Gene Clark Albums Ranked From Worst to Best 

Wonderful to see some attention given to one of, if not the most overlooked artist of the rock n roll era. Back in the day I used to wonder how "No Other" never received the same kind of adulation that many of his contemporaries like Jackson Browne and Gram Parsons received for their albums. This is truly an undiscovered masterpiece. Very nice to see appreciation for it coming from music lovers like Joe and Jason who weren't even alive when that album was first released.

I was so excited to learn that you were giving Gene Clark his own week. He was on my list of artists that I planned to request for my patron picks but you beat me to the punch. I don't remember how I first got into Gene. I found White Light and fell in love with it sometime in the mid 00s and also became familiar with him as a songwriter from the songs Alison Krauss and Robert Plant covered on Raising Sand. I long coveted the Dillard & Clark albums for that reason but at that time found them impossible to find in any form. That is probably why I never really heard any of his other albums beyond White Light until the last year. I had No Other on my computer for a few years before I actually gave it the love it deserved. My dad had a copy on CD which I ripped but slept on for a long time. It was only last year when listening to music for Songs of the Year that I decided to listen to it and I was blown away! It has since become a top album for me as well. The emotional response some of those songs elicit in me cannot be denied (Strength of Strings comes immediately to mind). I'd also heard Firebyrd before this week because how could I resist an album with a song called "Vanessa" on it but had foolishly not heard much else. And this week I loved it all. Two Sides to Every Story was the biggest revelation of the week for me. I absolutely love it, from the opening track with that banjo and those sweet Emmylou harmonies I was sold. So happy that Joe has made it his mission to spread the word on Gene! 7. Firebyrd - 4 (7.8) 6. Gene Clark with The Gosdin Brothers - 4 (8.1) 5. So Rebellious a Lover - 4 (8.3) 4. Roadmaster - 4 (8.5) 3. Two Sides to Every Story - 4.5 (9.3) 2. White Light - 5 (9.7) 1. No Other - 5 (10)

Thanks Joe! What amazing timing as I myself, a longtime Byrds fan, have also lately been undergoing a revelatory and rewarding phase of discovering Gene Clark’s post-Byrds solo career. I’ve also been reading several fascinating biographies about the man. Here’s a paragraph by Johnny Rogan: “It was part of Gene Clark’s complex character that, despite the greatness of his talent, he was always one of rock music’s most frustrating underachievers. For every celebrated moment of his musical life there were comparable memories of opportunities lost and projects abandoned or unrealized. At the heart of his story lies a powerful ambivalence towards the rock star life. He was capable of consuming the trappings of fame with the appetite of an excessive whilst simultaneously writing some of the most spiritually uplifting songs imaginable. He almost single-handedly kick-started the proliferation of singer-songwriter LA rock - setting an example by leaving an internationally famous group in order to pursue solo work. What seemed a daringly ambitious and innovative idea was equally symptomatic of a mercurial and fragile personality. That summed up Gene Clark’s career - giant steps forward, all too often accompanied by anti-climactic retreats into culthood. He never received the commercial success that was undoubtedly his due in the late Sixties and early Seventies. This brought an enigmatic edge to his tale, as well as ensuring the undying love of his more ardent supporters.”

The high billing of the Gosdin Brothers was due to Gene's manager Jim Dickson managing both Gene and The Gosdins. Gene wanted to call his first solo album "Harold Eugene Clark". The Gosdins only contributed backing vocals so they did NOT deserve equal billing. Some great players on that album, Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Clarence White, Doug Dillard, Chris Hillman and Van Dyke Parks.

No Other is a great album that I first heard about here from Joe. Cheers Joe, I am indebted!

The mission is working Joe. The people (myself included) are discovering Gene Clark thanks to you!

Love Gene Clark. Such a cool songwriter. Everything I have by him I love. Made the Byrds the Byrds. For me nothing weak

Great choice of artist - Gene Clark did some truly amazing work. In terms of songs one of his greatest was one he never got to record - Back Street Mirror, which turns up a David Hemmings (the old actor) album from about 1967. The track was arranged by Leon Russell, brilliantly, and was all ready to go but for whatever reason Gene didn't do it so Hemmings just sang over the top. Amazing song. Old Gene sure had a dark side but his talent was undeniable.

