"...I Think I'm Goin' Back..."
Gorgeous - forgotten classic
- overlooked - ignored like a 'remain' flyer in a British mud-puddle - the
Byrds' fifth platter is the kind of album that gives the 60ts a good name. But
which version of it do you buy?
In the unnervingly hot
summer of July 2016 you can nail this criminally forgotten nugget in two ways –
the standalone March 1997 CD reissue on Columbia/Legacy – or as Disc 5 inside
the gorgeous and still reasonably priced 13CD Box set from November 2011 –
"The Complete Columbia Albums Collection". To locate the standalone
CD on Amazon use Barcode 5099748675125 in the Search Line and Barcode 88697873802
for the Box set (see separate review). Frankly frank - you’re quids in either
way. I’ll deal with the standalone issue for this review...
UK released March 1997 – "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" by THE BYRDS on Columbia/Legacy 486751 2 (Barcode
5099748675125) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster of the 11-track 1968 album
with seven Bonus Tracks (one hidden) and plays out as follows (58:28 minutes):
1. Artificial Energy
2. Goin’ Back
3. Natural Harmony
4. Draft Morning
5. Wasn’t Born To Follow
6. Get To You
7. Change Is Now [Side 2]
8. Old John Robertson
9. Tribal Gathering
10. Dolphin’s Smile
11. Space Odyssey
Tracks 1 to 11 are the album
“The Notorious Byrd Brothers” – released 3 January 1968 in the USA on Columbia
CL 2775 (Mono) and Columbia CS 9575 (Stereo) and April 1968 in the UK on CBS
Records BPG 63169 (Mono) and CBS Records S BPG 63169 (Stereo). The STEREO MIX
is used. Produced by GARY USHER and Engineered by ROY HALEE and DON THOMPSON -
it peaked at No. 47 on the US LP charts and No. 12 in the UK.
BONUS TRACKS (All Stereo):
12. Mood Raga - Previously
released on the 1987 American compilation "Never Before" on Murray
Hill Records
13. Bound To Fall –
Previously Unissued Instrumental
14. Triad - David Crosby
song previously released on 1990 4CD Box Set “The Byrds”
15. Goin’ Back – Previously
Unissued Version 1
16. Draft Morning –
Previously Unissued Version with an Alternate End
17. Universal Mind Decoder
(Early Demo Version of “Change Is Now”) – Previously Unreleased Instrumental
Version)
THE BYRDS were:
ROGER McGUINN
CHRIS HILLMAN
DAVID CROSBY
MICHAEL CLARKE
The 12-page booklet is a
pleasingly in-depth affair with properly knowledgeable liner notes from noted
BYRDS authority JOHNNY ROGAN who authored "Timeless Flight: The Definitive
Biography Of The Byrds". Amidst the black and white photos of the foursome
looking all mean and moody (when the recordings started there was four - months
later – Clarke left and Crosby was fired leaving only the core duo of McGuinn
and Hillman) are publicity photos, a concert poster with The Doors and The Paul
Butterfield Blues Band as well as repros of a few US Columbia 45s. These are
sat alongside track-by-track examinations by Rogan on how such a varied and at
times 'beautiful' album could have been be produced amidst the personal and
musical toss 'n' tumble that surrounded the band (these notes are reproduced in
the 40-page booklet inside the 'Complete' Box set - so you won't loose out on
that count).
But the big news is the
Audio – a remaster by BOB IRWIN and VIC ANESINI. Using the Stereo Masters (for
all tracks) -these top engineers did the transfers and mixing at Sony’s Studios
in New York and VIC ANESINI in particular is a name I've sung the praises of
before. He’s handled very prestigious SONY catalogue – Elvis Presley, Simon
& Garfunkel, The Byrds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carole King, Janis Joplin,
Blood, Sweat & Tears, Nilsson, Paul Simon, Mountain, Lou Reed, Roy Orbison,
Santana, Mott The Hoople and The Jayhawks to name but a few. Clean – full of
presence and warmth – this thing is a joy to listen too – and when songs like
"Goin' Back", "Draft Morning" and "Tribal
Gathering" kick in - there's unlikely to be a dry Byrds eye in the
house...
"Notorious" opens
with "Artificial Energy" - a warning song about overdoing 'speed' -
and I'm not talking about going fast on a Penny Farthing. It's slightly camp
brass gives it a far more upbeat vibe and at 2:18 minutes is short and breathy.
But that cool opener is trounced into absolute chemical submission by something
so sublime that mere adjectives fail me - their truly breathtaking cover of
Goffin and King's "Goin' Back". A hit penned by the mighty
songwriting duo of Gerry and Carole for Dusty Springfield - The Byrds take this
beautiful melody and literally make it soar - a pun I hate to use when it comes
to this band of all bands - but in the case of this rendition - aptly fits.
"Goin' Back" is beautiful stuff with sessionman Jim Gordon providing
the drum roll at the end of the tune. Next up is Paul Beaver's Moog and Red Rhodes'
Steel Guitar on Chris Hillman's equally musical "Natural Harmony" -
another song with slightly drugged-up lyrics like "...head thrown
back...arms open wide..." (reminds me of driving in my soft-top Porsche in
Walthamstow in December).
Again another segue into a
masterwork - the stunning "Draft Morning" which Rogan quiet rightly
describes as 'one of the greatest and most bitter moments in the Byrds song
catalogue'. Originally penned by David Crosby before he was unceremoniously
chucked out of the band - both Hillman and McGuinn added more and therefore
take the threesome songwriting credit (apparently its The Firesign Theatre who
supply the gunshots in this anti-Vietnam winner). Another gem penned by Goffin
and King - "Wasn't Born To Follow" turned up a year later as "I
Wasn't Born To Follow" in January 1969 on the lone Carole King/Danny
Kortchmar project LP "Now That Everything's Been Said" by THE CITY.
It's also famous for its inclusion in the cult movie "Easy Rider"
(The City version show sits prettiness - se separate review).
Other classics include
"Get To You" where Roger McGuinn waxes lyrical about the mellowness
of the English after a trip to Blighty and "Tribal Gathering" where
David Crosby sings affectionately about hippies in San Francisco's Golden gate
Park in January 1967 where the ensemble 'human be in' was taking all manner of
trips (and not necessarily one needing a passport). I also love the clearly
grumpy Crosby on 'Version 1' of "Goin' Back" in the Bonus Tracks with
what sounds like a Mike Oldfield type Glockenspiel in the mix not present in
the released version...and "Triad" is fantastic stuff.
The Byrds left behind a
sizeable back catalogue where ridiculously shiny jewels like
"Notorious" can get 'overlooked'. Remove that inner bummer and began
your 'space odyssey' here. And remember kids – take a tip from a speckled Byrd
and stay away from that 'Artificial Energy' speeding stuff (Red Bull, Snickers
Bars and the like)...
