Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Where has this been all my life? Astral Weeks via Kind of Blue, Stevie Wonder's Visions and Eddie Vedder. Not what I was expecting at all. Love it.
Endlessly relaxed jazz infused singersongwriting. Songs ebb and flow creating his own magical world
pretty wonderful
this is so pretty. listening to this was a whole experience. amazed.
The lyrics and vocals on this album are incredibly gorgeous ;-;
Beautiful, listened to this in my teens and didn't wow me that much but glad I revisited - an outstanding album
Great sound. Very surprising
Amazing
This one is amazing!
44 MINUTES FOR 6 SONGS Shock aside, I don't get why this album is rated so low
literally just a less annoying version of the van morrison album i got yesterday. this how you do a jazzy folk album
The Buckleys are something else, man
I WILL CATCH UP I PROMISEEEEEEE UPDATE LIKE TWO DAYS LATER: I'm just one song in but why does the intro of strange feelin' sound like an alarm LMAO Okay I'm 3 songs in and first of all WTF WHY IS THE LENGHT TOO LONG? also, I would definitely play these if I had insomnia or something because Love from Room 109 at the Islander literally has sounds of WAVES 😭😭OMG I'M LOVING THIS SONG SM OMG IT'S LITERALLY 10 MINUTES LONG BUT WHO CARES. THIS MAN SINGS LIKE AN ANGEL Omfg....I'm liking this way more than I thought Dream Letter?!?!? wow.... WDYM THIS ANGEL OF A MAN DIED AT ONLY 28???? holy fuck (obviously I had to look up where was he now 😭) SOLID 4
Angenehm zu hören, etwas melodramatisch. Sad halt ;-) Viele lange Lieder (6+ Minuten). Für Ende der 60er ein sehr gutes Album, auch heute noch gut. 3-4/5
Slow burn but what a nice album. Really enjoyed what Buckley did here. Buzzin’ Fly is the obvious standout, what a fantastic track. 4 stars
Great folk rock and an unusual voice.I enjoyed
timotej jarčević niskoključno bolji od sina mu? čini mi se da sam u zadnje vrijeme preblag s albumima, ali kvragu, ovo mi se dosta svidjelo. zbog dinamičnosti te raznih marimba i koječega sličnog ovo gotovo da je munčajld od king crimsona u obliku albuma. premda je timotijević malo smorio s »gypsy woman«, ipak je zaslužio četvorku jer ću slušat ponovo
Father John Misty sound a bit like him
Sad, beautiful album.
Really good but every song is like a minute and a half longer than it should be
I had a good time with this
i really liked this ive been a fan of tim buckleys stuff but havent listened to a full album and was pleasantly suprised by this. tims vocals are very soft and intamate and the atmosphere is very warm and cozy overall a very enjoyable album 9/10 Favourite: Love From Room 109 at The Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway) Least Favourite: Sing a Song for You
Very interesting album. Some songs do go on a bit longer than they should but for the most part I found this to be a very hypnotic mix of folk and jazz, with some great vocals from Tim as well.
Gypsy woman is lekker
I liked most of this album - seems like it's aged well.
I gave this an 8.9 ★★★★ on my 1969 dive... But I'm dropping I about a half rating, but still firmly in the 4 star range This time around I really did feel the SAG in the middle. I love the beginning of the album with "Strange Feelin'" and "Buzzin' Fly" but "Love From a Room" and "Dream Letter" were big wondering snoozers. And they too up about a third of the album. "Gypsy Woman" is my favorite of the album the kind of Richie Havens feel he had on "I Asked You For a Mountain". Absolutely love the groove. "Sing a Song for You" is a nice soft closer but pretty typical s/sw fare. The great album, but the dip was noticeable this time around. (8.35) ★★★★
Jamais écouté avant. La rencontre d'une folk mélancolique et de sonorités expérimentales issues du jazz. J'avais un peu peur avant l'écoute, notamment de la longueur de certains titres, et j'avais tort. Bien sûr, en dehors des tintements lumineux du vibraphone, omniprésent, Happy Sad est lent, contemplatif et terriblement triste. Mais cette langueur, loin d'être ennuyeuse, est sublimée par la voix très particulière de Tim Buckley, cette intensité pas toujours maîtrisée mais déchirante, et par des très belles mélodies. Je comprends que ça ne parle pas à tout le monde, mais moi, je suis très client. Top : Buzzin' Fly Flop : Sing a Song for You
another legend that i've never taken the time to hear. i'm pleased that this oversight is now corrected. i thoroughly enjoyed this album
Tem umas músicas bem legais, mas eu não sou o maior fã do Tim Buckley, tá? Embora, de fato, ele entregue vocais em alguns momentos.
By far the best album we’ve had from either Buckley. Great grooves and solos, solid vocals, and overall really good songs. I was pleasantly surprised by this album.
The fact that he and his very famous son both died before reaching their third decade is heartbreaking. Very beautiful!
good album overall, great vocals
Jeff Buckley I've loved for years and he's having another moment as a new generation discovers his music. I wasn't familiar with hi dad Tim but man he is fascinating. The voice is mesmerizing just like Jeff's and the experimental sound is wonderful. Need to explore more.
Enjoyed this a lot.
Not as coherent to me as they his other album in this list, but Gypsy Woman makes the whole thing worth it.
Solid. Enjoyed the psych, jazzy sounds.
Tim transitions from folk-rock to folk-jazz here, and it's an interesting experiment. I enjoy this a lot more than I thought I would - his previous album, "Goodbye and Hello" was my album of the day a hundred records ago, and I did not enjoy it at all. Buckley's songwriting is much stronger here - the jazz arrangements add a dreamy, smooth quality that fits perfectly with what Tim wants to write about. Speaking of - "Dream Letter" is devastating - Tim reflecting on his past and his faults as a father. I mean - Jesus. I can't help picture Jeff listening to this song for the first time, realizing his dad is singing about him, and I wonder what he felt. Anyways. This is a great, rainy-day album. FOUR STARS
A lot to digest here - slow and methodical, but also airy and whimsical in some ways too. One in my listening group said "It's almost like if Cat Stevens mashed with John Denver with a slight pepper of CCR" haha great summary
Just as good if not more complete feeling than the last Tim Buckley that was on this list.
This is beautiful🥹 every song is like 10 minutes long and keeps you engaged. Tim has such an amazing voice and just sounds like the genre of folk it’s self. Way better than Jeff Buckley. Only complaint is that his isn’t that innovative and many people have done it before and after. But Tim has surely mastered it Fav Song: Gypsy Woman 8.7/10
Isn’t this Jeff Buckleys dad ???
I knew who he was but didn’t know the music. This is another that made me happy I am doing this list. This album was ambitious, challenging, often strange, and occasionally brilliant. The album was steeped in melancholy (unclear where the “Happy” came in) and experimentation, where folk, jazz, and something more elusive blurred into one hypnotic whole.
I've always been curious about Tim Buckley - mostly because his son Jeff was a favourite when I was in uni. But I never listened to an entire album. This one is good, with long songs, great singing, and lots of elements added (jazz etc.) to elevate this from pure singer-songwriting into something more interesting. But not necessarily more appealing, sometimes it sounds "interesting" more than truly enjoyable. Happy I listened to this album though, but I think I prefer Jeff!
This is another artist that I was not familiar with, but it was a pleasant surprise. This is the kind of space between jazz and pop that I tend to enjoy.I mean, what a band. Acoustic and jazz electric guitars, upright bass that even uses the bow at some points, xylophone (?) (I never know how to call mallet instruments)that takes center stage, and some hand percussion and other stuff. The band uses dynamics very well, something that is harder to achieve if you don't record live as a band. His singing is unique, but not in an unpleasant way.
