Review: Sam Cooke w/ The Soul Stirrers

Singles of Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers (1951-1957)

Recommended Compilation: The Complete Speciality Recordings (1992)

Comp Rating: 8/10 (Very Good)

Soul Stirrers' Singles w/ Sam Cooke (highlights are bolded):

1. "Peace In The Valley"

2. "Jesus Gave Me Water"

3. "Come, Let's Go Back To God"

4. "Joy, Joy To My Soul"

5. "How Far Am I From Canaan?"

6. "It Won't Be Very Long"

7. "I'm Gonna Build On That Shore"

8. "Until Jesus Calls Me Home"

9. "Just Another Day"

10. "Let Me Go Home"

11. "Jesus Paid The Debt"

12. "Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord"

13. "He'll Welcome Me"

14. "End of My Journey"

15. "He's My Friend Until The End"

16. "Come and Go To That Land"

17. "Jesus, I'll Never Forget"

18. "Any Day Now"

19. "Nearer To Thee"

20. "Be With Me Jesus"

21. "One More River"

22. "I'm So Glad"

23. "He's So Wonderful"

24. "Farther Along"

25. "Touch The Hem Of His Garment"

26. "Jesus, Wash Away My Trouble"

27. "In A Few More Days"

28. "Pilgrim of Sorrow"

29. "Sinner Run To Jesus"

30. "Were You There?"

Review:

Before "Change Is Gonna Come," before the live soul meltdown at Harlem Square, before the series of ground-breaking soul classics, Sam started down the path that so many soul singers would take as their training ground before conquering the world: gospel singing. In fact, his six years with the Soul Stirrers would be almost the same length as his time as a pop singer. Still, it is hardly given much recognition by his fans, who consider his gospel-era a footnote (in his classic Portrait of a Man compilation, only two of his Soul Stirrers songs would be included). Yet, his gospel beginnings did not just set the stage for his pop career: they defined it in many ways. No matter how much you have a distaste for religious music, one's understanding of his career is incomplete without studying this prelude. The essence of what made him such a vital figure in the history of pop music does not lie in "Chain Gang," "Wonderful World," or even "Change Is Gonna Come:" the secret to his magic can only be found in these 15 gospel singles.

Before Sam joined in 1951, The Soul Stirrers had been around for over 20 years. They were a very innovative gospel combo in their own right, breaking down many of the genre's norms. Still, many of these innovations were technical in nature, and there's a reason that it took Sam to draw young listeners into the genre. Of course, one of the biggest is his god-given vocal cords, making him one of the greatest vocalists ever. Many vocalists are technically perfect, but to call his voice merely "pretty" is an understatement. His divine, silky smooth voice gushes with beauty. It's so wonderful that no matter what he sings, it will sound good simply because he's the one singing it. Whether he stretches his voice to rough edges or tenderly croons, it always sounds heavenly. No vocalist in the Stirrers could surpass Sam's level, so naturally, his voice dominated the band when he came on board.

Yet, his vocal presence is not the main reason these gospel songs became so successful among the youth. The elegant purity of his voice would be perfect for religious music, but he wouldn't be able to match the style of Mahalia Jackson and others. Most gospel singers were thundering presences, where emotionality was stretched to such enormous heights that it overwhelmed the audience. Listening to their version of "Peace In The Valley," the limitations of Sam as a gospel singer are pretty evident. He gives it a pretty introduction, but Paul Foster is responsible for stirring up the fiery religious spirit by screaming out the verses as impactfully as possible. This is something Cooke could never recreate: he could shout, but it was too soft to crash down and boom like what gospel requires. At first, it might be hard to see how his style would survive in such a demanding genre.

