Five Leaves Left

I listened to this a few days ago and forgot to rate it. The first couple of songs were special, but it was fairly standard late 60's affair after that. Still, being fond of the era, I enjoyed it.

It's rare that any album will bring tears to my eyes even once, but like Chelsea Girl and other Nick Drake albums, Five Leaves Left gently buzzes with melancholic warmth and envelopes me with this numb admiration of the world we live in, and brings tears to my eyes. His life and end strongly frames listening to his music after the fact, and this lends itself to some of the most humanizing music I've listened to. Drake isn't a friend who tries their best to cheer you up when you express that you've been feeling depressed recently (reality: you've been depressed for a year), or a friend who swings wildly to the other side of validating your experience, but otherwise being hands-off about those feelings. Drake simply expresses his felt life experience through his chosen mediums of voice and strings (and sometimes light drums), and the listener isn't alone in their head anymore. They're still depressed, but instead of being responded to, they get to respond to someone who isn't expecting a response, and that's nothing short of a blessing. This album gets to me personally in way almost no other album does, while this challenge is fun for learning, practicing my writing, expanding my taste, it's stuff like this that reminds me why music is so important to me in the first place.

- I’m really not a fan of his voice -I physically cannot listen to this whole album I am so so sorry

довольно приятный, хоть и убийственно меланхоличный

Cello song Fruit tree Bien, ambiance, lent

Really surprises me

I've liked this before but never loved it this much. I think my brain needed this kind of peace today.

Having been on the road and not able to listen to any of these albums for a couple weeks, I have about 15 days worth queued up and waiting for me. Looking over my list of upcoming albums I'm kind of dreading it because there are a few artists that I detest and a whole lot that I've never heard of. So today is the day to sit down to work while the deferred albums roll forth in the background. How bad can it be, right? And first up is Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake, who I'm not familiar with. And my first thought is "Wow, this is pretty good!" Enough that I had to go and find out when the album came out, and a little bit about the artist. Don't know how much my expectations (low, based on some of the others in the queue) played into it but I'm really digging this one! I think this is exactly why I signed up for 1001 Albums, and why I keep going even when there are stretches of albums I don't enjoy. This one is a gem.

Not sure if I wasn't in the mood but liked this album a lot.

The first time I heard of Nick Drake was on the serendipity movie soundtrack. It was a good song, but it didn’t quite grab me. This album I haven’t listened to up until this point. It was the perfect Sunday morning album. River Man and Three Hours were by far my standouts, though I enjoyed the entire album and plan to listen to this one again.

I've listened to Nick Drake for some time. While always good, you kinda need to be in the right mood to listen to Nick. He can kinda take you down a hole depending on where you're at. This album is perfectly fine but doesn't have any of the Nick Drake "hits".

fuck me this is dull

yeah i liked it but dont think i would ever deliberately listen to it over somethnig else

Good mellow music. Was able to enjoy it on a nice sunny afternoon. Talented song writer and skilled guitarist. The mood is melancholy on purpose. And pulls out off well.

A bit less concise than Pink Moon, but still lush, sad, dreamy, beautiful rainy day music.

While I am usually "all in" for singer/songwriters this one dod not resonate deeply with me.

Not bad, just… boring

Folky, soft, maybe for Mollie. Man in a shed probably my favorite.

Gentle folk, with some orchestral stuff

good

boring

Very melancholy. If I were a lyric man I would probably like this more but it was too slow and folky for my taste

3,5

although I appreciate the talent it took to create this record, not my cup of tea.

This album is really chill, though constructed and really well thought out. I don’t think I connected with it as much as I did with Bryter Layter but it is still a wonderful record

This was an inoffensive folk album. I don’t have much to say about it except I kind of forgot I was listening to it. It makes great background music, it’s sort of soothing. I used to listen to Pink Moon sometimes to help me fall asleep. I don’t think pink moon is boring, it’s just very calming. This one is similar but not as good.

Freakin beautiful

I would describe this as a doobedy album. Chill and nice for a very tired Friday morning

There is a beautiful, profound sadness to these songs, truly like a window to the soul. The beginning of an all-too-short career.

Very pretty, but not as spellbinding as Drake's other albums. Highlights: Three Hours, The Thoughts Of Mary Jane, Saturday Sun

not sold on this guy river man fruit tree saturday sun

A superb album by an extraordinary artist that laboured without success in his too short lifetime. White Bicycles by Joe Boyd it a great read about Nick Drake and his life and work. Thankfully due to the friendship and patronage of Joe Boyd his albums were never deleted and he eventually found his audience. He released records at an amazing time for creativity in music and in British music. The folk movement was overshadowed by rock and pop. Relative to his peers he found it hard to be heard. But over the lifetime of recorded music his work really does stand out.

Objectively pretty orchestration, but overall not memorable

It's very beautiful.

When I listen to Nick Drake, I can feel my brain expanding.