Sounds wonderful
okay this is a really cool album
It's ok. The songs are mostly forgettable, except for the Gypsy Woman song, THAT ONE KICKS ASS. All in all, I think I listened to better music by Buckley in this challenge. 3.5/5
Didn't get to finish it, but liked what I heard
Crazy how much this music probably influenced Jeff, though he says he only met his father once. It was really really good, some of the songs felt a tad bit too long, but they were exactly the vision that he had (at least it felt that way). His voice has so much soul behind it, very good and enjoyable!
Never heard this before and I really liked it
A fascinating journey into "acoustic psychedelia" and folk-jazz. The lack of traditional percussion allows the vibraphone and double bass to dominate the sonic space, creating a dreamlike and highly dynamic atmosphere. While the jazz influence feels slightly diluted toward the end, the album’s complex structures and Buckley’s vocal prowess sustain a high level of engagement, offering a masterclass in early 1970s atmospheric production
Cracking. You can tell he’s Jeff’s dad
Somwhow I liked this more than I expected
I liked this. His son was better, but maybe that's a generational thing.
Better than Coldplay
The weird thing about this one is I really disliked it on first listen but then when I listened again I really liked it, I think lol. I’m finding that a lot lately. The best of his on this thing but still slightly annoying. 3.5
83/100. It is folk at its core, but with a smooth jazz flair to it. It feels warm, fluid, and emotionally honest without being overly dramatic. Great folk record with depth and atmosphere.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Dream Letter, Gypsy Woman This was quite pleasant, and just when it starts to drag a bit, Gypsy Woman comes on with some decent jamming. I am not sure that I love it, but I definitely enjoyed what I heard. Gypsy Woman is certainly playlist material.
Happy ˢᵃᵈ
Well this is definitely a change after Once I Was (my only previous knowledge of Tim Buckley). I love the jazz meets psych-folk feel of the album. I love the soloing on opener Strange Feelin’. The extended jam of Gypsy Woman was another highlight. I found Love From Room 109… a bit long and meandering in places but I saw the vision and love what he was trying to do so I will be listening to this album again.
Okay. Huge Jeff Buckley fan and never really listened to Tim, but feel protective on Jeff’s part so let’s see how this goes!! Yeh, a really nice listen. Not sure what I was expecting but this is a pleasant surprise. Easy to listen to, really nice layers and groove. I like. Takes a little dip in the middle for a more sombre feel and longer tracks. Prefer the first couple. And then back to it with Gypsy Woman 🕺🏻 (although 12 mins!) I guess ‘Happy Sad’ really does sum it up! And nice to hear Jeff in his voice and vibratos too.
This is super relaxed and really enjoy it. Perfect for quite nights.
Мне было вчера лет, когда я узнала, что Джефф Бакли непобэби. Сложно такое слушать в наушниках по пути на работу, но дома в кроватке в колонках самый раз. Крутой голос, приятная музыка. В целом очень даже понравилось.
Один из любимых мужских голосов, но музыка довольно специфичная, творчество его сына рекламировать гораздо проще, надеюсь и до него доберемся. Что касается самого альбома, то после первых двух песен казалось, что до Starsailor и особенно Lorca он не дотягивает. Как будто от стандартных форм авторской песни/фолка того времени артист уже отошел, а дойдет до своего пикового уровня психоделии и экспериментов только на последующих релизах. Но рано делать выводы это неблагодарное дело, потому что с 3 песни начинается все то, что я люблю в творчестве Тима Бакли. Полнейший сумбур в хорошем смысле вплоть до финальной песни. Она кстати тоже замечательная и трогательная, жаль только, что так быстро обрывается. Прямо как жизнь Тима Бакли. Блин, еще же и Джефф тоже рано умер, мдааа...
2026.02.01
Powerful, yet gentle, dreamy, mysterious, rooted in jazz, with a devotional feeling
It's good. More a vibe than great songs, but I could listen to it again. Maybe something that seems like itd grow on you.
Haunting and jazzy and folky
really good despite me having not expected to like it that much
nice discovery
4⭐️/5 01.10.2026
8/10 - не слышал раньше
I just love how this album flows and wanders through the psychedelic folk and jazzy arrangements. The longer songs really helps underlining Tim’s creativity. This was a blueprint for the more experimental records that would follow
Pretty sure Tim Buckley was a douchecanoe but this album is really good. The vibraphone is a little cheesy at times, but otherwise it’s musically and vocally solid. Gypsy Woman and
very down
Ok vibraphone!!
love it
I think it’s really good, but I prefer the other album of his on the list 4/5
He has finally broken me down after what feels like the 900th of his albums put forward here. Really enjoyed the long waffling strangeness of it all.
8/10 I was mostly aware of Tim Buckley via his son Jeff (take that, Tim!), but had listened to the odd track here and there in the past. I’ll not spend too much time on the Tim vs Jeff thing here, but it’s safe to say that Jeff got a lot of his ability to emote through vocal delivery from his dad. Jeff’s a better singer to my ears, but there’s an emotional weight to them both that feels cut from the same cloth. Anyway. Tonally, this is a really nice blend of folk, jazz and a little bit of soul. Tim has a really nice woody tone to his vocal that feels very full and warm throughout, but he’s never over reliant on his voice at any point through the album, often allowing the instrumental composition to take the lead and allowing room for everything to breathe. It drifts around here and there in a fairly jazz-esque way, but I feel like it rarely loses the thread of the song, which is always important to make a composition feel unified and complete. There are some outstandingly pretty moments here and some of the interplay between the different instruments is really great. Without properly concentrating on what’s going on, I think it would be very easy to miss the nuance and variety in the instrumental work across the album, but that compositional flow, along with the well controlled dynamic of the production is a really engaging thing to hear. So much of the rhythmic variety actually comes from the tonal instruments, and it felt like there was a very organic pulse to the way they came together. There were moments when things became a little too self indulgent, particularly doing the middle of Gypsy Woman, but for the most part this record flowed really nicely and would be equally at home as pleasant Sunday afternoon listening as it would on a more focused session. That being said, it rarely felt particularly exciting, so it’s not quite elevated to the top tier, but it was certainly an enjoyable listen. Strange Feelin' - This is a track that wanders around its themes really nicely, touching back on some key reference points and motifs regularly enough to let it feel centred as a composition. There’s a good amount of dynamic and tonal shift within the track, and it’s as much about the instrumentation as it is the vocals. It floats somewhere between folk and jazz, and it’s a really pleasant listen. Buzzin' Fly - The pulse of the rhythm here is really nice and the lead guitar tone is really lush. I really like his vocal delivery on this. It’s another one where there’s a central thread that runs through it, but the instruments offer a massive amount of interplay and variation that weave around that solid centre. There’s more great dynamic across the track and it’s a really engaging listen. I really liked this one. Love From Room 109 At The Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway) - We’re taking a step in a more laid-back direction now. It feels a little more meandering and a little less focused than the previous tracks. There are some really, really pretty moments scattered through this piece, although I’m not completely sold on the sound of waves that persists throughout. It does have some really lovely chord progressions and it feels like there’s an air of menace that seeps in here and there too. It’s an engaging journey, for sure. Dream Letter - Continuing on the slower side of things here, this song fluctuates between incredible melancholy and moments of optimism. It’s fairly sparse, but the dynamic is really nice. It’s a little less rhythmically focused than earlier tracks, but that kind of suits the dreamy theme of the song. Another really pleasant listening experience. Gypsy Woman - This is a decent song that’s dragged out too far and too self indulgently. There are bits of it that are really great, but to my mind he spends far too long farting around to maintain the focus of the track, particularly when it thins out to some sporadic percussion and vibes with a single cello note played over and over again. It actually builds again fairly nicely from there eventually and kicks into something pretty groovy. When he’s at it on this track, it’s genuinely excellent, but it doesn’t justify the middle waffling. Sing A Song For You - This builds really nicely. He emotes really well. Not as well as Jeff, but, you know. It’s a very pretty composition that pulses quite nicely along with an ethereal feel to the higher register. Another really nice little track.
Very good but Songs can be too long
Unc crashing out cos he never got the chance to hop on fortnite, sad really...