Yes, he could not roar or overpower like the rest. Instead, he was much more personal than any of them. Cooke knew that he couldn't sound like a preacher, so he worked with the humble beauty of his vocals to make these prayers as intimate and heartfelt as possible. Sam would sing with such grace as to soar into the heavens, but he would scream and take his voice to rougher extremes to sound earthy and humanistic. In this process of figuring out how to use his voice, he managed to overcome the genre's limitations. There are no exaggerated or overdone elements. Instead of sounding like some untouchable prophet, he sounds like a normal person who was deeply moved and saved by spirituality. Songs like "He's So Wonderful" are so close to his heart that it sounds like he's sitting right next to you and telling you how beautiful God is. By transforming stiff sermons into confessional prayers for salvation and spiritual peace, he shed off much of the genre's (at times) theatrical chains and made gospel not only more accessible but even more hard-hitting.

It is this brand of "singer-songwriter" gospel that transforms standards like "Were You There" into spiritual masterpieces. Sam does not merely sing this song: he lives each and every line, truly sounding like a devastated follower of Jesus after his crucifixion. He trembles in every verse, screaming out as if he had really lost everything once his savior had died. It is a song of intense heartbreak and sorrow, where you can sense the pain early Christians must have felt. He doesn't impose a sermon upon his audience: he viscerally induces empathy, showing how deep a person's devotion can be. This same approach is used in the self-written composition "Touch The Hem Of His Garment," one of his greatest performances by the incredible emotional palette delivered. As he enters the body of the protagonist of the story, he expresses suffering, anticipation, surprise, elation, and so much more. Each lyric shows an entirely different side to the profound experience he describes, but Cooke puts so much emotion into it that it feels real. When he cries "whoa lord," it is bound to reverberate within your soul for hours.

"How Far Am I From Canaan" is even more personal than either of these, taking you down Sam's own spiritual journey. The quiet introduction is an incredibly intimate, almost introspective performance. You can feel him recounting his suffering when he sings, "there I'll rest my every burden until all doubts and fears subside," and how much he is searching for an answer. This makes the faster section so cathartic: it is a chant of hope for salvation and peace, and in the process, he sounds like he is getting closer and closer to it. Instead of trying to steal his spotlight, the band clearly comprehends what he is trying to do. They only serve to amplify the spirit of Cooke's introspective journeys, whether it be the heartstoppingly gorgeous "He's So Wonderful," the tight rave-up of "Come And Go To That Land," or their classic call-and-response version of "Jesus Gave Me Water." Sadly, not all the singles are of this quality, but every time Cooke sings, it really works. Once you start to comprehend the greatness of his style, the Soul Stirrers' popularity with Cooke becomes self-evident. How many singers could insert genuine introspection into gospel songs to make them personal?

And this initial run with gospel really paid off. If you listen carefully to his performances on "Nearer To Thee" or "He's My Friend Until The End," it's easy to imagine them becoming pop classics with secular lyrics. Over these 6 years, he slowly began to see no boundaries between gospel and pop, realizing that twisting another Saturday night away in this wonderful world here on Earth could carry the same spiritual depth as a prayer to God. It is this grand unified vision that would mature into a brand new genre, soul, that he helped to build. He would go on to create pop music at its core, yes, but with the depth his style attained through gospel, every song amounted to so much more. Whether he was singing "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha" or "Change Is Gonna Come," there was a spiritual undercurrent to both that made them transcendent. As much as I love Ray Charles, he was rough and grittier, stripping soul music of its religious power. All of Sam Cooke's pop masterpieces would maintain this element of divine beauty, something few other soul artists would know how to recreate. 

So, it's true that out of these 30 songs, maybe only 6-7 really live up to his best work. He would go onto greater things from here, releasing a series of classics that no soul artist has formally ever surpassed. Yet, if you really want to find the true heart of Sam, the real reason the simplest of his serenades can move mountains, you must explore his humble gospel beginnings. Please, I urge everybody to at least listen to the best songs from his time with the group: if he didn't learn how to stir souls here, he wouldn't be able to send you into bliss in his glory period.

Review: Never Mind The Bollocks

 Never Mind The Bollocks - Sex Pistols

Rating: 8/10 (Very Good)

Track Listing (highlights are bolded):

1. "Holidays in the Sun"

2. "Bodies"

3. "No Feelings"

4. "Liar"

5. "God Save the Queen"

6. "Problems"

7. "Seventeen"

8. "Anarchy in the U.K."

