Hey Kris,
I've always been aware of Nick Drake but have never taken the plunge. So last week I went and bought this one. (I also bought 'Either/Or' by Elliott Smith. I'm surprised they didn't offer me on-the-spot emergency counselling!)
Anyway, it's mighty fine - especially 'One of These Things First', 'Fly' and the totally awesome ' Northern Sky'.
Which other albums do I need to buy? I suspect you'll say, all of them.
Cam
Bryter Layter
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camus
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Good Move Cam,
And indeed i'd say purchase them all. Well all 3 Studio albums
1) Five Leaves Left
2) Bryter Layter
3) Pink Moon.
Northern sky is beautiful, also poor boy, jazzy, it's an all round classic really. Bryter Later was Nick's attempt to break into mainstream. Sadly it wasn't to be in his lifetime, and I'm sure that sense of failure lead to, or encouraged his spiral - and also to Pink Moon. Definitely his most "Produced" album. John Cale is playing piano on Northern sky, and Richard Thompson also appears.
In total contrast is Pink Moon, my favourite, totally stripped down, just Nick and his guitar. I'm not much of muso when it comes to the technical side of things, but the way he tunes his guitar and his picking abilities are astounding and quite unique.
Pink Moon has had 3 tunes used in Car commercials - who'd have thought it !
The Pink Moon is gonna get us all.
What do you think of Elliot Smith? I first heard him on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack and thought some of those tunes were excellent, worth investing in? Of course he's dead now, which may add to the melancholy.
I can't seem to download a tune these days to save my life, kazaa, sharezare etc all crap, so its back to buying Cd's.
And indeed i'd say purchase them all. Well all 3 Studio albums
1) Five Leaves Left
2) Bryter Layter
3) Pink Moon.
Northern sky is beautiful, also poor boy, jazzy, it's an all round classic really. Bryter Later was Nick's attempt to break into mainstream. Sadly it wasn't to be in his lifetime, and I'm sure that sense of failure lead to, or encouraged his spiral - and also to Pink Moon. Definitely his most "Produced" album. John Cale is playing piano on Northern sky, and Richard Thompson also appears.
In total contrast is Pink Moon, my favourite, totally stripped down, just Nick and his guitar. I'm not much of muso when it comes to the technical side of things, but the way he tunes his guitar and his picking abilities are astounding and quite unique.
Pink Moon has had 3 tunes used in Car commercials - who'd have thought it !
The Pink Moon is gonna get us all.
What do you think of Elliot Smith? I first heard him on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack and thought some of those tunes were excellent, worth investing in? Of course he's dead now, which may add to the melancholy.
I can't seem to download a tune these days to save my life, kazaa, sharezare etc all crap, so its back to buying Cd's.
http://www.closetpoet.co.uk
I can't believe I never knew this forum existed! I'm like a kid in a candy-store.
I envy you cameron, for having come across such an utterly compelling artist as Nick Drake for the first time. In my opinion, Bryter Layter is the worst of Drake's slim catalogue, though it is a fabulous album with some cracking songs. In particular, I like 'Fly'. I have a version from 'Time Of No Reply' and you can actually hear him choking back the tears. Utterly heartbreaking.
Drake was a fascinating character, and one who'll draw you in. Like Kris, my favourite album is 'Pink Moon' - it's the one I bought first. Particular tracks on that one - the more classically 'structured' Things Behind The Sun, the semi-songs such as Know, and in particular 'From The Morning'. One lyric And now we rise/ And we are everywhere - would end up as his epitaph.
If either of you have the money, I would suggest investing in 'Time Of No Reply'. It is a set of outtakes ('Fly' is a home-recording), containing some never before released material. In particular Strange Meeting II sounds, musically, just as I would expect Owen's original poem to sound if it were a song. If that makes sense. And it also contains four tracks recorded in a painfully broken state, sitting facing the wall, at his last recording session just weeks before his suicide in (I think) 1975.
But any Drake album is worth owning, and you won't regret taking the plunge.
I like XO, by Elliott Smith. I also heard his soundtrack to American Beauty and was impressed, even though I initially thought 'who is this pillock covering 'Because'', as I tend to do when someone attempts a Beatles track. And don't get me started on Roxy Music's version of Jealous Guy...
pb
I envy you cameron, for having come across such an utterly compelling artist as Nick Drake for the first time. In my opinion, Bryter Layter is the worst of Drake's slim catalogue, though it is a fabulous album with some cracking songs. In particular, I like 'Fly'. I have a version from 'Time Of No Reply' and you can actually hear him choking back the tears. Utterly heartbreaking.
Drake was a fascinating character, and one who'll draw you in. Like Kris, my favourite album is 'Pink Moon' - it's the one I bought first. Particular tracks on that one - the more classically 'structured' Things Behind The Sun, the semi-songs such as Know, and in particular 'From The Morning'. One lyric And now we rise/ And we are everywhere - would end up as his epitaph.