🙂🙁
Replacement level 60s rock.
Wonderful, beautiful album. Some of the best bells/xylophone parts I've heard and Tim Buckley's got a great voice
About two-thirds of this deserves to be on a five-star record - the first two are majestic and Gypsy Woman does indeed cast a spell. But he loses me in Room 109 before wresting it back and the closer isn’t up to the standards of the rest either. So four it is.
Before he took the experimentation too far. Solid songs, with an incredible voice, and only a bit of annoying affectation. No one else was doing anything quite like this, and interesting the overlaps in his and his son's life despite absentee fatherhood - mentioned here in the best song, dream letter (worth checking out the London live album of this name). Anyway - love the vibraphone, lee underwood guitar, and general jazzy approach to pop. This cat was streets ahead of everybody.
I kind of loved this album lol. I wasn’t expecting to based off the reviews, but by about 1:30 seconds in I was interested. This album is a strange mix of psychedelic jazz which worked for me.
3.5
Solid album for day 1. Enjoyed it during a hockey intermission and then switched gears when I went to snowblow during a blizzard. 4/5 stars?
Such a strong voice. So delicate one moment, thunderous the next. Always a good listen. A good background album but also a good listen when alone and focussed.
A very ethereal experimental jazz rock folk album.
More sad than happy. At times hauntingly beautiful, but not gripping enough. Low 4
Tim Buckley sounds a lot older than he is on this. He has the voice of a seasoned professional on their 10th album and instrumentally he is a master of the art, comfortable enough to expand out on interesting little ideas within the framework of his well defined compositions. He is also comfortable enough to write songs which are on average over 7 minutes long which shows a serious amount of confidence in his vision as a singer songwriter. It's astonishing.
This could even grow on me with time but on first listen I already love it, perfect for an early morning cold and dark walk
I enjoyed it. Easy listening fusion of fun late 60s genres. I'll definitely go through his other stuff. Very fun to hear the connections between his sound and his son. Rating: 4.4
#178/1001. A buckley album worth listening to. I always preferred the sr over the sr.
Excellent vibes, maybe a little outdated for the lyrics on "Gypsy Woman".
Original, honest, jazzy, unique
Sleepy, chill album from Jeff's dad. I'm not familiar with his work but I'd definitely come back to this.
Tim Buckley has such a profoundly melancholy affliction. It is made somewhat more interesting with the vibraphone and other jazz forward sounds. The discordancy can be challenging at times.
Dig it
Fun and groovy Fred Neil-esque 60s folk. He sounds great and I love the xylophone that permeates every song.
Más triste que feliz, pero muy buen disco. Quizás sobra duración en las canciones más largas. Sonido jazz y gran voz.
Pleasant
I really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Long songs are typically not my thing, but they flowed really well. I'd give this a 4.5 if possible.
++: Strange Feelin', Buzzin' Fly, Love from Room 109 at the Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway), Gipsy Woman, Sing a Song for You +: Dream Letter 9,0/10
Surprise oldie I’ve never heard of.
I was so close to giving this five stars, but the vibraphone, which I'm really not keen on, and some of the wilder vocal antics, just keep it to a solid four.
Fantastic album. Very innovative
Bien el papá de jeff
Yup it made me happy sad dear reader. Truth in advertisement. I mean, it was solid folky goodness. And who can argue with that.
I found this to be an enjoyable listen end-to-end. A little sleepy at points, but the songs were spacious and at times quite jammy (Gypsy Woman and Buzzin' Fly in particular). His vocals are solid throughout. I don't feel any magnetic attraction back to any particular songs, but I think as a whole this album is easy to listen to. Strange Feelin' opens with a progression that sounds like a lopsided take on a Miles Davis song (All Blues). Solid jam -- really dig the use of bells and muted electric guitar. Buzzin' Fly is also a fine jam with some pretty guitar work and vocals. Love from Room 109 is a long-winded folksy jam. Usually not what I go in for, and this does get a bit sleepy, but it is nicely done with the wave sounds backgrounding the mix and the play between the bells and the guitar throughout. Gypsy Woman is a wandering bluesy jam. Honestly plays a bit like a CCR song and I'm not hating that about it. After all the long-form wandering, Sing a Song for You is a nice succinct ballad to close things out. Not something I'd go out of my way for specifically, but this was a quality album. As far as "folk" goes this scores high in my book. A peg or so below the likes of Nick Drake, but in similar conversation.
This is definitely my favorite Tim Buckley album. Guitar and percussion was on point. Pretty melancholy but in a good way.
Woah. I did not realize until looking at this album cover just how much Tim Buckley and Jeff Buckley look like each other. I know they're supposed to look like each other since they're father and son, but it's kind of crazy just how strong Tim's genes must've been. You know what else is strong? This album. I happened to really like this one! Greetings From L.A. was fine, but Happy Sad is significantly better. Turns out having an album that focuses on emotions other than horniness pays off. I really like the sound of this one. The lighter, more jazz-influenced instrumentals just appeal to me more than the funk influence of the other album. Tim's vocals are alright here. They fit the vibe. The writing is a lot better here. Songs like "Buzzin' Fly" give off more genuine emotions and I really like that. I wouldn't say that every song is a win. One of the songs kind of has those questionable elements from Greetings, including the prominent use of a word that is increasingly becoming considered a slur, but that's just the one song. It doesn't hurt the album too much. This is a solid showing. I like this. Good job Tim. Light 4/5.
A right curates album of the brilliant and unlistenable. But mostly the former.
Chill vibes, great late night listen
Have encountered another Tim Buckley album on this list (Greeting from L.A.) little over a year ago. In the review for that I stated that the music was OK but that I was subtracting 1 star for the lyrics some of whom I found "objectionable" can't remember why though. The music on this album is OK too and none of the lyrics are objectionable. They aren't great but not bad. So this album is just a bit above 3 stars.
Denne er det lenge siden jeg har hørt! Lettere psychedelisk folky pop. Det er på en måte mye som skjer på en gang, men det oppfattes ikke som rotete, hver note har liksom sin plass i lydbildet og er en tråd man kan følge ned i kaninhullet. Høres like melancholisk ut som tittelen tilsier, men en sånn litt behagelig og bittersweet melancholia, for det er ikke et weepy downer album.
I actually really grew into this one
Sad and gentle. Low vibe.
Didn't write this as I listened. In general, like any Tim Buckley, it sounds pretty solid! I like the free form vibe and relaxed approach. I'll say 4 stars, because it didn't floor me, but it easily could if I revisit in the future.
heard this before Strange Feelin' - 4/5 Buzzin' Fly - 4/5 Love From Room 109 at The Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway) - 5/5 Dream Letter - 3/5 Gypsy Woman - 3/5 Sing a Song for You - 4/5 Average score: 3.8/5 (rounding up)
Broke up the last leg of a 4hr journey, thoroughly enjoyable!
Considering the only Tim Buckley album I’m familiar with is Starsailor, Happy Sad was, believe it or not, a little more mild and, well, normal than I expected. I liked this more than it seems most people on this site do. It’s not something I’m going to rave over, and it’d be a rare thing to recommend to anyone, but it was pleasant enough and just weird enough to be interesting.
Not to much really stood out to me, but it was still an enjoyable album of that makes sense. Low 4.
A legitimate fusion of jazz, blues, soul, and folk, Happy Sad is a machine of incorporation and expression: never bogged down by its inventiveness, it yet never ceases to impress or to discover. Buckley's voice is a delicious amalgam of singers like Fred Neil, Richie Havens, and Nina Simone, and he anticipates later figures such as Patti Smith and, that's right, Jeff Buckley. Tracks 3-5 tend to drag a bit, altho I love the finality of 'Gypsy Woman,' but he sings so gorgeously on 'Strange Feelin',' 'Buzzin' Fly,' and 'Sing a Song for You,' and so brilliantly melds elements of the folk scene as well as the jazz of Charles Mingus, The Modern Jazz Quartet, and others, that the moments of indulgence and preciousness don't smack of an ersatz quality.