9. "Submission"

10. "Pretty Vacant"

11. "New York"

12. "E.M.I."

Review:

What was once one of the untouchable classics has probably become the most controversial punk album of all time. When Never Mind The Bollocks came out in 1977, it received thunderous acclaim from critics as some of the decade's fiercest rock n' roll. The Sex Pistols' mythos, image, and style were huge, and their assault against 70s culture led to a storm of internal and external issues that caused the band to implode. Nevertheless, the legend remained, and critics continue to tout their debut as the symbol of punk music and everything it stands for.

Yet, as you slowly dive into the many punk groups that debuted in the initial explosion (1976-1979), the chinks in their armor become rather evident. Maybe if they were the first punk band, their flaws would be excusable, but by 1977, the genre had been well established. Discerning punk fans could probably tell the Pistols were easily outclassed in terms of intelligence (Clash), melody (Ramones), brawn (Heartbreakers), and intensity (Saints) by the hoards of punk bands that were popping up left and right. They could play loud and mean, but the songwriting and musicianship were never outstanding, making all the songs blend into one angry mass. The group certainly sounded cool, but writing good music requires more than bashing power chords. It's no wonder that at their initial gigs, most didn't find them terribly impressive.

Even the flashy rebellion lost some of its meaning in the ensuing decades. Hardcore punk, 80s metal, grunge, and all kinds of heavier genres would emerge that seriously dwarfed how shocking it was to say "fuck" in a song. In 1977, it might have been a revolution, but now the album does feel a little dated. Future hardcore punk artists paid homage to the Sex Pistols sure enough, but they just as much venerated the Clash, Richard Hell, Adverts, and many others that helped build the punk look and image. As much as many (including me) enjoy this record, it's hard to deny that the detractors have a very strong case on their hands: it's chained down to its time in a way many classic punk artists just aren't.

Fortunately, there is one element of the Sex Pistols that no one has truly "surpassed" them in, and it's honestly the main reason Never Mind The Bollocks is still treasurable after all these years: the vile vocal sneer of Johnny Rotten. The punk style had been established, but no punk singer at the time could match the unbelievable gut-punch of his pissed-off demeanor. He does not merely "sing:" he spits, barks, grunts, howls, whatever he can do to fuel hatred within your body. Rotten conveys so much animalistic rage in every word he sings that he can make annoyingly slow songs like "Submission" sound ferocious. I understand that some people find this style manufactured, but it's not like it was entirely an act. Like the rest of the band members, Rotten came from humble, working-class beginnings and had to scrape by to make it. The political statements may be inauthentic, but his outraged vocals sound too visceral to be theatrical.

It is this unbeatable strength that is responsible for the enduring power of these songs. "Anarchy In The UK" would be a failure by any lesser vocalist. It doesn't have much more compositionally besides that basic crashing-down power chord riff. Yet, Rotten transforms it into a classic by his forceful delivery of those shocking verses, as if he was shouting rallying cries to a mob of blood-thirsty rebels. He screams out, "I AM AN ANTICHRIST, I AM AN ANARCHIST," so effectively that it almost sounds like he really meant that. Or listen to the sneering "EMI" or explosive "Bodies," where Rotten pummels out each verse like a jackhammer until their bombastic choruses annihilate you. He could be singing about how his soup went cold for all I care. When he belts out, "BODIES, IM NOT AN ANIMAL," it makes me want to punch holes into my wall. I can almost hear the rioters in the background of these songs wreaking havoc in the streets. Rock theatre or not, Rotten is certainly exorcising some of his demons here and awakening some in his teenage audience.

Of course, I wouldn't only give the props to Johnny. Steve Jones seriously lacks technical competency to make his leads memorable, but he always plays with enough energy to keep the songs entertaining. The guitar intro to "Liar" has a cool metallic tone. He gave "God Save The Queen" the necessary thickness and raw power it needed to become a generational anthem. "Holidays In The Sun" might indeed be the greatest piece of songwriting of this band, featuring one of the most iconic riffs of the decade. Doesn't it sound like beams of sunlight sending shockwaves of energy into your body? Still, these classics rely on Rotten boiling deliveries to come to life. Would "Holidays" be the same without the intense "Now I got reason!" section? Or how Johnny turns British patriotism against itself using the punk mentality in his vocal performance on "Queen?" Great energy from the players, but it is Johnny's show in the end.

