Reviews (page 4 of 15)
Nostalgic, poetry is a resistance.
Meh
Dit is een perfect woensdagochtend albumpje zeg. Folkrock, ik heb het in het verleden saai genoemd, maar ik trek het vandaag heel erg goed. Een nummer als Saturday Sun? Prachtig, met de zon op de achtergrond. Muziek is soms zo ontzettend afhankelijk van je eigen mood en de sfeer eromheen. En vandaag is een rustig folk rock tokkel album gewoon precies wat ik wil. Ironisch dat Pink Moon eigenlijk precies hetzelfde album is, maar toch heb ik het idee dat er op dit album meer gebeurt. Of dat nu komt door de instrumenten, de stem van Nick die meer emotie draagt of dat ik zelf gewoon wat lekkerder in de wedstrijd zit? We zullen het nooit weten. Feit blijft; dit is een prima album, lekker relaxed voor bij je eerste kopje koffie in de ochtend. Is dit een album dat ik de komende weekenden elke keer aan ga zetten? Nee zeker niet, maar voor een luie zondagochtend zie ik mezelf dit best nog wel eens aanzetten. Het is namelijk meer dan prima achtergrond muziek. Dat is meteen ook een beetje mn issue hiermee; achtergrond muziek. Om hier nu echt met de volle aandacht naar te luisteren... Mij lukt het niet, en dat is ergens zonde gezien de status van de beste man als een sterk schrijver. Ik denk dat daar de muziek gewoon niet interessant genoeg voor is, althans niet voor mij. Wel een lekker koffie albumpje, dat dan weer wel. FAVO: River man, Thoughts of Mary Jane, Saturday Sun
Listened to this one so much in High School/College. Weird coming back; hearing how much River Man sounds like it could’ve been on A Moon-shaped Pool
Sounded good to start with but it became a lot of the same thing for my liking.
I don’t throw the word genius around lightly. But wow.
Beautiful - listen again
The songs sparkle gentle but beautiful.
Very pleasant. Really loved his voice and guitar work. Very strong for a debut album.
I feel like an ahole for saying this, but this guy's music is seriously depressing
I had wondered with "Bryter Layter" if the other two Nick Drake albums would have a similar vibe and sound as that album, and that certainly seems to be the case with "Five Leaves Left" (and I'm guessing will be true of "Pink Moon"). With his melancholy whisper-song voice and (very accomplished) backing acoustic band, I'm still not entirely sure I understand why he became such a cult figure long after his death, but he clearly resonated with a lot of people. I found this album as hard as "Bryter Layter" to really foreground the songs, so I can't say I really followed the lyrics all that well, but I enjoyed the sort of sad and possibly profound folk-ness of much of the album, especially "Three hours" and "Day is done" (although the latter felt like some acoustic cover of a Blue Oyster Cult song somehow); the only track that kind of seemed off was "Way to blue", maybe just because of the overly dramatic strings. Another fine and pleasant addition by Nick Drake, although I kept wishing he'd included a few duets with Richard Thompson just to spice things up a bit.
Quiet--good music to fall asleep to.
Meh
Ein Folk Album mit Instrumenten die die Stimmung fast greifbar machen. Die Gitarre und Streicher gehen von Dunklen tristen und angespannt tönen die ehrlich und direkt klingen zu Traumhaften schönen Melodien. Die Worte von Nick malen Bilder, ohne direkt zu verstehen von wo seine Worte kommen hat man immer das Gefühl zu verstehen was er aussagen will. Jeder einzige Song fühlt sich an wie aus einer anderen Welt aber irgendwie auch genau so wie diese Welt ist.
Not my vibe at all
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Gorgeous. I love the lush orchestration when it's there (bongos in "Cello Song", occasional string accompaniment, a whole chamber ensemble in "Thoughts of Mary Jane" and "Fruit Tree") and the soft finger style guitar and breathy vocals from Drake. This album feels timeless, I could hardly believe this was written nearly 60 years ago. I've added the whole album to my rotation.
Nick's debut set a new high bar in the British folk scene, although maybe it wasn't seen like that in '69. Beautifully melancholic and melodic and complete with congas. Boyd's production sounds great even in this hi-tech age and I like the version of the album title coming from an old pack of roll up papers. Not a bad track in sight.