I’ve never heard this before. It’s fascinating. Really glad to hear it.
jazz / blues / folk
koskaan nähny tällaista surua.happy pois pois sellanen tämä on vaan surua.. synkää synkkäää... ikävää ikävää... valitettavaa valitettavaa.. surkeaa surkeaa... säälittävää säällittävää... haikeaa haikeaa... leinoa leinoa... apeaa apeaa... murheellinen mies tehnyt tämän.. ja niin lähellä on itku kuvassa niin pirun lähellä ollaan pillittää.. pillittäminen tämän hepun primäärifunktio... huulet vipsattaa värisee konsanaan nyyyh nyyyh nyyhkytellään ja pyyhkytellään paperiin älä katso!! älä katso!! vittu julkisella paikalla vielä. keskellä katua hengenvetäytyminen moneen otteeseen lyhyellä aikavälillä suu mutrussa silmät kuin kiinalaisella vapisevalla kansalla.. strange feelinGGGG.
This is my third Tim Buckley album on the list, and I think that 2.5 albums of his would have been ideal. I lost interest about halfway through, especially with that "Gypsy Woman" song. The music isn't bad, just too much of it.
7,33
Henry Mancini and Steven Stills had a baby...
i think this guy had a bone in his body that made it impossible for him to make music that wasn't extremely lovely and beautiful
Soulful, ephemeral, delicate, beautiful, and powerful. Tragic that we lost both Buckleys too soon.
This is not at all what I expected it to be. I’m frankly not even sure how one would correctly categorize this record. It’s groovy, occasionally jazzy, relaxing but upbeat. The vibraphone used throughout really adds an extra dimension of vibes that is hard to quantify. I really like Tim Buckleys smooth, almost croony vocals on this album too. I didn’t have any idea this album existed previously, but I enjoyed it. It’s like some psychedelic amalgamation of dozens of musical influences, and it works very well. 4*
As I understand, Jeff Buckley always lived and worked under fear of his father's shadow, which is a bit funny and ironic considering that when this album came up my response, as I imagine many people's, was "hey, it's Jeff's dad!". In his time, though, Tim was of course pretty successful in his own right and listening to this album, Jeff's fear makes more sense to me. This is a really beautiful, really cool album. There is a very rich use of percussion throughout the album that colors the songs with a particular kind of warmth and depth that most folk records just don't have. The songs are given the space and length to breathe and stretch their legs, and his lyrics, while not necessarily of the highest caliber, are nice and at times quite touching and pretty. The weak point on this album for me is "Gypsy Woman", in which the ample breathing room seems to have let the recording meander too long and too far and it loses the plot a bit, and I also find it to be the weakest song lyrically. "Buzzin' Fly" and "Dream Letter" were my favorite songs. His pain over being an absent father is expressed poignantly in both tracks and "Buzzin' Fly" especially is just a really cool song. I had never actually listened to Tim Buckley's music before and it was very much a pleasure. If "Gypsy Woman" were different this album would be a 5 ⭐️. I will probably check out more of what the elder Buckley has to offer.
Did not realize Tim was Jeff’s father, but makes sense. Tragic deaths for both of them. Can’t help but wonder what each of them would have gone on to do with more time. ❤️ 4/5 Highlights: Buzzing’ Fly Gypsy Woman
Kind of trippy, kind of cool. I really liked this album; had never heard any of it before.
This album is a hidden gem. Almost has a Santana sound to it at some points, especially Gypsy Woman. Cheer up Tim Buckley, you made good music. 7.75/10 (3.875/5)
Solid stuff.
Beautiful subtle melancholic folk-jazz album by the great late Tim Buckley. It's one of his best albums, though I prefer Goodbye Hello to this (which is more psychedelic). Buzzin' Fly is my favorite song from the album, it's so calm and makes me feel good.
I’d listened to this album at least a couple of times before this and couldn’t really get into it. This time around I gave it two spins back to back, and I can tell it’s a grower. Buckley’s voice grew on me, and I noticed the excellent guitar work more than I had before. Strange Feelin’ is a great opener that seems to allude to the drugs that would sadly cut his life short. Love From Room 109 At The Islander is a great example of his subtle but intricate guitar work. Gypsy Woman is a strange and intriguing hippie song. A gorgeous album that I’m glad I’ve given enough chances to make it click.
Tim Buckley — aka the father of the late, great Jeff Buckley. Sometimes I catch myself being a little too opinionated about singer-songwriters, and then feel weird calling myself one. But I’ll chill out here. I think some people just don’t love when folks sing about their feelings in a super melodic way — kinda like how some people hate Bob Dylan for, well, Dylan-ing. And the voice. I think Tim Buckley falls into that camp for some folks too. But honestly? I’m into it. “Strange Feelin’” is just a really fun, vibey track. “Buzzin’ Fly” is fantastic — and it’s been covered a bunch, most recently by Bonny Light Horseman. “Sing a Song for You” is another standout. I know his earlier stuff gets more love, but there’s some gems here. Plus, shoutout to him for bringing Jeff Buckley into the world. Total legend gone way too soon.
Classic and nice. 4 Stars
A primeira música é muito boa. Além do instrumental ser criativo, as vocalizações são originais, o que fornece um resultado estético excelente. A segunda também é... A partir da terceira as coisas ficam bem experimentais, o que torna um desafio. Mas não que seja ruim, é apenas bem diferente do padrão. Gypsy Woman é um caos. A última música é muito boa, que junto com as 2 primeiras formam as melhores do disco. Não dou nota máxima pq o experimentalismo é um pouco além da conta
Understandably influential on the more moodier side of what would become indie with the likes of Radiohead. I can't see myself coming back to this often but for what it is and what it eventually influenced, its worth checking out.
Really poignant, can almost feel the emotions myself. My favourite was Love From Room 109 - just found it so beautiful and calming. The only issues I have is with the over abundance of glockenspiel and my ears are unfortunately not as used to jazz as I'd like so it wasn't the easiest of listens.
Such a nice groove
i get that tim buckley is not everyone's bag and he definitely doesn't try to be but man if you really get past the initial shock there's so much good stuff here. he is so captivating and unique as an artist
Country. Fungerer bra, positiv opplevelse.
Another one I enjoyed more I expected to. Interesting fusion of styles. The vibraphone is on almost every track and used in ways I’ve never heard before. Definitely inspires a relisten.
A father and a son, both with the voices of angels, both taken too soon. Tim branched out much further than Jeff, though he had some more time to develop his experimental tastes. This is yet another transitional album, and maybe not my favorite of his with Starsailor. When he’s sticking more to composition and folk, it works much better than a poppier sound. The two extended tracks are proof - “Love from Room 109” is a beautiful meandering path while “Gypsy Woman” almost feels like Tim doing a Jim Morrison impression, albeit with much better musicianship. It’s a really good record, just a bit uneven.
so lush. this is a fav
Pretty bloody lovely. Nepo dad
Loved it! Nobody ever told me about this guy
was a huge tim b fan in hs... guess what... i still am
Not as good as goodbye hello and a lot longer/jazzier jams with a lot of vibe playing but still a good record.
Ok, but I like Jeff’s stuff better.
Personally I don't understand all the hate this album send to be getting here.
Strange Feelin' had me feeling good about this album and then Love from Room 109 stands out with Gypsy Woman giving me some Led Zep vibes. Sing a Song for You just leaves me fealling melencholy so I guess the album does what it says on the tin.
