Fifth Dimension
The Byrds' third album, Fifth Dimension, is one of the earliest psychedelic LPs ever released. It was released over one month prior to Revolver, for example.
This is very much a transitional album, straddling multiple styles that had and would define the band on different records. But I'm not sure it's as weak as people make it out to be, and it's still pretty important in the transition from folk rock to psychedelia.
The covers are usually cited as the big weakness, but I find most of them pretty strong, even if they are (mostly) the most traditional, least interesting music here.
The early country rock song should feel out of place, but it doesn't to my ears, given its lyrical theme, which fits in with the more psychedelic tracks.
It's the stabs toward psychedelic which are, of course, the real attraction here. Some of the earliest psychedelic music - adding free and modal jazz and Indian music to folk rock - but unlike the earliest stabs by other bands, they aren't just "freak outs," they're actual songs. And they're good songs, despite the loss of Gene Clark.
Unlike some other music of the era, I actually think this record has dated rather well, given its transitional nature. It feels very much like the step between folk rock and psychedelia that most bands had yet to take.
- "5D (Fifth Dimension)" (Jim McGuinn) – 2:33
- "Wild Mountain Thyme" (traditional, arranged Jim McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, David Crosby) – 2:30
- "Mr. Spaceman" (Jim McGuinn) – 2:09
- "I See You" (Jim McGuinn, David Crosby) – 2:38
- "What's Happening?!?!" (David Crosby) – 2:35
- "I Come and Stand at Every Door" (Nâzım Hikmet) – 3:03
- "Eight Miles High" (Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn, David Crosby) – 3:34
- "Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go)" (Billy Roberts) – 2:17
- "Captain Soul" (Jim McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, David Crosby) – 2:53
- "John Riley" (traditional, arranged Jim McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, David Crosby) – 2:57
- "2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)" (Jim McGuinn) – 2:12
The Byrds
- Jim McGuinn – lead guitar, vocals
- David Crosby – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Chris Hillman – electric bass, vocals
- Michael Clarke – drums
Additional personnel
- Gene Clark – vocals (tracks: 7); harmonica (track 9)
- Van Dyke Parks – organ on track 1
- Allen Stanton – string section arrangement (tracks: 2, 10)
