Five Leaves Left

Nope. Way too nerd folk

Three Hours is nice

More of a Bryter Layter guy, but still very lovely

First album! I had heard of Nick Drake but never really listened to him. While I listened I read a bit of a Wiki article on him which was a bummer but gave some good background to his music. This album is calm, atmospheric and reminiscent. ‘Cello Song’ is my favourite song on this album. I’ll be sure to check out more of his stuff.

Amazing, soft folk with amazing instruments

This is an album where I really feel how hard certain biases have imprinted themselves onto me. I appreciate his songwriting, the new ideas he brings to the singer/songwriter format and the influence this had on culture as a whole - however, I personally am very rhythm influenced and found myself not able to engage with his work on the level that I would've liked. It's a classic in a genre that I've never really taken to, so my rating is less about his individual work and more about where it fits in for me.

Sort of thing you have to be in the mood for. Not something I usually am, but it has a pleasing sound and dynamic. Maybe save for a rainy day.

There is something almost mystical about the ability of northern Atlantic folk singers of the sixties to distract audiences so completely with pretentious poetry that no one seemed to notice how utterly uninteresting the music was. It is no small feat to make an entire album of music devoid of energy and excitement. Is unadulterated earnestness enough to make music interesting? No. It is not.

Pleasant listening. First song, Time Has Told Me, made it onto a chill playlist of mine. The rest of the album passed me by like a lazy river. Maybe a 3.5 since the album seems forgettable to me, but I liked it.

Ahead of his time

Very good recording, big soundstage, smooth songs, but a little too „easy“. Sound often like Simon& Garfunkel. His voice is too equal to all songs, no tempo, passion. But a record I will buy, if i come across a good copy

Calming album. I really enjoyed Man In A Shed

Folk music, most if not all songs sound the same. Meh

Easy listening. Anything spectacular? No. All brilliant tracks to have on in the background? Yes.

Slightly Sad. Thought provocation music. Nice vocals. Ever need to think? Listen to this loud! I picture a solo drive through the country in the fall on multicolored leave covered roads.

Cosy folk arrangements

Solide, un peu daté mais efficace !

Cello song is perhaps my favorite track from Nick Drake, but on the whole I still prefer Pink Moon to this one. Five Leaves is hauntingly beautiful, but a bit morbid. Some of Drake’s later work is a bit bryter

left very little impression on me

4/10, 40%

Fantastic. Favourite songs were Saturday Sun, Cello Song, Time Has Told Me, and The Ballad of Mary Jane.

Listen before you know the history of this artist.

This reminded me of a minstrel walking through the woods. Also thought the strings were kind of a bridge to the 1950s

big chill and rainy day vibes. kind of like the non-jazz side of john martyn. most songs were 4 stars but a couple were lesser so entire album gets 3

79 days in, and this is the first album I’ve gotten that I’d already heard before. Although I prefer Pink Moon, this is still an amazing album. One can only wonder what Nick Drake might have gone on to do had this album been a success.

I've become familiar with Nick Drake's other albums over the years and enjoy listening to them on occasion (mostly Pink Moon). I hadn't gotten around to this one and was excited to give it a listen. I wasn't really vibing with this until Three Hours came on. The instrumentation is really amazing. I definitely need to spend more time with this.

Ballades tranquilles, un peu trop à mon goût même. Musique de sieste.

Not really my kind of genre, but sounds ahead of its time. Could have been released 10-20 years ago and I would not have been surprised. Great acoustic guitar playing, voice is okay. Maybe if put into regular rotation, the songs and his voice will grow on me.

Enjoyed the album, kind of a sad feel but it seems his life was rather sad and saddens took him young.

Three Hours is good. Complex. Drake's vocals on Fruit tree are incredible, and neither the strings nor oboe overpower the song. Saturday Sun is a great closer.

cried multiple times while listening to this, learning more about nick drake through later searches just made it even more emotionally potent. i normally don't listen to folk music, but this album is undeniably special. this definitely isnt something you could listen to every day or have in regular rotation, but god is it good. i cant wait to listen to the rest of his discography. rest in peace nick drake.

solid chill nick drake album

Too depressing for me, but I thought it was good quality.

I'd heard of Nick Drake but never actually listened to anything by him. What a pleasant surprise. I liked this album a lot; the arrangements were really nice. Particularly liked Three Hours, Cello Song. Edit: in a rare exception I'm coming back and editing the score for this from four to five; I've listened to it many times in the last three years, and my appreciation for it has only grown.

5/10. Something of a snoozer, but not unpleasant. I could see myself enjoying this in an alternate timeline

This was a nice listen, but Nick Drake hadn’t quite unlocked his most melancholic/haunting vibes yet. 7/10

Pleasant, but not really my kind of music. I do appreciate the strings though.

Það er svo ótrúlega þægilegt og kósí haust í þessari plötu. Fullkomin fyrir árstímann.

I felt like a lot of his songs sounded the same, either with a riverboat jaunty feel or an Evangeline feel. Favorite song was definitely Day is Done

This album surprised me. From the start, his voice was so soothing. I almost fell asleep. And the instrumental parts were so beautiful, too. Way To Blue's strings were just AH! He does a lot of chord progressions that remind me of like baroque music where it switches between the relative majors and minors. Overall, I love this album. I think I'll listen to a few of the songs again but it would have to be on a slow and rainy day.

Self-important 60s folk. Nothing special. 2/5

Zzz...zzz...

Definitely the iconic 60's sound; nothing unique or engaging for me.