The jazz tendencies continue throughout the album and make for a great departure from his previously folk-inflected albums.
wonderful voice and lovely psychedelia
A nice jazzy effort that bears deeper listening. Doesn't work well as background listening as too many subtleties that augment one's enjoyment. This album showcases very well the similarities between Tim and his son Jeff. love the opener Strange Feeling' with the beautiful vibraphone, lovely jazzy feel and dynamic shading to heighten the intensity. More of the same with Buzzing' Fly, though more upbeat. Things take a turn for the quiet and contemplative with the beautiful 11 minute opus Love from room 109. But that's not the only extended song here Gypsy Woman is an extended latin jam that has a fiery vocal performance and some wonderful jamming from an obviously great band. All-in all this is a really great discovery from an intensely original artist. 4 stars
Oh Wow, I love Tim Buckley. His brand of psychedelic folk is so unique and charming, and his voice is amazing. I think Star sailor is my favorite album of his but this one is great as well. Let's give it another listen. I don't know if "Happy Sad" is the correct title. It's more "Uplifting Sad". Tim's amazing vocals and powerful arrangements are somber yet uplifting. This is so beautiful.
I enjoyed it overall
Mediocre album
нормалек, но у сыночки песни позажигательнее, конечно)
I really like the blues infulences, they don't feel too in your face as maybe led zeppelin does. This is also much more atmospheric that the previous album which I listened to from him. The Dream letter song might be one of the saddest I've ever heard, in hindsight. The first long song is great, and uses its length to develop a lot (not sure if I can say that about the other long song...) Gypsy woman is not good at all man. Favourite songs: strange feelin', love from room 109 at the islander (on Pacific coast highway), sing a song for you. Overall around 8/10
Musically it’s great and he has a great voice! Sing a song for you and Dream Letter were my favorite
Perfect album to drink tea and gaze outside the window while it is raining. 3.5 stars rounded up. Stand-out: Dream Letter
Am suddenly quite melancholy
Честно говоря, это чуть более сэд альбом, чем хотелось бы, и гораздо менее драматишный, чем тот с желтым фоном, который прямо вот настроил меня на получение истинного удовольствия. Лучшая песня - Buzzin' Fly.
Really liked this a lot actually, very mystical and relaxing. I also think listening to Gypsy Woman from the lens of a jam session helps justify its length
Spoke to me
I’m at a 4. Wikipedia lists this as “psychedelic folk,” and I can’t say I find that description too accurate. It doesn’t feel as psychedelic as other 60s acts we’ve gotten, and I hesitate to call it “folk”, because it doesn’t really feel that close to acts like Simon & Garfunkel, or Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I can’t really place a specific genre on this either; I guess my best attempt would be “ambient pop”, and certainly with a sad bend. It really does jump around between genres though – a bit of reggae influence, some straight jazz, some solid folk stylings with a bit of a rock lean, and oddly, some elevator music (that vibraphone’s really present throughout this thing). However, it never really strays away from the “ambient pop” feeling I described – a lot of these tracks are anchored in finding a rhythm, sticking to it, and expanding when necessary. It’s a formula that only works because the ambience is captured so well, and complemented further by his vocals. His voice has a strong power to it, and while his held notes do start to feel long and repetitive over time, when it works, it really worked for me. The biggest knock I have on this album is that it’s too long for what it offers, and that the tracks don’t do enough evolving to justify some of the longer run times – Gypsy Woman is the key offender here. You wanna make that track 12 minutes long? Fine, as long as you can actively expand it in a better way than the sort of lackluster “give / take” approach, especially when it’s taking a lot more instrumentation away compared to what it’s giving back. Past that, I do think the album, for as much as it jumps around in terms of genres and influences, simply has a problem with pacing – Dream Letter is the third slower song in a row after the opening track, and even though I think its lyricism is stellar, it just hits less because it’s the last track of a 21 minute stretch of slower songs. Those pacing issues, and the length of the album are why I’m at a 4 – it’s a great set of tracks, don’t get me wrong, but as a full front to back album, the progression isn’t as satisfying as it could be, and so it makes the 44 minutes feel slower than they should. If you listen to this and find it boring, I understand that too; maybe I was just in the mood for some slower and more relaxed stuff, so this hit really nicely for me. I do like this album, and I’m glad it’s on the list. I don’t think it should have a 2.78 average – it’s not that bad, but it doesn’t fully succeed at what it’s going for as a complete project. The moods are right, the lyricism is good, the instrumentals are fine; the ingredients are there, but the recipe feels incomplete. With a few tweaks, and a little more “fun’ sprinkled throughout (it’s a rather drab album, let’s be honest), I do think this could’ve gone up to a 5 for me. As it stands, though, it’s a 4; probably closer to a 3.5, but “Sing a Song for You” is an excellent closer that bumped me up to a flat 4.
Not as magical as Goodbye and Hello, but I still love how complex and delicate a lot of the sounds are in this album, the use of marimbas and vibraphone gives it this sweet feel that fits the more subdued sound of this album. Not always a vibe I'm looking for but this is really nice and makes me want to keep exploring his discography.
7.5/10. It's a very sweet-sounding album. It's a nice folksy and jazzy listen.
Much Smoother and lower key than hiss other works. Very pretty and sonorous
I liked this a lot. I'm not generally into the melancholy singer-songwriter with a guitar vibe. But there was a lot of accompaniment by jazzy instruments like double bass and vibes and stuff and that gave it a different, er, vibe. It feels very sixties, somehow. But, yeah, I dig it, man! Another one I might revisit.
Powerful….
What a voice.
I've heard a few of these songs but not all together on one album. I find this to be quite mellow laid back jazz which I quite like. I can see why some would necessarily like this first time around. It may need a few more listens but it would be worthwhile. Not so sure about Gypsy Woman, sounds too much like a jam to me, strange feelin and sing a song for you more than make up for this. 4 stars.
Refreshingly different from all these grunge, indie, Britpop and whatever soundalikes thst somehow made it to the 1001 list
This isn't my favourite musical style, but as I began to listen to this album, I did like it, though it dragged a bit. I think Buckley was quite influential even though his album sales were not great.
Jazzy. I think I'm slowly getting into jazz, thanks to this generator. I actually enjoyed it, it's quite joyful and satisfying, I would probably give it a 3.5-4/5. Strange Feelin' is an amazing track. Love the marimba or whatever that sound is. People really should use marimba in modern music more. Don't quite like the folk and rock side of this album (e.g. Gypsy Woman), overall it's quite pleasant though.
As someone who has recently taking a liking to Nick Drake, I found this album quite pleasant
I feel I'm in the minority but I like this album.. Jazz-psych-folk and vibraphone!!! I don't why but I love that sound. Yes not for everyone but Buzzin' Fly is an outstanding song.
3.9 - When he's good he's amazing, but I feel some of it is a bit too indulgent and I expected to like this a lot more.
Good vibe, bit of an incoherent overall experience. I like the expansive jazziness of it in principal, but some tracks don't really land. Fave Tracks: Love From Room 109 at The Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway), Gypsy Woman 3.5/5
new to me and I really like it!
This is a subtle album, but if give it your patient attention you can hear the musicians get in the zone. First couple songs were really the best for me but it had quality throughout.
Happy Sad is the third album by Tim Buckley, originally released in 1969. Most people will only recognize Tim Buckley as "Jeff Buckley's dad", but Tim was an amazing musician in his own right. He was very experimental, so he obviously won't fit everyone's tastes. This is one of his records that signified his movement to more experimental music. He started out as a folkie in the mid 60s and by this record he moved firmly into spacey-psychedelic-jazz-folk, and beginning to use his voice as an instrument. He would later move to funk and free jazz, but this album serves as a very interesting bridge between his folk and jazz phases. You can even hear that funk influence beginning to creep in on songs like "Gypsy Woman". It may meander a bit but that was the 60s man! Gotta drop some acid in a field and listen to this. Tim Buckley was a super interesting person and artist and I encourage others to dig a bit into his discography because there's some real cool stuff.
