1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 68. The Byrds – Fifth Dimension (1966)

 

The album starts with a bit of the expected folk-rock with covers of the traditional tracks Wild Mountain Thyme and John Riley, and a bit of country-rock (Mr Spaceman), and then blends into psychedelia, especially the ethereal Eight Miles High, which is probably the highlight of the album, with Roger McGuinn and Dave Crosby playing guitar sounds inspired by Ravi Shankar’s sitar playing (and the jazz trumpet of John Coltrane). With its spacy soundscape it kind of defines the psychedelia to come. And yes, that is the McGuinn mentioned in The Mamas and The Papas’ song Creeque Alley. Who couldn’t get no higher. The Byrds, however, say that it was inspired by a transatlantic flight, not drugs. 

Also inspired by flying is the track 2-4-2 Foxtrot, which is meant to mimic a flight on a Lear jet complete with sound effects blended in, some years before Pink Floyd really make it their thing (and a little like their Interstellar Overdrive or On The Run). 

Rounding out the smorgasbord of styles, there’s a jaunty version of Hey Joe, which can’t compete with Hendrix, an instrumental soul groove (Captain Soul), and the haunting chantlike tale of a Hiroshima victim in I Come And Stand At Every Door. All in all, it’s an odd mix, but that, to me, makes the album more interesting. 

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