Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 01/04/2005
Gene Clark is the great unsung hero in the story of
the Byrds; he was the original group's strongest songwriter, an intelligent and compelling vocalist with a superb instrument, and (arguably) the sonic architect of the group's
Dylan-meets-
Beatles approach. But while
Roger McGuinn and
David Crosby generally got the lion's share of the credit for
the Byrds' music, and
Chris Hillman and even
Michael Clarke went on to successful careers as sidemen after the band broke up,
Clark never seemed to get out from under the shadow of his early work with
the Byrds. While there's a pretty remarkable compilation album (or maybe even a box set) to be culled from
Clark's solo career,
Set You Free: Gene Clark in the Byrds 1964-1973 does a superb job of pulling together the high points of his work with
the Byrds, and sets the record straight on how important his contribution to the band really was.
Clark wrote or co-wrote every cut on this disc (except for a cover of
Neil Young's
"Cowgirl in the Sand" that
Clark sang on
the Byrds' misbegotten 1973 reunion album), and hearing such classics as
"I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better," "Here Without You," "She Don't Care About Time," "Eight Miles High," and
"You Won't Have to Cry" in one stretch makes a compelling argument for the man's batting average in the group. This set also covers a broad spectrum of the band's history, from the early
Jim Dickson demos through
Clark's contributions to the 1973 reunion LP, including a rare 1969 single in which
the Byrds cut backing tracks for two
Clark solo performances.
Set You Free: Gene Clark in the Byrds 1964-1973 is a loving tribute to an artist who still hasn't been given the accolades he fully deserves, as well as a top-shelf collection of great moments from one of the most important American bands of the 1960s, and on either score it's well worth a listen.
~Mark Deming, All Music Guide
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