Good, interesting
Jeff Buckleys dad goes alright. I thought this was gonna be one of his proper out there weird ones but was fairly tame, still enjoyable His voice sounded like Alice in Chains at the start of Gypsy Woman
first listen i can hear the smoky haze in the room as i listen to this
Don't know that this was that significant, but for some reason I enjoyed the vibe(raphone)
"Strange Feelin'" starts with a huge wink to Miles Davis's "All Blues" -- dissonant at first, then a little less anguished. And when Tim Buckley's vocals enter the scene, it's as if Fred Neil was covering the legendary jazzman. A match made in heaven, if you really want to know about my opinion here. With this idiosyncratic mix of influences, such a perfect opener actually perfectly encapsulates the jazz influences bobbing up on the surface in many other great moments of this nice LP -- with a lot of those influences conveyed by that wonderful, dreamy vibraphone in the background. Tim's angelic voice also does wonders on follow-up track "Buzzin' Fly" or the delicate moving closer "Sing A Song For You". "Love from Room 109 at the Islander" and "Gypsy Woman" are more complex, sprawling affairs -- two cuts drawing on lengthier jam dirges that might phase in and out your consciousness but never overstay their welcome. I had to work on my computer while listening to today's album, and I gotta say that session was pleasant and quite productive. Wish I can find some time later to listen to those two compositions with more attention. Probably not as arresting as *Goodbye And Hello* and *Starsailor* -- but still far better than the generally ridiculous and hackneyed *Greetings From L.A.* -- I can understand why someone would wish to include this LP in a list of albums to listen to at least once in your life. Not sure if I would do that myself -- at this point of my own project, it seems to me there's not much room left in my list, and maybe having more than one or two Tim Buckley albums in it would be overkill. But I'll leave the door open to it. At least for today. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4 8.5/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 3.5). Number of albums left to review: 41 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 413 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 242 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 306
I enjoyed this record, it's got some interesting instrumentation and songwriting.
Moments of Perfection on This Album.
Enjoyed this more than I expected. More interesting than a lot of singer songwriter stuff. On another day, I might have found the pace a bit boring and the tracks too long, but for whatever reason, this just hit right today
The best song is by far the first, where the Jazz influence is most clearly showing, but props to Gypsy Woman for the showcase of Buckley’s vocal abilities. Happy Sad is probably the best example of Folk Jazz I’ve listened to outside of Van Morrison, and although I liked it quite a lot, I think I’ve reached the conclusion that I’m not a huge fan of the mixture. I like Jazz, I like Folk, but Jazz Folk almost never quite blends for me. Also, isn’t it crazy that Tim Buckley was 2 years younger than Jeff Buckley when he died, but Buckley Pere recorded 7 albums to Buckley Fils’ 1?
A lovely album, with lots of interesting things going on. Not his best work, in my view, but pretty damn good.
The use of xylophone gives every song an almost Cal Tjader vibe. Very chill
This is good, but John Martyn does it better (e.g. Solid Air)
As a big Jeff Buckley fan, I’ve tried to get into Tim Buckley’s music before, mostly because I was curious how he compared to his son. But I had a hard time getting into some of his most well-known songs like Song of the Siren because of the overuse of falsetto. This album is definitely much better in terms of his voice — the lower register he uses here is a lot more pleasing to the ears. Musically, this album is an interesting mix of blues, country-western, and pop. The influence of The Lovin’ Spoonful, who produced it, is very clear. It also reminds me of Roy Orbison, as well as — oddly — Don Johnson’s foray into singing in the 80s. The album as a whole gives off a slightly more country Doors vibe. The vibraphone gives the music an interesting mood. As a millennial, vibraphone often reminds me of Sesame Street before anything else, so it can be very hit and miss for me. Here it’s sort of a mixed bag — used to the right effect it adds to the bluesy vibe, but it also comes close to going too far over into lounge-music territory at times. Take “Strange Feelin’” for instance. If the song had ended at the 6:20 mark it would’ve been better (and even that’s pretty long) — but there’s no reason for the track to go on for almost 8 minutes just to have an extended vibraphone solo. I think my biggest issue with this album is the length of the songs. With the exception of the closing track, which is 2:41, the shortest song on this album is still over 5 minutes, with two tracks running longer than 10 minutes. “Gypsy Woman” could be a fun jam song, but it’s just way too long. Less vibraphone and shorter songs would’ve made this album way better. I’ll give it a 4/5, but it’s more of a 3.5 for me.
Fed! Vildt god stemme og pladen har et rigtig godt flow!
Experimental folk-jazz? Uh, apparently sign me up. A bit of an out there listen. And he’s no Jeff Buckley, amiright? But I dug it.
I used to prefer his earlier Goodbye and Hello, but this one just may have overtaken it.
Beautiful, but totally fucking depressing. This makes Elliott Smith sound like the Spice Girls.
Loved this. I liked the way that it feels experimental but within limits.
I really liked this album-I knew Tim, but a whole album from a-z was perfect to get to know and appreciate him better. I LOVED his son Jeff and bought and listened to everything he made in his short career, which is why I paid any attn to Tim in the 1st place.
Грустный и трогательный альбом и история музыканта
i loved it soo much. the vocals. the guitar. the lyrics!! i am in awe of almost every song and i think it is right down my alley, the vibes and instrumentals are to die for. so much melancholy that is so enjoyable but sad to listen to
The author of these books is a coward for having multiple Tim Buckley albums on this list, but not including Lorca or Starsailor. The people deserve to hear Tim at his peak weirdness, 'Gypsy Woman' on here starts to come close to that realm, but it's not enough for me. Listen to those albums please (this one is still great though).
Contains some of Tim's most accessible songs, but also breaking the barrier into his primal side with songs like Gypsy Woman.
I got the perfect sunday morning album on a perfect sunny sunday morning. 4/5
enjoyed it, that calming late 60 Pop.
3.5/5
I really enjoyed this one. Added to my spotify library, which has been a rare result so far. The first track had a tune that reminded me of what I think was a Miles Davis track but I just can't place it. I want to listen to this a few more times and really absorb it. I'm surprised I never heard of him before. Thank you 1001 Albums!
my second favorite tim buckley album. im surprised by the bad rating this has here because i find it to be a stunning album. not as experimental as starsailor but much more listenable. 8/10
Not Bad
Enjoyed the mix of singer-songwriter with the more freestyle jazz format
For the 60's, even the tail end, this was a unique sound. Could have been released today and still have an audience
Lovely album.
Proof voices are hereditary
It starts exceptionally, then it gets a bit too experimental. But very good discovery
Really nice album.
Very diverse album with jazz, folk, Americana, and classic rock. I had never heard Tim Buckley before, but impressed with the range of emotions covered. Beautiful voice. RIP.
The record is beautiful. In every sense of the word.
Lovely album, very sensitive. I personally like longer songs
Never listened to Tim Buckly - great album!
Completely new and unfamiliar to me. Folk-jazz is great, turns out. Dream Letter is the best song, a sad apology from a deadbeat dad
Pretty good album. Small, short, but good.
buzzin' fly, love from room 109...,gypsy woman
Wow. Never heard.
Jazzy, arthouse, chill, rock. I mean based on the reviews I expected to not like this, but so far so good. Great focus, background, or chill vibe music. I understand if people don't like long songs or instrumental sections, but I'm here for it. Enjoy the first song quite a bit, second song is solid, third song starts to introduce heavier melancholy feelings, the fourth song has a prominent cello which is foreboding, Gypsy Woman is kind of long and could have been shorter, last song wraps things up nicely. First four songs were the strong part of the album however. 7/10 but I'll round up to 4/5 Favorite Songs: Strange Feeling, Buzzin' Fly, Love from Room 109 at the Islander Least Favorites: Gypsy Woman
While I haven't listened to a good chunk of Tim's discography, I do consider myself a fan of the Buckley's. Their voices are so amazing that the listener can't help but be entranced by their highest highs and when they go for those low notes. When it comes to Tim, I preferred his voice during that Goodbye and Hello phase, as his soulful high notes pulled me in. It was wistful, yet still so full of energy. So, finding out this (and most of his albums for that matter) chose to go to a lower register for most of the duration was disappointing, but I was still vaguely hopeful. That energy does feel a little invisible here, but that woeful singing does remain, and I still think his voice is really pretty. It makes it so when he sings on topics like his estranged son, it feels genuine, like he regrets his decisions to be apart, even though it seems Tim Buckley never really tried to meet Jeff. The backing instruments, and even Buckley's own guitar playing can feel a tad aimless, but when it does come together it really does stick with you, as long as you give yourself to it, and really pay attention to those nuances. Its an album that walks the fine line between the casually listenable on a sunny afternoon as well as engaging in your sorrows in the dark of the night. I appreciate it more once re-visiting the tracks I already enjoyed the first go around, and I think it makes sense that this is the style Tim Buckley is known for, rather than the more renaissance faire-esque stylings of his prior works, even if I do prefer them that way. I can still appreciate this.
