No Other & Expanded - Gene Clark

I still have the original vinyl recording of this album from 1974 (just shows how old I am) and I think it has taken me almost all of that time to fully appreciate the beauty of this forgotten gem. Forget all about Clarks sojourn with The Byrds, this is nothing like any of the material they were producing even when Gram Parsons was doing his country thing with them. Thre is nothing poppy or jaunty on this album, just the masterful sounds of a man baring his soul. The opening track 'Lifes Greatest Fool' is probably the most accessable track on the album for the casual listener and could probably be described as The Eagles on valium. Anyone looking for the jangly Byrds ...  Read the complete review

Listeners approaching this album knowing of Gene Clarks time in The Byrds would be advised to listen first- even by the standards set by his preceding albums, this is a huge stylistic leap! That out of the way- for me, this is the high water mark of Americana/Alt Country/Country Rock. In addition to the IMMENSE soul of Gene Clarks singing and writing- rather than the coked up cockyness of, say the Eagles, Gram Parsons etc- we have on this album a truly ambitious production that still sounds like nothing else attempted before or since Take the title track for example- in addition to the expected drums, guitar bass backing, there is a synth processed ...  Read the complete review