Plods along wearily.

Folk. 60s folk.

Easy listening, nice guitar, enjoyable

Fort bon album. Je ne connaissais que <i>Riverman</i> et <i>Day is done</i> dessus, mais tout l'ensemble est de très bonne facture. Un peu trop doux et autosimilaire pour être parfait en tant qu'album entier cependant.

J'avais un a priori négatif sur Nick Drake que je ne connais pas trop, je pensais que ça allait être plan-plan et pas très énergique. C'est tout ça mais ça reste pas mal. Gagne sans doute à être réécouté, et à être dans le mood mélancolique, mais je sauvegarde pour plus tard

Nice, soft, contemplative singer-songwritery stuff. A bit drug tinged, which is par for the course in this era. Some major-minor switching gave some songs a Beatlesy touch. It was largely an album for the background though, no real changes of pace to make you listen more closely. A solid 3.

"Exactly the same as my thoughts on Bryter Layter. Just kind of gives up at some point. Preferred this less". These were my initial thoughts. I gave the album a second listen, and I had a much more enjoyable time. Intricate melodies, warm sound, and slow. Three Hours (can't go wrong with an extended instrumental break) and Saturday Sun were particularly memorable. A nice album.

I listened to this twice when we first had it and I couldn't decide what I thought of it. Listening to Syd Barrett today made me think of this, they obviously share some similarities in mental health issues as well in sound. This has a dream like quality to it, which I do like. Took me a few listens but I think I've decided this is very good! Highlights: Time has told me River man Day is done Fruit tree (perhaps the most Syd Barrett like) Saturday sun I think I'll go back and listen to bryter layter again!

Un gran artista nick drake, este su album debut, esta muy bueno deberia apreciarse mas. 8/10

I had never heard of Nick Drake before 5 leaves left was recommended to me. So let me start by saying that the album title is fitting because listening to this thing is about as entertaining as watching the leaves fall off an autumn tree until there are only 5 left. I get why people like this as it's not all bad. Songs like 3 Hours, Day is Done, Cello Song, Fruit Tree and Saturday Sun while not making any playlist of mine are "ok" enough. But then you have stuff like Way to Blue which is almost pretentious in how depressing it is. I guess Nick Drake was manically depressed to the point where somedays he couldn't even walk or speak. So I get why it exists but, damn man... Bands who make emo music can take a real lesson from this dude on what real depression sounds like. All in all Its a pretty forgettable collection of songs that I won't be returning to, nor will I even remember after shoving a fistful of Xanax down my throat now that it's over. I'll give it a 3 star rating but its actually 2.5 Stars.

I generally gravitate towards more upbeat or faster paced music, but I do appreciate good folk music. This is relaxing, dark, moody but beautiful, and flows nicely. One of my favorite tracks from this album is ‘Cello Song! Worthy of this list for sure!

Fantastic album.

not a huge fan of folk so eh

love nick drake so guy

honestly i thought this was incredible, i kept craving a climax but I'm glad that if anything a musical climax didn't come but multiple emotional climaxes came in its stead. i really enjoyed this, felt at times the style didn't appeal to me perfectly so that's why it's not a 5 but it kept me pretty actively listening for 40 minutes and made me say "wow" multiple times, emotionally a masterpiece imo. would give 4.5 stars if this thing would let me.

So sad!

i mean sure... 7/10

Not bad. The lyrics and instrumentals are good, but no song seems distinct to me. It was good for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Favorite Song: #6 Recommend: If you're a fan of folk, sure. It's worth a passing glance.

Great album, I have only listened to Pink Moon previous to this but I love the way Nick Drake makes music that is only him and a guitar with additional sounds like children laughing and birds flying in the background.

Simple arrangements (some very subtle additions to his acoustic guitar) are juxtaposed with the depth at which you feel the songs. This would be a great album to listen to as the nights get longer and the air develops a chill in the air. While I think this album is classified as folk, it's different from the folk albums my parents were listening to in the 70s (i.e. CSN, John Denver, Dan Fogelberg, etc.). This is darker, deeper poetry.

Each of the albums Nick Drake left us are a little piece of perfection. Such a shame that he wasn't appreciated in his own time, and a shame he had so little time to share his genius. And at the same time I'm thankful we have what remains that we do. RIP Nick P.S.: Learned from his Wiki that The Cure got their name from the line "a troubled cure for a troubled mind" from Time Has Told Me. An interesting connection I never knew about!

2/5 Best: Day Is Done Worst: Man in a Shed

Flat. Forget now.

Truly a hidden gem. Had never heard of Nick Drake, but I really enjoyed this album. Saturday Sun sounds like an early version of a smooth jazz song you'd hear today - def a bit ahead of his time. Much more like an 80's/90's singer/songwriter than one from the late 60's/early 70's. A really nice listening experience.

Really pretty and soothing.

Loved the strings. Surprised I’ve never heard of this guy and very sad to learn he died young. Production value was high.

Bit depressing

Je ne me suis rendu compte qu'à la dernière piste qu'il s'agissait de Nick Drake et non de Nick Cave, sur qui j'avais basé toute ma critique. Puisque il s'agit de Drake, je tiens à dire que j'attends toujours qu'il prenne sa vie en main et qu'il arrête de nous chialer dans les oreilles. Les choses auraient sans doute été différentes s'il avait rencontré les Bad Seeds avant Nick Cave. Nul n'en saura jamais rien.

