The Notorious Byrd Brothers by The Byrds

The Notorious Byrd Brothers, the Byrds' fifth studio album, came out on Columbia on January 15, 1968, and it was made by a band coming apart at the seams. Through the back half of 1967 the sessions bled members: David Crosby was fired in October, drummer Michael Clarke walked out midway and was dismissed once the record was done, and Gene Clark drifted back for three weeks before leaving again. Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman held the center.

With Gary Usher producing, they phase, flange and pan sounds across the stereo field, bring in pedal steel and wire up a Moog synthesizer, one of its earliest appearances on an LP. Folk rock, country, psychedelia, baroque pop and jazz melt together, from the Goffin and King cover "Goin' Back" to "Wasn't Born to Follow". Critics praised it, buyers were slower, and it has since been hailed as their most experimental record and one of their best.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.