(18) The Byrds - Byrds (1973)

"Byrds" is the 12th album by the American rock band The Byrds and was released in March 1973 on Asylum Records. It was recorded as the centerpiece of a reunion between the five original members of The Byrds: Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. The last time that all five members had worked together as The Byrds was in 1966, prior to Gene Clark's departure from the band. During the reunion, the current, latter-day line-up of the band continued to make live appearances until February 1973, with McGuinn being the only member common to both versions of the group.
However, if most of the participants meant for this to be anything more than a one-shot get-together, you couldn't tell from listening to the resulting album; Byrds never sounds much like a Byrds album, absent McGuinn's chiming 12-string guitar and the group's striking harmonies (the Byrds' twin aural calling cards). Much of the original material, especially David Crosby's, sounds like cast-offs from their other projects. And what sort of a Byrds album features two Neil Young covers and not a single Bob Dylan tune? In all fairness, Byrds has its moments: Gene Clark's "Full Circle" and "Changing Heart" are great songs from the group's least-appreciated member, and McGuinn's "Born to Rock 'n' Roll" is a top-notch rock anthem. But for the most part, Byrds sounds like a competent but unexciting country-rock band going through their paces, rather than the work of one of the best and most innovative American bands of the 1960s.

Tracklist

01.  Full Circle  (Gene Clark)  - 2:43
02.  Sweet Mary  (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy)  - 2:55
03.  Changing Heart  (Gene Clark)  - 2:42
04.  For Free  (Joni Mitchell)  - 3:50
05.  Born to Rock 'n' Roll  (Roger McGuinn)  - 3:12
06.  Things Will Be Better  (Chris Hillman, Dallas Taylor)  - 2:13
07.  Cowgirl in the Sand  (Neil Young)  - 3:24
08.  Long Live the King  (David Crosby)  - 2:17
09.  Borrowing Time  (Chris Hillman, Joe Lala)  - 2:00
10.  Laughing  (David Crosby)  - 5:38
11.  (See the Sky) About to Rain  (Neil Young)  - 3:49

Released:  March 7, 1973
Recorded:  Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, CA
Genre:  Country Rock
Length:  34:54
Label:  Asylum
Producer:  David Crosby

Personnel
Roger McGuinn – guitar, banjo, Moog synthesizer, vocals
Gene Clark - guitar, harmonica, tambourine, vocals
David Crosby - guitar, vocals
Chris Hillman – electric bass, guitar, mandolin, vocals
Michael Clarke – drums, congas, percussion
Wilton Felder - electric bass on "Cowgirl in the Sand"
Johnny Barbata - drums on "Cowgirl in the Sand"
Dallas Taylor - congas, tambourine