Click on this link to go back to the main Byrds page, sweetheart ... Sweetheart of the Boringeo Overall Album Score: 7.2 out of 10 This was one of the original albums to push country into the rock world in 1968 thus igniting the roots-rock movement. The roots-rock movement rekindled an interest in those time-tested forms of music! ........... OK, you caught me. I don't give a damn about roots-rock. Keep in mind that is coming from someone who worships Kate Bush, Roxy Music and David Bowie, so............ Anyway. This marked a period of major transition for The Byrds. This wasn't just their big push into country-western music, but David Crosby and Michael Clarke had both left the band. Crosby would go onto bore his legion of fans with a solo career, and Clarke would eventually join The Flying Burrito Brothers along with current Byrds Member Chris Hillman. And in with some new Byrds! One of them was Gram Parsons. He was also a Burrito Brother, and he's currently famous because he liked drugs and died. So what we have here is an OK album that's full of old-timey country-western songs. Most of them are covers. One of the problems with that is I generally dislike country music! Now don't get your underwear in a bunch; I've gotten better about that recently. The mere fact that this is "country" isn't enough to phase me. The BIG problem is they don't make this genre sound fresh. You'd think that would have been the point --- to refreshen an old-timey style of music. But I guess they were only interested in being uninteresting. Well, thanks. I'll remember that when I go to sleep tonight. Not that this is a bad album. Most of it was well done. There's no point where I can legitimately say that they're being tasteless to any degree whatsoever. I do get sick of that freaking slide guitar pretty quickly, though, but that's just one nitpicky thing. Otherwise, the instrumentation is nice, and they even develop a few nice atmospheres. The two clear highlights (according to me --- the smartest and sexiest rock critic on the planet) are Gram Parson's "One Hundred Years From Now" because it's so "rock," and the striking "You Got a Reputation" in the bonus tracks. Those songs don't make me so bored and whiny! Unfortunately, the remainder of the tracks are merely tastefully OK. The general saminess throughout the album as well as the unimaginitve country melodies do make my poor brain numb by the end... Yeesh... Overall Album Score: 7.2 out of 10 (So... This is the beginning of country-rock... Well!) Average Song Score: 7.5 (Hm... This is all very tasteful, but that's not enough I tells ya.) Album Tilt: 7.0 (Too samey. The funny transition in the closing track seemed so beautiful to me after sitting through this album...) Artist Rating: 7.0 (I don't even care about this "historical influence." I suppose I should, but ... I just don't care. This is one of the most boring influential albums I guess.) Track Reviews You Ain't Going Nowhere 8/10 Good old Bob Dylan contributed this straight-ahead country-rock song. It has a decent melody although the instrumentation is sure corny. That slide guitar is boring and so is the general atmosphere of the song. Eh, what am I complaining about? This is tastefully done, and it's even mildly enjoyable. This would have been a much more successful effort for them if it were fresh-sounding. Already, they're sounding like crusty cowpokes with the old-person smell. I Am a Pilgrim 8/10 These dorks gave themselves song credit along with Mr. Traditional. Eh, whatever. I suppose they should give themselves credit for those generic arrangements! Again, I'm complaining when it's not warranted; I actually enjoy this song. Its country-melody is fine, and the arrangements are like down-home cooking. (Why do they say "down-home?" Are houses in the country full of feathers?) The Christian Life 8/10 Yeah, no adultry! This is a nice old song sung by some good old guys. The flow is nice and the melody is alright. I miss those fresh melodies The Byrds were previously responsible for, but I guess some of the key band members are missing. There's some good vocal interplay here, and this has nice flow. I'll admit these are the worst lyrics ever, though... Geez... You Don't Miss Your Water 7/10 ...That's right. I don't miss my water. I don't think there's anyone alive in the 21st century who wants to go back to using latrines... (I'm feeling cynical right now. Heaven knows why.) This vocal performance is worthy of any random singer at a karaoke bar. What's with that slightly off-key, droning voice? I have no idea who that is, but I'd wish he would shut the heck up. Alright, maybe that's a bit harsh, but I do seem to recall this band having beautiful singers in their immediate past. Oh well. Otherwise, this isn't a bad song. There's some