Preflyte by the Byrds (Vinyl record album review)

Record basics

Album name: Preflyte

Group name: the Byrds

Year: 1969 (but recorded in 1964)

Number of discs: one

Label: Together Records

Collection: Brenner / Gessner

Distinguishing characteristics: “G” written on top left of album, indicating that my father owned it

Buy it on Amazon: $10.54

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I’ve previously reviewed four Byrds records, including one just a few days ago that I already consider to be a favorite:

Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968): 5/5

Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969): 5/5

(Untitled) (1970): 4/5

Farther Along (1971): 4/5

This appears to be a Byrds compilation, released in the late 1960s, of demos that they recorded in the mid 1960s.

What I expected

I’m curious how rough the recordings will sound, and I expect there to be a lot of Dylanesque vocals.

What it was actually like

It occurred to me during the first track, You Showed Me, that I doubted I’d be good at reviewing a demo of a song if I didn’t know its official version well, but this one sounded pretty well put together, basically just like a standard early 1960s folk-inspired rock song, with a British invasion sound.

Here Without You also had a British invasion type sound. I don’t know what the drumming technique was that Ringo Starr pioneered, but I think this song had it, though I guess they were a couple of years behind Lennon/McCartney in terms of songwriting sophistication. I liked it, especially the rhythm guitar. I’ve frequently described the Byrds’ sound as “rich” because they layered guitars so well, and this song was a good example of that.

She Has a Way was another song that sounded like any of a dozen pretty talented (but not Beatles level of talent) Beatles imitators from its era.

The Reason Why was not good because it wasn’t catchy or interesting in any way, but it was also the point at which I remembered that these were supposed to be “works in progress,” though they were all sounding more or less release ready to me. I didn’t like For Me Again either, for the same reasons.

Boston had a very pop sound, with a very distinct blues influence, and You Movin’ was somewhat similar, very much a dance song and clearly pop.

I’m not sure how to describe The Airport Song, which wasn’t rock, but might have been some kind of smooth jazz, and was definitely the worst song on the record.

You Won’t Have to Cry was the record’s most Beatlesesque song, primarily because of the musical style, but also because of the lyrics, while I Knew I’d Want You sounded a little like the Moody Blues.

Mr. Tambourine Man was the only song on the record that I actually knew well, and the only song that could seriously be considered Dylanesque, though it would have been difficult for a Dylan song not to sound like Dylan in any way. It also did sound like a demo, albeit still rather polished. The drumming was all wrong, and sounded like a marching band. Maybe the vocals were a bit off, but the guitars were pretty advanced.

Grade

4/5: would listen again