The beauty of the albums entire structure is that the sound is sort of layered. A lot going on but it is NOT a muddy mix or dirge that could easily have resulted. I am hearing impaired since birth yet the sound is crystal clear and astonishingly melodic. Love the structure, the songs, and Gene's incredible vocals and phrasing. It was hard to get his output in Australia in the prior to the internet. I got No Other in a second-hand store. Could not believe my luck. Into Gene since Here Without You on The Bryds first album. RIP Gene. Certainly there is NO OTHER>

I just listened to a few tracks off No Other and I can see why one might become obsessed. Good call.

Thanks guys for discovering a great catalog to me. I fell in love with No Other a few months ago following Joe's high praises and this week has been a real pleasure to listen to all his previous releases. He's a great singer, a talented song writer and all his records sound so tasteful. He arrived to stay, I'll be checking him regularly. Thanks again!

So glad that Joe was moved to discuss and analyze the underrated, sometimes forgotten incredible talent of Mr. Clark! Thanks to Jason for starting the podcast reviews of various artists. I’ve been following you guys for the last few months. Props, praise and thanks. This is going to be a fun view to hear your opinions of Gene Clark! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I am 61, and have a voracious appetite for music. I gather information and inspiration from numerous sources including you three guys on music I may like, both newer and older. Now I knew Gene Clark from The Byrds, but as Joe said I didn't know solo stuff. I am loving many of the suggestions, Gene Clark included. I listen to so much different stuff, so I haven't gotten right back to Gene, but you can bet i will. "No Other" is an amazing underheard hidden gem.

Hi guys, This is the one i've been looking for, I hope Joe won't get fed up in the long run with " No Other" after so many listening! it is indeed a life changing album, It's definitely in my top 10 albums ever, could even be in my top 5. I like the way you delve deep into production, harmonies, lyrics, musicians involved and so on My fav Gene Clark albums are at the moment: 1) No Other 5 stars deluxe 2) White Light ( The white light demos are great too!) 5 3) The fantastic expedition of dillard & clark 4.5 4) Roadmaster 4 5) Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers 4 6) So Rebellious a lover 4 7) Two sides to every story 3.5

Alright, i'd heard "No Other" before (admittedly after all the Gene talk on The Byrds ranking episode) , but not till i listened to this discussion of it here and revisited it did i really HEAR it.......... its clicked, what a album, thanks guys for the newfound appreciation of it, that's why i love this channel

Great discovery. Thanks, Joe

Two great videos. I was gifted No Other a number of years ago and loved it. Added White Light to my collection. And this week's discussion will help me dig deeper. It was disarming to see usual grouch Joe positively ebullient as he discussed an artist he thinks very highly. I was not expecting that, knowing how critically praised Gene Clark has been. Both Joe & Jason had some sharp and thoughtful insights. I wonder if Rabbit Fur Coat being credited to Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins was a nod to Gene Clark with the Godsin Brothers?

Lots of excellent stuff in the 70s records in particular. 1. No Other - 8.5 2. White Light - 8 3. Roadmaster - 8 4. Two Sides to Every Story - 7.5 5. Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers - 7 6. Firebyrd - 6.5 7. So Rebellious a Lover - 6

Interesting...we're on the same page...my fav Gene Clark albums are White Light, Roadmaster and No Other and I have them all on vinyl! He is an excellent song writer and love his voice.His two Dillard and Clark albums are also excellent e.g.Kansas City Southern...thank you for your thoughtful reviews...cheers

No Other took several listens to grow on me, but it is a stunning masterpiece when all is said and done. Amazing record!

I listened to Gene Clark for two whole years, very little else, love all his music, everything he did, he is probably my favorite artist of all time.

Really surprised Jason had never heard No Other all the way through before this. Glad you’ve had a life changing experience with that masterpiece of an album, Joe. Joe’s impression that nobody has ever heard Gene Clark is interesting. I think when he mentions that Spotify never suggested him (or something like that) it begins to make some sense. I never would have discovered Gene Clark’s solo material if I wasn’t a purchaser of physical media. Reissues (CD and vinyl) of White Light and No Other were my gateway to his music. Cheers ✌🏻

No Other is one those once unavailable cult albums that I read about in my younger days which had a heavy rep. I managed to hear two songs from it on cassette through a friend and they consolidated my interest. Since I heard the album properly in the early 2000s it has definitely reached top ten album of all time status. It is heavier than it's rep. I shall actually do a top ten songs tomorrow, so I shall. Peace y'all ✌️

What a wonderful surprise! Like you Joe, I fell for Gene hard once I discovered him as a solo artist. That voice. So mournful and expressive. I love his voice. I would include the Dillard & Clark records, though. Clark is the frontman on those. I like So Rebellious a Lover more than you guys. Weak that Kram skipped out on this one. There are some excellent live bootlegs of Gene out there. Solo acoustic shows.