Je suis très fan de ce brave Nick Drake, et me retrouve ravi d'enfin retrouver un de ses albums sur Spotify. Si mon camarade d'écoute robgueguerre s'avise d'emettre la moindre nouvelle critique à son encontre, c'est à moi qu'il aura affaire.

Очень теплая умиротворяющая музыка. Под пасмурную погоду приятно было такое слушать. 4 звезды.

Fine but forgettable

Lovely vocals but boring AF

A unique voice and enjoyable melodies

thanks I hate it

Before starting this journey, I always thought singer-songwriter was one of my favourite genres. It turns out, that's not really true. Anyway, I can see why this album is on the list. It's well done and extremely pleasant, it's just not really my jam.

Big fan of Pink Moon but I never really gave Five Leaves Left a shot. This album is also excellent. However, I'm not a fan of the kerning between the capital A and the capital V in the cover. Ouch!

First listen Saved 6/10 Top track: River Man

Has the same beautiful, pastoral, folky sound but the songs felt less developed than what he went on to do on Bryter Layter

Relaxing, woodland folky. The music meanders gently. A nice listen. His lisp was distracting a handful of times though

Intimate and charming, I found it more captivating than his later albums. Great arrangements, virtuose guitar. Highlights: River Man, Three Hours

C'était bien

moi aussi nick il me reste que 2,5 leaves .......... 😔

I love a couple Nick Drake songs but this album was more boring than I had hoped it would be

The king of the mope.

Wow, this album is so timeless. It could have been released yesterday and still be so great. River Man is easily my favourite. I look forward to exploring this album further.

Sublime - just, absolutely lovely. 😻 Fave track - "River Man" is maybe my favourite Nick Drake tune overall. "Cello Song" stood out to me this time through, too...

Dunno

Drake's too melancholy for my taste, but I respect him. I wouldn't seek out anything on this album, but it was pleasant enough to have on in the background.

I must've been in the mood for this because I found this relaxing & enjoyable 3.5 stars

Fine for background music, but not when you're trying to stay awake.

A really great and relaxing album. It would be great to have on while in the bath or having a heart attack as it might help relax you enough to stop it.

Another one on this list that's been lovely to revisit. Gorgeous instrumentals and an autumnal mood.

Top 3: River Man - Way To Blue - Day Is Done

ALERT: This album is not everybody's thing. "Three Hours" and "Day is Done" are great.

Very nice for a chilled Sunday. I enjoyed listening to it a lot.

3.8

I think this has been my favorite Nick Drake so far. A solid listen for a walk.

A prodigious debut for Nick Drake. This is minimal music at its best. Sad and beautiful at the same time. While the later releases may be better, this is an incredibly high bar.

Another depressed singer-songwriter singing sad songs.

DEPRESSING!!!! The strings added nice flourishes but this was pretty tough for me to get through if I'm being honest. I'll give him a 3 for benefit of the doubt.

I had never listened to a whole Nick Drake album. There was more humor than I expected, but also the pathos and sadness that I expected. Really good.

Betty said she prayed today For the sky to blow away Or maybe stay She wasn't sure

Nick Drake's Pink Moon is one of my favorite albums. I feel like I've listened to this one too, but not nearly as much. Nick Drake is such a sad story of a ridiculously talented person with a troubled soul, who released great music, but never got to see it receive the recognition or impact that it had. I shouldn't be surprised, and yet I still find it hard to believe this is the work of a 21 year old. The music has a certain depth to it that seems better fit to someone with more lived experience. Three Hours is an early standout. Beautiful, sparse arrangement with cascading fretwork and Drake's haunting vocals floating over top. I didn't pay attention to discrete songs too much, but love the environment that Nick Drake builds on this album. Lot of different textures, all enjoyable. 5 / 5

Never heard of Nick Drake before. Great intro song; love me some folky jams in the morning. Overall a nice easy listening album that I really enjoyed. I would definitely listen to this one again, but mostly as background music. Good job, Nick Drake!

I would never guess that this album was from 1969, it sounds like it is from 2009. The guitar work is incredible. Reading about him is very interesting. He did not play live shows or do any interviews which is likely why he did not get much recognition. The songs and songwriting reflect his personality. No particular song stood out to me, but the album as a whole was very enjoyable.

Oh hell yeah Nick Drake. I've only listened to his album Pink Moon before but that was incredible. Very peaceful music. Sucks he was so depressed but you can kinda hear it through his music. Man never got to know how popular his music got. The strings in River Man are a perfect backdrop. Just can't stop thinking of how beautiful these songs are after Thoughts of Mary Jane. Plus flute! New fav instrument! Love that you can hear the stand up bass on some songs too. Especially Man in a Shed. Love the jazzy ending with the xylophone and bass. This album is so melancholy I love it. There's just so much emotion behind it. RIP tell a friend you love them today.

Smooth and easy listening. I can see the appeal but not sure this one was for me.

I admit I prefer the sparseness of Pink Moon to the more orchestral backing on his other albums, but it’s still a gorgeous record.

Boring

English Folky > American Folky imo, this was nice

3.5/5

5/5 perfect or with minor flaws

Tone of his voice is really nice, really slow album overall, was ok as background noise though

OMG so boring I had to stop

Not bad

This album really makes you think, Fruit Tree is insane given the context of Drake's life. Solid for when it came out, you can really see how it influenced stuff like Kate Bush and The Cure. BT - River Man - Time Has Told Me - Saturday Sun

Never heard the dude before, but I actually really liked this. Something about the strings topped with the vocal Melodies gives a hauntingly beautiful vibe throughout the album.