To sum it all up, it is reasonable that music fans today are dismissive of this record: it's hard to see why anyone should listen to the Sex Pistols when the Clash, Dead Kennedys, and so many others would do this with better playing and more intelligent songwriting. Yet, those criticism are trampled in my brain by the sound of Rotten's snarl, still overwhelming every time I hear it. It's all a matterof adjusting your expectations, regarding it not a series of well-written songs but one enormous vocal punch in the gut. With this frame of mind, Never Mind The Bollocks becomes an enduring statement of its epoch, a time when rock music still sounded like it could save the world from the forces of evil. It is this glorious punk spirit that makes it such a treat to hear, and even if the band may not be to your palette, at least pay homage to how much great music came because of the Sex Pistols' impact.

Review: Little Richard

 Little Richard - Little Richard

Rating: 9/10 (Classic)

Track Listing (highlights are bolded):

1. "Keep A Knockin'"

2. "By the Light of the Silvery Moon"

3. "Send Me Some Lovin'"

4. "I'll Never Let You Go (Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo)"

5. "Heeby-Jeebies"

6. "All Around the World"

7. "Good Golly, Miss Molly"

8. "Baby Face"

9. "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey"

10. "Ooh! My Soul"

11. "The Girl Can't Help It"

12. "Lucille"

Review:

Compiling the last batch of his golden rock n' roll singles, this album is another slab of Little Richard goodness. Yes, it is pretty much part two of Here's Little Richard, but come on, are you going to complain about more of this magnificent rock n' roll? He created one of the finest musical formulae of the 50s, and this record has the same concentration of that greatness as the last. Who cares if it's the same style? Wildass screaming, loose and frenzied R&B grooves, unbeatable catchiness, how could this not be a success the second time around?

Though, if there is a development that makes the rockers on this one slightly different, it's that Little Richard is mastering the art of the buildup. "Heeby-Jeebies" is an excellent example of the old style: charging from the get-go at full speed and not letting up for a second. It's a terrific approach in its own right, but the rest of the singles on this album prefer to build up the tension before exploding in your face. Compared to the one-shot blast of "Heeby-Jeebies," "The Girl Can't Help It" works more like a pressure cooker. Already building up with the horn intro and the backup vocalists announcing the chorus, they use each verse in a call-response fashion to increase the song's power. You can hear Little Richard singing more and more passionately until it all dissipates in one mighty scream. It may seem subdued compared to "Ready Teddy" or "Rip It Up," but it ends up kicking just as much ass by the way they perform the composition.

This new technique he adapted consistently enhances the gut punch of each rocker. "Ooh! My Soul" may deceive you with its soft vocal intro, but it's one of the speediest in his catalog. The song is such a monster that even the master is straining to unleash the vocal stampede of the verses, but it only sounds so heavy because he gives those softer vocal respites to provide contrast. "Good Golly Miss Molly" steals the piano introduction from his previous classic "True Fine, Mama," but it is more effective here. Playing the piano part at a faster tempo not only super-charges the melody but also provides a very natural entrance to the kickass vocal performance. "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey" runs a crazy-fast pace, but it delivers a few verses before allowing the chorus to pull the listener into its mad rave-up. Every song is just as wild as "Long Tall Sally," but their buildups make them varied in their attack plan.

The bookends take the cake though, easily the pinnacle of Little Richard's artistic development. "Keep a Knockin'" utilizes tension-and-release to transform a rock n' roll song into an invigorating, almost mini-operatic piece. The drum intro sounds like his girl is actually knocking at his door, and when she doesn't stop, he furiously screams at her with that thundering chorus. The whole song is one enraged verbal assassination directed at the woman behind the door, every verse raising the stakes until you realize his girl will NEVER come back in. It's an annihilating, dramatic rock and roll masterpiece that only a powerhouse like Little Richard could have performed. 

