'cos I think there should be. I think it's a marvellous record. "Lost my Driving Wheel" and "Stone" in particular are amongst the best things done by any Byrd.
Was the rest of his solo career any good?
― PhilK, Monday, 15 October 2007 08:12 (eighteen years ago)
I just listened to this record yesterday.
I love it .. pulled this out a couple times over the last week, actually: I saw him play last week for the first time, so I've been kinda overdosing on Byrds/McGuinn.
He was great, although, I do kinda get what was discussed on this thread -- Roger McGuinn- thoughts? -- that sense of his performance style at this point as sort of a "revue", with a slightly canned vibe to the whole thing. (had been meaning to revive that other thread, actually ...)
But yeah, I love how random this album is. The cuts with Charles Lloyd are neat .. and that first one is basically a Byrds reunion, with Crosby, Clarke and Hillman in tow. "Driving Wheel" is great. "Draggin'", with Bruce Johnston on it, is cool. The song with the children's choir is lovely (that's "Stone", right?) I could do without a few of the Jacques Levy lyrics, but otherwise this is a very solid album.
― Stormy Davis, Monday, 15 October 2007 18:06 (eighteen years ago)
I don't know his later albums, but I definitely plan to pick up the rest of the Columbia ones. Live he performed "Dreamtime" and told the story about how Joni Mitchell wrote it for him during the Rolling Thunder tour (listening to him tell all his stories was about as fun as the music itself.) I really want to hear the studio version now.
― Stormy Davis, Monday, 15 October 2007 18:20 (eighteen years ago)
Yeah, there's a sense that McGuinn was "calculating" in a way that the likes of (say) Crosby and Gene Clark Weren't. I don't know if it's true or just a kind of blown-up myth based on some minor personal traits. It's a shame because from this album I get the feeling that McGuinn was still experimenting and doing what he loved even when he went solo.
I'm intrigued to hear "Cardiff Rose". It's probably the one I'll check out next.
― PhilK, Tuesday, 16 October 2007 13:22 (eighteen years ago)
cardiff rose is good, and "dreamland" in particular is totally GREAT. i have not heard the s/t.
― tipsy mothra, Tuesday, 16 October 2007 14:48 (eighteen years ago)
five years pass...