Niemand die verdriet, anxiety en algehele malaise zo beeldschoon kon laten klinken als Nick Drake. Zijn lot is algemeen bekend, en het loopt als een litteken door zijn werk. Een nagenoeg perfecte discografie, die helaas te vroeg abrupt ten einde kwam. Nick Drake vertolkt een sleutelrol in het opbloeien van de UK folk scene, dat zich door z'n jazzy, etherische, spacey geluid onderscheidde van zijn Amerikaanse voorvader. Destijds bleef de geïsoleerde eenling veelal onder de radar, en heeft hij een leeuwendeel van zijn succes zelf niet meegemaakt. Los van erkenning door andere belangrijke figuren uit de UK scene, waaronder leden van Fairport Convention en John Martyn, beleefde hij z'n muziek-carrière in relatieve anonimiteit. Ook John Cale - met bijdrages aan zijn sophomore album - moet daarbij benoemd worden, die zoals wel vaker een zesde zintuig voor talent lijkt te hebben. De muziek van Nick Drake is verhult in mysterie, en leest bijna als een sprookjesboek. Maar de sprookjes zijn niet van fictieve aard, maar juist heel aards en menselijk. De songs op dit album zijn van Shakespearean-quality, en bevatten teksten die zijn latere werk - en het werk van ongeveer al zijn tijdsgenoten - overstijgt. Hoe zijn mystieke schrijftalent latere artiesten beïnvloedde is het duidelijkst in de tekst ''A troubled cure for a troubled mind'' uit 'Time Has Told Me', dat uiteindelijk een bron van inspiratie was voor Robert Smith en de namesake van één van de grootste Britse bands ooit. Een ander hoogtepunt op gebied van songwriting is 'Day Is Done', die effectief de finaliteit van het leven beschrijft, door de ogen van iemand die de zijne aan zich voorbij ziet schieten. De afsluiter 'Saturday Sun' bezingt dezelfde thema's, maar legt meer nadruk op de mooie momenten, en dat die gevierd moeten worden voordat 'Sunday's rain' voor de deur staat. Wat meer hoopvol, maar altijd met een zwaarmoedige ondertoon. Zo valt er over elke song wel iets te zeggen, en het teruglezen van de lyrics is bij weinig artiesten zo waardevol als bij Nick Drake. De artistieke precisie is waanzinnig, haunting zelfs. 'Fruit Tree', één van m'n favorieten op dit album, is een profetische metafoor van zijn leven, waarin zijn talent maar mondjesmaat werd erkent en faam niet voor hem was weggelegd. Pas na z'n vroege dood werd hij op waarde geschat. ''Fame is but a fruit tree. So very unsound. It can never flourish. 'Till its stock is in the ground.'' De tekst ''Safe in your place deep in the earth, that's when they'll know what you were really worth.'' slaat vervolgens de spijker op z'n kop. En om nog wat dieper te graven naar de potentiële voorspellende gaven van Nick Drake: Als hij zichzelf vergelijkt met een stervende boom, en de titel van het album is 'Five Leaves Left', en vervolgens komt hij vijf jaar na de release te overlijden.. spooky. Maar naast die duizelingwekkende teksten, die op zichzelf prachtig zijn maar in de context van zijn leven al helemaal kippenvel bezorgen, is het de orkestrale productie die er voor zorgt dat dit album de boeken in gaat als één van de meest indrukwekkende debuutplaten van de 60s. De teksten raken al als je ze leest, maar onder leiding van de strings, piano, cello en overheerlijke contrabas, wordt er een ambiance gecreëerd die de hoogwaardige poëzie en het spookachtig mooie stemgeluid van Nick Drake complementeert. Geen passage gaat ongemerkt voorbij, waar zelfs congas worden opgetrommeld om gaten op te vullen. De jazzy ritmes, de pianoloopjes, en fantastische baslijnen zorgen ervoor dat de nummers tot leven worden gebracht. Als de instrumental van 'Cello Song' de enige song op aarde was geweest dan had ik daar genoegen mee genomen. Pure magie, en zonder twijfel het schijnende middelpunt van dit album. En dan die string arrangement in het geheimzinnige, en ietwat onheilspellende, 'River Man'.. Dat is hoe je klassieke elementen inzet om muziek naar een hoger niveau te brengen zonder dat het óf oubollig óf over the top gaat klinken. De sessiemuzikanten smeren hun aandeel perfect egaal over het gehele album, zonder dat het de focus weghaalt bij de teksten van Nick Drake. Wat mij betreft is dit de kroon op zijn veel te prille carrière, die ondanks zijn jonge leeftijd toch barst van de wijsheden waar je normaal gesproken drie levens voor geleefd moet hebben. Een waardig lid van de literaire Britse elite van de 20e eeuw, die niet mis is. Die kunsten, onder begeleiding van tranentrekkend-mooie instrumentatie, leveren een nagenoeg perfect folk album op. 10/10 Highlights: Time Has Told Me River Man ' Cello Song Fruit Tree Saturday Sun

Waanzinnige stem en echt prachtige nummers. Nick is daarin echt ongeëvenaard gebleken in de afgelopen decennia. Slechts een enkeling (Elliot Smith?) heeft iets vergelijkbaars op tape gekregen zoals Drake. Moet wel zeggen dat ik in de loop van de plaat een beetje week begon te worden en wat behoefte had aan iets wat die weekheid deed verdwijnen. Dat kost Drake een ster. 8/10 Highlights Niet genoeg gekeken naar titels van de losse songs. Zet maar wat moois in de Spotify lijst.

Strings softly whisper, Autumn leaves in twilight fall— Nick Drake's soul in song.

Wel oke

¿Otro más de Nick Drake?

This album was way before its time. Timeless and still holds up to this day. No wonder he's had a resurgence in recent years. It's an album for a specific mood. Maybe the fact that I listened to this on a cold rainy New England day enhanced it. But it's a very well written album.

HOW IS THIS HIS FIRST ALBUM?!?! Goddamn fucking genius. Fucking River Man is on this bitch’s debut album. This is an oppressive amount of talent. Way too much for one little man. I can’t even handle how pretty this shit is.