I have always loved No Other, but I hadn't heard anything else from him until recently. His discography is a bit scattered in terms of my ratings but I wasn't disappointed by most of it. 1. No Other (1974) 25/25 ★★★★★ 2. White Light (1971) 21/25 ★★★★ 3. Gene Clark And The Gosdin Brothers (1967) 20/25 ★★★★ 4. Two Sides To Every Story (1977) 19/25 ★★★ ½ 5. Roadmaster (1973) 16/25 ★★★ 6. Firebyrd (1984) 12/25 ★★ 7. So Rebellious A Lover (1987) 11/25 ★★

The guy was a genius but his discography is a mess - but he is untouchable at his best. Check out his demo version of One In A Hundred - sublime

I happy that you’re covering Gene Clark. Ive just started watching so I don’t know what you’ll have at the top. For me it’s definitely No Other, but I’ve only heard four of his albums. Another semi-obscure American artist that I would love to hear you review is Tom Rush

Interesting take on Gene's catalog. As much as I love No Other, I like the stripped down songs better. The only things I dislike ( sorry Joe ), is the backup singers on Life's Greatest Fool, and the dreadful artwork. White Light would top my list, but it's all subjective. Great video, thanks guys ! Nice to see Gene get some recognition.

I became a Gene Clark fan because of the two covers from the 4AD This Mortal Coil albums. Strength of Strings, and With Tomorrow sounded amazing. Later,when the label came out with the box set for the 3 albums, a 4th cd was included with the original artist's versions' of the songs. Started collecting the Byrds, first, but later I got White Light and No Other. Thanks for the rundown. Its cool to be introduced to some of Gene's other work.

I've been looking forward to this one. A pretty easy artist to rank for me. Thanks guys! Gene Clark is easily one of my favorite singer/songwriters. I'll reach for a Clark album over a Byrds one almost every time and on the occasions I do play a Byrds album a Clark binge usually follows. For someone who claimed to never read literature his lyrics are remarkably good. I'll only rank the albums I own. 7) Echoes. 3 stars (Gosdin Bros album + 6 extra Byrds tracks) 6) Gene Clark Sings for You. 4 stars (a collection of early songs - although sometimes the vocals are shaky here and there, it's much more fun to listen to than the schmaltzy Gosdin album) 5) So Rebellious a Lover. 4 stars (a very good record that took me some time to absorb) 4) Two Sides To Every Story. 4 stars (An odd duck in the canon with some great songs) 3) Roadmaster 4.5 stars (not much to say but I like this one a lot and was the last I bought/heard) 2) White Light/Here Tonight: The White Light Demos. 4.5 stars (a superb album and for those who don't like the production on White Light, the demo album is a great alternative) 1) No Other. 5 stars (a masterpiece by any measure and one of the great albums of the 70s) The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark is also 5 stars for me.

This was nice. I hadn't paid attention to Gene Clark after The Byrds. Thanks for giving something new to try. Good idea, Joe

Love Gene Clark and knew him with Byrds materials…almost obsessed with solo stuff now

Great to see you cover Gene Clark. No Other, White Light, and Roadmaster all have great songs on them, but yes, No Other is the masterpiece Although Gene’s solo work never achieved much commercial success, among Byrds and country-Rock fans, he is legendary. You should also know that there are a bunch of live bootlegs of Gene Clark that are also very good and worth checking out.

7. Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers 2.5 stars 6. Through the Morning , Through the Night ( Dillard and Clark ) 3 stars 5. Two Sides to Every Story 3 stars 4. The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark 3.5 stars 3. Roadmaster 3.5 stars 2. White Light 4 stars 1. No Other 4.5 stars Really interesting exercise with an artist i was aware of but knew little about ( and not normally a genre of music i listen too much these days) . Thanks to Joe who really championed this guy around Byrds week if I recall. I didn't spend a lot of time with these records ( 2 listens) so time will probably improve some of my rankings. No Other clearly stood out for me without doing any research in advance, as a real great record. Good stuff, thanks Joe and Jason.: Note : I obviously missed Firebyrd and So Rebellious a lover..best I could do .