"Lucille," however, is a very different matter. The quiet, tight groove has a strange flavor, more mysterious than kickass for a change. He delivered one of his most aggressive vocal performances here, where every lyric almost sounds like a threat. Even the loud/soft contrast between the vocals and bass is unnerving, as if he's jumping out of nowhere and grabbing me by the throat. It has all the formal elements of a typical Little Richard song, but it stands out noticeably from the rest in how it can terrify in a subtle way.

Sadly, like last time, the slower stuff isn't that effective. "I'll Never Let You Go" is fairly impressive and still rock n' roll at heart, but the rest of the material is seriously dissonant with the rockers. At least the R&B ballads on the previous album matched his gritty spirit as a whole. These poppier show tunes don't gel with his image as a whole. What are lines like "to my honey, I'll croon love's tune" doing on a Little Richard record? "Baby Face" and "Send Me Some Lovin'" feel out of place as well, and why should a song about spreading rock n' roll "all around the world" be so lacking in edge? I wouldn't say any of these constitute a significant weakness (anyways, would you rather hear Doris Day sing "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon?"), but it was still a stupid commercial decision on the part of the label.

Nevertheless, the record successfully demonstrates that although he was an entertainer, Little Richard was just as much a great artist. Yes, he had a formula, but he pushed its potential to the max and found a couple of fantastic directions to take it. It's no wonder he must have realized that there wasn't much more he could do with his creation and quit the business for a couple of years (I know the reason he gave, but I'm not buying it). Still, this and Here's Little Richard preserve this rock n' roll excitement to be cherished forever. Listen to this and the previous album today if you haven't. You haven't lived until you've heard Little Richard scream "GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY" at the top of his lungs.

Review: Here's Little Richard

 Here's Little Richard - Little Richard

Rating: 9/10 (Classic)

Track Listing (highlights are bolded):

1. "Tutti Frutti"

2. "True, Fine Mama"

3. "Can't Believe You Wanna Leave"

4. "Ready Teddy"

5. "Baby"

6. "Slippin' and Slidin'"

7. "Long Tall Sally"

8. "Miss Ann"

9. "Oh Why?"

10. "Rip It Up"

11. "Jenny, Jenny"

12. "She's Got It"

Review:

The more you try to pinpoint when exactly rock was born, the more confusing the question gets. Rock and roll may have been around for years before the late 50s, evidenced by the burgeoning Chicago blues, R&B, and jump-blues scenes. Even then, plenty of contenders arose that had legitimate claims to starting modern rock: Fats Domino ("The Fat Man"), Bill Haley ("Rock Around The Clock"), Bo Diddley (well, "Bo Diddley"), Chuck Berry ("Maybellene") among so many others. No one can agree on when rock and roll began, but by the recording of "Tutti Frutti" in September 1955, it was pretty darn hard to argue that rock hadn't been invented yet.

So, if Little Richard wasn't truly the "architect of rock and roll" as many claim, what did he bring to the table? If you ask me, it's not just the musical style, not just the songwriting, not even his vocal prowess that made him so integral. The trait that secured his place in the rock n' roll altar was that shredding wildness within his soul. If you pay close attention to pop music before Little Richard, there was always a level of restraint that prevented them from descending into pure madness. Maybe Fats's "All By Myself" and Chuck's "Maybellene" were pretty aggressive for their time, but even then, the lead instrument (the only real brash element to each) was forced into a rigid order.

 

Little Richard, on the other hand, couldn't be constricted by anything. He took a look at all of the R&B music in the day and likely found it dull as can be. He probably went, "gee, why is this stuff so slow and boring? Where's the energy?" and decided to do it completely differently. "Tutti Frutti" sounds like Little Richard, with his god-given visceral scream, literally ripping out any imposed chains of genre conventions. The song is considerably looser than any contemporary R&B song, the whole band dancing around in a mad frenzy. There isn't a shred of subtlety or politeness to his vocal performance: he just screams his fucking head off where each of those "Wop bop a bams" feels like a giant blast of animalistic ferociousness. 