Just a man, his guitar and his thoughts, you were, are and always will be great Nick Drake, Thank you🤍
Some of the best acoustic guitar playing on the list. The songs are poetic and haunting. You can tell he had some demons in his closet. Knowing he died so young I bet his lyricism would have greatly improved with age. He sounds like he's much older than he is.
Best fag paper related album so far... Also, who doesn't like a lyric about a nice shed?
"Five Leaves Left" is a still, intimate album. Lush instrumentations flow with experimental open guitar tunings to create sort of mystical, melancholic feel. I am quite familiar with Drake's music as I love chamber/orchestral infused folk, and this album is one of the best of the "genre".
One of my all timers from the man with a flawless catalogue. Want to weep from the opening guitar lick and not stop until it’s through. RYM: Y (#168) Saved a song: N
I keep thinking I made it through the worst of the "White Guy with an Acoustic Guitar" genre, but then another shows up and I keep getting disappointed.
I went back & listened to Brytler Later thinking “What does this have that I like that today’s album doesn’t?” It’s remarkable what a stark difference there is. From the jump that album is far more rich, complex, dynamic & Five Leaves Left is bare, raw & boring.
I think we’ve had other Nick Drake albums, that’s the impact this had on me. Better than Dylan and Cohen still.
I know this one! He's magic
Like de to andre skiven bedre, men det her gjør jo ikke vondt
Får lyst å bo i ei lita hytte langt inn i skauen og drikke kaffe på trappa når jeg hører denne plata.
Kjedeligste plata æ har hørt. Æ kan elske melankoli med det her traff ingenting hos mæ. Fikk litt vibba til en alt for lang gudstjeneste på en hard benk dagen derpå.
Elske Nick Drake. Det e ikke Pink Moon, men fortsatt sykt fint.
Hørt ved frokost på veranda på Granka. Sykt hyggelig musikk, perfekt for akkurat dette.
Trivelige greier, og de beste låtene er gromme. Men det er for mye av det samme her, og litt for mye som grenser til det kjedelige.
This was depressing, but again, somehow less depressing than Nick Drake's tragic life.
Appreciate the artistry to some degree, but this was so boring…
General thoughts: It wasn't love at first sight, but this album grew on me after a few tries. Also note that this is definitely not a speaker's kind of album, but a headphones one. "5 leaves left" is a deeply intimate album, in essence and style. You need to listen closely to hear the subtleties of the music. The opener 'Time has told me' successfully sets the tone of the album. Light folk, full of life and imagery, soothing and tender on the surface yet depressing or even haunting on the inside. Melancholic at its core, this album takes us into Nick Drake's state of mind. The lyrics here are something else; they feel like the perfect balance between simple and complex. His writing, along with the music and singing, has this effect on me, something I feel when I try to sing Paul Simon. It's so effortlessly good, it's not until you try to imitate him that you notice it’s not something any artist can do. It's a poetic story, enticing and attractive, spiced with the correct amount of enigma. Makes you even want to root for him because some songs also imply death or depression. His voice is refreshing, low-end and sweet, accompanied by beautiful guitar playing and strings, electric and percussion arrangements. They are subtle and not always present, but they're always there when needed. Outstanding song(s): Time Has Told Me, River Man, The Thoughts of Mary Jane Weakest song(s): Saturday Sun. Sticks out weirdly but ends the album nicely. Cover: The picture is nice, I'd prefer it as the full cover instead of having that ugly green frame. Favorite rate: 50% (5/10) Real rating: 4.5 *Re-rated 02/05/2026
3.5
no opinion either way
Beautiful voice. Instruments almost didn’t do him Justice
Medium. Some nice sounding songs if not a tad bland at times
Thoughts before listening: Sad mopey British folk. People go crazy for Pink Moon, but it has never really done all that much for me. I don't now this one, but I would expect more of the same sound wise. Review: This is very pleasant musically although I am sure a deeper dive into the lyrics would show a much darker undercurrent here. This is obviously a precursor to the type of material that someone I enjoyed growing up like Elliott Smith put out. Pleasant enough music (especially the string flourishes throughout) with lovely harmonies but also dark subject matter. Its hard to hate on this, but the music is also fading to the background for me. I think it may be the hushed vocals that are keeping this from fully connecting. Still though I can appreciate the songwriting and musicianship on this album. 3-stars
Another reading backround music. But pretty solid one.
