Gene Clark

Gene Clark's 1971 classic “White Light” is a bittersweet and knowing statement from a singer/songwriter at the peak at his creative powers. Having fronted The Byrds, Clark on his own here is stripped down in guitarist Jesse Ed Davis' stark production. The lyrics, singing and guitar playing are so powerful that less production here is immeasurably more musically. The album art is beautifully restored by IR's Tom Vadakan.

Gene Clarks 1974 masterpiece gets the reappraisal its long overdue. One of the greatest albums ever made. Initially celebrated for its obscurity, No Other is now celebrated for its magnificence. It was in every way a magnum opus: epic, sprawling, poetic, choral, rococo. 45 years on and recently remastered at Abbey Road, 4AD are giving No Other the reappraisal it deserves. As stated on 4AD's website, the original tapes were remastered at Abbey Road Studios, featuring a 5.1 surround mix of the album created for the first time. All the studio tapes were forensically worked on and mixed by the duo of Gene Clark aficionado Sid Griffin and producer John Wood; the extra tracks have not been edited or composited in any way, "allowing for everything to be heard exactly as it went down in the studio and before any overdubbing took place".

Gene Clark will always be best remembered for his two-year stint as a vocalist with the Byrds between 1964 and 1966. A fine legacy to be sure, but the shame of it is that there was far more to Clark's body of work than that; he was a superb songwriter, one of the founding fathers of country-rock, and recorded a number of fine albums with an impressive array of collaborators whose quality far outstripped their modest sales figures. Case in point, this album. Aside from containing some of Clark's finest tracks like "In a Misty Morning" and "Full Circle Song," this record contains two gems recorded with the willing participation of the other original Byrds. "One in a Hundred" and "She's the Kind of Girl" are so good that they would have easily stood out on The Byrds box set, had McGuinn elected to include them. The man should be mentioned in the same breath as Neil Young. Roadmaster is one of the many reasons why.

At long last, these 24 thought-to-be-lost recordings by the late, great Gene Clark is now in release on Sierra Hybrid SACD and Sierra High Fidelity on 2 LP audiophile vinyl set. These incredible recordings, which have never been released commercially, are from the original analog master studio recording sessions held in Los Angeles between 1964 and 1982. Gene Clark was one of the most influential musical pioneers of the rock era. A pivotal figure at the births of rock music's golden trifecta of hyphenated subgenres (folk, psychedelic and country) in the1960s, he earned his rightful place in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member and principal songwriter of The Byrds.

Upon its release in 1974, Gene Clark's No Other was soundly reviled as an exercise in studio and financial excess, a critical and commercial failure – it was pop music's Heaven's Gate. However, a scant year and a half later, Fleetwood Mac's self-titled album and its successor, Rumours, utilizing similar performance and production techniques, were adored by critics and the record-buying public, and have become cultural mainstays. The appearance of No Other on CD in America some 26 years after its release offers the opportunity to hear this record for what it was: a solidly visionary recording that decided to use every available means to illustrate Gene Clark's razor-sharp songwriting that lent itself to open-ended performance and production – often in the same song (one listen to the title track bears this out in spades).

Early in 1967, CBS released the original version of this album under the title "Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers." Perhaps it was ahead of its time. Gene Clark and his producer and friend Jim Dickson weren't happy with it either. When they learned that CBS planned to re-release the album (feeling that perhaps now its time had come), they decided that all of the original eight-track recordings should be re-mixed and at least some vocals re-recorded. After a week in CBS L.A. studios, where it all began almost six years before, they emerged with an enormously improved, almost totally different album. Nearly all of the vocals were re-recorded, tracks were brightened, parts buried in the original mix were brought up (in some cases completely changing the sound of the cuts), and in re-sequencing the order of the sides they even removed one song, Elevator Operator, because with five years' perspective they felt strongly that the song did not measure up to the others.'

So Rebellious a Lover Review by Matthew Greenwald
An exquisite pairing of talent, the duo of Carla Olson and Gene Clark apparently came out of casual living room sessions while Clark was preparing for another project. The feeling of spontaneity and closeness of spirit engulfs all of the cuts here. Olson's strident and powerful vocals mesh beautifully with Clark's slightly world-weary, soulful performances. As for the material, both songwriters obviously put their best foot forward here. Olson's "The Drifter" and "Are We Still Making Love" are excellent country-folk outings. Clark contributes one of his finest later compositions, "Gypsy Rider," a multi-leveled song that can easily be viewed as autobiographical. Excellent support is provided by an array of backing musicians, especially Stephen McCarthy (lap steel and dobro) and guest Chris Hillman (mandolin). Chemistry is the operative word here. The only sad thing is that So Rebellious a Lover was to be the only studio effort by the duo before Clark passed away in 1991. This record is important not only for what it is, but for what it could have become.

The Americana Album That Started It All. Newly Remastered With 8 Bonus Tracks. 2 Tracks Never Before On CD. "It Is Generally Agreed That "So Rebellious A Lover" Was The First Americana Album. Before SRAL albums and artists were referred to as country rock, or acoustic or folk." All Music Guide "A sinewy and exquisitely polished jewel of folk/country that is driven by an abiding sense of care. A record for all times." New York Times. An exquisite pairing of talent, the duo of Carla Olson and Gene Clark apparently came out of casual living room sessions while Clark was preparing for another project. The feeling of spontaneity and closeness of spirit engulfs all of the cuts here. Olson's strident and powerful vocals mesh beautifully with Clark's slightly world-weary, soulful performances. As for the material, both songwriters obviously put their best foot forward here. Olson's "The Drifter" and "Are We Still Making Love" are excellent country-folk outings. Clark contributes one of his finest later compositions, "Gypsy Rider," a multi-leveled song that can easily be viewed as autobiographical. Excellent support is provided by an array of backing musicians, especially Stephen McCarthy (lap steel and dobro) and guest Chris Hillman (mandolin). The only sad thing is that So Rebellious a Lover was to be the only studio effort by the duo before Clark passed away in 1991. This record is important not only for what it is, but for what it could have become.

The Americana Album That Started It All. Newly Remastered With 8 Bonus Tracks. 2 Tracks Never Before On CD. "It Is Generally Agreed That "So Rebellious A Lover" Was The First Americana Album. Before SRAL albums and artists were referred to as country rock, or acoustic or folk." All Music Guide "A sinewy and exquisitely polished jewel of folk/country that is driven by an abiding sense of care. A record for all times." New York Times. An exquisite pairing of talent, the duo of Carla Olson and Gene Clark apparently came out of casual living room sessions while Clark was preparing for another project. The feeling of spontaneity and closeness of spirit engulfs all of the cuts here. Olson's strident and powerful vocals mesh beautifully with Clark's slightly world-weary, soulful performances. As for the material, both songwriters obviously put their best foot forward here. Olson's "The Drifter" and "Are We Still Making Love" are excellent country-folk outings.