Today we begin the Byrds. The Byrds are one of the most influential bands of all time. At first, they pioneered folk rock on their first few albums, then experimented with psychedelic rock, and then moved towards country rock. Roger McGuinn was the only stable member of the group through its existence, but other noteworthy musicians were a part of the band including David Crosby and Gram Parsons. I'm most excited for the albums The Notorious Byrd Brothers and Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
Today we have the Byrds' debut studio album Mr. Tambourine Man. Released in 1965, the album was a commercial success and became influential in the development of folk rock. The hit single from the album "Mr. Tambourine Man," a Bob Dylan cover, went to number one on the charts and is also said to have influenced Dylan to go electric.
Not only do the Byrds come right out of the gate with a revolutionary sound, they're already a pretty disciplined band too. Despite that over half of the album consists of cover songs, the band has proven themselves to be excellent songwriters and arrangers--each of the four Dylan songs is beautifully reimagined and turned in on itself to create a pop masterpiece. As excellent and well-crafted as their sound is though, the jangly guitar and tambourine make the album occasionally sound monotoned, highlighted by the vapid tracks "We'll Meet Again" and "You Won't Have to Cry." B+ [Later: A-]