Really liked this. Nice songs and just the right amount of instrumentation to be interesting but not distracting.
Gone too soon my sweet angel, that baby boy be strumming that guitar
todo guitarra lento. no cambia nunca el ritmo. zzzz
Love this bad boy. Crazy insanely good instrumentation. 5 on 5
Aburridísimo. Música para funeral.
3.5 Good, not great. "Pink Moon" is the GOAT, though.
Album definitely gets you feeling a certain type of way. Nick Drake is talented, but seldom am I going for such a melancholy vibe
add to my list of great debit albums that I love
Gud
Okay but not my thing.
Nick Drake has the power to take the most mundane, straightforward acoustic song and make it a heart wrenching emotional experience. He is the only artist I enjoy who sounds like this.
Time Has Told Me
7 / 10 - ruhiger Folk mit sehr gut ausgearbeiteren Arrangements - beruhigend & melancholisch Favs: - Day Is Done
Really enjoyed the vocals. I think I’d really appreciate this album with repeated listens.
Sweet guitar noises. I like nick drake but didnt love this album. Fav song: Saturday Sun
Couldn't distinguish between songs. All about the same. 5 minutes after this finished playing couldn't tell you the name of the album or artist. Definitely mellow but unmemorable
Not what I'm into but it's chill.
First previously unknown album to me— more enjoyable than I would’ve expected. Good for a relaxed rainy spring day. Liked it the more I listened. It’s also crazy that this album was released the same year as “Born On the Bayou”.
It's so special to me bc it was introduced to me by my college roommate who has now passed on. Nick Drake was the secret of our little group of friends and remained that way until many years later the Volkswagen commercial exposed him to the world. I'm glad his music is known now. it gets even more special over the years because of the impeccable fingerpicking, the brilliance of the guitar/string arrangements, and the killer vibe. Saturday sun came early one morning. do you know the way to blue? I love this record dearly and always will.
Fucking love folk music man
not great
Vintage John Mayer, en ook de iets rustigere vorm. Zitten leuke liedjes bij maar had toch redelijk snel een zelfde gevoel bij liedjes. Luistert makkelijk weg als achtergrond.
Dude was 21 when he made this album. He was dead by 26. It's so sad that he never knew his fame... Big voice with big sounds and big sads.
Wow this is true folk music. I really love the lush orchestral arrangements. This must be a progenitor of the present-day indie folk subgenre of "chamber pop." I don't love some of the vocal stylings but they are 100% folk and not country, so I can deal.
ok ta god
This was a lovely album to listen to don't get me wrong. But it isn't my style of music. I would listen to this again, maybe then my view of it will change, but the first listen of this album to me warrants 3.5 stars because it seems a little samey. I love the folk music vibe of this album, the acoustic guitar is amazing, especially in the song Three Hours. And his vocals are incredible, he has such a mellow voice. But again, this isn't really something I'd listen to often. I will probably revisit this in the future to see if my mind changes because some of these songs are amazing. Favourite songs: Time Has Told Me River Man Three Hours 'Cello Song
made me feel like in rdr2.
man, Alexi Murdoch is just a cover band, huh? I'm enjoying this. Not my usual genre, but its calming, and sad.
Nice folksie singer/songwriter stuff. Reminds me of Rodriguez (who of course came later but still...) Enjoyable but I like my music a little more energetic as a whole
Nick Drake has an unmistakable sound. This album is a pleasure to listen to.
lovely beautiful calm music, singer-songwriter
Great listening, felt it was contemporary!
Wow so beautiful! This feels like if stained glass was an album. I like the instrumentation on this, and ofc nick drakes really mellow voice 🙂↕️ I think I like how melancholy pink moon is but this is a close second tbh. Only issue is the songs sound very similar (not specific to this album alone though) fav songs: river man, day is done, saturday sun
Really, really good. 5 Five Leaves Left feels more mysterious and less overtly sad than later Nick Drake albums. The songwriting is really poetic and intelligent. I don’t really think there’s any moments where the flow of the lyrics feels off or jarring. I’m really hanging on every word. In general, it’s a very cohesive record that really fills out a theme. Another high point is Nick Drake’s guitar playing. His fingerstyle goes really well with the rhythm of his singing. The complexity and accuracy of Three Hours is honestly insane. The studio musicians also do a great job making things deeper without taking away the soul of Nick Drake’s songwriting. My only criticism would be that it kind of drags in the second half. My favorite songs are definitely frontloaded. Just a really pretty album!! It makes me want to sit at a window in a rainstorm. Favorite songs: Time Has Told Me, River Man, Three Hours, ‘Cello song
folk not for me
Too sad for me
not for me
Such a pleasant album
Another solid Nick Drake album. Probably don't need this many on the list, but at least he's consistently good.