Amazing

All his studio albums are on the list. This is the last one I got. I didn't like the other ones very much, but this one is absolutely great. Favorite song: river man

Nothing that made me drop my hat but overall inmaculate vibes. 3.5

felt like a kiss to my soul ngl

A favourite

Not Pink Moon

I have to apologize to Nick Drake. Even though I've known and loved 'Pink Moon' for many years, I never took the time to explore his other albums. I don't know what I was waiting for but I now know what I was missing. This album is fantastic and near perfect. The fact that Nick Drake's music wasn't popular in his short lifetime is criminal to me. To call it melancholy doesn't do it justice. The vocals are incredibly lush and engaging and the music is varied and layered. He deserved so much more and the world needed more of his music.

As I covered with the other two Nick Drake albums in this book, there is no reason every album Nick Drake put out needs to be represented here. There are only small differences in each album and if you liked one of the albums then you can search through his catalog for the others. Only Pink Moon needs to be in this book. Nick Drake is underappreciated, sure, but there is nothing here that can't be found on any of his other albums. Great songs, so go check out another of his albums. You could place these songs on any of Drake's other albums and struggle to decipher which album the song came off of. It's good music and this is my last Nick Drake album and therefore my last time to rant about this. Nick Drake was gone too soon, but the silver lining is god knows how many albums would on this list if he had lived and made music until he was 80 years old. He would have 28 albums on this list. Don't listen to this album even though it is good. Go listen to Pink Moon, decide if you want to hear any more of Nick Drake's music, and then listen to one of the many other good albums left off in favor of this one.

3.5

Very pretty! I love the instrumentation on this! I've never heard of Nick Drake before, but it seems like he has a serious cult following on here. I thought the vocals were just a bit monotonous in the beginning, but they eventually grew on me. 8/10 Would I listen again? Sure

5/17/24. Wow, never heard of this artist or album and was really impressed. Great folk songs with a lot of soul, and love the singer's voice. The choice of instrumentation outside the acoustic guitar was crucial to the great sounds of this one. Will definitely listen again and again.

10/10. Great relaxation album with enough complexity to not bore you. Almost every song was put on the 5 ⭐️ playlist.

7/10

Too slow for me.

Three Hours Fruit Tree Saturday Sun Nothing notable but not awful. I honestly don’t even know what to say about it. It doesn’t stand out to me.

8/10

Excellent, moody, creatively scored.

Nick Drake’s music echoes the sounds my mind makes. It’s an incredible feat, the sound of a beat with thoughts and images going on in the background. Apparently, Folk is one of my worst rated genres. I don’t agree with that, a lot of the albums designated Folk by the algorithm I’d disagree are actually Folk. Broken English by Marianne Faithful? That’s a New Wave album, Eli And The Thirteenth Confession? That’s Jazz-Pop. Nick Of Time by Bonnie Raitt I think I fairly described as a Country album in my review. Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left is a Folk album through and through, and damn, what a Folk album. I knew Pink Moon before undertaking this project, but getting the opportunity to listen to the rest of his work has definitely turned me into a fan

It was okay

Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left feels very calm. Somberness is underlying for every track, and if I dove into the lyrics I bet there is a lot of sob stories behind the tracklist. However, I can’t but help to feel a bit bored, and uninterested. It feels like a chore listening to this album, so I can’t exactly praise it the same way it generally is. All in all, Five Leaves Left is an alright album. Best Song: Thoughts of Mary Jane Worst Song: Three Hours

Ja tack!

This guy is in my back pocket for a certain kind of mood. Beautiful songs. Sad that he couldn't bear the world for a little longer.

This album is so soothing in a hauntingly beautiful way.

Nice Folk Singer

Heard loads about this guy — I'm not sure why Nick is portrayed as a "tragic hero who's flame burned out too soon." I was thoroughly ennuied by "Five Leaves Less."

Pressed play, and was pleasantly surprised to realize I had been thinking of Nick Cave when this popped up on the album of the day list. Still melancholy, but much more enjoyable to listen to than Cave.

Drake has nothing on Jim Croce or Donovan. Fine for background music at a pub, but the lyrics are laughable and the vocal creative range is minimal. I cannot believe there’s more than one album on this list.

I found the vocals mostly boring and monotonous but liked much of the instrumentation, especially the guitar work on several tracks.

I would like this better with no voice. High 2 stars at most.

Oh behave, Nick Drake

Kinda dull. 2.5*

Melancholy at its best with muted vocals and instrumentation conveying everything that makes you think about it after the music has been turned off

Ok

Neutral on this one. Overall kinda melancholic, would probably slap if I were listening in a chill/sad mood. Appreciate this guy as a musician and didn't hate the album, it was fine.

Already listened to it before. 3.5 on Rym. Strings to syrupy and vocal lines to samey but still good .

gorgeous, summery

Pretty good!

Too slow

Peaceful, sweet, slow (almost a bit dreary) and dreamy. I want to hear this on a melancholy night again to better appreciate it.

A delightfully melancholic listen. 8/10

Melancholy, but decent.

Not as good as Bryter Layter. First album and he is stretching with every single lyric. You can get to the point where your stuff is too dense to be accessible and that's this album for me.

Didn't like it as much as Pink Moon but still enjoyable and would still pick it up if I saw it somewhere. 3.5

Nah

Epic.

It was okay. Probably won't be looking him up for future listening.

Really unique sound somewhere between chill, melancholy, and distressed. Can't say I've ever heard someone hold consonants and blend them into the instruments like that. No standout songs but a really enjoyable listen.

Really amazing listen, lyrically and musically. Out of nowhere, too.

