Preflyte

by

The Byrds

Edit

This is a review of the NEW 2012 EDITION OF "PREFLYTE". This edition is a 2 CD set, which follows the same track listing as the 2 CD set issued by Sundazed several years ago. The other, earlier reviews under this title, are for a single disc issued a few years back on the Poptones, and Sundazed labels. Rhino Records also released a different version, with more tracks.

Each disc slips inside a cardboard sleeve, and each sleeve slides into a pocket in the fairly substantial, wallet style holder. Song titles are printed on one side of each sleeve, the other side has a b&w photo of Crosby on one sleeve, and McGuinn on the other sleeve. There's a b&w photo of McGuinn, Clark, and Crosby spread across the inside of the outer holder. This edition has a different cover photo-not found on the original Together Records vinyl release-which showed the band members faces as eggs, sitting in a bird's nest. The booklet contains an essay (with nothing new) on the band, and their music, and several photos of band members we've all seen before. But there's no information as to who mixed these tracks, or if Keith Olsen had anything to do with mixing this music originally. Of some interest is a (small) color reproduction of the original Together album cover-including a photo of the inner sleeve with band members. There's also a photo of the Phillip's reissue cover.

This 2012 release features all the tracks found on the 2001 2 CD Sundazed edition, plus eight "extra" tracks. But what I want to point out is, this 2012 edition has the (to my ears) Keith Olsen mixes found on the original "Preflyte" single vinyl album, released by Together Records, and on the single CD, from Sundazed in 2006. Some of these tracks were also released on CD by both Rhino, and Poptones. The Sundazed 2 CD release has all new mixes by Bob Irwin, which sound smoother, and blended. The differences are subtle, but can be fairly easily heard.

This new set has more separation between the vocals and the instruments, and a slightly brighter overall sound. But it's not a brightness because the mixes have been compressed, as heard on a number of new reissues-which makes for difficult listening. The sound on this new set is naturally brighter and livelier-some of the smoothness has been taken out. Are you missing something here? It depends on your BYRDS fanaticism. I was lucky enough to have purchased the original Together label vinyl release many years (decades!) ago. I've always liked the sound on that album, and this new edition (to my ears) sounds pretty close (if not identical) to that original vinyl album. I listened to this new set using a decent pair of headphones, so the sound differences were more apparent. But as I wrote, there's no information as to what sources this new set used.

Of some possible interest are the six extra tracks taken from the band's Columbia Records demo reel, mixed by Jim Dickson. These were apparently used as an audition tape, and according to the Floating World label, "have never been issued in any form to date." Hmmm. Also included are two David Crosby demos-"I'm Just A Young Man", and "Everybody's Been Burned". Now I believe that these tracks (some or all) have been around on various bootleg releases in the past, and have been released, and are available, in some legal form somewhere, but I don't recall the "I'm Just...Man" track on a legitimate release before now. The song "She's The Kind Of Girl" is a solo, sung by Gene Clark with an acoustic guitar backing-very nice. It's reminiscent of his later solo work.

So if you're a BYRDS fan/collector, you might want to investigate this release further. If you're happy with the Sundazed set-more power to you-to each his own. That set will be the definitive collection of this early material. Now, I like Irwin's mixes. But I'm glad I found this new set-the sound difference is there, and I like it equally (but for different reasons) as much as the Sundazed set. My hope is that someday, once and for all, all the various tracks-live, demo, unreleased, etc., in the vaults, will be released for all us BYRDS fans to enjoy. But with the music industry the way it is, I'm not holding my breath.

This product was taken from a vinyl copy of the Together version It was not produced by Gary Usher.(he was co-owner of Together Records) He didn't meet the Byrds until after Meltcher and Stanton produced them at CBS (now Sony) When CBS and Rhino released their versions, these tapes were not returned from Together, which used Keith Olsen mixes. The new Sundazed (shorter version) is made from those recovered Olsen tapes, the long version is all new mixes made by Bob Irwin. Poptones no longer has any right to re-produce Preflyte The Sundazed long version includes everything recorded by the Byrds pre CBS. The short version IS the original Preflyte.(including a reproduction of the cover)

Jim Dickson (producer)