I will give you the absolute brain bender of "Fruit Tree" is a bit much, but this is a sit by the rainy window with a mug of tea vibe. Still a solid 5.
What a great album. So peaceful, the lyrics were simple. The use of so many different instruments was a huge inspiration
Sin ninguna canción que destacar
C'était fort sympathique ! De belles mélodies acoustiques, souvent rehaussées avec des instruments à corde et de la flûte. J'ai pas grand-chose de plus à dire, si ce n'est que j'ai beaucoup apprécié.
I always thought Nick Drake was an emo artist from the 80s/90s who killes himself with a knife, but I guess I was mixing things up. Pleasantly surprised by the songs, although they sometimes have that 60s "kitsch folk" vibe where you could picture him singing about fairytales amd stuff. Plus a bit boring.
Nicht meins.
This is a mood. I listened on the rainy drive into work and it hit the spot. I still can't believe he's not a product of the 90s.
'Cello song was beautiful
++: Time Has Told Me, River Man, Three Hours, 'Cello Song, The Thoughts of Mary Jane, Man in a Shed, Saturday Sun +: Way to Blue, Day Is Done +-: Fruit Tree 8,8/10
Schöne Atmosphäre, interessante Musik 4/5
Boring as hell
Still monotone, but, at least it was chill to listen to. Hi there, Niels. How's your morning going?
If I were to rank the works of Nick Drake, it would be in ascending order as they were released. On the debut the ingredients for what will become pink moon are present. Nice intricate guitarplay and cryptic lyrics that beg a closer listen. As Drake made music, it became more refined. But as I had sayd on my review for bryter layter, the difference is not big enough to knock it down another point.
Nice folk album. Probably would be what Elliot Smith would sound like if he were from the 60s.
These are objectively lovely songs but somehow they don’t engage me. I think it’s something to do with his slightly ethereal, gentle vocal delivery coupled with lyrics that are more suggestive than direct, and are sometimes whimsical, eg Thoughts of Mary Jane. I know that a lot of artists I love are big fans of Nick Drake’s music but I tend to approve of it more than I like it. Cello Song is the standout track for me here. Given his backstory, Man In A Shed is very sad and also a bit of an exception from the lack of direct engagement in the lyrics.
Pleasant 1960's folk to while away 40 minutes but not special enough to make me want to return.
I love the intro. Decent chilled album. I don't think I will revisit it thought
Alot of cellos! I like Man in a Shed though, great pianos.
8/10 Nick Drake has something of a reputation for delivering sad, melancholic, but quite beautiful music over his short life. The way his life ended obviously informs that to a certain degree, but I feel like it’s important to recognise the moments of optimism that he writes into his music too. Melancholy can be an incredibly affecting tool within all art, as it reflects the fragility and bleakness that can exist in the world, but having those little moments of positivity that appear now and then can punctuate that nicely and go a long way to enhancing the beauty of that sadness. When it’s at its peak, this album can be hauntingly beautiful, but it also doesn’t rest completely in that emotional state. In fact, there are a few tracks that actually flip that script a little, with the main focus being more optimistic, despite a slight undercurrent of melancholy that remains. Because of that, there’s a fairly nice emotional ebb and flow to this record that allows each moment to breathe, but also enables the listener to get dragged along with those emotions without getting weighed down by them. The playing across the album is fantastic, and it’s really well produced, so that every part is crisp and clear. One of the interesting aspects is that there is very limited percussion across the record, but due to the other instrumental parts, the rhythmic drive and flow of the songs are incredibly strong and coherent, the bass and guitar in particular acting not only as tonal instruments but percussive ones too. Nick’s vocal delivery is, for the most part, understated and somewhat withdrawn, but he somehow manages to convey a great deal of emotional weight in his singing despite that more restrained technique. For me, there were a few tracks where things kind of drifted around in a slightly unfocused way, which made them a little less easy to grip on to, but I think that’s in part due to my lack of familiarity with folk music that tends to have more of a roaming musical structure than that of rock and pop music. After spinning this a few times today, I feel like it’s probably best appreciated almost like a landscape painting, in that the experience as a whole can be incredible beautiful as you take it in as a whole, but there are little moments of nuance, inventiveness and brilliance present once you start to take a closer look. Time Has Told Me - This is pretty but a