Dr. byrds & mr. hyde

After the departure of three band members that played on Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, Roger McGuinn had to assemble a new line-up for The Byrds. Especially their new guitarist Clarence White really shines on Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde and would continue to do so in subsequent Byrds albums. The pedal steel guitar work is particularly fantastic, the arrangements are inventive and Roger’s distinctive nasal-pitched vocals are confident and inspired. Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde may lack the instant commercial appeal of the group’s past releases, but remains an interesting and intriguing artefact of the era.

The Byrds were one of the earliest groups who successfully combined the best of two worlds; they caught on to the energy of the British Invasion and fused it with the lyricism & musical elements of the contemporary Folk movement. Along the way they pioneered Psychedelic and Country Rock, always keeping things recognizable with their vocal harmonies accompanied by their jangly guitars.