Thank you for all the great music recommendations guys.

Noted Byrds expert & author / musician Sid Griffin has cited Gene Clark as his favorite Byrd. So Rebellious A Lover is my favorite album of his with Sid's former band mates ( The Long Ryders ) very capably backing Gene & Carla. Nice , underrated 80's record.

"I’ve been loving Gene for about a year now”. Lmao, that’s something I would say verbatim. Y’all have a great sense of what makes music good or otherwise meaningful, and on top of that the rapport you guys share amongst yourselves really makes it feel like I’m having this conversation with my own friends. Great video!

Damn! We haven't seen Joe this excited about an artist since Kate Bush.

I've only got and heard White Light and No Other. White Light is great. No Other is astonishing.

No Other is superb. I had it as my number 5 of 1974 in your albums of that year, and that was a strong year for albums

The similar artist for me is Peter Hammill of VDGG, not well known but I enjoy his singing style. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy. I'll add No Other to my list of albums to check out.

Ps. Carla Olson did some interesting live stuff with a certain Mick Taylor. They did an extended version of Winter that apparently represented MT's original vision for the song. It's astonishing...

I don’t know if someone else mentioned it, but Leland Sklar, the bass player on No Other, has a RU-vid episode where he talks about the making of the album. He has a funny story about Joe Cocker walking in and ruining a recording.

My friend of 50 years’ uncle is Richard Greene, the violinist on ‘Strength of Strings’, Some Misunderstanding and Lady if the North’

It would have been truly flabbergasting if either of you had gone for anything else except No Other as number one. It is a towering masterpiece. What a tragedy that Gene just couldn’t keep it together consistently to sustain even a vaguely successful career. It’s great that he’s getting exposure like this so that people are prompted to try him out. No Other and the Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark are my favourite albums of his and bear frequent relistening, though perhaps 5 times in a day is a bit excessive! But as you guys said every album has something great on it and they are all worth checking out.

I grew up w Gene Clark songs. First and foremost the 2 Dillard and Clark ones. Then the one that holds 'spanish guitar' with the sunset. Outside of family and hippy friends nobody knew them so it went out of my playing repertoire. Then 'raising sand' had i think 2 or 3 Clark songs on it, 'polly'. Then it became kinda hip again.

I'm late to this party but MASSIVE Gene fan. That hurt in his voice kills me. Astonishing abstract lyrics. Hadn't heard the story about Silver Raven. I assumed this was a spiritual/Native American thing. He was brought up Catholic and had Native American roots. I think this explains many of his lyrics. NO OTHER & WHITE LIGHT are probably both my fav albums despite being Soooooo different. Can you imagine any artist of the past 30 years doing such contrasting & brilliant albums. Both 10/10. Byrds did like wise of course. Astonishing! I'm 51 and in UK. Discovered Gene via Byrds about 20 years ago. Best cover version? Have you heard Some Misunderstanding by Mark Lanegan. Alison Krauss did ok, Robert Plant did not. Well done for doing this. Dean

I’ve mentioned John Hiatt here before but after seeing this, I’d definitely recommend him to Joe. And Jason too 😁. I’d start with a compilation to hear his different sounds over the years. A little country, a little blues, a little rock. Bring the Family is generally considered his classic. Walk On is my favorite and shows off his diversity pretty well.

Great ranking. I haven't heard any of these albums but knew a couple of songs but I definitely will have to check him out.

Seconding those posting acclaim for "No Other". Astounding in every respect, never could figure out why it did not become iconic. Maybe due to his Byrds connection and how it stands by itself with such originality, only one cut (the opener "Life's Greatest Fool') that seems reminiscent of Byrds material. Get "No Other" if you don't know of it! (totally different genre but if you appreciate unknown gems look up Shuggie Otis "Freedom Flight" ("Strawberry Letter 22" was a got covered later on).

No Other came out when I was 8. Would've been an all time fave for me if I'd've heard it. Only heard it after Joe recommended it-- nearly 50 years later!