Folk and again... some much more out there.

yeah great album

Sounded pretty much the same throughout and pretty boring to me in general. Not a bad singer though. 2/5

Musically I’d say it’s halfway between Bryter Later and Pink Moon, but in terms of my enjoyment it’s much closer to the latter. Which is to say, I enjoyed it - there are songs that are pretty, songs that are haunting, and songs that are pretty haunting whilst also being hauntingly pretty. And with that, I guess my crash course in the music of Nick Drake is complete. I started out a sceptic and became an admirer. Thanks, generator!

I'm a sucker for anything acoustic.

8/10

favourite song: cello song a sound somewhere between donovan and elliott smith, without quite reaching the heights of either. not bad but not as great as ive been led to believe

This is some really calming stuff and it's clear to see why it was kind of dismissed upon release--it's so subtle.

WOW! I loved this so much. The beginning was a little slow, but every song after that had a fun surprise I wasn’t expecting. The orchestration is fantastic and the mixing is beautiful, especially for this time period. I would go with 4.5 if I could, but overall absolutely fantastic.

Our 2nd Nick Drake album yields the same impression for me as the first one: nothing memorable, nothing objectionable. It was pleasant.

3.5 but rounding up

I wasnt in love with this nick drake album the first time through, but the second time (and after learning it was a debut) album it really opened up for me. Unsurprisingly, the tracks with piano were the ones I liked the best :)

Felt like a Man in a Shed when I listened to this for Three Hours, but now the Day Is Done

Not interesting at all.

Beautiful album with Nick Drake's signature acoustic sound and masterful song writing. Maybe not the most exciting album you'll hear, but certainly one of the most soothing. Some of my favorite tracks include "Thoughts Of Mary Jane", "Time Has Told Me", "Way To Blue" and "Day Is Done"

I had never heard of Nick Drake before but his solemn music and reading his story made me very sad. It's a shame he wasn't able to see how people appreciated his music after his passing. Music that can evoke such emotion is something that I feel is undervalued in our world and Nick does it very well on this album.

This album was a little boring. Usually I like mellow music, but this one just really didn’t stand out to me. Fruit trees was ok.

er orðinn algerlega seldur á nick drake eftir áratuga efasemdir. hlusta aftur og meira.

Exquisite

Did not care for it

Brilliant. 5/5

Melancholic and soft, longing, Western energy with an early highlight being Three Hours. Potentially inspired modern artists like Jose Gonzales

Gentle but haunting. Guitar play is raw and bright - folkier than the 70s albums.

For me Nick Drake's music is generally more enjoyable to listen to and contemplate than those of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, or Tom Waits, all of which I just find overrated and annoying.

J'avais même pas capté que l'album était terminé

Beautiful timeless English folk. Brilliant. 5 star.

I really enjoyed the nice, calm atmosphere of this one. I just wish there was more structure, or something for me to grasp onto instead of just wandering the whole time

Why he is so sad? for.

7/10 Second ND album, liked both and get why he’s influential Brilliant voice, lovely tone, album conveys mood very well Folky gentle music, really kicks in when some of the orchestration joins But this is fairly consistent or monotone in style, so is held back from excellence as it didn’t thrill me Best: River Man

I thought this was an interesting album. Not something I would likely listen to on a regular basis. The instrumentation was beautiful. His voice so pained.

Garden state soundtrack

Really calm, soothing tunes. I enjoy the acoustic guitar, clean bass, and singing style. Quite nice overall!

Relaxing album, could fall asleep to it. Not recommended for driving.

This album felt a little boring to me.

ok ok

Completely beautiful

"Five Leaves Left" by Nick Drake is a hauntingly beautiful album that serves as a poignant reminder of Drake's immense talent and tragic legacy. Released in 1969, this debut album showcases Drake's unique blend of folk, jazz, and blues influences, creating a sound that is both ethereal and introspective. The album's production is sparse yet richly textured, allowing Drake's delicate guitar playing and soulful vocals to take center stage. Tracks like "River Man" and "Day Is Done" are achingly beautiful, with Drake's melancholic lyrics and haunting melodies leaving a lasting impression. Despite its commercial failure upon release, "Five Leaves Left" has since been recognized as a masterpiece, influencing generations of musicians with its timeless sound and heartfelt songwriting.

Sometimes I mood really affects these reviews. I like iron and wine and the tallest man on earth so I like this style sometimes. But yesterday it was more “what’s this medieval bard shit?” Felt like a 2 yesterday but I’m sure in a different mood I could give it a 4 so I’m splitting the difference.

It's catchy......sad what happened to him though

Delightful melodies.

Gentle tonefull.. ja siinä se.. paljoa ei ole..

Absolute legend of a singer-songwriter. Love this record.

Very chill, I like it. Reminds me of Jason Mraz (but less poppy), Bowie (Nature Boy), Moody Blues (Nights in White Satin chorus, but not as dark/deep)

This is my favorite Nick Drake album. It's so beautifully arranged, so cozy and homely. Track for track perfection.

7/10 This is a rainy day album. drinking tea and putting you feet up. no stand out tracks, just nice mellow musings on the color gray. 4-9-2024

Definitely a mood, but it's just so good in a way I was not expecting.

Time Has Told Me // Riverman // Man In A Shed // Saturday Sun

Rugluð

I like nick drake but this didn’t stick as well for me: will try again

Basically the Holy Grail of chamber folk. This has to be one of the most unhateable albums of all time, right? I don't really see any reason anybody would dislike this. It's so pretty, yet so depressing at the same time. The more I listen to this one, the more I think it might actually be better than "Pink Moon". Hits hard at 1AM. By the way, extremely un-fun fact: Nick Drake died 5 years after this was released. He quite literally had five leaves left. Fuck.

