The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Notorious Byrd Brothers was originally released on January 3, 1968. It's the Byrds' most interesting album, the songs among the best in the group's catalog. Although the band was in turmoil at this point, the album that emerged was cohesive, consistently challenging and thematically unified. Mobile Fidelity has mastered from the original analog mono master tapes. This edition includes six bonus tracks in stereo, of which Crosby's "Triad" is the standout cut; leaving this off the original album was one of the reasons Crosby left the band. Also interesting is the 10 minutes of hidden studio chatter at the end. The Byrds battling in the studio is rather fierce, but illuminating in regards to their serious problems. While not filled with hits, it's the last time any Byrds album captured the magical alchemy of the band's trademark guitar jangle and emotionally evocative harmonies.