Hi Joe I was intrigued when you voted No Other song of the year for 1974 and this is a fascinating overview of Gene Clark's body of work. I have joined you in listening over and over to No Other. I am not sure if it's a masterpiece but it's certainly up there with Gram Parsons' Grievous Angel as you pointed out. Your description of your journey is very engaging and No Other certainly deserves to be considered part of the canon. I will continue listening. In the meantime, having surveyed the albums of the year series which is fascinating and comprehensive. But as there are always new things to be discovered (and you might have heard some of these though there is no mention of them in the AOTY series), here are some recommendations for you that might be due a re-appraisal Jefferson Airplane SURREALISTIC PILLOW/AFTER BATHING AT BAXTER'S 1967 Love FOREVER CHANGES 1967 Tim Buckley GOODBYE AND HELLO 1967 Pink Floyd PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN 1967 The Byrds NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS 1968 Jethro Tull STAND UP 1969 Carole King TAPESTRY 1971 Marvin Gaye WHAT'S GOIN ON 1971 Mike Oldfield TUBULAR BELLS 1973 Tom Petty & The Heartbrekers first album 1976 Portishead DUMMY 1994 Happy listening

2 outta 3 aint bad i liked gene , the albums are very close 7 so rebellious a lover 3.0 stars 6 2 sides to every story 3.0 5 firebyrd 3.0 + 4 gene clark with the gosidin brothers 3.5 3 roadmaster 3.5 2 white light 3.5+ 1 no other 4.0 pretty fun week🐯🐯🐯🐯

Hi guys, I like coming back to your videos after a while, time passes and some albums can climb up the list, Roadmaster is now number two, swapping with White light , fantastic expedition 4th, the rest is the same. No other will be always top! I would suggest a Tim Buckley ranking in the future, not many albums to listen to

07 Firebyrd (3 stars) 06 Two Sides To Every Story (4 stars) 05 So Rebellious A Lover (4 stars) 04 Roadmaster (4.5 stars) 03 Gene Clark With The Gosdin Brothers (5 Stars) 02 No Other (5 stars) 01 White Light (5 stars) Of course the two Dillard & Clark albums are great too, especially the first one which is a country rock classic.

No Other - 4.5 stars (8.6) Roadmaster - 3.5 stars (7.8) White Light - 3.5 stars (7.4) Two Sides to Every Story - 3 stars (6.7) Gene Clark with Gosdin Bros - 3 stars (6.5) Firebyrd- 3 stars (6) So Rebellious A Lover - 2.5 stars (5.8)

As someone who considers The Byrds to be one of her absolute favorite artists. The Gene Clark Discography was one I was very excited to look into. And while I did enjoy listening, it never quite hit that magic the full band did. Aside from 1 album. No Other - 4.5 White Light - 4 Gene Clark With The Godwins Brothers - 3.5 Roadmaster - 3.5 So Rebelious A Lover - 3.5 Two Sides To Every Story - 3 Firebyrd - 2.5

7- Firebyrd (1984) 3/5 6- So Rebellius a Lover (1987) 3.5/5 5- Gene Clark with the Godsin Brothers (1967) 4/5 4- Two Sides of Every Story (1977) 4/5 3- No Other (1974) 4.5/5 2- White Light (1971) 4.5/5 1- Roadmaster (1972) 4.5/5

The Gypsy Angel demos cd is worth checking out. Fragile, raw and stripped down latter day Gene songs. Mostly just him. it sounds like it was recorded at the bottom of a well. Really good.

The 4AD Super Deluxe boxset of No Other is ESSENTIAL. So many sessions, an alternate of the album, SACD, a makin of bluray, album on vinyl....fab.

For Joe I will go into this discrophy

I know only two albums and both are great and Gene is very underrated. I just dont have time now to explore his other records. 1. "No Other" 2. "So Rebellious a Love" with Carla Olson. One is hard-pressed to find a more haunting evocative song than "Gypsy Rider".

Agree with Joe, it's a record which doesn't sound like anything else I've heard. Almost ethereal. I read that he went downhill after the record flopped. Sad.

One of the few genuinely seminal singer-songwriters. Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, Gene Clark (White Light), Road Master and especially No Other are criminally neglected classics.

Enjpyed this. I did a recent CD exchange with a friend and he gave me 5 CDs, including No Other. I bought it myself after 2 listens, its amazing. Will have to check out more of his discography.

I was listening to Gene Clark before you boys were born, but yeah, you tell me what's best.

Besides of Warren Zevon, Gene Clark must be the most under rated singer/songwriter ever.

