The Notorious Byrd Brothers [Remaster]

Performer: The Byrds
Engineer: Roy Halee; Donald Thompson
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: The Byrds: Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Michael Clarke. Reissue producer: Bob Irwin. Includes liner notes by David Fricke and Johnny Rogan. Building on the maturity of their previous effort YOUNGER THAN YESTERDAY, the Byrds delivered a suite of songs that naturally flow into one another with uncanny ease. It is one of the few vinyl releases where both sides would always be played, and 30 years later it begs to be heard uninterrupted--played individually, the songs lose their power. This was an artistic triumph and a commercial disappointment, as the memory of Crosby faded only to be replaced (allegedly) by a horse on the album sleeve. The Byrds moved on to their country phase and numerous line-ups but they were never to sound so perfect again.

Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.136) - Ranked #171 in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" Rolling Stone (9/2/99, p.117) - 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) - "...exhibits [their] overt country leanings....[evoking] hope and uncertainty, familiarity and daunting strangeness. Those combinations make [NOTORIOUS] a brilliant window onto an unforgettable place and time." Entertainment Weekly (4/4/97, pp.81-82) - "...finally captures the album's spatial wistfulness and is recommended for fans of the strings-and-things indie rock of Eric Matthews..." - Rating: A Uncut (9/01, p.94) - "...Seamless, multi-textured and remarkably coherent given the fractious circumstances of its recording, THE NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS is a fascinating portrait of a band at the height of its powers..." Blender (Magazine) (p.82) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]hey seemed to be surging forward, experimenting with electronic psychedelia and country, and paying tribute to nature and the nascent hippie culture."

Adding ringing electric guitars to Bob Dylan songs, the Byrds helped invent folk-rock, as well as becoming early proponents of psychedelia and popularizing country-rock with the help of alt-country saint Gram Parsons. Led by Roger McGuinn and his distinctive Rickenbacker guitar sound, the mid-1960s lineup--also featuring David Crosby, Gene Clark, and Chris Hillman--achieved fame with their unique take on Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man." Personnel changes resulted in a core band of only McGuinn and Hillman, but the short-lived addition of Parsons allowed for the creation of the landmark SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO album. Ultimately, McGuinn assumed full control of the Byrds legacy, and their harmonies and jangly guitars have influenced countless younger bands.

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