Today we have the Byrds' second studio album Turn! Turn! Turn! Released in 1965, the album was a commercial success, although not as large a success as their debut. Both reviews at the time and retrospective reviews are positive, but generally agree that the album was a step down from their debut.
"Lay Down Your Weary Tune" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" are the first Dylan covers from the band that are definitively worse than the originals (an additional compliment to their debut, by the way). While both have bland arrangements, "The Times They Are a-Changin'" fails furthermore because the Byrds play it as a pop song, not a protest song. Although the album doesn't sound monotoned like their debut does, the individual songs are often significantly worse and only "Turn! Turn! Turn!," "It Won't Be Wrong," and "The World Turns All Around Her" stand as excellent--or strong for that matter. The rest, including the Dylan covers, plays mostly as adequate, but flawed filler. B-