Maybe Moby Grape someday? For country lovers.

Great video, I'm not sure exactly if I would label Gene Clark as a County artist though, at least not in the same way as I would Gram Parsons or Chris Hillman. I always associated both Mcguinn and Gene as the two members that adhered to traditional folk music the most. Absolutely Folk music overlaps with County and Bluegrass, and Mcguinn and Gene probably did enjoy all three, I just associate their solo music more with artist like Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan than George Jones or Conway Twitty.

🎶 Some People Might Say My Life Is In A Rut 🎶

Duh..how could I have forgotten the best Gene of all time - "Gene"sis (my favorite band of all time)

9) Firebyrd 8) Through the Morning, Through the Night 7) So Rebelious a Lover 6) Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers 5) The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark 4) Roadmaster 3) Two Sides to Every Story 2) White Light 1) No Other

1. No Other (1974) 5/5 2. Gene Clark With The Gosdin Brothers (1967) 4.5/5 3. White Light (1971) 4/5 4. Roadmaster (1972) 3.5/5 5. Two Sides To Every Story (1977) 3/5 6. Firebyrd (1984) 3/5 7. So Rebellious A Lover (1987) 3/5 CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER: 4.5 Gene Clark With The Gosdin Brothers (1967) 4.0 White Light (1971) 3.5 Roadmaster (1972) 5.0 No Other (1974) 3.0 Two Sides To Every Story (1977) 3.0 Firebyrd (1984) 3.0 So Rebellious A Lover (1987) BONUS "DILLARD & CLARK" RANKING: 1. The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark (1968) 4.5/5 2. Through The Morning, Through The Night (1969) 3.5/5 For my money, Gene Clark was the most talented member of The Byrds and I think his solo career (as well as his collaborations with Doug Dillard) bear that out. His 1967 debut draws on variety of styles that were big in California at the time and mixes them with his impeccable songwriting. Critics loved the album but the public ignored it, which prompted Clark to switch gears and team up with banjo extraordinaire Doug Dillard in 1968 to form Dillark & Clark. (A group also notable for including the future Eagles guitar player, Bernie Leadon.) Their first LP, The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark, almost beat The Byrds themselves to the country-rock punch. A tour-de-force of bluegrass fusion, it was released just a few weeks after Sweetheart of the Rodeo. (Personally, I prefer it to 'Sweetheart.' It's about as good as any Byrds record.) Unfortunately, the group ran out of steam after their second album and Clark returned to his solo career. His next offering- 1971's White Light- has a stripped-down, '70s singer-songwriter vibe to it. It constitutes a step down from his solo debut but still features a handful of compelling tunes. Roadmaster, from 1972, recycles a few previously released songs and partly feels like a holding pattern. It doesn't hint at the masterpiece that came next- 1974's No Other, an album that has achieved cult classic status for good reason. The whole thing is irresistible. His last 3 solo LPs are nominally good but largely unremarkable affairs. Gene Clark wouldn't make my all-time top 100 list on his own, but he's already included as a member of The Byrds. (I have a policy where I don't allow any individual musician to appear in my top 100 more than once, in an attempt to make room for more artists.) This week was a blast! Gene Clark is one of rock and roll's great unsung heroes. MY RATING SYSTEM: 5.0 = major classic (consistently great *and* stratospheric highs) 4.5 = minor classic (consistently great *or* stratospheric highs, but not both) 4.0 = great (more than 50% is worth revisiting and it's an essential record for this artist/style - passes my "it'll make a fan out of someone who's new to this artist" test) 3.5 = seriously good (more than 50% is worth revisiting) 3.0 = nominally good (less than 50% is worth revisiting) 2.5 = decent (competent but uninspired - not worth revisiting) 2.0 = poor (difficult listen) 1.5 = awful (can't finish it) 1.0 = historically awful (musical apocalypse) *Note: "Consistently" does not mean "flawlessly." I allow for a few clunkers if the rest of the songs are good enough. Also, I don't go below 1 star because once I'm in the realm of the truly terrible I don't care to differentiate anymore.

The only Gene Clark album I've heard is No Other, but that's a really great album.

I just bonded with Joe.

More cowbell, Joe, more cowbell.

Please a Jackson Browne list!!!!

Roadmaster is a cover song. Gene did not write it. The album was released after Gene had be let go from A&M records, his manager, Jim Dickson, put together the tracks Gene was working on with those previously recorded tracks and released it. It was only released in Holland when it first came out.

