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Track Listings
| 1. Life's Greatest Fool |
| 2. Silver Raven |
| 3. No Other |
| 4. Strength Of Strings |
| 5. From A Silver Phial |
| 6. Some Misunderstanding |
| 7. True One |
| 8. Lady Of The North |
| 9. Train Leaves Here This Morning |
| 10. Life's Greatest Fool |
| 11. Silver Raven |
| 12. No Other |
| 13. From A Silver Phial |
| 14. Some Misunderstanding |
| 15. Lady Of The North |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
No Other was first released in 1974, and has acquired mythic status since. This is due to a number of factors. Foremost was its unavailability--vinyl copies were about as easy to come by as Holy Grails, and so No Other has tended to circulate on homemade cassettes. Then, of course, there was the legendary eccentricity of its creator, Gene Clark, who founded one of the most influential groups of all time, the Byrds, wrote several of their best songs ("Feel a Whole Lot Better", "Here Without You"), and then quit because, ironically enough, he couldn't stand flying (Clark died in 1991).
The good news is that No Other sounds just as marvellous when heard on a CD that anyone can buy in a shop. It is an immensely, almost ostentatiously, ambitious work, complete with choirs and orchestras the sort of aggrandising, bombastic accoutrements that were favoured by many Californian musicians in the 1970s, for reasons that may not have been unrelated to the drifts of cocaine everyone was having for breakfast. However, the songs on No Other survive--indeed, flourish--beneath the mountainous arrangements because they're anchored to Clark's essential humility: the opening track recognises that "Man is life's greatest fool".
The songs on No Other weave elements of funk and soul in with Clark's country-rock leanings with astonishing success "Strength of Strings" could have been recorded by Isaac Hayes. Gram Parsons, who for a while took Clark's place in the Byrds, was fond of saying that his dream was to create what he called a Cosmic American Music, an overarching synthesis of all America's popular forms. On No Other, Clark did it. --Andrew Mueller
Product Description
Remastered w/7 bonus tracks. Gene's full blown, big production masterpiece from 1974. The Byrds' best songwriter's best LP. ESSENTIAL.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Clare
Format:Audio CD
This is quite simply one of the very best albums to have come out of West Coast America - ever. Heard in it's entirety, it is a work of staggering vision, scope and emotional depth. The quality of the songs, playing, arranging and production is breathtaking, but for me, it is Gene Clark's haunting voice, dripping wih melancholy, that makes this such an unsettling and unforgettable experience. One year after Gram Parsons death, Gene Clark picked up the cosmic torch and kept it burning bright.How Geffen allowed this masterpiece to sink without trace on it's initial release is beyond me, but perhaps it was a little too dark for mass appeal. Way ahead of it's time in 74, this sounds absolutely wonderful in 2003 and completely relevent. Insightful and moving liner notes from Johnny Rogan and Sid Griffin, plus fascinating alternative cuts make this a great value-for-money re-release. If you thought you knew everything there was to know about 70's West Coast music and you don't have No Other, you are in for a wonderful and hugely rewarding suprise.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By M. Olyett
Format:Audio CD
Some albums defy description. No Other by the great late, lamented Gene Clark fits this discription. I can only describe the genre it fits in as American cosmic country. We are only talking about eight tracks here, but they represent a stunning achievement for Clark here. For the last time in his career, Gene had an innovative producer in Thomas Jefferson Kaye and a big production budget. Most of the songs deal with the metaphysical and the power of music. The album's greatest track is the outer space influenced, 'Silver Raven'. It's a beautiful evocative track, superbly decorated by the guitar work of Jesse Ed Davis. Other standout tracks are the voodoo funk of the title track, the Epic 'From A Silver Phial' and 'Strength Of Strings', although there is not a duff track. It's crying out for a UK release(I have a japanese import copy). This is an album which couldn't get arrested on release in 1974, but regularly gets in most critics best of lists. My words cannot do justice to this immense aural, musical achievement
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By J. Alexander
Format:Audio CD
'No Other' is one of those rare gems of a record that just gets better with each listen. I suppose, it's a bit like Astral Weeks by Van Morrison or like Ys by Joanna Newsom as at first it can seem hard to get into, but once you have you will never be able to get away from it! And that's a good thing, by the way! It's a record with different shades. It's hard to describe but there are songs on this album that are both happy and sad at the same time. For instance, the album's opener 'Life's Greatest Fool' with it's otherwordly country rock chuggerlong and gospel choir is both extactically uplifting and overwhelmingly sad at the same time. With lyrics like 'Children laugh and run away, while others look into the darkness of the day', the album is never less than profound. With Sly Stone contributing some mean funk on 'No Other' and 'Lady of the North' the musicianship is simply telephathic.
It is a shame Clark was snatched away from us through his booze and ill health as I think he would be pleased to know that many people are greatly moved by the 'No Other' experience. I hope that this joyous album is one you soon decide to purchase.
It is a shame Clark was snatched away from us through his booze and ill health as I think he would be pleased to know that many people are greatly moved by the 'No Other' experience. I hope that this joyous album is one you soon decide to purchase.
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gene Clark. There is... no other.
Buy this and listen…now that sounds like Cosmic American Music to me…...No Other.
Somewhere, out on the cosmic range, Gram Parsons must surely tip his hat to Gene Clark... Read more
Somewhere, out on the cosmic range, Gram Parsons must surely tip his hat to Gene Clark... Read more
Published 20 days ago by Flann
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the great underated albums
The late Gene Clark's masterpiece and on offer at £3. I bought this as a surprise gift - double brownie points earned !!
Published 1 month ago by abe22
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Other
My brother introduced me to this album back in the 70's, an album I absolutely loved which totally moved me because of its lyrics and arrangements. Read more
Published 3 months ago by ginge01
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gene Clark
It is truly a mystery why this album was overlooked when it was released.
The production is terrific.
No doubt, it is a classic.
The production is terrific.
No doubt, it is a classic.
Published 4 months ago by Gripper
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent album but Gram is still King
After reading some of the reviews on here I decided to take a chance on this album. Really pleased with it and Genes voice and lyrics are amazing. Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. MCLEOD
5.0 out of 5 stars
Found a vinyl copy!
"vinyl copies were about as easy to come by as Holy Grails, and so No Other has tended to circulate on homemade cassettes. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. Paul Armstrong
5.0 out of 5 stars
Give it time, play it loud it's a masterpiece all right.
'No Other' is one of those epiphany albums. I bought my copy about 6 months ago. I liked it, but wondered what all the fuss was about. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2010 by Mr. Stephen Reid
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spellbinding
Althought David Geffin might be rich, he is a balloon for the contempt he showed Gene Clark when presented with this album back in 1974. Read more
Published on 19 April 2010 by N. Clarke
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great and... great!
Well, I'm trying to discover some artists on the folk genre, since I wasn't very much into it. And, may I let you know that this is probably the best album that I've heard so far. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2010 by A. Sousa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lavish, epic, indulgent and brilliant.
I didn't have a clue what this was going to be like when I purchased it. I discovered it on a Listmania titled "Cosmic Cowboy", which I found because I'd been listening to and... Read more
Published on 18 April 2009 by DJC
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