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The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark is a country rock album by Dillard & Clark. A&M Records issued the album in the US in October 1968, and its release in the UK followed in July 1969.[3] The album was recorded in 1968, shortly after Gene Clark had departed the Byrds for the second time and after Doug Dillard left the Dillards. The album is hailed by critics and musicians as a unique masterpiece at the intersection of country rock and Americana.[citation needed]

The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark
Studio album by
Dillard & Clark
ReleasedOctober 1968
RecordedMid-June – October 1, 1968[1]
StudioA&M, Hollywood[2]
GenreCountry rock, progressive bluegrass
Length28:49
LabelA&M
ProducerLarry Marks
Gene Clark chronology
Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers
(1967) 		The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark
(1968) 		Through the Morning, Through the Night
(1969)
Singles from The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark
  1. "Out on the Side" / "Train Leaves Here This Morning"
    Released: November 1968
  2. "Lyin' Down the Middle" / "Don't Be Cruel"
    Released: February 1969
  3. "Why Not Your Baby" / "The Radio Song"
    Released: May 1969

Background

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Clark's debut solo album, Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, had been a commercial failure. After the dismissal of David Crosby from the Byrds, Clark had rejoined his previous band, but after performing only three shows, he left the tour due to his anxieties and fear of flying. He then signed with A&M Records and began sessions for his debut album on his new label with instrumentalist Douglas Dillard. Bernie Leadon co-wrote six of the songs and also performed on the album. Due to Clark's refusal to tour, a short series of shows at The Troubadour in L.A. was the only promotion for the album and, as a result, it too was a commercial failure.[4]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic      [5]
Rolling Stone(positive)[6]

Music critic Matthew Greenwald, writing for Allmusic, called the album "perhaps [Clark's] most brilliant recording... Graceful, spellbinding, and tasteful all at the same time. Absolutely essential."[5]

Track listing

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Side One:

  1. "Out on the Side" (Gene Clark) – 3:49
  2. "She Darked the Sun" (Clark, Bernie Leadon) – 3:10
  3. "Don't Come Rollin'" (Clark, Doug Dillard, Leadon) – 2:54
  4. "Train Leaves Here This Morning" (Clark, Leadon) – 3:49

Side Two:

  1. "With Care from Someone" (Clark, Dillard, Leadon) – 3:49
  2. "The Radio Song" (Clark, Leadon) – 3:01
  3. "Git It On Brother (Git In Line Brother)" (Lester Flatt) – 2:51
  4. "In the Plan" (Clark, Dillard, Leadon) – 2:08
  5. "Something's Wrong" (Clark, Dillard) – 2:57

The following bonus tracks have been included on CD reissues of the album:

Digital streaming releases display the following track list, but only 5 of them (1-4,12) play the correct song.[9][10] For the rest, the track number of the song actually heard follows in brackets.

  1. "Out on the Side"
  2. "She Darkened the Sun"
  3. "Don't Come Rollin'"
  4. "Train Leaves Here This Mornin"
  5. "With Care from Someone” [10]
  6. "The Radio Song" [11]
  7. "Git It On Brother” [5]
  8. "In the Plan" [6]
  9. "Something's Wrong" [7]
  10. "Why Not Your Baby" [8]
  11. "Lyin' Down the Middle" [9]
  12. "Don't Be Cruel"

Personnel

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Adapted from Discogs.[11]

  • Gene Clark – guitar, harmonica, vocals
  • Doug Dillard – banjo, fiddle, guitar, vocals
  • Bernie Leadon – banjo, guitar, vocals
  • David Jackson – double bass
  • Donald Beck – mandolin, fretted Dobro
  • Andrew Belling – electric harpsichord (5, 6, 8)
  • Chris Hillman – mandolin (7, 9)
  • Joel Larson – drums (1)

Production

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  • Larry Marks – producer
  • Dick Bogert – recording engineer
  • Tom Wilkes – art direction
  • Guy Webster, Homer E. Dillard Jr. – photography
  • Bob Garcia – liner notes

References

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  1. ^ Einarson 2005, pp. 140–141.
  2. ^ Einarson 2005, p. 140.
  3. ^ Rogan 1997, p. 561.
  4. ^ Robertson, Ray (2016). Lives of the Poets (with Guitars). Biblioasis. ISBN 9781771960731.
  5. ^ a b Greenwald, Matthew. "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  6. ^ Bickhart, Jim (15 February 1969). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.
  7. ^ Rogan, Johnny. (1998). The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited (2nd ed.). Rogan House. p. 483. ISBN 0-9529540-1-X.
  8. ^ "Line Down the Middle / Lyin' Down the Middle". The Byrds Lyrics Page. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  9. ^ "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark". Spotify.
  10. ^ "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark". Apple Music.
  11. ^ "Dillard & Clark - The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark".

Sources

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