Sad but enjoyable.
A bit of a folksy crooner.
Tim Buckley after Slipknot is comical. It's also really interesting looking at the reviews of the two and how this album is only very slightly rated higher. This is a huge upgrade after wanting to rip off my ears listening to Slipknot. That might make me a little biased and rate this higher than it deserves. I think that this is a really enjoyable easy listening album. I don't understand all of the hate. Definitely not as good as something like Nick Drake, but I still enjoyed it. Some really good acoustic guitar throughout and some blend of jazz music as well. Gypsy Woman is almost tribal sounding. Not something I would put on and tell my friends to listen to but there are some enjoyable tracks on this album. Tim's voice seems to sound different on some songs, almost like its a fake singing voice which is odd. 3.5 out of 4 and I'll round up this time.
Psychedelic bluesy music to float away to Torn between 3 and 4. I feel like I’d like to return to this one eventually so I’ll go with a 4 He got pretty crazy on Gypsy Woman
Marimbaphonfolk, Jazzy und wunderbare soundscapes. Tim Buckley singt dazu toll und traut sich zu gestalten! Ich muss sagen dass die Discografie wirklich sehr schizophren ist, dieses schreckliche LA Album, aber dann das Debüt mit freundlichem Folkpop.
Jazzily complex singer songwriter folk
this is the first album of the 1001 that I would say sounds pretty, there's a lot of "good" music and it's not super boring (mostly) I think with more listens this album would definitely grow on me and I like the sonic style he's got going. I'll definitely return to this album at some point. Gypsy woman is a banger
Short album. Surprisingly good. Very chill.
I wanna do mushrooms now🍄😵💫💕
I've never felt so satisfied with the representational accuracy of an album cover in my entire life.
One of the things I really appreciated on this album was the vibraphone. It gave it such a unique sound. If it was keyboards, it would not have held as much interest to me. Besides the jam-session-y "Gypsy Woman," which harkens back to what I didn't like about the other Tim Buckley album, I liked this album more. I thought it was a more relaxed, jazzy feel (probably because of the vibraphone). I would like to have had more of this style than the other, which as I look back on I cared for less and less. So if I had to choose, definitely I would say to try this album first of his. The more I think about it the more I enjoyed it.
Прекрасная, гипнотическая, завораживающая музыка. Сильный голос. Мне нравится такая спокойная музыка.
This records production feels ahead of it's time. I had a good experience listening to this, Tim's vocals are full of power and passion. These songs are just beautiful. He really does not fail to deliver. Upon first impressions, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I feel as time goes on this album will change for the better. I am at a loss for words in all honesty. Favourites: Strange Feelin' / Buzzin' Fly / Dream Letter / Gypsy Woman
Ideale muziek voor een natte en grijze ochtend, de geluidseffecten aan het eind van plaatkant A zijn niet eens nodig vandaag. Vergeleken met de stevige blues van Janis hiervoor een oase van rust, maar het heeft ook minder attentiewaarde. Nick Drake maakte dit soort muziek toch net iets beter.
Experimentally smooth.
I kinda liked that but I sure couldn't tell you why. Tim's writing wanders around like a beetle in a box, unsure where he's going and why he keeps bumping into walls. Every once in a while, he stumbles over a melody and follows it for a minute before getting distracted and wandering off again. Normally, those would be nonnegotiable deductions for me but, for some reason, they're not here. It was just a pleasant listening experience. One I don't feel compelled to repeat, for sure, but not an experience I was disappointed to have had.
Another folk album here, but it’s a great folk album, with a different feeling than most folk album. Happy Sad almost kind of sounds like how it’s described in the title but admittedly in a good way. The sound of this album is this tropical folk music that is really pleasant. It’s really chill and adds a vibe to this album. However, the lyrics and vocal delivery is usually super low and melancholic in a way that creates this contrast between the vibey music and the sad lyrics and delivery. In a way it does sound like a Happy Sad if that makes sense. However, there are also some Jazz influences on the song Gypsy Woman, which is like 1/3 the length of the album so it’s fair to say it’s a major influence. Other that that, the songs “Love from Room 109 At the Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway)” (quite a long title for just one song) and “Dream Letter” stand out to me as the highlights for their tropical folk sound along with their somber lyrics and excellent performance. Overall, this album sounds like how the title describes it but in a good way. Its tropical folk aesthetic sounds really good and its sadder lyrics and vocal performances make for a nice contrast that sounds right. I’d happily give it an 8/10.
Better than the other Tim Buckley album we covered, a B
Never heard of this. Surprisingly jazzy. Weird. Good.
Love me some Buckley (both of 'em). A really beautiful record and a nice stepping stone between the medieval folky "Goodbye and Hello" and the avantgarde skullfuck that is "Starsailor". Weird how instead of finishing one of the most interesting artistic evolutions in musical history, the writers of this book picked "Greetings From L.A." as the third Tim Buckley pick instead of the aforementioned "Starsailor" (or "Lorca", I guess). Sorry for the tangent. This album is a strong 4/5. One of the best voices in folk rock.
It's like Jeff Buckley but if Jeff Buckley fucked. Enjoyable.
it's ok
prefer Goodbye and Hello, but still a solid album
Perfect morning music.
Wow what a voice! This is way better than I was expecting from the cover. I love the vibraphone throughout the album, especially on the opening track, and the general mood through the album is nice. There's lots of really interesting instrumentation throughout the whole album. Gypsy Woman is over-indulgent and a bit annoying, but it's still got some interesting instrumentation and rhythms going on in it. I'm going to go 3.5 / 5, rounded up.
This was unexpectedly quite good.
I like Tim Buckley. It's true this album is all over the show which is a reflection of the man and his talent. Still, this is worth listening to.
I enjoyed this one almost as much as "Hello, Goodbye", but found the songs on this one to be a bit less memorable. Maybe a bit too lengthy in places as well. I did really enjoy the jazz instrumentation though, along with Tim Buckley's perfect voice!
I’m always partial to 60s folk music, so this was a nice listen for me. I really like Tim’s voice, and was especially impressed with his performance on Gypsy Woman. I can see myself coming back to this in the future for some wistful yet fun folk music. Favorite Tracks: 1) Strange Feeling 2) Buzzin’ Fly
"Happy Sad" is the third album from American singer-songwriter Tim Buckley. The album was produced by former Lovin' Spoonful members Zal Yanovsky and Jerry Yester and began Buckley's more experimental phase of his career incorporating more jazz elements and changing his song structure. He also wrote all the lyrics himself which was a change. The music is classified as pyschedelic jazz and jazz fusion. For this album, I also toss in jam band. Quite a variety and quite an interesting listen. The album-prominent vibraphone starts "Strange Feelin'." The song was inspired by Miles Davis' "All Blues." We have a bluesy-pyschedelic electric guitar. A vibraphone jam. Buckley has a great voice and here he starts to croon and use almost as an instrument. "Buzzin Fly" was written earlier and with the electric guitar fits perfectly in the pyschedelic folk category. A more pop-song structure. He comes and goes as a bee but he misses her. And then we come to the nearly 11-minute long "Love From Room 109 at the Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway)" with the underlying ocean noise overdubs. Much slower. Very, very jazzy. A song about loneliness and missing someone. The second side also has just three songs. "Dream Letter" continues in the jazz vein and the pace almost comes to a standstill. An apologetic ode to his ex-wife and son Jeff. Things get really interesting in "Gypsy Woman" which essentially is a jam-band song. More funky. Loud and somewhat annoying percussion. Groovy double bass. Buckley sounds like he's singing in a bathroom. Hey, I need my bead door curtains back. The last song "Sing a Song for You" showcases the very gifted and strong voice of Tim Buckley. More a ballad. He's got his demons which she can't handle so just sing her a song. This was my first listen Tim Buckley, believe it or not. I like his son Jeff's music a lot. I liked this too and know there's a few more of his albums coming. Good. Recommended for anyone interested in a combination of folk, jazz, jam band and pyschedelic music. That's most of you? Right? Right!
