there?

― imago, Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:19

Yes! I always thought this too

Neptune Bingo (Michael B), Friday, 4 November 2016 11:35 (nine years ago)

5D is my favourite album of theirs

Neptune Bingo (Michael B), Friday, 4 November 2016 11:36 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

I love me some 5D as much as anyone but what gives with all the Sweetheart dissing? It's pretty clearly their final classic.

Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 30 December 2016 07:39 (nine years ago)

one year passes...

does anyone know the story of the cover of younger than yesterday? was there a processing error or something? all the images of it have that splotchy, pixelated look, so i'm assuming that's how the original cover really looked. was it on purpose or a mistake?

https://i.imgur.com/Mf8ZsWK.jpg

the cover of everybody knows this is nowhere has a similarly pixelated look, but on that cover it's exaggerated enough that it looks intentional (while still looking terrible imo). the plastic ono band cover has just a hint of splotchiness, too, but not too bad.

Karl Malone, Thursday, 18 January 2018 04:49 (eight years ago)

Would definitely assume that was done as an effect and really can't imagine Columbia would have found that acceptable if it was unintentional.

timellison, Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:37 (eight years ago)

younger than yesterday

flappy bird, Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:40 (eight years ago)

yeah, that's a good point tim. it'd be kind of cool to see the original, sharp image on some sort of reissue...i said, until google image searching and finding this image on doom & gloom from the tomb!

https://i.imgur.com/65gr5fI.jpg

Younger than Yesterday or Notorious Byrd Brothers, contest
^ still otm imo

Karl Malone, Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:43 (eight years ago)

i guess i need to finally check these out. i've been obsessed with gene clark for long enough.

The times they are a changing, perhaps (map), Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:51 (eight years ago)

i like sweetheart but can't do "the christian life" lol

The times they are a changing, perhaps (map), Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:52 (eight years ago)

"others find pleasure in things I despise" is all-time.

JoeStork, Thursday, 18 January 2018 05:57 (eight years ago)

if i need to hear people bleating about their tribal identity i'll go to a mormon church hymnal, the songs are more interesting and it's irony-free

The times they are a changing, perhaps (map), Thursday, 18 January 2018 06:00 (eight years ago)

i like sweetheart but can't do "the christian life" lol

i like it because i like to hear sinners sing songs like that

Karl Malone, Thursday, 18 January 2018 06:08 (eight years ago)

The first two albums are so perfect too, the lack of votes disconcertingly suggests otherwise

brimstead, Thursday, 18 January 2018 06:25 (eight years ago)

damn, that b/w photo, no text, would've been a great cover!

niels, Thursday, 18 January 2018 06:59 (eight years ago)

yeah I like 'the Christian Life' although I'm never sure how ironic it's meant to be. Kind of a Violent Femmes thing happening there.

Badgers (dog latin), Thursday, 18 January 2018 09:37 (eight years ago)

Any country track Roger McGuinn sings sounds ironic tbh.

Whiney Houston (Tom D.), Thursday, 18 January 2018 09:41 (eight years ago)

I'm a quarter through Requiem for the Timeless. That is one big book. Got the sequal waiting for me.

dan selzer, Thursday, 18 January 2018 12:07 (eight years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.