Press Release
Source: HelloWendy PR
In 1987, So Rebellious a Lover – the watershed duet album of Byrds co-founder Gene Clark and revered folk-rock maverick Carla Olson – pioneered the Americana genre.
Now, Sunset Blvd. Records has newly remastered this hugely influential album for CD and re-released it on compact disc with 8 bonus tracks (including two never before heard on CD) and limited edition blue vinyl with a bonus 45. The collection will be available on February 21, 2025.
“A record for all times,” raved the New York Times. “A sinewy and exquisitely polished jewel of folk/country rock that is driven by an abiding sense of care.”
Widely hailed as the first Americana album, the stunning yet sensitive So Rebellious a Lover would prove to be Clark’s glorious swansong. It was the last album released by The Byrds co-founder and writer of their biggest hits, and the best selling record of his solo career, prior to his 1991 passing.
Opening with Olson’s country-folk jewel “The Drifter,” So Rebellious a Lover also features Clark’s classic “Gypsy Rider,” ranked among the best songs of his storied career by Rolling Stone, and a deeply poignant cover of Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee.” Throughout, Olson’s innately anguished timbre melds with Clark’s intimate, confessional tones to enormous effect, harmonizing like true sonic soulmates.
“At once husky, warm, intense and soulful, Clark’s voice remains one of the most distinctive vehicles around for a song,” enthused Los Angeles Herald Examiner. “Olson’s range is appealingly low, and she shares Clark’s intensity. A winning combination.
A rare coming together of cultured songcraft, spiritual kinship, and studio spontaneity, So Rebellious a Lover also features reimaginings of John Fogerty’s “Almost Saturday Night” and the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “I’m Your Toy (Hot Burrito #1),” with appearances by original Byrds bassist Chris Hillman (on mandolin), the Long Ryders’ Stephen McCarthy, and Leonard Cohen/Robben Ford bassist Roscoe Beck.
The remastered So Rebellious a Lover comprises 19 tracks on CD or the original 11 songs on blue vinyl, plus an exclusive “Gypsy Rider (feat. The Textones)” / “Number One Is to Survive” single. Sunset Blvd. Records is a boutique independent label known for releases by iconic artists including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Everclear, and The Dandy Warhols.