little meandering. There are some absolutely lovely bits of guitar in there and the blend of rhythms across the instruments are really nice too, but it’s a little bit dynamically and rhythmically persistent, so it feels like it lacks a little bit of nuance and feel that would have helped the composition to really shine. River Man - Again, this is very pretty and in places starkly beautiful. There’s more development and variation in here that gives it a more satisfying journey as the track progresses. I really like the way it can quickly flip on a single chord change from being really bleak and slightly unsettling to gorgeous and calm and those types of chord choices are not something you hear often in popular music, so that was delightful to hear. Three Hours - Another great blend of rhythms from across the instruments here, but that rhythm is fairly persistent, at least for the first half, but there is a bit of a shift at the half way point. There are moments of dynamic variation in there that push and pull, particularly around that mid point. It’s a really pretty composition and has that usual Nick Drake sense of reluctance in his vocal delivery that adds a great deal of character to his songs. Way To Blue - As with River man, this is really beautiful and drifts between minor and major chords giving it an uncertain feeling that simmers among the beauty of the sound. As with the album so far in general, it feels a tiny bit unfocused, but I think that’s maybe more of a trait of folk songwriting as a form that I’m less familiar with. Some of the resolutions in the chord structure on the strings are so lush though. Day Is Done - Some more great guitar playing, as you would expect, and the string arrangements continue to be excellent. This is a fairly brief track, but it feels a little bit more focused, dancing around its core ideas and landing on a satisfying resolution at the end. Lovely stuff. 'Cello Song - This is a fantastic song. The cello part is a highlight, as you might expect from the title, but this feels like the most focused track of the album so far. The playing is fantastic, there’s some excellent dynamic control that imbues the song with a compelling organic pulse that pulls it along, and it offers enough variation without feeling like it drifts too far from the heart of the song. It’s so subtle and pretty and the delivery of Nick’s vocal is again, just the right type of understated. The Thoughts Of Mary Jane - This feels almost light and happy by comparison to what’s come before. There’s an air of optimism and positivity that has only been hinted at elsewhere, but actually feels like the prominent emotion that this song is working with, which is an interesting change of pace. There’s still that slightly withdrawn delivery that’s typical of his vocal style, but even within that, he feels more free and open. It’s another lovely composition with great playing and beautiful heart. Man In A Shed - This leans into more of a jazzy flavour and I find that shuffling rhythm and jazzy lilt from the piano really satisfying. The shuffling rhythms across the instruments are pretty tasty here and it brings more of the positive vibes from the previous track along, although there’s perhaps a slight bit of melancholy drifting in there too, but it’s fairly subtle. Some really excellent playing across the board on this one. Fruit Tree - The melancholy has seeped back in again, but there are still moments of light that peek through here and there. This track does feel a tiny bit meandering and unfocused again in places, but it continues to delivery that bleakly pretty sound even while it’s drifting around. He does also gather things up into thematic touch points now and again, before things start spreading out again. It’s another pretty landscape of a song that is worth just allowing to wash over you. Saturday Sun - And we close up with a song that leans more towards the optimistic side of things. It’s a fairly bluesy number and it’s a slightly odd inclusion, because it feels tonally quite different to the rest of the album. It retains the pretty sheen, but it has way more of a standard song structure to it, so feels more focused. Nick almost seems quite happy here in his delivery. It’s a really nice track actually, and it’s quite nice to end on something that’s a bit more uplifting, but it does fell a tiny bit disjointed from the rest of the album.
I imagine this music playing over footage of some teens in a field of daisies. They are from the 1970s. At first, the teens are kind of running around and playing, but they end up losing their virginity.
I cannot describe how much I love Nick Drake and his music.
Honestly, Drake's music is like wearing an oversized sweater while walking to the public library on a blustery Fall day and I kinda love that vibe it's giving.
Great for falling asleep on a plane on the way home. Waking up, realizing the album is over, then restarting it, and falling asleep again.