I actually really like the strings on this one and how the guitar interacts with them. Pink moon is obviously great for how stripped back it is but this one is a really easy listen with the brighter sound. The songwriting on this one is also insane for being a debut with very few predecessors. I might just not be. hip to other albums like it but before this I can’t think of another songwriter that mixed jazz and folk so seamlessly. Classic Nick Drake W as always

Todays grew on me very quickly. I think the second half really pick up in quality. I love his vocals I wish he didn’t save em for the bsides Someone give bro a hug Not much else to say, I’m a fan.

Maybe I underrate this album because pink moons exists. It’s still nick drake and he still exudes emotion more than just about anyone can . But when pink moon does that just as well and combines it with much more interesting melodies, it makes it hard for this album to stack up. That being said, there’s certainly a time and place for this album and I’m not gonna be too harsh on any one of the three albums nick drake gave us before passing. Such an incredible musician and it’s truly a tradgedy that his life ended so soon. I will forever treasure the music that he gave us in his short life. Best: day is done, Saturday sun, river man

This is the Nick Drake album that hit me, and it has stuck. Before the internet, one great way to find new music was through film soundtracks - which is how I found this, from the film Dream with the Fishes. Weird thing is I sent it as a recommendation to my daughter who is travelling - and she had just listened to it while sitting next to a river in Slovenia

I had been meaning to fully listen to this album for a long time now, and I'm glad I finally did! I think I still prefer 'Bryter Layter', but most of these songs were really great. I especially love the closer 'Saturday Sun' :)

Wasn’t expecting much from this but it was pretty chill Good background music

Really good, but pretty repetitive.

Beautiful album to listen to

Arrangements délicats et riches, une ambiance feutrée et paisible, une belle réussite mélodique.

Maudlin. Not in a good way. And a bit one-dimensional.

Nick Drake stelt nooit teleur. Waarschijnlijk omdat ie na 3 albums de pijp aan Maarten gaf en mede daardoor iets mysterieus heeft. Dit album heeft lekker folky gitaarspel, wat sfeervolle strijkers/blazers en onverwachte percussie. En natuurlijk die typische manier van zingen waar sommige mensen ongetwijfeld juist een hekel aan hebben. Vrijwel elk nummer staat bol van de sfeer. Zwaarmoedig, maar toch ook hoopvol. 5 sterren, ook al vind ik Bryter Layter nog beter. Hoogtepunten: "Man in a Shed", "Day is Gone", "Fruit Tree"

Perfect late-night chill out vibe. Day is Done is poetic and beautiful. The whole album puts me in mind of parties back in the day when at 3am there’d only be a handful of people awake, one boy in the corner with a guitar and this or something of this ilk on the turntable. As I’ve called it before it’s 1960s navel-gazing but sweet nevertheless

Pleasant enough but fairly boring after a while.

Sweet, pleasant... Nick Drake's voice and guitar float sweetly from song to song like honeybees on a lavender plant. I enjoyed it, not a sour note in the whole affair, but there wasn't anything that elevated it to a 4, at least not on the first listen.

I thought this was pleasant enough, though the strings often got in the way of his singing. I prefer Pink Moon.

4 or maybe 5 can't decide really

Yeah… ja tänker mig 4!

I may have overrated Bryter Later previously. This is yet another great Nick Drake album however. Definitely one of the most deserving artists to have their whole studio discography on here

Blassic

Since I like some of his tracks I’ve tried before to get into Nick Drake. Just like the last time I tried I just get too bored. It’s the same with modern acts in a similar vein such as Jose Gonzales. Nice guitar picking never did anything for me on its own. The orchestration doesn’t add anything for me but annoyance. Saturday sun I knew from before and like, but the rest of the tracks won’t enter any playlist.

Nick Drake doesn't wow you with his voice, in fact, it's pedestrian at points. However, the composition of the song really brings the life to his lyrics. I enjoyed this relaxing album on a gloomy day.

Well, now I know what I'll put on if I'm ever stranded in a cabin with my girlfriend and I'm trying to keep her calm and docile. This was some gentle music.

Nicks story was pretty sad. Good album though, too bad the reception it got happened too late.

Beautiful and sad debut record by one of the greatest artists of the last century, especially for his masterpiece "Pink Moon", and this album is not too far from that one.

Nice. 3.5/5

It so tragic what happened to Nick Drake and it will always overshadow his music for me. So melancholic and beautiful.

Highlights: "River Man," "Three Hours," "Cello Song" Drake had found himself musically from this debut, granted a couple pieces sound very similar and rote. It's the lyrics that aren't there yet. The lyrics are too lazy, repetitive, needy, and self-impressed to have the same impact that Pink Moon would have later. As much as he moans here, he hadn't really learned to be vulnerable yet. The only thing that separates this from a Donovan record is some glimmers of compelling harmony and a beautifully gentle voice. That's plenty, but it wasn't this artist's potential.

Nick Drake is always a five-star. A master of his craft lost too soon.

Nick Drake's albums are my favorite finds from this site so far. This one joins his other two in my personal rotation.

