Five Leaves Left

Fav: The Thoughts Of Mary Jane Least Fav: Cello Song

Nice quiet bit of acoustic guitar... I hadn't heard of Nick drake, but it is something to listen to in quiet moments..

It might have come before? but reminds me of Bell and Sebastian. Nice but very mello. Maybe my next Sunday morning listen

I found it boring.

Nick Drake is the GOAT singer/song writer. This isn't his best album, he had some developing to do, but it's a great indicator of things to come.

Little too sleepy for my tastes. Most the songs were far too similar too.

I want to like this more than I actually like it. Nice tone, great guitar work, just not very memorable songs.

Kinda boring. Lots of the same.

He’s the best. Maybe the best signing voice

Nick Drake is so damn good.

GAD that is a good album. Man in a Shed is one of my faves by him. Wish he lived long enough to play for us at folk fest.

95/100

god this album was all i'd listen to when i was 15 on the bus home from school i truly believe nick drake can do no wrong

This is probably the weakest of the three albums Nick Drake put out. It's still incredibly good, just not quite as developed as the later material. I'm loathe to mark it down, especially when it has Fruit Tree and Thoughts of Mary Jane on it, but it feels more like a 4 star album than a 5 star one. But hey, it also has River Man, which is one of my favourite tracks by Nick Drake. Who am I kidding, this is another 5 star album for sure.

I knew I hated this the moment the first track started

🥱

Nice enough but not his best

I actually really enjoyed it despite not being a very folky person .. I’d say 3.5 some of the songs are so heartbreaking

Lovely

A formative album from my teenage years that I’ve not listened to much recently. River man is an eternal favourite of mine.

Folk No! Such 60’s era nonsense. Pretentious, acid fueled sleep sounds. Hangman missed the mark here.

I didn't think I would dig it, but it's pretty good. Might have hit at the right time while I was working. I'll give it a 3.8ish

Heard this before still don’t like it that much

Less pop than the last one. Still good, just mellower.

I’ve been off the album train for the past week ish and this got me back on. A few songs from this album have been in my recent rotation so I was excited to listen to the album in its entirety and it did not disappoint. Was really great to sit outside and work to.

Quite a pleasant way to spend my Monday morning, if not particularly unique. 8/10

8/10 - I do not know what it is about Nick Drake where the more I listen to it the significantly more I like his music. Like as the album goes on every song becomes great. I really compared this to the Joni Mitchell album since I feel like they are trying to fit the same niche and I think Nick Drake just does better on all accounts. His voice is nicer to listen to and his instrumentals are significantly better. Thoughts of Mary Jane and Man In A Shed both show his amazing instrumentals.

Another easy 5

Nick has a fine vocal tune, but it seems that sometimes he can't sing and play along at the same time. The guitar lines are well worked. The orchestra fits well in the songs, giving it an extra boost.

Meh

80/100 1969. This could come out today and I wouldn't bat an eye. Incredible.

Low-tempo, relaxing, serene and calming. Very folksy, but a very nice listen for the ears. The vocals are a warms and welcoming accompaniment to the already-chill music.

This is an album that goes beyond star ratings. Such a rare talent. A delicate magic. Poetry put to the most exquisite music. I think of Nick Drake as a bird singing in a cage: trapped by the ugliness of the world, yet setting us free. This is music for the soul ... The Thoughts of Mary Jane makes me cry every time I hear it. Nick Drake is a ray of hope: all the terrible things people do, the state of the planet, but we must remember that the human soul is capable of beauty such as this. More souls like this, please.

I bought the NME every week in the late 80s/early 90s and a name kept popping up in interviews. Robert Smith mentioned him a lot, then Paul Weller, but I never heard or bought any Nick Drake records. Then about 15 years ago I heard 'Northern Sky' on the radio while driving home one evening, the sun setting, and I still remember the moment. He became a favourite in the house and was played a lot (!) but not so much recently so it's great to listen to this again in full. It's a beautiful album, a haze of hushed words, gorgeous folk guitar and jazz bass. An underlying sadness is clear from the start, 'a troubled cure for a troubled mind', but this only adds to the emotion of it all. He worked with great musicians, there is so much feeling in every word and note, it's so sad that he wasn't more widely recognised in his lifetime. Favourite track: 'Three Hours' is incredible

Such a funny experience having a focused listen of an album I’ve heard in passing for my whole life! Makes me think of Lentil Pie 🥧 Maybe nostalgia attached to my enjoyment, but music is all about that right? Feel like I’m out by a campfire in the woods with this one, with the light slowly fading. Favourite track: Time Has Told Me

Edit: Had to update this review after I first wrote it. Wow. I am blown away. My life feels richer for having Nick Drake’s music in it. He was remarkable. — How beautiful are the lyrics. Each song is a perfectly sculpted story. Lyrically the best album we’ve had on this list so far - I was reading along while I listened and it’s pure poetry. Intricate acoustic guitar and nice supporting instrumentation. Quite a lovely sounding album, and one that I’ve heard a lot over the years thanks to mum! Very much a ‘Sunday’ album for me, will always remind me of dinner lunch :) I went on a bit of a Nick Drake binge and listened to each of his albums on repeat over the weekend. Each one is brilliant. Incredibly tragic that he passed away at 26 without knowing how many people his work would touch one day. Fruit Tree manages to predict his fate and legacy with eerie accuracy. Truly the Van Gogh of music. Favourite tracks: Fruit Tree, The Thoughts Of Mary Jane, Time Has Told Me