3.7 if i could
Well here’s Mr Sensitive. Again. The English Neil young? Folk’s Elvis Costello? Over rated under talented (not untalented). One album is enough. Given the lack of variety and the better players one album may be stretching it. We have people like Martin carthy John Renbourne, Davey Graham, Richard Thompson and we can stretch out to Jethro Tull. This is redundant. 2 stars with one taken off because I’m positive that were we not fetishising trauma and mental illness Nick would be playing small folk festivals to dwindling audiences.
Today I learned that the album title 'Five Leaves Left' is a reference to Rizla rolling papers. I had ways assumed it was a poetic image (the last five leaves on a tree as winter approaches, or the final sheets of paper on a poet's desk after a creative surge), not an allusion to weed. But it makes sense now that I know. Pink Moon is my favourite Nick Drake album, as I prefer his singing and playing unadorned, although the arrangements here are subtle and provide sophisticated structure to his gentle and spacious songs without crowding his guitar and vocals. Compare this with Bryter Layter, where the arrangements are unsympathetic and occasionally jarring. 'River Man' is possibly Nick Drake's best song (certainly one of his best known), but this album also has 'Man In A Shed', which is just embarrassingly clumsy. It feels like it was written by 12-year old with a rhyming dictionary. 4 stars
Cozy
Not for me
Nick Drake’s debut is very much "a listening album" that demands focused attention to appreciate its subtleties. However, its consistently sombre tone, and maudlin vocals, means it is perhaps not a record one would reach for on a regular basis to get intimately acquainted with. It remains a sophisticated, albeit emotionally distant, collection of songs that didn't really connect with me. Three stars. Side A 1 "Time Has Told Me" (3/5) 2 "River Man" (4/5) 3 "Three Hours" (4/5) 4 "Way to Blue" (3/5) 5 "Day Is Done" (3/5) Side B 6 "'Cello Song" (4/5) 7 "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" (3/5) 8 "Man in a Shed" (4/5) 9 "Fruit Tree" (3/5) 10 "Saturday Sun" (3/5) Total - 34 Average - 3.4 273/1001 148/273 albums reviewed were new to me
late 1960's british folk melancholy; Lovely voice and instrumentals.
Very hecking cool. Awesome flutes & cello & shart. Time has told me is one of his best songs, but this is probably his least great album. This album does drag a teeny bit towards the middle and end. Pink moon and bryter layter both do much more for me than this album. But still, very beautiful and very important on his development as a songwriter.
Really good album, I appreciate him the more I hear him. I wanna go back and listen to his other two albums to really try and get a good understanding of who he is album by album, it’s been good getting to hear all this. 4 stars
Five Leaves Left is as luscious as they come. It feels like a stroll through the forest, with Nick's voice having the qualities of a forest spirit, guiding you through its many secrets. Nick's personality is deeply etched in this album, which is why it sounds so rich in quality, and fairly unique. Don't know many albums that are so jazzy, but fully folk in execution, from this period (Obviously, his popularity in recent years paved the way for many inspired folksters to try and replicate his style, but almost none have managed to even sniff close). Five Leaves Left is not as emotional as Pink Moon, but what it lacks in that part, makes up in musical quality. The warm piano, acoustic guitar, and the occasional orchestral section is masterfully put together to create a folk masterpiece.
Nice. Sad tale this chap.
Nice chill jam session
4.5/5 Very vibey, absolutely music I would've gone crazy for at the time (I'm turning into my father...). A little melancholy but still peaceful and nice. I'd play this sailing down a canal in a rowboat on a foggy spring morning. Unfortunately, I am bone tired so this kind of put me to sleep but I'm not entirely mad about that. I want to keep listening to it forever tbh.
Tragic story. Profound lyrics. Beautiful music.
Remember that scene in Red Dead Redemption when your riding to Mexico for the first time? Yeah, this is a whole album of that feeling.
I wanted so bad to give this 4 stars, but it is just too sad and slow. I'm just so blue by the end... First half of the album was a bit weak, but the 2nd half is great. I really connect with the big feelings he's trying to process in his songs, though romanticizing his depression is a little bit off-putting. He's a gifted lyricist and musician clearly deep in his own head. Made me really have to think about whether this album deserved 4 stars. - Mix seems sub-par on the first song. I can't really hear the singer, for no obvious reason other than that the instruments are too loud? - I think I liked the sunnier first album by Nick Drake more actually. This one is kinda busy - 2nd half is getting more of my attention. I'll do a lyric listen-through I think - Reiterating that first half of this album is pretty weak and 'in the clouds' lyrically. Turns with Day is Done though - 'Cello Song' is beautiful too. Clearly entering some BIG feeling territory (meaning of life, dealing with grief...)