Yep this was definitely a Nick Drake album. I think I liked it a little less than Pink Moon, even though in a lot of ways this one was actually more engaging; more varied song structures, sounds, a few more instruments, etc. I did enjoy it, although it is kind of soft and blurry in the middle. I fully understand the praise he gets even if he's not an everyday kind of listen for me. Best song: Three Hours

If music can make you feel such strong emotions, then it has done its job of moving you. Drake's debut should be considered one of the best debut albums of all time. He was a lyrical maestro whose untimely passing at 26 left the musicians' world with a gaping hole in its heart. The mystical feel of the songs transports you to a place where you never wish to leave. I wish I could listen to this album for the first time again, as it is an experience I will never forget.

Nice use of various instruments, nice background music but not something I could listen to much of for an extended period of time

Haunting and beautiful at the same time.

This is one of those great ones that, upon release, the critics at the time felt was mostly blah. I don't understand it, this is such a great album, and an incredible debut. It makes me wonder the mindset of the critics of the era; were they too into Dylan or Simon/Garfunkel and other folk acts? Were they coming off the Beatles high and didn't know what they were listening to? Did they just write it off as a university kid making a record?

I'm not a big fan of 60s folk but do really enjoy Nick Drake. This album did drag a bit for me but still was enjoyable.

River Man & Three Hours my favs

Really great moody and introspective album. I had recently listed to Pink Moon recently and loved it as well.

Another Nick Drake album another eloquent and beautiful dirge of an album. Laid bare for all of us to hear this was Drakes debut and it’s nothing less than stellar.

I’ve never heard of Nick Drake before I listened to this album this morning and I was blown away. Exceptional lyricism, haunting vocals, and beautiful instrumentals to back it all up. Excellent record!

Wow! I don't know how I didn't know this artist existed. The music reminds me a lot of Simon and Garfunkel, but a little more modern sounding. Almost like the inspiration for modern folk, like Vance Joy or Bon Iver.

chill

A melancholic sublime masterpiece.

Smooth laid back folk

I enjoyed it more then I thought I would. Good album that I downloaded on Spotify.

This is one cosy album Way to blues opening was sick The music itself is great, love the violin/cello parts "There was a man who lived in a shed, spent most of his days out of his head" was very funny. That song slapped

Pretty good, a smooth listen but only a couple stand out songs. Would definitely relisten to as a whole, a nice chill vibe with some insightful lyrics

I really enjoyed this album quite a lot. Saturday sun was a definite add, as was cello. I liked the feel of this album and this is really what I'm digging these days.

Pretty good song writing, not really my bag tho.

Hard to believe it was written in 1969. Dark and textured, love when you can hear more guitars than just the acoustic (which is also lovely, btw)

Very mellow and easy listening, some stand out pieces but the album as a whole doesn't match my taste in folk.

I mean it’s a pretty album for sure, but my god how much Nick drake is there and how many more is this list gonna make me do 3.5/5

Pleasant 3/5

We have now listened to the entire Nick Drake discography with this third album. While not as powerful as “ Pink Moon”, this was still haunting and engaging. Really beautiful guitar. I had never heard of Drake until this year, but I am a big fan now. Sad he died before he ever saw success during his life.

a really pleasant listen.

Hotline bling and that

Only really two different songs - the piano one and the guitar one. He's a clear influence on a bunch of more engaging and successful bands and artists. I think I liked Pink Moon more, at least a little, but I'm not listening to it again to check!

Not quite country, but it was relaxing and seems like it should be accompanied by sweet tea and a good sunset

Crap accidentally left my review for this one on bryter layter, that's what I get for falling behind:(

Un jeu de guitare insensé + ça me fait tchôler, c'est un 5

PREFS : Time Has Told Me, River Man, Three Hours, Day Is Done, 'Cello Song, Man in a Shed, Fruit Tree, Saturday Sun MOINS PREF : Way To Blue

I can see why people would enjoy this, but it's just not for me. Well written lyrics and beautiful guitars.

C’est pas des mauvaises chansons, c’est juste trop calme à mon goût.

My Top Songs: Saturday Sun If the whole album was like the last song would have been a much better vibe, album wanted to make me sleep and not in a good way. Was made in 1969 so what can you expect. :)

Really nice album - very restful.

HL: "River Man", "Way to Blue", "Man in a Shed" "Safe in your place, deep in the earth That's when they'll know what you're really worth" ("Fruit Tree") JESUS- not what I expected from the debut album So Bryter Layter was the outlier, not Pink Moon- having heard the 3 albums in reverse order, I figured this would be more commercial & upbeat as well- nope. So very very melancholy. Might be my least favourite of the 3 but it's such a narrow margin- gah it gets a 4 like the rest of em April 26 2023

Great album by an incredible folk singer/songwriter. Beautiful (string) arrangements accompany dark, mystic lyrics. Not the album I knew the best of Nick Drake's, so glad to find it in the list.

Quite pleasant, but nothing special. I'd never heard of Nick Drake before - it seems that he only made three records before his premature death.

Parts suggest that this record inspired thousands of background songs for emotive moments popular TV dramas, “Gray’s Anatomy”’s weepiest moments, and this is unfair. But the songs have their strange, awkward bits, and the morbid strings - on “River Man” - for example, are too engaging to sit in the background. Never heard this before, approached it warily, and was grabbed almost immediately. His words and intonation are circumspect. Having begun by blaming him for soap music, I now accuse him of providing the vocal template for “Spiderland”. The recording is great, everything clear, uncluttered, and close, played to head across pillow. A lot of it is fiddlier than I usually would tolerate, similar to “Astral Weeks”. The folk-jazz experiments of the period have an earnestness that slightly repels me, despite my admiring the intentions and elegance, and feeling nostalgic for these few years of emotive experimentation that I learned secondhand through childhood. Hippy teachers and children’s programmes, man. I like this, but drifted away after the first couple of tracks. Will listen to again. For now, a cagey, perhaps unjust three stars.

lovely stuff, too few Nick Drake songs exist and some of the most beautiful are on here

Das Orchestrale nervt manchmal bisschen. Ich mag es eher minimalistisch, wie auf Pink Moon. Trotzdem gut.

