Published on Aug 19, 1999
Let’s put it on the line now. The Byrds, in my opinion, were the
most creative and aurally pleasing American band in the mid-1960’s
and farmed a folk-rock sound whose influence is felt even three
decades down the road in the music of groups like R.E.M. and
countless others. The gorgeous, organic harmonies of singers Gene
Clark, Roger McGuinn, and David Crosby accomplished so much in the
original group’s short heyday–bringing Dylan to the masses with
their hit single “Mr. Tambourine Man” and preaching a message of
love and togetherness that serves as a fitting epitaph of the
period. Roger McGuinn’s chiming 12-string electric guitar was the
musical trademark, a jangling sound borrowed from the Beatles that
gave the group an instrumental identity. With the excellent
Columbia reissues, the Byrds’ records can now, for the first time,
be heard in pristine clarity, augmented with outtakes and
B-sides.
Turn! Turn! Turn! was the second Byrds LP, and while perhaps
lacking the novelty and revolutionary quality of the first (
Mr. Tambourine Man), it represents a more complete artistic
accomplishment for the group. First, this album includes songs from
a wider variety of sources–whereas half the first record was
composed of Dylan covers,
Turn! Turn! Turn! includes only two, put alongside a handful
of originals (most by Gene Clark) and several traditional tunes.
All in all, this is one of the better pop records of its time and
is a landmark accomplishment in the development of the L.A. pop
scene of the mid- to late-60s.
The title track, Roger McGuinn’s rearrangment of a Pete Seeger
song which incorporated passages from the Book of Ecclesiastes, was
a smash hit and is most likely the one song the Byrds are best
known for. It’s absolutely gorgeous–the powerful harmonies in the
verses, McGuinn’s trademark Bach-esque chime in the intro and
outro, the guitar solo, the powerful and tasteful rhythm section
(Chris Hillman on bass, Michael Clarke on drums) all join together
to create one of the most significant American songs of the
1960s.
This is followed by a couple originals–McGuinn’s thunderous “It
Won’t Be Wrong”, which showcases the harmonies; and Clark’s “Set
You Free This Time”, a lyrically complex work that musically
conjures up a vague image of the country-rock tack the Crosby- and
Clark-less Byrds would take in the late 60s. Next is a truly
extraordinary cover of Bob Dylan’s melancholy “Lay Down Your Weary
Tune”–with Crosby’s wavering voice in the middle of the harmonies
giving it a layered, complex feel that seems too complicated for
three voices. Follow this with McGuinn’s rewrite of “He Was A
Friend of Mine”, a tribute to John Kennedy, and you’ve got a very
aurally pleasing, lyrically solid side of vinyl.
Things go marginally downhill on the second side, especially the
originals, but the basic heuristic remains the same–solid
instrumental work based on McGuinn’s 12-string under lovely vocals.
“The World Turns Around Her” is perhaps the standout, followed by a
fairly impressive version of “The Times They Are A-Changin'” and an
irresistable rocked-up version of “Oh! Susannah” that is just as
surreal as it sounds.
This would suffice, but Columbia treats us to seven (!) bonus
tracks–a speedfreak version of “Times” using different verses that
bests the album version, in my opinion, an alternative version of
“The World Turns All Around Her” and B-sides “She Don’t Care About
Time” and “The Day Walk (Never Before)”. All are of roughly equal
musical quality to the released album tracks, which shows how
creative and productive the Byrds were in 1965. The treat, though,
is a powerful version of Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”,
meant to be the groups first single from
Turn! Turn! Turn! before the title track was substituted.
“Baby Blue” features some particularly punchy machine-gun drumming
from the underrated Clarke, as well as some nice changes between
the chorus and verses.
Thoroughly recommended, showing just why the Byrds were the
Beatles’ favorite American group. A fun listen even 35 years after
the fact.