Don’t really care much for this kind of thing
No Pink Moon, but pretty great.
Just what I needed this morning. Gentle, warm, beautiful. Number tracks 10 Fave track 2: river man 09/03/26
Good album, not as good as Fairport Convention.
Every time I listen to this it ends up being background - despite intended concentration.
A good listen from one of this era’s best folk artists. Time Has Told Me and ‘Cello Song are especially well crafted, with a quiet sound but not one that passes you by. Some songs later on aren’t quite as memorable, and perhaps fall into the folk trap of meandering for too long. Enjoyable overall though.
A hauntingly beautiful and melancholy debut album, with some of Nick Drake’s strongest compositions, arranged with great elegance and taste. ‘River Man’ is the clear standout for me, with ‘Time Has Told Me’, ‘Day Is Done’ and ‘Cello Song’ the other highlights. It’s all great, though. The only slight mistake was including ‘Man in a Shed’ over ‘Made to Love Magic’ and/or ‘Time of No Reply’, which are both far superior songs. Nonetheless, this is a brilliant album; it’s incredible to think he was only twenty when it was recorded and had barely been playing guitar for four years.
wow
Its friday and this is NOT a friday album. Ill save it until monday, and then it will be a 4 star.
there's a level of intimacy and simplicity that's simply hard to convey with an album that's at the same time poppy and full of instruments. it was surprising to me, read that it had more musicians beside Nick Drake. It's an album that made me so relaxed, and comfortable doing chores that it's just representative of the power that has music.
6/10
An Incredibly emotional and moving debt, some serious talent to write this at 20
Meditative yet sad Fave track: Saturday Sun
Nick Drake hell yeah. Hoping Pink Moon makes it but if it doesn’t, I’m happy this one did. 4.5/5
I think he’s a solid 4 for me. Nothing I’m going to get obsessed with, but always lovely.
Not as good as Bryter Later, a 4 for me, but better than Pink Moon, a 3. 3.5 rounded up.
If you enjoyed this, the “making of” box set that came out last year was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.
Good stuff
Such a gentle and Melancholic album i would listen to a million times again
Ахуительный альбом, ощущения спокойствия и радости. Приятная и мягкая композиция и сочетание. Очень круто
What a gorgeous album. I tried getting into Nick Drake a little while ago by listening to Pink Moon and just couldn't quite get into what he had to offer, I figured it just wasn't quite for me. But sitting down this time with a nice pair of headphones and nothing but time on my hands, I found myself thoroughly enjoying his debut album. Just beautiful instrumentation, lyrics and vocals. I'm not sure if the version available on streaming is recently remastered either, but everything here just sounds fantastic and creates an incredible, melancholy atmosphere. I can give nothing but praise. Favourite Track: 8 - Man In A Shed Best Three Track Run: 7, 8, 9
I know I need to listen to this more to take in the full meaning. I had it on in the background a few times and still enjoyed the chilled sound
Good but, not my taste in music
This being his debut album at all of 21 years old. This is true art in music. The lyrics are poetry on their own and then the melody just adds to them. I am always completely absorbed when I hear this album. From start to finish he has me under his spell. Though I’m not usually one for sadness or melancholy, this album is so beautiful that I have to love it. The album ending with Saturday Sun, my all time favorite Nick Drake song, is only the cherry on top of an all time great album.
não me agrada.
Is this the guy Kendrick was dissing?
This album moves at the speed of a falling leaf. Yawn.
I may have been depressed when I started to listen to today’s selection, but by the end of the album any doctor would have written me a prescription for medication. This album is the perfect backdrop for sitting alone in a room, glass half-filled with bourbon, and the lights seemingly turned off. Otherwise I don’t see another use for it. Nick Drake is inarguably a talented musician, he just didn’t use those talents correctly on this album in my opinion.