If either of you have the money, I would suggest investing in 'Time Of No Reply'. It is a set of outtakes ('Fly' is a home-recording), containing some never before released material. In particular Strange Meeting II sounds, musically, just as I would expect Owen's original poem to sound if it were a song. If that makes sense. And it also contains four tracks recorded in a painfully broken state, sitting facing the wall, at his last recording session just weeks before his suicide in (I think) 1975.
But any Drake album is worth owning, and you won't regret taking the plunge.
I like XO, by Elliott Smith. I also heard his soundtrack to American Beauty and was impressed, even though I initially thought 'who is this pillock covering 'Because'', as I tend to do when someone attempts a Beatles track. And don't get me started on Roxy Music's version of Jealous Guy...
pb
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cameron
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Thanks guys,
Pink Moon it is then. (Add to shopping list.)
He has certainly drawn me in already - and his stuff is growing on me by the day. Even dig the more up-beat Hazy Jane II - reminds me of Tupelo Honey- era Van the Man.
Hours of fun ahead.
I would describe Elliott Smith as acoustic grunge. The nearest thing I've got to it would be Nirvana Unplugged. Good stuff though.
Off to see Idlewild next week at UEA and then the long awaited VDGG reunion gig in May.
Glad you liked this forum pb. There's plenty of space, so feel free to indulge your sweet tooth!
Cam
Pink Moon it is then. (Add to shopping list.)
He has certainly drawn me in already - and his stuff is growing on me by the day. Even dig the more up-beat Hazy Jane II - reminds me of Tupelo Honey- era Van the Man.
Hours of fun ahead.
I would describe Elliott Smith as acoustic grunge. The nearest thing I've got to it would be Nirvana Unplugged. Good stuff though.
Off to see Idlewild next week at UEA and then the long awaited VDGG reunion gig in May.
Glad you liked this forum pb. There's plenty of space, so feel free to indulge your sweet tooth!
Cam
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camus
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PB,
I know what you mean about the candy store. I could certainly talk music for many hours.
If you haven't already, I'd suggest reading Nick Drake by Patrick Humphries. Because he was so elusive, I guess it must have been a difficult job writing a biography, so to that end I think he did a reasonable job.
Suicice or Not?
Also in the golden age of free downloads and shareware I got hold of a few rarities, Nick playing the songs: Cocaine blues and Been smoking too Long, crap recordings but worth having all the same.
Nice to have another Nick Drake fan among us. But how could you not be really?
I know what you mean about the candy store. I could certainly talk music for many hours.
If you haven't already, I'd suggest reading Nick Drake by Patrick Humphries. Because he was so elusive, I guess it must have been a difficult job writing a biography, so to that end I think he did a reasonable job.
Suicice or Not?
Also in the golden age of free downloads and shareware I got hold of a few rarities, Nick playing the songs: Cocaine blues and Been smoking too Long, crap recordings but worth having all the same.
Nice to have another Nick Drake fan among us. But how could you not be really?
http://www.closetpoet.co.uk
Camus,
I agree, long live Nick. I like the fact that celebrity advocates are drawing the atention of the public to his catalogue. I did read the Humphries biog I think, I certainly read one of them a few years ago. Been smoking too long is awesome - less so are my struggling attempts to master it on my Hummingbird.
I think it was suicide. Although I appreciate you can often separate the death vs. suicide debate into who is more in love with the myth than the man and his music, with the myth-lovers on the side of suicide. I know this, and yet I find something supremely comical, and fitting, in the idea that his final flourish in this world was a bowl of cornflakes at 2 in the morning!
I agree, long live Nick. I like the fact that celebrity advocates are drawing the atention of the public to his catalogue. I did read the Humphries biog I think, I certainly read one of them a few years ago. Been smoking too long is awesome - less so are my struggling attempts to master it on my Hummingbird.
I think it was suicide. Although I appreciate you can often separate the death vs. suicide debate into who is more in love with the myth than the man and his music, with the myth-lovers on the side of suicide. I know this, and yet I find something supremely comical, and fitting, in the idea that his final flourish in this world was a bowl of cornflakes at 2 in the morning!
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lescudjack
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Hi Cam
Glad to hear you've chanced upon the delights of Nick Drake and Elliot Smith. Amongst the many covers of Nick Drake songs, there's a rather fine version of 'Which Will' by Lucinda Williams (daughter of US poet Miller Williams - thought we needed a poetry link here) - a fine artist in her own right and playing Cambridge Folk Festival this summer - I'll be there!
Glad to hear you've chanced upon the delights of Nick Drake and Elliot Smith. Amongst the many covers of Nick Drake songs, there's a rather fine version of 'Which Will' by Lucinda Williams (daughter of US poet Miller Williams - thought we needed a poetry link here) - a fine artist in her own right and playing Cambridge Folk Festival this summer - I'll be there!
Too late Cameron - All the CFF tickets have gone. Still, what would you want to be doing with a bunch of sparkling wine drinking prawn sandwich munchers anyway? (You can tell it's been a while since you attended Cambridge - it's more like bloody Glyndebourne these days!)