The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark is a country rock album by Dillard & Clark. A&M Records issued the album in the US in October1968, and its release in the UK followed in July1969. The album was recorded in 1968, shortly after Gene Clark had departed the Byrds for the second time and after Doug Dillard left the Dillards. The album is hailed by critics and musicians as a unique masterpiece at the intersection of country rock and Americana.

Background
Clark's debut solo album, Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, had been a commercial failure. After the dismissal of David Crosby from the Byrds, Clark had rejoined his previous band, but after performing only three shows, he left the tour due to his anxieties and fear of flying. He then signed with A&M Records and began sessions for his debut album on his new label with instrumentalist Douglas Dillard. Bernie Leadon co-wrote six of the songs and also performed on the album. Due to Clark's refusal to tour, a short series of shows at The Troubadour in L.A. was the only promotion for the album and, as a result, it too was a commercial failure.

Reception
Music critic Matthew Greenwald, writing for Allmusic, called the album "perhaps [Clark's] most brilliant recording... Graceful, spellbinding, and tasteful all at the same time. Absolutely essential."

Track listing
Side One: Side Two:
 * 1) "Out on the Side" (Gene Clark) – 3:49
 * 2) "She Darked the Sun" (Clark, Bernie Leadon) – 3:10
 * 3) "Don't Come Rollin'" (Clark, Doug Dillard, Leadon) – 2:54
 * 4) "Train Leaves Here This Morning" (Clark, Leadon) – 3:49
 * 1) "With Care from Someone" (Clark, Dillard, Leadon) – 3:49
 * 2) "The Radio Song" (Clark, Leadon) – 3:01
 * 3) "Git It On Brother (Git In Line Brother)" (Lester Flatt) – 2:51
 * 4) "In the Plan" (Clark, Dillard, Leadon) – 2:08
 * 5) "Something's Wrong" (Clark, Dillard) – 2:57

The following bonus tracks have been included on CD reissues of the album:


 * "Why Not Your Baby" (Clark) – 3:41
 * "Lyin' Down the Middle" (Laramy Smith, Clark) – 2:17
 * "Don't Be Cruel" (Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell) – 1:53

Digital streaming releases display the following track list, but only 5 of them (1-4,12) play the correct song. For the rest, the track number of the song actually heard follows in brackets.


 * 1) "Out on the Side"
 * 2) "She Darkened the Sun"
 * 3) "Don't Come Rollin'"
 * 4) "Train Leaves Here This Mornin"
 * 5) "With Care from Someone” [10]
 * 6) "The Radio Song" [11]
 * 7) "Git It On Brother” [5]
 * 8) "In the Plan" [6]
 * 9) "Something's Wrong" [7]
 * 10) "Why Not Your Baby" [8]
 * 11) "Lyin' Down the Middle" [9]
 * 12) "Don't Be Cruel"

Personnel
Adapted from Discogs.
 * Gene Clark - guitar, harmonica, vocals
 * Doug Dillard - banjo, fiddle, guitar, vocals
 * Bernie Leadon - banjo, guitar, vocals
 * David Jackson - double bass
 * Donald Beck - mandolin, fretted Dobro
 * Andrew Belling - electric harpsichord (5,6,8)
 * Chris Hillman - mandolin (7,9)
 * Joel Larson - drums (1)

Production

 * Larry Marks – producer
 * Dick Bogert – recording engineer
 * Tom Wilkes – art direction
 * Guy Webster, Homer E. Dillard Jr. – photography
 * Bob Garcia – liner notes