4ZZZ

A top review and a band that deserves some understanding as to their place in music by those of a younger generation.

As a teen in the seventies there was the usual plethora of sounds that had centre stage at the time from glitter to prog to punk but one of the most interesting albums that I was given at the time was 20 Golden Greats. The wonderment at the time was that I knew and liked all the songs but had never placed a name to them. Great album cover as well.

Demonoid

Umm, I've been lurking around here for a while now
Mountain Ash Band or Capability Brown pm? The reviews seem too good to ignore.
New names are always high on priority for me ...Not able to find either of those (More interested in the former)

Comus

I know I said I'd do ten albums that should and have and would influence music. But I did five and that should be plenty for you all to get your grubby mits over. I want to start reviewing some other albums again, sure they might be influential too, and the next album certainly is. But I found that influence isn't all that important really, it's all about how good the band was then. I got a bit sidetracked in some of the reviews when listening to the albums trying to imagine what this would inspire to make.

At the end of the day influence is nothing if the work is just badly cloned, influence may create some direction in music. But at the end of the day a good artist/band will make a good album regardless of what came before and after. The search for influence I found is a fruitless one.

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Comus

Recorded with members of the Fairport Convention there is no doubt that this album will be musically sound. However it is not the instruments here that make this album great, regardless of how good the instrumentals are. Here it is about a brilliant mind, with a beautiful voice. His most optimistic album in my eyes, this album is an incredibly uplifting experience. Time Has Told Me sets the scene for a truly beautiful album, the little instrumental tangents here complement the song brilliantly and lay a perfect lattice work for Drake's magnificent voice.

Differing from Dylan's often harsh sounds Drake sets himself apart not only lyrically but stylistically as well. There are some brilliant lines of lyrics in Time Has Told Me, as well as the rest of Five Leaves Left, and indeed his other albums. River Man is one of the true highlights of the album. Drake manages some truly haunting vocals that hang in the air seemingly forever. The lyrics are a jumbled almost suffocating journey, often contradicting but always keeping you on guard. The dark, atumnal sound is driven by a beautiful string arrangment composed by Harry Robinson and Robert Kirby, Kirby having worked with such artists as John Cale, the Strawbs and Sanny Denny really shines here.

Three Hours has some lovely rhythms and percussion that give an outworldish feel to it, almost certainly a reflection of Nick Drakes optimism at the time it really does drive you through the experience. The longest song on the album very often feels like the shortest, despite Drake keeping his vocal performance very much subdued the music very much creates feeling of the song. This is the first song to fully manage to get a grip of your emotions, after being set up by the two previous songs. Three Hours will set your heart fluttering and put your mind in overdrive, it is a true musical experience and the Fairport Convention members featured really shine here.

Way To Blue hits with a beautiful string arrangement complementing Drakes beautiful vocals, it is an incredibly uplifting composition. When you hear this it's painful how overlooked the album was when it was first released, that such beautifully composed songs with so much heart and effort could be overlooked at a time when music was truly appreciated is nothing short of a crime. The poetry of Drake really shines here it never feels awkward, and never feels forced, always remaining natural and true to himself and his emotions. After being pumped up by Three Hours the sombre Way To Blue sets your feet squarely back on the ground, painfully short it ends all to quickly.

Day is Done has some more beautiful folk melodies, but here it is the lyrics that thrive. The truly inspired lyrics here, too many to write out really do shine. You're forced to stop and listen, but that's exactly what should happen when faced with truly brilliant songwriting. It would take a long time to be able to sing along to, as would most of Drakes songs, however it is a very satisfying feeling to constantly rediscover these pieces of lyric. 'Cello Song is a brilliant little ditty, once again there is a contrast between the music and Drak'es vocals.

On this album there seems to be a constant power struggle between uplifting music and sombre reflective vocals and it creates a very interesting juxtaposition. Drakes quiet vocals are not featured very high in the mix, this was a risky decision but I feel it works incredibly well. It forces the listener to focus on the lyrical aspect and it puts the album very much in control of the listener. This power should definitely not be lost when considering the merits of this already brilliant album.

Throughout the album you very much get a feel that it is a young album, the layering gives very much a sense of faux development. It is very Naive and juvenile at times, this makes his later two albums especially Pink Moon a greater significance and sets up a very emotional trilogy. The engaged listener benefits from this knowledge, I feel the album will sound its best and have the most effect on a person that is intimately aquainted with it and the other Drake albums. A general knowledge of the person itself also adds greater meaning to the songs.

