Ten albums in the space of six years might, with twenty-first-century hindsight, be seen as the reason for a decline in quality and delivery but there's a little more to it than that. By the end of 1971 the count was up to eleven, and that, effectively, was that for The Byrds.
Hughesy's assessment:
The problem, from where I was sitting, was a shortage of writers who could write and a surplus of figures who reckoned they could. That wasn't such an issue in the early days when Gene Clark as on board and Dylan covers were commercially acceptable product.
McGuinn could write, but wasn't blessed with a surfeit of ideas. With the rest of the band elbowing in for their share of the writing credits the once-trademark sound was diluted rather substantially. The result was always going to be something that sounded less and less like The Byrds of yore, and when producer Terry Melcher and arranger Paul Polena decided to overdub strings, horns, and gospel choirs (allegedly without the band's approval) that, effectively, was that.
Weak material thanks to an exhausting tour schedule didn't help either, and one is left asking Why?
Track listing: Glory, Glory; Pale Blue; I Trust; Tunnel of Love; Citizen Kane; I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician; Absolute Happiness; Green Apple Quick Step; My Destiny; Kathleen's Song; Jamaica Say You Will
2000 CD reissue bonus tracks: Just Like a Woman; Pale Blue [Alternate Version]; Think I'm Gonna Feel Better; Green Apple Quick Step [Alternate Version]
Worthwhile: Pale Blue;Green Apple Quick Step; Jamaica Say You Will; Just Like a Woman
Solid: Glory, Glory; Citizen Kane; I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician; Kathleen's Song;
Could have been better: I Trust; Tunnel of Love; Think I'm Gonna Feel Better
Clunkers: Absolute Happiness; My Destiny;
Avoid at all costs