Is it an intimate folk rock masterpiece? Or a collection of pointless folksy ramblings? I honestly have no clue. A decent record.

More Nick Drake.

These are incredibly beautiful songs. It's a shame they've never become very popular, because there's a lot to love here. Nick's voice is so unique and contains so much emotion in it. The lyrics are poetic and beautiful and the instruments, however few they may be are played so fantastically. I enjoy his music very much. 4/5

Suprisingly nice

Guess you either love or hate him

4/5

Nice moosic

nick drake is an artist i had never heard of before the last month or so. his debut album five leaves left is my second album of his as part of this list. this was another immensely enjoyable album by nick drake. this is folk, but as i've said in my previous drake review, it's not like other folk music from 1969 or the surrounding years. there's more than just singing with an acoustic guitar. i want to call it accessible folk, if that makes any sense at all. what sets him apart, i think, is the delicate nature he uses to craft his songs. there's a somber tone throughout. drake's voice only adds to it. the songs are slow, lyrics morose, his voice steady. the piano and vibraphone together on "saturday sun" are beautiful, yes, but with those instruments combined in the final song, you're left with a more optimistic note. the lyrics and the subjects add the most to the somber tone, i think. he leans on nature/earth metaphors often, but then again, the album is called five leaves left. so many songs stood out to me, but since drake crafted three albums in his short lifetime to no critical acclaim, i enjoyed this line from "fruit tree": "they'll all know you were here when you're gone."

After discovering Nick Drake through this project, I was pleased to see another album of his pop up, though I knew from the beginning it was going to be tough not to compare it to "Pink Moon"; I was curious to learn if his first studio album would be as good as his last. This was really a great debut album! Even from the beginning, Nick Drake had a strong sense of self, musically. This is easy to listen to, peaceful, and folky without being too folky. While not quite as minimal as "Pink Moon", even this debut album keeps things pretty minimal from a music angle. Nick Drake also showed himself to be a great songwriter immediately out of the gate, as each song on this album feels complete and lyrically rich. Again, everything here feels advanced compared to where folk rock generally was in 1969. After having listened to my second album Nick Drake album as part of this project, I can say that he has proven to be one of my favorite 1001 project finds. A very solid 3.5 getting rounded up to a 4 here!

Amazing

He might not have the best voice, but the songs are well crafted and produced.

Dull and one note.

All the songs felt the same but I did enjoy the chill vibes

He's famous for his lycricsm and unique voice and this album definitely demonstrates this. I've replayed river man countless times, I wish the was some more interesting elements to make each song feel a bit more unique as they all kinds blur together. Otherwise great.

I liked the vibe!

Good rainy day music.

I like the stripped down, guitar style music on this versus bryter layter.

Great singer/songwriter album. Very smooth, unique voice.

Ni fu, ni fa

ok

This isn’t his best album, in my opinion, but even Nick Drake’s second-best is far better than most.

Really Good 7/10

Magical. Nick Drake is three things: a guitarist, a songwriter and a vocalist. As a guitarist, he was exceptionally talented; as a songwriter, he consistently produced moments of utter greatness; as a vocalist… these things are subjective, but to me he is otherworldly. This album is less edgy than Pink Moon and less polished than Bryter Layter, and hits the sweet spot betwixt the two. As a result it may be my favourite of his trilogy.

Meh

Sleepy but enjoyable

Fantastic album

This is another just iconic singer songwriter. So good.

This is a great chill album that sounds like it is modern - but from 1969! Awesomely obscure!!! 5/5!

Well arranged, beautiful folk songs. Favourite tracks: Time Has Told Me, River Man, Three Hours, Way To Blue, Saturday song 4/5

Chill Afternoon record

I think I underestimated Nick Drake the first time I got him near the very beginning of this journey. Definitely was robbed from us too early. However the songs are, for whatever reason to me, lacking something that would make them amazing. For me they need to be like 10% more to be perfect.

Not my jam. Cello Song and Saturday Sun were fine songs but Thoughts of Mary Jane was absolutely dreadful.

One of my favourite albums ever. What a shame he never understood how loved he'd become.

no more for me thanks. not as bad as k.d. lang, though

I fear Mr. Nick might have ate here.

It sufficed as background music and was very pleasant when I listened closely, but it never grabbed my attention. I felt like I was shopping for slacks at Macy's on a random Thursday in August. Not an ideal day, but the sales are great and lord knows I need new chinos.

Driving around with the windows down after a nice spring cleaning listening to this album felt like visiting that spa from Rick and Morty where they remove your toxins but clone a shitty version of yourself. While my better self was listening to Five Leaves I bet my toxins were off getting an earful of Sinead O’Connor or Booker T & The MGs

This was one of the few albums I did when I discovered this generator years ago. I’ve listened to Nick Drake’s soothing voice via shuffle for a few years now. It’s a good album, but nothing that gets my panties in a bunch.

Beautiful album. I've heard of the name Nick Drake but was not familiar with his music. Definitely a nice discovery. 5/5

So far surprised by this. First song sounds much more modern than 1969. It sounds like it belongs in the 90s. Okay, this album sounds literally timeless. I could see it being made today.