honkey tonk there and a fine old rhythm. You're Still On My Mind 7/10 You should see me now! I'm bobbing my head in a very mocking fashion. The gods of country-rock are frowning down at me and would probably strike me dead right here if they weren't so busy making moonshine. This overly simplistic melody might just prove that these country western people have no imagination whatsoever. OK, maybe just the cowpoke who wrote this song. Pretty Boy Floyd 8/10 This is more bluegrass-tied, and therefore it's better than any country-western song. I like the sound of a quickly plucked banjo instead of the pukey sounds of a mediocre slide guitar! This is a reworking of an old Woody Guthrie song... It seems like this should have been better. Well... I suppose Woody was more about the lyrics than the music. Hickory Wind 7/10 Oh, the pukey sounds of the slide guitar! They don't make any excuses. They start right in on that sound!! Well here's the real dissapointment of the album... it's an original song written by Gram Parsons, but it's not any more compelling than the covers. You'd hope they would work on pushing country music forward instead of distinctly backwards. This is where the boredom is really starting to settle in... Oh get me out of the saloon!!! One Hundred Years From Now 9/10 One hundred years from now, nobody's going to remember Paris Hilton, nobody's going to think Fall Out Boy was any good and everyone's going to wonder what the deal was with those nasty tongue studs. But I digress. Parsons does a much better job redeeming himself here with this more upbeat song with *gasp* a solid backing beat. I guess this is as close as it gets to country-ROCK. The slide guitar sounds less intrusive, and it's actually pretty fun. Oh heck, yes!!! Blue Canadian Rockies 6.5/10 Oh here I am again besmirching the holy name of country music. YAWN. No, I can't even be nice to it and say it was well performed or well arranged, because it just wasn't. This song has a boring melody and these guys are all performing like wind-up monkeys. Life in Prison 6/10 More of that hokey country nonsense. I think they've already used this melody before, but I guess that's just more proof that all country music sounds alike! (I'd better be careful or the Liberal Left will start labelling me as a music racist.) Speaking of these song lyrics, I wish this "pain" will go away. Alright it did. Next song. Nothing Was Delivered 8.5/10 That's how I'm feeling right now! Where are the melodies? Where are all the good old times? I guess that's why England invented The Beatles. This is a really strange song, and I really appreciate that, because everything sounded so samey until now. The fact that it was a Dylan song probably explains it. Anyway, it starts out as another so-so country-western ditty, but there's a crazy and awkward upbeat section in the middle that catches me off-guard. Geez, these guys are clumsy. Well, I'll take whatever originality they'll give me I guess. BONUS TRACKS What's this? "You Got a Reputation" is easily better than any of the songs from the album. It has a deadly unique sound... It's definitely a blend between country and rock, but it has a funny, robotic quality (in a very constructive way). The slide guitar fluttering around actually has enough nerve to be constructive. Well this is something. Oh "Lazy Days" is some roots rock. Some Chuck Berry pandering. Other than the general ROCK feel to this that the original was lacking, I can't say this really contributes anything special. The melody is generic and boring. I suppose that was the point... This also seems about a minute too long. Hear all those hillbilly guitars! "Pretty Polly" is alright. I'm not too wild about it though... I'm just going to sit politely through this and not say anything else. Hey, I heard this song! Oh. It's an outtake. "The Christian Life." Do not put your hand in a young lady's petticoat. That's the moral of the day. "Life in Prison......" What's with this? One life sentence wasn't enough? I thought he wanted to die! Yup, I really wanted to hear an alternate version of "You're Still On My Mind." These guys are too kind. Hey, I liked "One Hundred Years From Now," didn't I? This isn't quite as fun as the studio cut. There. Next. Here's something different! Not that "All I Have Is Memories" is an instrument, and we get to hear that slide guitar in all its glory. Hmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmmm. Yeah. I don't care. Next! ... Oh the album's over. Well, good night then. -----Oh crap. After thirty seconds of silence, there's the cheesiest radio ad I ever heard. Why not fly with them? I'll tell ya why not... 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All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. *He's* the Sweetheart of the Rodeo.