In other words, "Tutti Frutti" was unique because it was the sound of rebellion. Yes, it is dance music, but it's not the "have carefree, happy fun" kind of dance music: it's the "we're gonna party so hard it's gonna become a goddamn riot" kind of music. On this rebellious front, the only one who could compete with him at the time was Sun-era Elvis with songs like "Milkcow Blues Boogie," and even then, it was more of an echoey aggressive mystique than this sweaty chaotic hysteria. Richard did not create rock n' roll, but he was absolutely the architect of its wild, frenzied, pull-out-the-stops spirit.

The following hits only raise the stakes further. "Long Tall Sally" is more brutal vocally than its predecessor. On "Tutti Frutti," there were some brief moments of smoother vocal respite. Not here, "Long Tall Sally" is shredding from top to bottom without a moment to catch your breath. "Rit It Up" is no slouch either: with the addition of the guitar, it becomes a tight rockin' beaty groove. The explosive power is brought to the peak on "Ready Teddy," my favorite song of his simply because it represents his personality perfectly. It's the perfect soundtrack for a person who, after being forced to sit for hours, gets to leap out of his seat and dance like crazy. You can almost hear Little Richard getting more and more excited with each verse until the chorus detonates like a ton of TNT. Even thrash metal couldn't surpass this one in its wild fervor.

Yet, this thing wouldn't have worked nearly this well if it wasn't for the songwriting. His melodies flow incredibly smoothly with those immaculate vocal hooks. It's one thing to rock the house and another to make those rave-ups memorable. Just hear how beautiful the melodies of "Slippin' And Sliddin'" and "True, Fine Mama" are. He doesn't have to scream much on either: the flow is just that sweet and wonderful. No wonder many artists found it easy to cover his songs: Beatles, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Deep Purple, Everly Brothers, CCR, Sonics, Animals among many others. Though, none of them formally surpassed the originals because his voice is still vital in carrying them. "Jenny Jenny" is a great composition, but only Little Richard, with his head-spinning vocal acrobatics, could have made the song the monster it is.

This style is so blissfully melodic, so head-bangingly kickass, so unbelievably awesome from all angles that it almost makes you forget that there is one central flaw of Little Richard: this is pretty much the only thing he can do. If you look at the eight prominent rockers here, practically ALL of them follow this same style. Some of them are louder and harsher than others, but it's clear that out of all the heavyweights of the rockabilly movement, Little Richard was probably the most limited. If he isn't bashing the shit out of those R&B grooves or belting his voicebox out, he becomes rather dull. That's probably why the other slower four songs here are rarely discussed: they just don't stand out from the typical R&B stuff from the day. This is because he has a very small bag of vocal tricks: he knows power all right, but he doesn't have enough variety of expressiveness to make a song like "Baby" or "Oh Why?" interesting. "Can't Believe You Wanna Leave" is at least solid because he is a bit rougher with the performance, but it's hard to want to listen to these slower songs when you have the likes of Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, and Jackie Wilson still around.

However, this issue shouldn't stop you from enjoying this phenomenally energetic rock n' roll to the max. With the quality of his songwriting and his dedication to intensity, Little Richard sounds like a powerhouse even today. These timelessly great performances still invoke wild, violent, rebellious emotions in me: no future advances in aggression in rock music could outdo one of the genre's primary founders. So, next time you're at a party, throw on this record to show everyone what blowing the roof off sounds like.

Review: Turn! Turn! Turn!

 Turn! Turn! Turn! - Byrds

Rating: 7/10 (Solid)

Track Listing (highlights are bolded):

1. "Turn! Turn! Turn!"

