I think I quickly mentioned the Byrds’ Younger Than Yesterday a while ago.
Steve played it to me that first summer–’68. It was–literally–exciting music. Those tight vocals in harmony. Lyrics about things like space travel. The minor chords (descending in ‘Thoughts and Words’). Restless. The album almost begged for repeated listening. There was a lot here.
The opening two songs, Rock and Roll Star and Seen her Face. Seen Her Face conjured images of colorful hippie girls with secret agendas and gifts just behind her eyes. There were a lot of songs about girls, but this one was like a new way of hearing about someone.
The guitars cut through the gentleness of the vocals. Make no mistake, these guys knew what Rock and roll was. But Crosby was playing into the jazz that I grew up on, reaching deep to grab me. I was too young to assess or even begin to understand. This wasn’t dance music, but it was loud and occasionally brash.
I read later Roger envisioned the band’s sound like a jet taking off and landing–smooth, loud, aerodynamic. At harmony with the breeze. This wasn’t the Beatles shaking their heads singing ‘wooooo.’ The Byrds weren’t dangerous like the Doors or Steppenwolf, but the music was a journey. If this was LSD, it was pretty cool. (Ha Ha)
2 songs buried into my skin forever. We’ll discuss one later, but now, the closer–Why.
Just take it in, like the first time.
Those guitars ride all the way up your spine. No one’s screaming or yelling, the words spill out as the beat drives on. The tempo is almost careening, lan out of control train. You can’t get all the words at times. This is new stuff. One word–Why–keeps getting pushed up at you, involving you in the quest for information about this girl. Is she harsh, brutal, or misunderstood. I didn’t get the Ravi Shakar influence at the time.
Steve also played the Why single (b side), but having this off the wall ball of kinetic energy closing out such a solid lp will always be with me.
PS Steve skipped over Mind Gardens, saying something like “If I played you this one song, you’ll throw up and I don’t want to clean it up.”