Best Byrds Album '65-'68

notorious byrd brothers, definitely.

― dog latin, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:00 (4 years ago) Permalink

The Notorious Byrd Brothers, no contest

― Tom D., Monday, 16 June 2008 15:01 (4 years ago) Permalink

Younger Than Yesterday, no contest

― Dr.C, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:06 (4 years ago) Permalink

Younger than Yesterday or Notorious Byrd Brothers, contest

― vaqueros, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:11 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― NickB, Monday, 16 June 2008 15:15 (4 years ago) Permalink

preflyte?

― Mark G, Monday, 16 June 2008 16:11 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 16 June 2008 16:15 (4 years ago) Permalink

The Notorious B.Y.R.D.

― am0n, Monday, 16 June 2008 16:56 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:22 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 16 June 2008 21:43 (4 years ago) Permalink

I thought so too.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 16 June 2008 21:44 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

notorious

― Zeno, Monday, 16 June 2008 22:52 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― ILX System, Monday, 16 June 2008 23:01 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― Tom D., Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:06 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

Psychedelic Byrds

― Tom D., Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:54 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 10 July 2008 09:56 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― Mackro Mackro, Thursday, 10 July 2008 17:16 (4 years ago) Permalink

^^^^^^^ verbatim!

― Myonga Vön Bontee, Thursday, 10 July 2008 20:24 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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

― velko, Thursday, 2 October 2008 09:07 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (4 years ago) Permalink

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 (2 years ago) Permalink

lady friend is the best thing david crosby ever wrote.

― dynamicinterface, Saturday, 16 October 2010 13:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

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

― Trip Maker, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:14 (2 years ago) Permalink

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

― swvl, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:24 (2 years ago) Permalink

"Mind Gardens"?

― Euler, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:33 (2 years ago) Permalink

I love Crosby but...

― Euler, Saturday, 16 October 2010 16:33 (2 years ago) Permalink

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 (2 years ago) Permalink

I would listen to all of this byrds.

― wk, Saturday, 16 October 2010 17:59 (2 years ago) Permalink

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 (2 years ago) Permalink

been loving "Stranger in a Strange Land" lately

― clotpoll, Monday, 29 November 2010 07:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

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 (1 year ago) Permalink

― Mark G, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 10:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

that looks delicious

― btw didn't i braek ur heart (NickB), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 10:25 (1 year ago) Permalink