Customer Reviews
A Great find - By: endlessharmony, 28 Aug 2008 
This concert, which came out of Roger McGuinn's personal archives, demonstrates what a great band the Byrds were 'live'in 1971, & is far superior to any of the studio recordings made by the McGuinn, White, Battin & Parsons version of the band.
As a previous reviewer implied, the sound isn't perfect & the vocals are a bit up front, but the sheer quality of the content far outweighs any minor production/mastering flaws.
I am very happy that this has finally seen the light of day & it once again shows just how great Clarence White's guitar playing was before his sad passing.
The album features 18 great tracks from all periods of the Byrds & is a great investment for any Byrds fan. Whilst to some it may sound a bit like a top quality bootleg,I'm sure to many others it will simply be a fond reminder of a great band at their live peak.
Essential for Byrdmaniax! - By: MG Russell, 25 Jul 2008 
Where did this come from? The answer appears to be Roger McGuinn's garage. The May 1971 gig at London's Royal Albert Hall is referred toin Johnny Rogan's 'Timeless Flight' Byrds biog as 'a glorious night' of 'rapturous encores'. And now you can hear them all. McGuinn himself says, 'It was. a great night, so I'm happy there's a record of it.'
There's lots of stuff on this CD you can't legitimately obtain anywhere else. The acoustic section of Black Mountain Rag/ Soldier's Joy/Mr Tambourine Man/Pretty Boy Floyd/Take a Whiff, is sharp, clear & rather good. Unfortunatley the mix on the electric tracks leaves a lot to be desired. While the vocals are well out front, everything else is buriedin the musical mud. This is a mono mix, despite what it says on the box. With no stereo separation the guitars lack presence, & the bass & drums fare little better. This is a pity as the interplay between guitarists White & McGuinn was a highlight of the Byrds live act.
So if you expect the crystal clear clarity if the 'Untitled/Unissued' live tracks, you may be disappointed. However, there are good things here - a live 'Chestnut Mare' & a splendid 'I Trust', as well as some great singing by McGuinn and, surprisingly, Clarence White. Also, you are hearing, as far as I can tell, a complete Byrds concert.
The 18 minute version of 'Eight Miles High' is a bit of a let down. It trundles alongin 'White's Lightening' boogie mode somewhat interminably, before the 'cigarette break' bass & drum solos. The guitars seem stuckin the mud, & like many other tracks, it lacks tonal depth. I do wonder, ifin 2008, something could not have been done to counteract the very 'middley' sound? Is this why the CD is a Sundazed issue, rather than a Columbia Legacy one?
So, what we have here is a curate's egg, rather than a Phoenix from the Byrds. Still, essential for Byrdmaniax!
I think I'm going back to the things that I learned so well in my youth - By: jingles_sunderland, 26 Jun 2008 This is one of those innocent pleasures that one can afford to consumein one's later years without any guilt whatsoever while ruing the years that the subject has been under wrapsin Roger McGuinn's archives.
I will leave others to discuss individual tracks while I make the claim to how like the Grateful Dead the Byrds really were on this showing. The differences are clear, whilst the Dead gre from their blues based background the Byrds arose from the folk tradition but here,in this fines concert marred only by a minor sound glitchin the first track, the similarities are there for all to see & hear.
Marvel how America has produced two bands who outgrew their simple origins to become the greatest evangelists for the broad spectrum of music that has emerged from the United Statesin it's brief history. Marvel at their adaptions & restorations of folk & country & bluegrass while having the talent & capability to perform outside of the boundaries of the simple folk song.
Of course both bands look to Bob Dylan at various timesin their careers to provide the vivid lyrics which capture so much & evoke much more but which theyin turn reflect & refract back out to the broader audiences.
This album spans many decadesin it's short span & presents them afresh. Whilst I mourn the space between the recording & it's eventual release it reminds me of much that has been lostin the intervening years & how we will probably never see the likes of the Byrds & the Dead againin their ability to transcend styles & forms & bring into the fold many from differing subclasses of the popular idiom together.
I commend this album to the pantheon of excellent albums.
