"Byrds" is the twelfth and final studio album by the American rock band The Byrds, released in March 1973 on Asylum Records. It was recorded as the centerpiece of a reunion between the five original band members: Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. Quoted as the first album to be recorded by all five original members since their 1966 album "Fifth Dimension", "Byrds" is unique in the band's repertoire for featuring all original band members.
Unfortunately, the album did not fare well commercially, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, the lowest chart position achieved by any of the band's studio releases until that time.
The album contains a mix of re-recordings of old, previously released Byrds songs, along with a few new compositions. Interestingly, most of the re-worked tracks come from Gene Clark's time with the band, which was only during the early months of the band's existence.
Despite the ensemble of the original line-up, the album was not well received by critics who felt it lacked the creativity and inspiration that marked the band's earlier work. Ironically, the re-recorded versions of older songs were often identified as the highlights of the album, despite the relative lack of success of some of the new compositions.
Overall, while "Byrds" represents an interesting historical footnote in the band's story, it is considered by most to be one of the lesser albums in their catalogue. Yet, the reunion of the original five members and their collective work on the album imbues it with a distinct nostalgia and sense of closure for the band's long and influential career.