Beautiful album!

very soothing and beautiful while also really sad and heartbreaking. i like it.

I think I'll say the same about Five Leaves Left as I did about Bryter Layter, which is that it's a nice sound for such sad content, and clearly skilled, just not my thing. This is a better album than that one, not really a fan of his singing style, but the composition of the work underneath is just lovely. Easy and high 3.

I preferred this to Bryter Later - not sure why, as there's not a huge amount of difference between them. I'm definitely not a paid up Nick Drake fan club member (it does get a bit too samey for me, and his voice is maybe a bit too ethereal to really cut), but this is still well worth a listen. Singer songwriter, quite floaty melodies, I think he's at his best when there's a bit more guitar and a bit less background strings tbh. Right at the top of the 3 category, could be a four but his voice just loses me a bit too much.

4.5. Absolute classic

Didn’t really listen to this properly but I mostly hated what I heard of it.

A baroque folk sad boi masterpiece.

Obra absolutamente imprescidible. El debut del malogrado Nick Drake es un disco eterno, por el que solo pasan los años para que suene cada vez mejor. Desapercibido en su día, tuvo su merecido reconocimiento en los años 90 cuando grupos como Belle and Sebastian reconocieron su enorme influencia. Editado en 1969 año de otros discazos como Abbey Road, Tommy, Nashville Skyline, Let it Bleed, The Stooges, dos de la CCR, dos de MC5, otros dos de Led Zeppelin, Hot Rats, In the Court of the Crimson King, Hot Rats, Trout Mask Replica, Ummagumma, Stand, Hot Buttered Soul, The Gilded Palace of Sin, el 3º de la VU, Dusty in Memphis, Elvis in Memphis, Odessa, otros debuts como los de Van der Graag Generator o Can... Los arreglos encajan a la perfección con la sedosa voz de Nick, las letras son palabras mayores y cualquier canción está por encima de la media de cualquier disco de los ya mencionados, con especial brillo los clásicos Fruit Free, Riverman o Day is Done...

This is really starting to become a slog now.

Peaceful but very samey

Plodded along. Not a fan of this kind of stuff and this wasn't the album to change my mind on it.

chill and peaceful and luckily i liked it enough that the lack of variety was fine.

Oh no! I'm so sorry but this didn't resonate with me very much. My life has not changed and the way I approach music has not elevated as a result of listening to this record. In all seriousness, I can appreciate the appeal of Nick Drake and this debut. It's a lot better than most folk music because it has more heart and emotion - coupled with some beautiful melodies and instrumentals. But like most folk music, it's just not for me. Besides Man in a Shed and its lovely piano, I don't see myself ever returning to this album.

I liked some of this album - it was very mellow.

Monotone and a tad boring

Not great

Only good song is the first one.

He has a unique sound and voice but this album wasn't very interesting to me

Very beautiful and somber

this is a very nice, pretty album that nonetheless made me feel nothing, somehow. i'm sorry nick!

my previous review of Bryter Layter from about 9 months ago: "this album was fine and pleasant background music. nothing here that i'd really seek out or revisit, personally. i had never heard of this guy before now and I'll probably forget his name in a week :\" applies perfectly again here now. though last time he got three stars and this time he gets two for not changing his schtick in the slightest. favorites: i guess the popular ones? river man, day is done, Saturday sun. they're all basically the same though

I didn't like this one as much as Pink Moon. I don't remember his other album on this list very well but I know I heard it. It was fine.

Boring 60s folk

a few really sweet songs!

The kind of album you need to sit and just listen to, it’s not background music. You have to listen to the lyrics and let the gentle sadness and emotions wash over you.

Not bad overall

I can't put my finger on how, but this one really hit deep with me. Instrumentals were fantastic and the songwriting kept me interested the whole time.

Absolutely fantastic. Great instrumentation and gripping vocals.

"Person playing acoustic guitar and singing" might be the world's most boring genre of music.

more a 3.5

This would be nice to sleep to

Truly lovely

Its sad but its solid folk

Confession: I think Nick Drake is pretty but dull

Solid but no Pink Moon. Highlight: River Man

I really liked this. It felt a lot older than it was. I could hear some Jim Croce influences even. This is a great album to keep in mind if I need something just happening in the background.

Not the Nick Drake album I find myself reaching for usually but you can’t really go wrong with any of his music.

I think this is a fine album, but not quite on the same level as his other two albums. Some great songwriting on here though, even if it is a little dreary.

One of the greatest "what if he had a chance at a full life"'s in music history. The 27 club gets a lot of attention, but the 26 club has taken its share of beautiful musicians from us as well. Nick Drake, Otis Redding, and Graham Parson all had their careers cut way too short. This is in my opinion, Drake's third best album, which unfortunately makes it his worst as well. But I prefer third best, because they are all amazing. Just a great fucking songwriter and musician. Fantastic melodic folk. Great listen!

Amazing artist and beautiful album. Although I slightly prefer pink moon more as an album, river man is one of my most favorite tracks of all time.

Fine

Love Nick Drake's voice, so soothing and serene

This made me appreciate nick drake. I will certainly come back to his albums so this is more of a placeholder score. Hauntingly beautiful!

Meh not bad

4.3

Nice little ideas. Sonically pleasing at times, especially the vocal. Great instrument playing. I feel like that I can’t really relate due to my age (24) and time. First notes reminded me of Chris Whitleys Album Dirt Floor I was introduced to earlier. Day Is Done sounds like it laid the foundation of Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. There is no specific song that got stuck in my head. My Takeaways: It is always nice to underline the main melody sung with an instrument following the same notes.