Excellent stuff. Beautiful, intricate, smooth. Doesn't sound like it came out in the 60s. To me it sounds like it could be more modern. I will be listening to Nick Drake a lot more.

While I love the instruments, the mixing and sounds, there's something about this guy's voice that annoys me. Otherwise it's a great album.

Slow and calm, I don't think it's quite the level of forgettable but it comes close, slow and chill, was able to get through it though

Lovely tone of voice. Skillful and peaceful orchestration. But all the songs sound the same.

Not my fav nick drake album but good.

I'm a sucker for an accompanying strings section to an album, it was one of my favorite parts of Lronard Cohen's You Want It Darker. So, considering this is also a singer-songwriter album with an orchestra tied to it, I did enjoy this. It was pretty mellow most of the way through, so it wasn't like something insane was in here, but it was still pretty enjoyable. Considering all of Drake's discography is on this generator, guess we'll see hoe it improves as his career goes on.

what a sensitive little guy

Garden state song guy, it’s decent

Not great. His voice is, and the album IS haunting, but it's not at all my style.

Some people just like plain vanilla ice cream with no toppings. That's fine...you do you. But it's nothing to get excited about in the least. This album was the equivalent.

Meh

Beautiful songwriting

Very understated folk and singer songwriter album with some strings and other elements to add a sometimes relaxing, sometimes haunting atmosphere. I honestly think this album is extremely overrated. His voice is just ok, and the songs just kind of meander along. I can see it being decent background music and people like the lyrics but it’s not for me.

He's got a lovely voice. A bunch of tracks on here I really like. There's a real melancholic undercurrent with the whole album. I can see a lot of influence on later albums like like Beck's 'Sea Change'. There's also some interesting musical arrangements in here that I dig. It's mostly quite nice, but I feel like a lot of it bleeds together as one. I think this is more of a selective listen with a few individual tracks for me rather than listening to the whole thing in one go.

This album is a 2.5 for me, some good guitar bits, but feels a bit boring to me.

Nick Drake is a walking banger. A dude with an acoustic guitar rarely gets better than this

One of a kind, such a beauty

unappreciated british folk-rock 60's man 1) Time Has Told Me + - stellar piano walk? (idk jargon yet) - score for a train ride through english countryside - familiar - feeling two seasons at once 2) River Man + - tell him all i can - i'd like to meet him, too - poetry 3) Three Hours + - calculated guitar, wistful voice - long bike ride 4) Way To Blue + - actually profound - classical composer somber - nostalgic church string that gives me heartburn 5) Day Is Done - eh - this sounds exactly like "Feeling Good" by Michael Bublé :/ 6) 'Cello Song - medium good - I'm walking with no destination - I'm relaxed 7) The Thoughts of Mary Jane - the flute is whimsical? 8) Man In A Shed - sad song that has happy pattern - would fit hotel for dogs soundtrack lol 9) Fruit Tree - sort of sounds like the rest 10) Saturday Sun - satisfying resolution - ending credit

Not really for me

Didn't love it. A couple songs were really good but the majority is too mellow and kinda all sounds the same. Definitely a time and a place kind of album. Good overall but not my cup of tea.

Gentle but sincere. Has underlying darkness. Overall I enjoyed it but just a little too soft and muted for me.

Rest in peace sensitive soul

Driven mostly by his vocals this is very pleasant

Lindo disco, aunque no escuche este género pues no es de mi total agrado. Lo que tengo para rescatar de acá son los riffs de guitarra que tiene, la simpleza y la tranquilidad que transmite el muchacho Nick con su voz. No pude analizar la letra pero por lo que pude entender no es nada del otro mundo. Con la duración justa. Nose donde se pone el puntaje pero para mí es un 6.8/10 o un 3.4/5 depende como lo quieras fraccionar

Listen to if sad, a few good cuts

I have become more and more convinced that I may be judging some albums more harshly based on my mood at the time of listening. I absolutely loved Pink Moon and was excited about listening to this but it’s mostly left me cold so far (about half way through). I’m hoping I can find the beauty…. Edit: It was ok. Worth a 3, I think

too sad for me at this time

3/5. Another beautiful album from Drake, not as good as Bryter but it may grow on me like the other one. This one feels too quiet and the other one had great instrumentation which made it stand out.

Surprised by how much I like this.

An ear calibrated for Drake must be attuned to the quiet, the music that can background but has no need to. His debut sags a touch seventy percent in, but on top of the Nick Drake goodies I expected was the perfect sequencing of the first side. I couldn't make out as many instruments and it almost didn't matter.

Genres: Folk, chamber folk, folk-pop Formed: 1967 Run time: 10 songs, 41 min 11 sec Very chilled music. Poetic lyrics. Very reminiscent of Bob Dylan. It’s sad that mental health got the better of him. His career only lasted seven years, which was still longer than many in the music industry, but it was far shorter than it should have been. My Rating: ****

Not doing a whole lot for me personally. The songwriting has some true beauty to it but I’m not the biggest fan of his delivery. I have no complaints about the guitar work

wonderful album. i enjoyed this one far more than bryter.

Rustig, mooi

Erster Song geil. Cello song auch nice, n bischen wie Sympathy for the devil. Rest ist n bischen langweilig und das gleiche

The debut album by a brilliant but troubled artist who died away too young. It is breath takingly beautiful. His vocals, guitar work, arrangements, song writing are flawless. This is probably my favorite of his 3 albums.