The Thoughts of Mary Jane is most certainly one of the most uplifting beautiful songs on the album that very much creates a feeling of longing within the listener. This control of emotions once again features and just shows how much of a grip the album can have on the listener. Man In A Shed is another example of brilliant juxtaposition, both the lyrics and the vocals handle a quite sombre subject matter while the music goes in a totally different direction. Again this creates a feeling of longing which makes the previous track even more powerful.

As Fruit Tree makes it to my ear I'd most certainly like to comment on how effective the acoustic instrumentals are in creating something that is very much different from other albums of this nature. It's hard to consider this an acoustic album simply because of how well and how powerfully the album is constructed. The lyrics continue to shine on Fruit Tree and it's hard to find weak points in the album at this stage. This is purely because the album has such a grip on the active listener at this point.

It is far to easy to simply put a Nick Drake album on and have it running in the background, but that is simply wasting what are beautiful songs and albums. To give this less than your full attention is indeed a waste of beautifully constructed songs. While a general theme runs through the album it is impossible to say that all the songs sound the same, the only thing that remains constant is Nick Drake's voice.

Saturday Sun is a fitting end to the album, supported by some lovely sad piano and a suprisingly upbeat Drake it provides a totally out of place ending track. That being said it is very much of the album, even if it is quite different and it lays a foundation of whats to come.

Musically this album is brilliant, but lyrically it is sublime, that being said, there are a few things that just hold it back. It's not so much individual songs or passages, there is just a feeling of unfulfilled potential, stifled by a naive outlook. Many favour this album over his other two main albums, however I feel it is a step below Bryter Layter and so is Bryter Layter to Pink Moon.

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jackhammer

John Martyn is every bit as good as Nick Drake, yet he gets nowhere near the adulation. He is performing in a wheelchair these days and still touring. I only say this because Solid Air by Martyn was written about Nick Drake who was a close freind of Martyn's. Another great review but I have to say that I rarely listen to Nick Drake. His music sails perilously close to background music to me.

On another note-Mountain Ash Band. I would love to give that a listen.

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Astronomer

Great Nick Drake review, I just got this album and was a little unsure about it to start with because as you said it sounds like quite a 'young' album. But I've grown to really enjoy it.

You're reviews are very well-written and insightful, by the way.

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Son of JayJamJah

Drake's music is beautiful in it's simplicity and I would say Pink Moon is worthy of iconic status. The other two albums are also very solid, but I don't think they are as good as Solid Air. Since I did the review of that album a few months ago Lee it's really crept up my list and is now among my favorite albums in current rotation.

I think it's naturally though to glorify tragic figures more then those who stand the test of time. Hendrix, Joplin, Nirvana etc etc etc. All over rated when judged on their music catalog alone.

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Me, Myself and I United as One

If you're posting in the music forums make sure to be thoughtful and expressive, if you're posting in the lounge ask yourself "is this something that adds to the conversation?" It's important to remember that a lot of people use each thread. You're probably not as funny or clever as you think, I know I'm not.

My Van Morrison Discography Thread

jackhammer

Yeah it is natural and I do like Drakes music but it becomes annoying when artists that are still making music nearly 40 years later (and still good) are overlooked. I am glad that John Martyn is appearing on your radar more and more. I recently got hold of his 1975 album 'Sundays Child' and all I can say is WOW. He is easily my favourite solo artist.

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4ZZZ

When I think of the artists who can be placed in a similar category like, Drake, (who I think is wonderful top review as usual Comus), Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, Lindisfarne, Pentangle to name but a few I feel a bit stupid having not ever checked John Martyn out.

Comus

I was going to do all the three nick drake reviews in one sitting, but it got a bit too intense which is strange for me, I started writing very disjointed and worse than usual so I had to stop. I'm away for a bit of the weekend so if I don't get them done tonight I will definitely do it soon.

I will give Martyn a listen certainly, and I feel that I'll have to do a Fairport Convention review or two after the next two Drake albums. I get your point Jackhammer that Drake's music becomes very much like background music, however I feel that it's a shame to waste such beauty to have it lurk in the background. I myself am quite guilty of this though.

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