Better than pink moon for me, this album is a chamber-folk gem. Shorter than I wanted it to be. This one will be one heavy rotation for sure.

I hope this generator and list has introduced at least one person to Nick Drake. What an artist and another one gone too soon. Drake is a bit akin to Van Gogh in my eyes; as I understand it he never saw his songs reach the masses and didn’t get to experience the impact he has had on so many people. He’s an all time great songwriter even with his relatively limited output, and his words are near and dear to just about anyone who gives him a listen. I wish we could go back and tell him this.

Highlight: River Man In a nutshell: the muse of folk and chamber pop. Overall: 5/10

chill but kinda depressing

An absolute classic. My dad bought me this album for my sixteenth birthday, right before I moved across the world from my family to live with family friends for a few months. I listened to it nearly every day for years, but today I heard it for the first time in it's entirety since my early twenties and what a gift! Riverman, Fruit Tree, Cello Song -- all such gorgeous pieces of music. Nick Drake was a special soul. 5/5.

Nick Drake is one of those artists I loved from the first listen. Lots of great songs here ("River Man" is just a classic) and a few corny ones.

Yet another artist I've heard a lot about but haven't listened to until now. This feels like another end-of-the-day/wind down albums. There's some excellent orchestral arrangements, piano, and even vibraphone that give a little more oomph to the album. It's a bit slow for me overall, but the mellow sadness is quite beautifully haunting. Favorite tracks: River Man, Three Hours, Man in the Shed, Saturday Sun.

Enjoyed it quite a bit as far as music, lyrics and his voice. I’ve heard his songs before but I enjoyed the album and understanding that this is also his first album. I will listen to it more times.

I was looking forward to this as I knew nothing about ELO. However this was a disappointment, very uninspiring and little to distinguish between each track. Not overly offensive but not exciting either.

There’s something magical about Nick Drake. Suitable for any mood. The closing track Saturday Sun is amazing.

Uninspiring.

Nice Nick Drake album with some nice Nick Drake songs. You have to like Nick Drake songs to like this album, but I do which is fortunate.

Nick is definitely growing on me. Kind of interesting that this album is on the list when it’s the least famous and least good of his 3 albums IMO. This is real sad boy fall music, you gotta be in the right mood for it. Tough 3 near 4

I feel like i should like N. D. but for some reason i don’t. Idk if it’s his voice or what but i can just get into it. Even Pink Moon i thought was meh

Never heard of this but it was good!

honestly kind of boring, but he's hot so 3/5.

Mag ich.

Олд батт... голд? Не знаю. Прям очень просто, гитара под которую мужик завывает. На задний план хочется поставить костёр и пару коней. Эдакий беззаботный ковбойский привал Ой, пошёл river man и как-то стало приятно. Добавили струнные на задний план, такие пэды прям душевные. В целом приятно

Loved this. Don’t know why it hasn’t saved my rating from before

Class

I really believe some albums have magical powers. For example, this album can cause someone who’s just had three cups of coffee after a full night’s sleep to get extremely drowsy and almost drive off the road.

It's a "not for me, dawg," but I can certainly appreciate Drake's delicate vocals, introspective lyrics, and soft finger-picking fusion of folk, jazz, and baroque pop.

What started off as an unassuming album slowly draws you in until you're fully engrossed and sad that it's finished.

What is it that I'm missing about this guy? Why do people like him, why are there so many of his albums on this list?

Relaxing album. Sweet acoustic guitar.

Really liked this album, finally got past that Best Of collection and glad I did.

A diamond in the rough. What a treat

Second album for this artist, served up by this challenge. I can’t believe I had never heard of him before the 1001. He is such an amazing singer songwriter and I find his songs so emotionally engaging. Just beautiful. This dude, may be one of my favourite songwriters!

I loved this - I’d never heard of Nick Drake before starting this challenge and he’s such a gem. I can see myself coming back again and again

Listening time variable

perfect

- I can see the vibe, but it isn't for me

Fine. Nothing overly interesting, but then again I can’t say I paid massive attention to the lyrics first time round. 3/5

Pleasant but not very memorable

They're ok

Slow and boring.

4.3/5 Bae Nick Drake is back Best Track: Day is Done

He’s one of my heroes. I would always give 5.0 but this album is - although Provinz its very high aspirations - a rather slow, percussion-free meditation with great songs but to me not as shining as Bryter Layter or Pink Moon. Strong 3.9

I discovered Nick Drake pretty late in my life, but he's become one of my favourite artists when it comes to getting that specific mood of just tinkering about outside in a garden during fall, or talking a walk in the woods. I don't think this is his best record, but it's still quite good. All songs hold a high bar and adheres to the same formula and follows the same red line. The album opens very strong with 'Time Has Told Me' and 'River Man', where the former is my favourite song on the record. Even though the quality is even, I'm lacking a bit more "hits" to warrant a higher rating. I think a weak or dead on middle 4 feels reasonable here.

If cozy could be an album this would be it. Such a relaxing listen. I've listened to it a few times before and always enjoyed it although not many of the songs have that real "oumph" that make the songs stand out. The exception to this is "Man in a Shed' which I have enjoyed for a long time. Both the voice and the guitar playing are really great. Listening to the whole album i think the album is better than the sum of its parts and deserves a 4.

Loved it, although I will admit that I probably would have loved anyy album after riding 15 inches of blower pow in jackson hole

Probably my favorite record yet. He's a great guitar player and I enjoyed all the supporting instrumentation (cheeky upright bass). The album had a distinct vibe.