2. "It Won't Be Wrong"

3. "Set You Free This Time"

4. "Lay Down Your Weary Tune"

5. "He Was a Friend of Mine"

6. "The World Turns All Around Her"

7. "Satisfied Mind"

8. "If You're Gone"

9. "The Times They Are a-Changin'"

10. "Wait and See"

11. "Oh! Susannah"

Review:

McGuinn must have realized that the band had struck gold with their sound, so why mess with the perfection? This record is pretty much exactly like its groundbreaking predecessor except with fewer highlights and weaker filler. The formula is beautiful as can be, but this time, McGuinn didn't want to take a single risk and stuck to the same old folk rock. If you found Mr. Tambourine Man breathtaking, you ought to hear this one too. However, if you valued the songwriting and inventiveness of the band more than their stylistics, prepare to be a bit disappointed.

See, the reason the debut was still fairly entertaining was that there was a slightly larger pool of ideas and influences. 4 Dylan covers and a variety of standards kept the cover material somewhat varied. Along with that, Gene experimented with different approaches on Tambourine Man, from the Beatlesque excitement of "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" to the raging riff of "It's No Use" to the waltz of "I Knew I'd Want You." In contrast, McGuinn made sure every single song on Turn Turn Turn is in the same style with a higher percentage of folk standards. Even Clark's songwriting seemed to be filtered through this paradigm since his three compositions are much less diverse. Fewer Clark originals and Dylan covers (two less than last time each) means you're missing a great deal of what made them unique, and it gets tiresome. Once again, you won't notice what I am complaining about if you really love this type of music. But even as a big fan of this band, I listen to Mr. Tambourine Man much, much more than this one.

Though, does it matter when this album contains possibly the finest Byrds song? The texture of their jangle was perfect for producing earthy spirituality (remember "Bells of Rhymney?"), and on the title track, that power was unleashed. In the song, the Byrds shed off their young, human bodies and become angels from heaven, coming down to Earth to enlighten us mortals about the grandness of earthly life. The real magic of the cover lies in the lyrics and how they are performed. The song throughout juxtaposes conflicting elements of life (love and hate, war and peace, laughing and weeping, etc.), but the band sang each one with the same level of compassion and warmth, as if the duality of life is beautiful no matter what side it is on. It covers an immense range of human experience, yet with that small touch, it fits that range into a much bigger cosmic feeling of peace and acceptance no matter what the circumstance. Few rock artists have ever been able to touch at such profound universalism in such a humanistic way.

It's no wonder that the rest of the material pales in comparison, but thankfully, there is no seriously offensive filler. "It Won't Be Wrong" is a minor success, featuring a booming riff and a proto-psychedelic feel (the beginnings of Fifth Dimension are here). On the other hand, the two Dylan covers,  "Times They Are A-Changin'" and "Lay Down Your Weary Tune," are pretty timid and underwhelming, though not problematic because of the strength of the sound that carries them. Really, no song in this style will ever fail because the record is just one long song, stagnant but ever pleasant. 

If there is one aspect that isn't pleasantly stagnant here, it is Gene Clark's growth as a musical presence. I hesitate to say he is improving as a songwriter (he's never written a melody that has surpassed "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better"), but it is clear that his heart and charisma are becoming increasingly evident. "If You're Gone" is ethereal, engaging in solemn introspection and serenading a lost love simultaneously. It's hard to pinpoint what makes his clean, smooth voice so resonant. Somehow, allowing himself to strain his voice in small, controlled amounts makes his powerful persona come out in full force. The tender "Set You Free This Time" and upbeat "World Turns All Around Her" also bear the stamp of this personality, giving them a depth that his previous originals sorely needed.

After all is said and done, the greatest outcome of this album was Gene Clark discovering the limitations of staying with the Byrds. He must have realized that his remarkable personality was his main strength, not songwriting. However, the Byrds jangle not only drew attention away from this but also didn't allow him to experiment with arrangments and production. The developments here were largely responsible for Clark leaving the band, and although he went largely unrecognized thereafter by the public as a whole, his solo career was very fruitful artistically. His departure led to McGuinn, Crosby, and later Hillman having to step up their songwriting game, and who knows? Maybe we wouldn't have gotten the greatness of Fifth Dimension and Younger Than Yesterday without this push. So, even if this record is a significant step backward in terms of artistic development, it is just as much laid the ground for not one but two great artists to come.