The conventional wisdom has Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde as the start of the long decline of a once-formidable outfit (or at least that's the way I seem to recall things). It doesn't even rate a passing mention in my 1992 Rolling Stone Album Guide (not that it's what I'd call a magisterial source) or the Christgau Consumer Guide, which I'd rate as a slightly more reliable source of assessment. Christgau, however, has an interesting assessment here (The Byrds Have Flown--But Not Far).
Hughesy's assessment:The problem, at least as far as The Byrds were concerned, was the constant revolving door that made it difficult to settle on a consistent sound or identity. This time, with Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman gone, it's an all-McGuinn lead vocal turnout, and a schizophrenic mix of Sweetheart style country and further out psychedelia. And the title suggests the band (or McGuinn, very much the head honcho) was all too aware of it. But it's not as if the'd been stylistically consistent across previous efforts (leaving out the harmony laden first two and the all-country Sweetheart). The problem isn't the lack of consistency, more the matter of what works and what doesn't. So So
Track listing:This Wheel's on Fire; Old Blue; Your Gentle Way of Loving Me; Child of the Universe; Nashville West; Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man; King Apathy III; Candy; Bad Night at the Whiskey; Medley: My Back Pages > B.J. Blues > Baby What You Want Me to Do
1997 reissue bonus tracks:Stanley’s Song; Lay Lady Lay [Alternate Version]; This Wheel's on Fire [Version One]; Medley: My Back Pages/B.J. Blues/Baby What You Want Me To Do [Alternate Version — Take 1]; Nashville West [Alternate Version — Nashville Recording]
Classics:Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man;
Worthwhile:This Wheel's on Fire; Nashville West;
Solid:Old Blue; King Apathy III; Bad Night at the Whiskey; Medley: My Back Pages > B.J. Blues > Baby What You Want Me to Do; Stanley’s Song; Lay Lady Lay
Could have been better: Candy;
Hessian underwear: Your Gentle Way of Loving Me; Child of the Universe;