I really enjoyed this album. The instrumentation was varied and the songs were heartfelt. I had never heard of Nick Drake before and will be exploring his music more. My favorite song is Cello Song. I'm going to start rating albums out of 10 in these comments. 8/10.

I liked a few of the songs, but it's more of a background album and trying to listen to it with singleminded focus might have hurt its chances with me. River Man sounds like an old movie soundtrack.

I love Nick Drake when I'm in the mood for him. Very talented and sad that he got a cult following after his death. Great background music for a rainy day. Favorite Songs: Three Hours and Cello Song Least Favorite Songs: Way To Blue

Not my vibe. Some interesting moments, but overall nothing memorable. 2/5

Right off I could tell that the recording/production on this one was great. Fantastic acoustic guitar sound is the first thing you hear. Great voice as well. Kind of a low-key album that's sort of a downer in a lot of ways. I like it. Listen to this on a rainy day on good headphones or a good sound system, not on little computer speakers and not on a phone. I think a lot of the brilliance of this album is just in the way it is recorded and how all the parts work together so well. I also never really realized what a great guitar player he was. Maybe I just never really paid attention before but his playing on this record at least was fantastic. I wonder why he never gets mentioned in the same breath as Paul Simon? It would be interesting to see what he would have done had he not died so young. The folk/folk-pop/folk-rock genre from this time was relatively short-lived and I feel like he may have gone on to more experimental things. All in all, this is a stellar album. Maybe not a 10/10 but good enough for a 5/5 because 4/5 is not enough.

I want to like this more because it's giving me some Dave Matthews Band vibes, which I love, but this is just mediocre. "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" and "Saturday Sun" are fantastic songs, but the rest kind of blended together. Not terrible as an album, but just okay.

Solo traveler music. Nice to see other people were not traveling through middle earth at this time

Roligt og lækkert, akustisk, originalt

Never heard of him before but was confused he was not nick cave

Okayish, slow

Nick Drake is so very peaceful, but not to listen to during the day. It just makes me depressed Top tracks: ‘ Cello Song, Saturday Sun

I enjoyed this one, but definitely like Pink Moon a lot more.

Perfect background music on a lazy Sunday.

Excellent. I will like to listen to another album of his.

Very pretty folk songs.

# Playlist track - Man in a Shed # Notes - Never heard of him before, nor about his story. - Cool album, ended up listening to it 2 or 3 times in a row. - Definitely coming back to it in the future.

Fine

heartbreaking and comforting at the same time.

I can appreciate the artistry, but it's just not for me.

It's a shame we didn't get more from this talented song writer

Beautiful guitars and melodies.

I enjoyed this. His voice and guitar are warm and gentle, the songs are tinged with wistfulness and melancholia. I imagine this must've been quite a change of pace when compared to popular albums at the time. River Man was the stand-out track for me, I found that I was paying more attention because of it. That being said, I don't know that it's something I'll listen to again in a hurry.

nice guitar playing, very mellow folk sounds, not my style but i understand why this is possibly loved by many

Melancholy ramblings for the hobo in your life.

very pretty little album. i really liked all the songs i heard. it's soft. it's quiet. it's... it's the musical equivalent of a lovely little garden. the guitars and the occasional strings really add to the experience i feel... straight music therapy, both happy and sad. this man went through a lot... they say he was the van gogh of music. it's unfortunate because you can hear that. in his voice.

Love Nick Drake. This album is described as English folk but somehow that doesn’t quite get to it. The orchestrations are rich and sometimes unexpected. His guitar sound borders on classical. Once you hear his voice, you’ll recognize it anywhere. Remarkable musician. 4.3

I was only familiar with the Pink Moon album, which is very sparse and unformed. A full band/orchestration really serves his music. Solid album and sounds very fresh for 1969. I can see why his navel-gazer approach was rediscovered in the 90s. 4.0

Very folksy.

Good guitar playing.

Not bad, but nothing exciting

2.3 per track.

SO goood man, if it wasn't for Pink Moon, this would be his best. Rip my sweet, sweet angel.

Utterly soothing acoutstic instrumentation. All the musicians put together for these compositions were on the same page. Drake's voice was solid but did not go too crazy either, which kept the tone calm. I was a big fan of the ' Cello Song and Fruit Tree.

It's definitely easy listening for sure, but maybe a bit too boring at times. The instrumentals are really relaxing and good, but I felt Drake's pretty monotone voice paired with them made me uninterested in what was going on at times.

Beautiful and haunting. Each song feels meticulously crafted and a chock full of emotion. This is the first album out of the 20 or so ever viewed that I'm actually glad to have discovered. It's interesting that Nick Drake is categorized as folk/rock. Doesn't seem to be anything rock about it except the guitar.

Too slow

meh

Album 322 of 1001 Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left Rating : 3.50 / 5 Such a pleasant album. Several songs seem like they could be the soundtrack for some feel good movie where everything is jus A-OK. Just right for those quiet meditative moments. Great artist. Gone way too soon.

I was shocked to learn this was a debut album. It’s unbelievably beautiful, and sounds so mature seems just as important as Bob Dylan and other folk artist from that time.

El debut del trágico Nick Drake marca la pauta de lo que será el sonido del resto de su carrera: Un sonido folk casi incomparable que marcaría la pauta del folk-indie de los artistas que le precedieron. Un espectacular LP, que aún tiene espacio para mejoras y que llegará a culminar con Pink Moon.

Waaaaaay ahead of his time.

