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Editorial Reviews

Gene Clark is the great unsung hero in the story of the Byrds; he was the original group's strongest songwriter, an intelligent and compelling vocalist with a superb instrument, and (arguably) the sonic architect of the group's Dylan-meets-Beatles approach. But while Roger McGuinn and David Crosby generally got the lion's share of the credit for the Byrds' music, and Chris Hillman and even Michael Clarke went on to successful careers as sidemen after the band broke up, Clark never seemed to get out from under the shadow of his early work with the Byrds. While there's a pretty remarkable compilation album (or maybe even a box set) to be culled from Clark's solo career, Set You Free: Gene Clark in the Byrds 1964-1973 does a superb job of pulling together the high points of his work with the Byrds, and sets the record straight on how important his contribution to the band really was. Clark wrote or co-wrote every cut on this disc (except for a cover of Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand" that Clark sang on the Byrds' misbegotten 1973 reunion album), and hearing such classics as "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better," "Here Without You," "She Don't Care About Time," "Eight Miles High," and "You Won't Have to Cry" in one stretch makes a compelling argument for the man's batting average in the group. This set also covers a broad spectrum of the band's history, from the early Jim Dickson demos through Clark's contributions to the 1973 reunion LP, including a rare 1969 single in which the Byrds cut backing tracks for two Clark solo performances. Set You Free: Gene Clark in the Byrds 1964-1973 is a loving tribute to an artist who still hasn't been given the accolades he fully deserves, as well as a top-shelf collection of great moments from one of the most important American bands of the 1960s, and on either score it's well worth a listen. Mark Deming, All Music Guide

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