Hauntingly beautiful
I really enjoyed this. Definitely feels like something I would've heavily cherished if I heard it for the first time in my early-mid teens. I'm giving it extra credit because Tim Buckley's vocals sound like what every alternative rock group was singing like in the 90's (Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, etc.) and was definitely influential in that regard
This was chill!
I'm surprised this one is rated so low. Absolutely gorgeous instrumentation throughout with the heavy use of vibraphone, and Buckley's vocals are just so impressive
Soulful and sad. Perfect for my mood today. Happy blues? Especially love the vibraphone.
Algjör haustplata. Svipaður fílingur og í flestu hjá Nick Drake og John Martyn. Elskidda!
Never heard of him before and immediately googled if he was related to Jeff Buckley (it's his deadbeat dad). Although some songs are really long, i enjoyed most of them. Really like Tim's drawn out vocals and incorporation of jazz. 8/10
Heel verfrissend. Deed mij denken aan nick drake, Jackson C. Clark, misschien The Doors zelf een beetje.
Good rock album with some psychedelia and jazz elements. Never heard of Tim Buckley before and I was surprised that he's the father to Jeff Buckley.
I'm more familiar with his son, Jeff, but this was excellent. Talent and tragedy seems to run in the family!
Great vocal range and musicianship. Very unobtrusive and easy to listen to.
4.25
Happy Sad. That's one way to put it. Another devastating shooting at an elementary school yesterday, and today I send my kids to school for their last day of the year. Happy Sad.
Surprisingly varied
His voice makes me think of Jim Morrison; just a little less gruff. I really like the acoustic guitar (I assume it's acoustic) work throughout this entire record, but especially on Buzzin' Fly and Gypsy Woman.
The beginning of this album really wowed me but I felt like it started to drag towards the middle. It feels like a worse version of Astral Weeks which still makes for a pretty good album. I hear David Crosby and his son in is voice and it was interesting to get this one so close to that one. I do like the ambition of the jamming and longer songs so I have to give this one a 4.
Timbre of the vocals. Wonderful
I can definitely hear Buckley's use of his voice as an instrument, like Robert Plant without the wailing. Lovely use of vibraphone and guitars. Great energy, vibraphone and yelling in Gypsy Woman. Like Jim Morrison. Must listen again.
Bonito e muito triste, não conhecia e gostei. Melhor música: Buzzin' Fly
No i kolejny raz lista okazuje sie serwowac cos o czym slyszalem wczesniej w tym tygodniu i mialem sprawdzic, przypadek, nie sadze, wiec drugie podejscie do pana Buckleya, dodatkowo chronologia dyskografii zostala zachowana, bo happy sad jest kolejnym krazkiem po goodbye and hello z roku 68, a jednak troche sie zmienilo, przede wszystkim od strony stylistycznej, bo slychac odejscie od folkowej psychodelii na rzecz jazzowego rokowania, co dziwne nie powiekszyl sie dramatycznie cast muzykow sesyjnych przy tym posunieciu, o co bylbym gotow posadzic producentow plyty, ktorzy sie nie zmienii, zmienil sie natomiast udzial w kompozycjach pana Tima, ktory tym razem tworzy calkowicie solowo bez pomocy pana Becketta, co przelozylo sie na mniej popowe kompozycje, bo na 44 minutach zamkniete jest 6 kawalkow o roznej dlugosci od 12 do 2 minut, wiec kawalki staja sie prawdziwymi balladami jesli maja tyle czasu na prezentacje, co do samej prezentacji kolejny raz nie zawiodlem sie na wokalnych zdolnosciach Bucklejowych, ktore byly czyms co najbardziej przyciagalo uwage podczas odsluchu pierwszego albumu, tutaj jest podobnie, ale inaczej, bo te dluzsze traki jak 12 minutyowy gypsy woman pokazuja inna strone jego wokalu, gdy zmienia sie wielokrotnie w ciagu jednego utworu zarowno przez zmiane ekspresji jak i odleglosci od majka lub innych zabiegow producenckich, bo calosc jest niesamowiscie gladka, wiec pan Holzman przypilnowal kogo trzeba przy masteringu, z muzykow tworzacych instrumental najbardziej wyroznia sie pan David Friedman, ktory byl odpowiedzialny za perkusje, ale jako jest to krazek praktycznie jazzowy, to nie moglo zabraknac afrykanskich marimbow czy wibrafonow, zazwyczaj to on buduje glowna melodie, a gitarki i basy czy bongosy sa jedynie dodatkami, jestem ciekawy efektu wykorzystanego na love from room 109 at the islander, ktory sampluje dzwieki fal czy morza uderzajacego o plaze lub skaly, troche charcza sluchawy przy niektorych uderzeniach, ale jak dla mnie ten traczek jest najbardziej klimatyczna kompozycja calej plyty, wiec bedzie plejkowym pickiem, razem z buzzin fly, dwa kawalki rozne, ale jednak interesujace na swoj wlasny sposob, happy sad zaliczony i wreszcie mozna zastapic czyms w pamieci ten zwrot, bo wczesniej kojarzyl mi sie jedynie z polska scena punkowa
A bit less caterwauling on this jazz/folk album than normal. The songs are like hippy jams and meanderings. Great if you like that sort of thing. Best Tracks: Strange Feelin'; Buzzin' Fly; Dream Letter
Smooth late 60s.
Father of Jeff Buckley, Tim shows exactly how good songwriting runs in the family. Happy Sad bathes in this warm atmosphere, built out of vibraphone and acoustic guitar, along with a few others to round out the sound. It gets a little weird at times but that gives it more flavor than anything. Anyway this is great. More Buckley, please
Buckley’s jazz-folk fusion is always fascinating, and it shines on this album. Some tracks drag a bit, but songs like Dream Letter and Buzzin’ Fly show why Buckley was such a brilliant songwriter.
Happy sad indeed. Melancholy, wistful jams, sounding beautiful alongside Buckley’s charming voice.
It grew on me, it closes amazingly, wasn’t expecting Sing A song For You, but I’ve loved that song ever since I was a bootleg downloading teenager.
I really liked this album. Tim Buckley is one of those artists who is a little hard to classify, but really fascinating musically. His music is always engaging and somewhat off the wall, which I appreciate. It’s like folk-rock with strong jazz vibes and a splash of the psychedelic/experimental. The songs are warm, rambling, laid back and sensual. Buckley has a rich, soulful voice, augmented by some unusual but elegant arrangements. Lee Underwood's resonant, free-ranging guitar works beautifully in concert with the jazzy feel of the marimba and vibraphone. The resulting sound is very much of that time, but it also stands out as something quite unique. Fave Songs: Buzzin' Fly, Love from Room 109, Strange Feelin', Gypsy Woman
I really enjoyed the vibe of this music and the tone of his voice. Buzzin' Fly was a stand out for me and one that I'll have to add to my own mix of music!
Just a real good vibe
Very sweet. Good feels.
A pleasant listening experience
Folk mixed with psychodelic, liked it and wanted to applaud the thinking outside the box mentality here