Prett Boring

I'm still not the biggest folk lover but this album is pretty okay. I'm gonna be honest for a minute and say it's really good to cry to because I got this on Valentine's Day and I am heavily missing my boyfriend because we're long distance and he can't be up by me until maybe next month. Way To Blue is reminding me of Sweeney Todd in a way that I can't quite place. There's just something about it, both the vocals and instrumental.

mellow, moving, contemplative. As you might expect from Nick.

Pleasant sound, the vocals went a bit too far for me in a couple of the tracks and I didn't really like the big shift half way through for one track. Keen to hear the others on this list.

Вау. Идеально. Роскошно. Бедный чел. Талант

The album was just alright. Nothing great about it, but nothing bad about it. Not really a three, but I will round up.

Instrumentals are immaculate but the drab vocals and lyrics kinda ruin it. Love the intermingling of the simple instrument use throughout, but I also wish more incorporated the jazz influence of the last track which was banger. 5/10

eh lyrics are more like talking and im not that much of a fan of that

Good mellow dark chill music

1/28/2023 really a brilliant record, i am impressed. didn't know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by the catchy melodies. "time has told me" was my favorite, so damn catchy.

Я прослушал этот альбом 4 раза. Глубокий, меланхоличный, простой и в то же время комплексный. Очень трудно уложить все мысли об этом альбоме в один текст, это как раз тот случай, когда лучше будет послушать и прочувствовать его самому. (8)

This album is beautiful. The combination of the strings and woodwinds with the folk guitaring is and Drake's pleasant voice is really neatly done. Good balance of over-produced vs stripped down.

Haunting and beautiful, good listen. Saved tracks: River Man, Way To Blue, Fruit Tree

It's OK. Not my thing tho.

not his best. maybe his worst. but it’s nick drake goddamnit

4.75

lovely stuff, too few Nick Drake songs exist and some of the most beautiful are on here

Album notes: No es mi género pero hubo unas canciones que me hicieron sentir una paz. 1/5 Song notes: La primera canción "Time has told me" me hace sentir que habla de una relación que no es sana, que sabes que llegara a su fin y solo el tiempo te dirá cuando. -"Someday our ocean will find its shore". La canción "Day is gone" tiene un aire melancólico que me gusta. "Man in a shed" habla de un hombre que vive en un cobertizo y de una mujer que lo hacía sentir de todo, pero que vivía en un gran casa. La frase "Please don't think I'm not your sort, You'll find that sheds are nicer than you thought" me encantó. La canción "Fruit tree" nos cuenta lo que es la fama y de una vida que se cosecha como tal.

Such an iconic record. A beautiful set of dreamy, poetic, melancholic folk songs Nick Drake brushes up on some very delicate topics and accompanies the words with beautiful arrangements. Key tracks: Time Has Told Me, River Man, Three Hours, Way To Blue, Day Is Done, Cello Song, Fruit Tree, Saturday Sun. 9 out of 10

Very relaxing folk album. Has dark and cinematic feeling. Very dramatic. Feels like something to listen around the campfire. Favorite track: Time Has Told Me

To me, it sounded nice, but it wasn't anything special. I would never turn it off, but I would also never put it on to begin with.

- Only ever listened to Pink Moon before - Didn't click for me in the same way as that one, but still enjoyed it - Preferred the songs towards the end of the album to some of the first ones - Fav songs: Saturday Sun, Thoughts of Mary Jane, Day is Done

Okee, deze even wat eerder opgezet omdat ik even behoefte had aan écht goede muziek tussen alle jarentachtigjengelmeuk. Sfeervolle singersongwriterklanken, het muzikale equivalent van een lekker knapperend haardvuur om helemaal tegenaan te kruipen. Minimalisisch en toch van begin tot eind boeiend. Onmiddellijk herkenbaar en niet vaak geëvenaard, onze goeie ouwe (te jong overleden? in kluizenaarschap gegane? teruggetrokken in een Tibetaans klooster?) Nick Drake.

Ik krijg de laatste tijd vaak dezelfde reclame voor rustgevende natuurgeluiden om mee in slaap te kunnen vallen. Vraag mij af waarom? We hebben Nick toch al daarvoor? Muzikaal is het prima. Het hoort natuurlijk in deze lijst. Maar voor mij is één keer luisteren wel voldoende. 2.5 ster.

Hele chille rustgevende folkmuziek. Je moet er misschien wel voor in de stemming zijn, maar ik heb een dag waarop ik vrij veel tolereer blijkbaar.

The best album of Nick Drake actually. Super good. 4 It takes some listens. But it just gets me idk.

Quite good, worth a relisten when wanting calming vibes

60's English Folk? This is surprisingly good. It sounds pretty modern, but the acoustic guitar hasn't changed all that much. Enjoyed the whole album.

Finally, one of my artists pop up here! Nick Drake is in my opinion one of the greatest singer/songwriter of all time. Very tragic that he died so young and I can't keep myself from wondering, what if he didn't die so young? This album is fantastic with incredible tracks such as "Time has told me", "Three hours", "Day is done" and "Saturday sun". This is Drake's debut album and I do love this but I do think his other two albums are a tad bit better, therefore I give this album a 4.5/5.

I like Nick Drake, but I always forget about him. Pretty songs but too slow for me.

Slow but ok

No

Meh

Somewhere deep inside I knew that Nick Drake had more than just the Pink Moon album, but for some reason I had never listened to this. Just like Pink Moon this is simply sublime. 4 stars.