In the early 1970s, the original lineup of the Byrds reconvened, and though the reunion was short-lived, a self-titled LP was produced for David Geffen’s Asylum Records. Based on founding member Gene Clark’s contributions to the record, Clark was signed to a solo deal by Asylum, and his debut for the label, No Other, was put out in 1974. Though the album bombed in the marketplace, the LP’s always had its share of fans, which has only grown over the years. And for good reason—No Other is incredible. After 45 years, the record has been given the deluxe box set treatment, and its release is approaching. As a preview, Dangerous Minds has not one, but two tracks to premiere from the set.
No Other was recorded at the Hollywood studio, Village Recorder, with a variety of session musicians and back-up singers. Though recording costs bloomed to an astonishing $100,000, it was all seemingly worth it, as Clark produced a stunning work. Incorporating country rock, folk, psych, funk, soul, and gospel into the mix, No Other is a sublime album that sounds like, well, no other.
The LP opens with “Life’s Greatest Fool,” a solid blend of country rock and soul. As with much of the record, a lovely sort of sadness permeates the mid-tempo track. Clark’s lyrics are cryptic but still revealing, and on this song and others on No Other, he seems to be addressing the fickle nature of the music business and his own lack of solo success. “Silver Raven” is the first of the hazy tracks on the album, in which the listener feels like they’re under the spell of something illicit. “No Other” is a favorite of mine. Possessing a wicked keyboard part, this funky, woozy number has a percussion-driven middle section that’s one of the most transcendent moments on the entire record. The dramatic “Strength of Strings” is the centerpiece of the album, and here Clark’s voice is especially strong, but still drenched in melancholy. “Some Misunderstanding” is most obviously about the music business and his career, and is epic, at eight-plus minutes. “From a Silver Phial” is heavenly, and another gospel-tinged song, “Lady of the North,” closes the record. While redemptive, there are still shades of darkness in the final track.
Unfortunately, one key individual didn’t think No Other was all that—and that was David Geffen. Shocked and annoyed that a $100,000 investment didn’t produce more than eight songs (though long rumored, Clark didn’t record a double album’s worth of material), Geffen couldn’t see the album’s brilliance. No Other did receive some critical accolades, but Asylum barely promoted the record, and it flopped in the marketplace. It wasn’t long before the LP was deleted from Asylum’s catalog, and the album faded from view. Though it took decades, No Other is now widely considered a classic and one of the finest albums of the ‘70s. Sadly, Gene Clark didn’t live to see the record’s revival; he died in 1991 at the age of 46. He reportedly never recovered from the failure of No Other.
On November 8th, 4AD will release a deluxe, limited edition No Other box set. The collection features a new LP pressing of the original eight-track album, which was remastered at Abbey Road and pressed on silver vinyl. Also included are previously unreleased session recordings, HD mixes, a 7-inch, a poster, an 80-page hardcover book, and a new documentary film on Blu-ray, The Byrd Who Flew Alone: The Making of No Other . Pre-order through 4AD’s site and receive two bonus flexi discs with a couple of otherwise unavailable tracks.
There’s also a limited double CD set, as well as standalone CD and LP versions of the remastered No Other available. Check out your options here.
Dangerous Minds is thrilled to premiere two highlights from the session tapes, “No Other (Version 2)” and “Some Misunderstanding (Version 3).”