The true one (Gene Clark) (LP 715)

Gene Clark  No Other (Vinyl, 4AD Records, 1974) ***** 

Genre: Country rock 

Places I remember: JB Hi-Fi (Palmerston North)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Silver Raven 

Gear costume: Life's Greatest Fool, Strength Of Strings, Some Misunderstanding

Active compensatory factors: This one's a classic, albeit an eccentric one (the retro cover and Gene's glam get up is eccentric to say the least). 

Gene Clark had nothing to prove in 1974. His contribution to The Byrds was immense and his solo career was interesting and varied, without being hugely commercially successful.

So, by 1974  and No Other, he was able to fuse disparate elements like country rock, folk, gospel, soul and choral music with poetic, mystical lyrics to huge effect.

There is an otherworldly sheen to the album that makes repeat listens continually rewarding. Really I could have put any of the tracks in the highlight section above - they are all extraordinary.

BTW: Interestingly, I hear Mike Nesmith in some of these tracks. They have a similar vocal delivery at times.

Where do they all belong? A one off classic. Some Dillard and Clark is yet to come in the country rock section.