On my vinyl copy of Roadmaster from Sundazed the song Roadmaster is credited to Weller-Oldham....Not Gene himself

'Roadmaster' the song is actually a cover by Spooner Oldham / Freddy Weller. It was incorrectly credited on the album sleeve/label. Probably should have included the Dillard & Clark albums cos every Gene fan does and where else you gonna put them? Especially since you mentioned Plant & Krause who covered 2 songs from 'Through The Morning...'

NO OTHER- the best $200,000 David Gefen ever spent.

Listened to him for the first time today so it's impossible for me to know exactly how I feel having only listened to a few but I did hit on one (Life's Greatest Fool) that I could have sworn was Michael Nesmith (whom I think was a great part of The Monkees, an underrated band with four unique parts, but that's for another day)

His voice sounds like across between Michael Nesmith,Gram Parsons and at times on No Other Jim Morrison!

09) Firebyrd (3 stars) 08) Two Sides to Every Story (3.75 stars) 07) Roadmaster (4 stars) 06) White Light (4 stars) 05) The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark (Dillard & Clark) (4 stars) 04) Through the Morning, Through the Night (Dillard & Clark) (4 stars) 03) Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers (4.25 stars) 02) So Rebellious a Lover (with Carla Olson) (4.5 stars) 01) No Other (5 stars) 0 stars - irredeemably terrible/insultingly bad/the worst .5 stars - terrible 1 star - bad 1.5 stars - pretty bad 2 stars - fair 2.5 stars - meh 2.75 stars - "It's OK, but quit playing it." 3 stars - OK/decent 3.25 stars - pretty good 3.5 stars - good 4 stars - very good 4.5 stars - excellent 5 stars - the highway symphony notes - * This music was completely new to me going into this. * I figured if we were going to include So Rebellious a Lover, a collaborative album in which Carla Olson gets top billing with Gene, we might as well include the Dillard & Clark albums. Adding the McGuinn, Clark and Hillman albums seems to be taking this a bit too far though and I didn't much care for what I heard anyway. * "I Found You" on the debut nicks the bassline from "Taxman" for the guitar intro. Seems like this is a very popular song to steal from as The Jam did it too. * There's quite a lot of smokin' banjo on the Dillard & Clark albums, particularly on the second one which is why I put it above the first. * I prefer Gene's version of "Tears of Rage" over the other versions. The slow, almost hesitant version by the Band doesn't sit well with me for some reason. * "One in a Hundred" seems to be in a different key on Roadmaster compared to the original on White Light. * I prefer the more pepped up version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" found on Firebyrd over the sleepy Byrds version. * "Made of Love," also on Firebyrd, comes off as rather sexist by today's standards. There's a few songs in Gene's catalogue you could say that about. * Carla Olson is a good singer and her voice blends nicely with Gene's on So Rebellious a Lover. * "I'm Your Toy (Hot Burrito #1)" is rather sexually explicit. * Some of these songs feel like they should have gone on a bit longer. * Gene's lyrics are generally good although he is sometimes prone to nonsensical deepities. But he's always "feelin' it" so maybe that's all that matters. * Cheers mates!!!!!!!!!

Carla Olson may not have the prettiest voice but she's a good singer. I like her earthy sound.

Gene Clark is great .... please do something on John Martyn

Gene Clark…great voice, great singer, great songwriter. Sadly, the quality of his songs went downhill after his masterpiece, I still enjoyed this week a lot! Okay Albums (2,5 Stars): 7. So Rebellious A Lover [Not a fan of Carla Olson’s vocals.] Good Albums (3 Stars): 6. Firebyrd [‘Tambourine Man’ is great as always, but did we need this version? Some songs are great on here, but it’s inconsistent.] Great Albums (3,5 Stars): 5. Two Sides to Every Story [A bit sad to listen to this one after ‘No Other’. Most of the songs are still good, but not mindblowing. ‘Give My Love To Marie’ is the highlight on the album.] 4. Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers [Great start to the album, alright after that.] Amazing Albums (4,5 Stars): 3. Roadmaster [A bit more Rock on this one than on ‘White Light’. Awesome stuff.] 2. White Light [Sounds so different from the debut. Most of the songs are fantastic! Loved it. I actually prefer this version of ‘Tears of Rage’, but the vocal performance is inferior.] Masterpieces (5 Stars): 1. No Other [An album like No Other. You could see this as a pun, but it is also true. A unique mix of Country/Folk, Soul and Gospel. He made the best Americana album of all time (if you can call that Americana). Love, love and love it.]

i'd add the 'fantastic expedition of dillard & clark' ...