I'm a bit cross that Nick Drake is so popular now. In 1992 at Gatwick Airport as I walked past HMV, I heard some familiar sounding music I loved but didn't recognise. I went and asked, remarking that it sounded like John Martyn. The guy said "It's Nick Drake, John Martyn wrote Solid Air about him". I bought the album there and then. That was Pink Moon and I've been a fan ever since. For about 10 years he was 'mine' but, inevitably, the rest of the world found him too and spoiled my secret. These days I cycle past his beautiful family home in Hampton-in-Arden regularly. Five Leaves Left ranks joint second with Bryter Layter - Pink Moon stands above them both and is one of the greatest achievements in rock. But all three are fantastic and I'd be happy just to listen to this forever - though I don't like some of the unnecessary orchestrations.

Jeg har hørt der lidt før. Kunne ikke overskue det kl 5 i morges, men jeg nød det senere på eftermiddagen.

Jeg troede kun jeg kendte Nick Drake af navn. Men River Man har jeg hørt før. Måske Simme har spillet den 🤔 Der er virkelig meget luft i stemmen. At lytte til den bliver en hel fysisk oplevelse hvor jeg kan mærke Drakes stemme lægge sig omkring min krop og trænge ind. Melodisk og stemningsmæssigt er albummet melankolsk grænsende til deprimeret. Det formidler et menneske smerte mesterligt.

Nick Drake always sounds like he's singing out of a snorkel at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Time has told me, this is an incredible album. How he made such a full album at a young age, I’ll never know.

Better than Bryter Layter in my opinion, I remember correctly this one is more interesting and diverse musically. Liked the Cello Song and Three hours, do think his voice gets slightly repetitive and there shouldn't be 3 Nick Drake albums on this list. With that said... this one's pretty good.

Yes, Nick Drake on a Sunday. Winning. Saturday Sun is one of the best songs ever.

Smooth and good night time before bed listen

J'hais assez de genre là de guitare/voix. Non merci.

definitely not for me

Such a beautiful melancholy album. The arrangements are simple and timeless comprising in the most part of Nick Drake’s voice and an acoustic guitar.

Turns out I really like Nick Cave. His voice is incredible! The album is from 1969, but *most* of it sounds like it could have been early 90s - which shows both the timelessness of his sound and how influential he is to musicians like Elliot Smith and Jeff Buckley. The voice is the star here. The guitar and piano are set up softly enough to be adequate support for Drake to showcase his unique singing style. On several songs it sounds like he has an orchestral backing, and the strings pair beautifully with his voice, creating a lush, haunting soundscape.

Incredibly gorgeous album, without a flaw. I prefer the stripped down sound of Pink Moon, but this album is absolutely its equal in depth and quality. Melancholy, dreamy and elegantly arranged, with contemplative vocals and a rich use of instrumentation that's never heavy handed or distracting. Drake's acoustic playing is beautifully expressive and Richard Thompson's appearance on the opening track was a lovely surprise. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Three Hours, River Man, Way to Blue, Day Is Done, Saturday Sun, The Thoughts of Mary Jane, Man in a Shed, Time Has Told Me, 'Cello Song, Fruit Tree

Good musicianship. Sweet guitar and vocals. A bit too depressing for a depressed guy

beautiful, unique in its choices, creative and soulful sound in a way that feels effortless. My fav from him. River Man especially gets me everytime

My Nico- baroque freak folk loving ass would’ve loved this in college if I didn’t hate men… at least I’m much more level headed now

I like the singing and acoustics. Reminds me of Johnny Cash. 2.45

each nick drake album means something to me. used to be the only cd i had in my car so if i ever ran out of phone battery this is what i'd listen to. reminds me of driving very tired across somerset after dropping an ex-lover off at glastonbury festival with the sun going down in front of me.

Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left showcases his beautiful voice and heartfelt lyrics, inspiring many in the folktronica genre. However, I found the album a bit repetitive and lacking variety. While Drake's sad story adds to the album's allure, others like Fairport Convention and John Martyn offer more diverse sounds and expand upon the folk genre. Overall, Five Leaves Left is a classic, but it may not excite everyone. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 1 STAND OUT TRACK - Time Has Told Me

very nice liste, really enjoyed the chords and the instrumentation. This guy's going places

The highs are very high. A little inconsistent but overall definitely worth a listen.

Beauty

I LOVE THIS ALBUM! Such a great vibe for studio time and any other time you want to feel expansive and contemplative.

8.5 relax

Genre: Folk Pop Instruments: 4/5 Modern Translation: 3/5 Dance Potential: 1/5 Listening Location: Sydney airport Heard it before: No Favourite Song: ‘ Cello Song Made me feel: relaxed and upbeat. Would listen again.

My favourite Nick Drake album. "Three Hours" is probably his most impressive, hypnotizing guitar playing and "Cello Song" is just perfect. Great flow to the tracklist and perhaps the greatest acoustic guitar tone ever recorded.

Beautifully played and produced album. Will revisit.

There's nothing else like Nick Drake. While this isn't, in my opinion, his best or most famous record, it's a five even by its title...

First listen to this, didn’t hit me as hard as Pink Moon. Probably deserves multiple listens.

Oh Nick Drake. I think he's got a song on the Garden State soundtrack. Yep One of These Things First. But it's not on this album. Just recognized his voice. I don't know not really my bag. I'm giving it a 3.

Finally! A melancholy album! 😂 I enjoyed it. Perfect beginning to the day. His guitar playing is exceptional. His voice is smooth and rich. admittedly, I didn’t pay much attention to the words this first go round. It was a tad sappy at times but I didn’t mind too much.