The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark

Written by Dermot Watson on Wednesday, 12 August 2009

In another – better – parallel universe, Out On The Side, the melancholic, autumnal first track from Fantastic Expedition is on drive time radio every day. In this universe it, and the album, sank without trace. Go figure. It’s got everything you should need to make a classic pop tune (catchy chorus, heavenly harmonies, bags of character)... but no, you won’t find a trace of it ever on FM radio.

Ex Byrd Gene Clark and banjo whizz kid Doug Dillard set out to make a ‘contemporary’ bluegrass album. I don’t think they have (and I’m not quite sure why you’d want to) but when they did get together in 1968 they made perhaps the best Country Rock album ever. Everyone always points towards Sweetheart of the Rodeo….but I’m not so sure.

I don’t know what was going on in Gene Clark’s life when he wrote the lyrics, but I’d stick a tenner on him going through a relationship break-up at the time. Most tunes seep with the kind of resignation you only get after after many, many long nights of arguing have led to the final, quiet resignation of no return. All of this is perfect expressed by Dillard’s understated, subtle banjo playing (yes, it is possible!) Go discover.