JOE JACKSON

If a superior race of aliens landed and we had one hour to demonstrate the beauty of the human race and our worthiness to join them among the stars, I would play No Other for them. This would come before Pet Sounds, Village Green, Sgt Pepper, Songs In The Key Of Life, or any other iconic cultural statement albums.

Contrary to Joe, I had only heard Gene Clarkes solo stuff BECAUSE of the spotify algorithm. I believe the track was Lifes Greatest Fool. Every track I subsequently heard was of a similar excellent standard. For all the criticism of his musical approach to songwriting (when in the Byrds anyway) I have yet to hear a Gene Clark song I dont like.

The question is, how many No Other tracks will Joe have on his list tomorrow?

I didn’t hear any mention of his masterpiece and in my opinion, his best song ever, Some Misunderstanding. I would have thought that one of you would have waxed eloquently about this song…I thought you could a whole video on that one song only.

I'm listening to No Other and I like the songs, but Clark's voice seems to me like he's straining to hit the notes a bit. Edit: it does sound like pretty great stuff, though, eccentric country rock.

Gotta be one of the most underrated musicians ever. No Other is obviously a masterpiece, but his discography is really strong as well. 7. So Rebellious a Lover (1987) ★★★ 6. Firebyrd (1984) ★★★½ 5. Gene Clark With the Gosdin Brothers (1967) ★★★★ 4. Two Sides to Every Story (1977) ★★★★ 3. Roadmaster (1973) ★★★★½ 2. White Light (1971) ★★★★½ 1. No Other (1974) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ - Masterpiece ★★★★½ - Really great ★★★★ - Great ★★★½ - Really good ★★★ - Good ★★½ - OK ★★ - Bad ★½ - Really bad ★ - Awful ½ - The worst

Jason my brotha..."Are We Still Making Love?" can be a very pertinent question for some people. Is it love or just sex? Not weird at all.

I have a lot of time for Clark , but I think he generally worked better when collaborating with others , ie the Byrds and then Doug Dillard and Bernie Leadon . Far too often his solo songs are a bit too pedestrian for me , and I long for a bit more energy and joy in his work . Still , when he was on his game he could be great.

7. Gene Clark With The Gosdin Brothers 1,5 (60s schmalz pop at its worse, it makes Scott Walker of the era sound like a rocker, some bad Everly imitators chime in the back, horrible. Music for Elevator Operators. Needing Someone saves it from the trash can.) 6. Firebyrd 2,5 (Not really terrible but far from good. Unnecessary.) 5. Two Sides to Every Story 3,0 (In deed two sides, one bad and one generic. For Eagles fans.) 4. White Light 3,5 (A good, short album, pretty standard stuff for 1971 even if Clark had once a leading role in inventing the genre. Nothing stellar or outstanding, just nice solid country rock.) 3. Roadmaster 3,5 (More a random song collection than a consistent album, quality differs a lot from song to song - the good ones however are very good.) 2. So Rebellious a Lover 4,0 (Note that Carla Olsen has some pretty good albums to her name or with the Textones that are worth checking out, also some collaborations with ex-Stones Mick Taylor. In hindsight, maybe this should have been left out of the list as the high ranking is mostly for Olsen and the musicians, less than a third goes to Clark himself - his vocals on the Fogerty and Burrito covers are in fact the album's low points.) 1. No Other 4,5 (As an album this is stronger than anything he ever did with the Byrds - or they did without him. Note - Producer Thomas Jefferson Kaye recorded his second album First Grade at the same time that he worked with Clark, the album is a MUST for anyone who cares about No Other or the first four Steely Dan albums.)

Please listen to The White Light Demos........stripped down album proving that the powers that be missed the oppotunity with him when the "Singer Songwriters hit their stride,,MISSED chance by the suits.

7. So Rebellious A Lovers (1987) 6. Gene Clark With The Gosdin Brothers (1967) 5. Firebyrd (1984) 4. Two Sides To Every Story (1977) 3. White Light (1971) 2. No Other (1974) 1. Roadmaster (1973)