In the minds of many fans, 1968 was Year One for country-rock, the year that the International Submarine Band's Safe at Home and the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo heralded the arrival of a fresh new sound. But former Byrds vocalist Gene Clark had already made some prescient gestures toward fusing country with folk-rock on his 1967 solo debut, Gene Clark with the Godsin Brothers, and when Clark released his first collaborative effort with banjo virtuoso Doug Dillard a year later, they created a mature and confident sound that was exciting, thoughtful, and deeply soulful in a way those better-known albums were not. The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark initially grew out of a series of informal jams between Clark and Dillard, but by the time they went into the studio, Dillard, Clark, and their picking partners Bernie Leadon, Don Beck, and David Jackson had honed their music to a fine point; there's still a breezy sense of freedom and discovery in this music, but the musicians mesh with one another beautifully, and while elements of bluegrass, vintage country, folk, and rock all inform this music, the songs (mostly written by Clark in collaboration with Dillard, Leadon, or both) and arrangements integrate the pieces seamlessly. Doug Dillard's banjo and fiddle figure prominently in the arrangements, and his performances are expert and heartfelt, but Clark is the true cornerstone of this album; he rarely, if ever, sang this well in the studio, and the poetic sensibility and intelligent, graceful tone of the songs brought out the best in him, with "She Darked the Sun," "Something's Wrong," and "The Radio Song" standing proudly alongside anything in his catalog. The Dillard and Clark partnership proved short-lived, and their second and final album was a disappointing set dominated by covers, but The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark is one of the first, inarguable classics of country-rock. Time has been kinder to this album than most of the genre's founding works, and it's a work rooted in tradition while reveling in freedom and new ideas and making the most of them all. ~ Mark Deming
UK reissue of 1969 album, the first of two recorded by Doug Dillard (ex of seminal bluegrass group The Dillards) & ex Byrd Gene Clark. 12 tracks including three bonus tracks, 'Lyin' Down The Middle', 'Don't Be Cruel' & 'Why Not Your Baby'.
Includes liner notes by Bob Garcia.
Personnel: Douglas Dillard (guitar, banjo, violin); Gene Clark (guitar, harmonica); Bernie Leadon (guitar, banjo); Don Beck (dobro, mandolin); Chris Hillman (mandolin); Andy Belling (electric harpsichord); David Jackson (acoustic bass).
Rolling Stone (2/15/69, p.29) - "...it is definitely C&W, but there is an ear left open to rock, gospel and other such influences....the album's best piece ['A Train Leaves Here This Morning'] being a floating country ballad...both relaxes and attracts the listener..."
Q (9/01, pp.130,132) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A delightfully timeless marriage of '60s folk-rock harmonies and old country sounds in 3-minute songs..."
Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark Music
Gene Clark / Dillard & Clark / Doug Dillard - Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark Songs
Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark Music
Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark Music Review
Average Rating: (4.8 out of 5 stars)   Gene Clark at his best
One of the great albums of all time.
Submitted by Keith (New York, USA)
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when my very good friend, mark j. grill, first played this album for me (we listened to vinyl back in those days),i was completely blown away. what i knew as a rock icon, gene clark of the byrds, had written and recorded with the contemporary bluegrass masters eldest brother, doug dillard. this is required listening for anyone interested at all in folk/country rock or any bluegrass hybrid. pickin' & grinnin' at it's most laid back '60's best.
Submitted by mike garratt (fullerton,ca.,usa)
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Country Rock Classic
Far more original, intelligent, and personable than the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, released earlier the same year. A must have for fans of the Eagles and other country rock bands.
Submitted by rpfelton (Little Rock, AR, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No Masterpiece
excellent songs and very good playing and singing
Submitted by riluimal_dagma (Queretaro, Mexico)
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