Agree with you times 10. It seemed to come out of nowhere and despite the fact that it launched the country rock trend, it was never equalled. “Blue Candian Rockies”, “Hickory Wind”, “Pretty Boy Floyd” — the selection of songs so perfect. They even chose a perfect Louvin Brothers cover, “Christian Life”. People attribute the album’s singularity and greatness to the influence of Gram Parsons, but I’m not so sure. Everything Parsons was associated with after “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” struck me as slick and calculated. The Byrds did many great albums, but “Sweetheart” is great in its own way. Man, “Nothing was Delivered”. “You Ain’t Going Nowhere”. This album stands outside of the history of the Byrds, outside the history of rock. It stands alone.
Agree with you times 10. It seemed to come out of nowhere and despite the fact that it launched the country rock trend, it was never equalled. “Blue Candian Rockies”, “Hickory Wind”, “Pretty Boy Floyd” — the selection of songs so perfect. They even chose a perfect Louvin Brothers cover, “Christian Life”. People attribute the album’s singularity and greatness to the influence of Gram Parsons, but I’m not so sure. Everything Parsons was associated with after “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” struck me as slick and calculated. The Byrds did many great albums, but “Sweetheart” is great in its own way. Man, “Nothing was Delivered”. “You Ain’t Going Nowhere”. This album stands outside of the history of the Byrds, outside the history of rock. It stands alone.
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