For a time in the '60s the Byrds were considered the American counterpart to The Beatles. As founders in the folk-rock movement, alongside the likes of Bob Dylan, it's easy to see why.

"The Essential Byrds" sheds light on the band's illustrious career. Recording 11 albums in only six years (from 1965 to 1971), the Byrds put out new material at a dizzying pace. This two-disc compilation pays homage to each of those albums, drawing choice tracks from all of them.

Beginning with the Byrds' first album, "Mr. Tambourine Man," the album gives the listener a tour of the construction of the folk-rock genre. Those jingle-jangle guitars from the title-track single still stand crisp and inspired even with decades having passed since they were first heard.

The three-part harmonies of David Crosby, Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark are a streaming gentle lullaby calming the soul. Coupled with their signature 12-string Rickenbacker guitar sound, the Byrds borrow a touch of warm, classical fingering to make a silkily electric, lazy folk daydream.

With the departure of Crosby in 1967, the Byrds' music took a turn with the addition and influence of Gram Parsons to the lineup. The band's sixth album, "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" successfully rides a strong country slant.

"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is a Dylan cover dressed up in a suit, ready to go on a nice date with your ears. But with only two selections from this evolutionary record, the listener is shortchanged a valuable piece of Byrds history.

Coming to 1969, the Byrds released "Ballad of Easy Rider," which found a fresh return of their folk sound.

The title track, one of only two included from "Ballad of Easy Rider," is a beautiful blend of trickling finger-picking accompanying lyrics about a river flowing from town to sea. It is a simple, two-minute folk slip-and-slide that gets you smiling for the quick, but entire ride.

For an average listener, "The Essential Byrds" is good addition to the large library of Byrds music, especially the signature folk-rock sound they pioneered. For anyone searching to understand the changes the Byrds sound went through over the years, this collection fails to convey the full depth.

If you liked this, you'll also like: Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Woody Guthrie and the Beach Boys

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