Nick Drake is another artist like Leonard Cohen with an intimidating reputation. Unlike Cohen, he died at the tragically young age of 26 only having sold 4000 copies in total of his albums. This debut album is simply produced folk, focusing on guitar and vocals with some restrained strings and percussion on some of the tracks. Lyrically, there are no prizes for guessing what the track ‘Memories of Mary Jane’ is about. Highpoint is a song about sheds!

This is really quiet, carefully chiseled folk. There are nice guitar parts, but it globally lacks of dynamics, for both the melodies and the voice. And I find the voice particularly dull, it lacks power, grit, something to make it more interesting.

Like a lot I was never aware of Nick Drake during his lifetime. It was only after his death and then quite a lot of time after that before I heard mentions of him in musical circles and in particular his album Pink Moon. Once I did learn of him I was hooked as his type of gentle folk music appeals very much to me. This album I do not know as well as Pink Moon but now having listened to it in full I have to conclude that I like it more or at least as much as Pink Moon. Every song is a winner for me particularly those with string accompaniments. A real joy and one wonders what Nick would have gone onto if his life didn’t end tragically so early. 5/5 5/7/24

#46 - Mellow and pleasant, but didn't particularly speak to me

This is a pretty okay folk album that I will never remember listening to ever again. Nothing really stands out. It’s good for like. Taking a nap in the sun? And that’s it

I’d never heard of Nick Drake before. I admit my hopes weren’t high with this being an album from ‘69 in the UK, but, wow, it’s fantastic. It’s beautiful and timeless - the instrumentals really shine here, and the lyrics are lovely, too. So happy to have come across this. I’ve been feeling a bit burnt out after the past several albums, but this reminded me that there are still gems that make the endeavor worthwhile. Even though I’m shying away from giving a full 5 stars this time, I’ll definitely come back to this album and artist. Favorite tracks: River Man, Three Hours, Day is Done, Fruit Tree

pretty good

I much prefer is newer work but it is Nick Drake nonetheless.3 stars

I love Nick Drake. He’s an amazing songwriter. But this album isn’t quite 5-star for me. I actually don’t love all the arrangements - too much saccharine strings going on.

Higher quality folk than previous albums on here. Meandering, nice, but not really for me

A bit boring.

This one was a bit bland.

Liked this a lot. A Leonard Cohen, Simon and Garfunkel contemporary

The instrumentation on this is pretty class, but that's all I really liked about it

Soft and soothing, although it feels so very beige.

Fine

Like most everyone I came to this retrospectively and it’s been hailed a classic. I can appreciate the art and the production and the wonderful musicians present but as a whole I don’t really connect with this album (only particular songs) so it gets 4/5 rather than the obligatory 5/5.

some good songs will come back to it.

Honestly, this album is pretty incredible. I hadn't heard anything from Nick Drake before, but the depth of composition on these tracks is impressive, his voice is great, and the album is well structured. I feel like this will be a common rotation for me going forward. 4.5/5 -> 5/5

Love Nick Drake! Not sure if this is better than Pink Moon but the rich instrumentation surely does its job to assist the unique but sometimes a bit limited singing style of Drake. The lyrics are melancholic, reaching, never whimsical.

A must have.

3.5/5, There's good stuff on here, lyrics, songwriting and sometimes so interesting instrumentation but overall it's just not for me

s.s., 1969 -> 2

underbart mysigt 😍😍❤️ Verkligen fint från början till slut. Väldigt emotionellt och rörande, kommer nog lyssna mer Bästa låt: cello song

Bra album, mysiga låtar, men inget jättespeciellt Bästa låtar: Thoughts of Mary Jane, Man in a shed

Wonderfully emotional and beautiful, a revelation for me. five stars for five leaves

gehört ja, aber nicht in erinnerung geblieben.

Ruhige Platte mit netten Lieder.

A pretty solid singer songwriter album. Very gentle, doesn't strike my fancy.

I thought I was going to hate this but this was way better than I expected. This is what Bob Dylan is supposed to be. The songwriting is not incredibly complicated but it's complex enough to be interesting; whether Nick knew it or not he was touching esoteric bits of music theory with his songwriting and he actually knew how to perform it, on tape anyway. You can hear the influence of classical music in nearly every song, with subtle hints to the Baroque masters like Handel and Vivaldi evident in the suspended chords and key changes. His voice isn't annoying like so many other singer/songwriters and you can feel the emotion when he sings. The incorporation of strings in to so many of his songs feels right and unforced. I liked this way more than I should have. I'll have to give his other records a listen.

I knew I would hate this from looking at the album cover.

70s experimental orchestral folk

River man is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard

Really great opening, captivating and soft. After two very aggressive sounding records this is a breath of fresh air.

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.