You know that guy at the bar who’s had a few too many and he thinks everything he says is way more charming than it really is? Nick Drake is that guy in musical form. He doesn’t sing so much as suggestively whisper his lyrics into your ears, mumbling and slurring in his ‘sexy’ voice. It’s kind of fun at first but it gets annoying real quick. When Drake creates simple songs with an unadorned arrangements, something he will do on subsequent albums, the drunken whisper delivery works. Songs like Northern Sky from the next album and a couple from Pink Moon come to mind, but nothing on this album works like that at all. This album is too busy with all those instrumentations. It all feels sloppy and overdone.
boring and depressing. Nick Drake writes a good song, but damn maybe lighten up half a bit for a track or two.
I like Nick Drake but I don't listen to Nick Drake.
I liked this. It's dark. Sad. Beautiful. The vocals and instruments are all so smooth and soft.
tampoco
Nick Drake’s voice is really boring.
Too calm.not for my taste.
una leyenda, es un maestro de la poesia y el sonido
I had no expectations coming into this, having never heard of Nick Drake or any of his work. I am now shocked at how I have been ignorant of this. Beautiful, melancholy lyrics, fantastic production, bluesy folky voice. This really is a hidden gem. 9/10
1: River Man 2: Saturday Sun 3: Thoughts of Mary Jane
Wow two Nick Drake albums in the same week. After listening to Pink Moon, Five Leaves Left was pretty much what I expected. There were more unique instruments on this debut album, like strings and drums, and I think I liked it a bit better. It gives it more life, volume, and variance. Five Leaves Left suffers the same problem as Pink Moon, or vice versa. It's still too samey throughout. Drake's lyrics are all delivered in the same sleepy style and it doesn't hold me for more than a few songs. It's not bad, it's just not that enthralling. Standout tracks were "Three Hours" and " 'Cello Song" It's another 3/5 for Drake from me. It's simply fine. Pleasant songs and lyrics, but doesn't do much more.
Love Nick Drake but this was really boring. I get his contribution to music and this was his debut but sometimes someone’s best is not their debut.
Very comforting album. Type of music that you put on in the background in the morning, and just relax.
Rewards more time spent with it than a single day...which is why I've moved to one album per week starting with this one. Favorites are Fruit Tree and River Man, but a very solid album I preferred to Bryter Layter.
Com certeza é um álbum muito bem composto, porém eu acho que preciso de bem mais tempo para digeri-lo.
Atmospheric and mellow. A lovely listen.
Didnt listen, hate everything folk
I’ve heard of him but I’ve never listened to any of his music. Time has told me: 4.5/10 River man: 5/10 Three hours: 6/10 Way to blue: 5/10 Day is done: 5/10 Cello song: 4/10 The thoughts of Mary Jane: 5/10 Man in a shed: 5.5 Fruit tree: 5.5/10 Saturday sun: 4.5/10
Skvelý album
Heard Many Times; 4; Very emotional and somber album. I really enjoy the open tunings and droning guitar. Decently varied mix between songs in the way that the strings and other instrumentation are used. I enjoy the way there's parts of the song that briefly slip into a major or more upbeat melody or chord, only to slide back to the melancholy. Drake's vocals are very peaceful yet haunting at the same time. Favorite Song: Time Has Told Me
I don't know what it is about Nick Drake. Based on what I listen to, I should love his music but I just cannot get into it.
Immaculate sounding, cannot believe this was made in 1969. Not my genre at all but I cannot die the beauty
Not a fan
Man, I really did not love this! I like Pink Moon, i love britfolk, and I can hear how much Belle & Sebastian was influenced by this, but it just doesn't work for me. So much of it is maudlin and treacly! Nick's voice is great but the the arrangements are weird and don't seem fully developed. He sure got a lot better over the next 3 years! Top track: 'Cello Song
An enormous influence on a lot of late 90s/ early 2000s alt/ indie classics. Doesn't quite hit the same as Pink Moon, but you gotta take all the Nick Drake you can get. "Safe in your place deep in the earth That’s when they’ll know what you were really worth"
surprisingly loved this
I love me some Nick Drake. He was a phenomenal poet and musician. This record faded into the background a bit, but not in a horrible way. It was comforting and tranquil. 7/10
putting me to sleep
I already knew this was a 5* album, today just confirmed it
Known of the album since around the time of its release. Finally bought a copy on CD some 30 years ago. On the surface appears a simple very british collection. However it belies some fine song structures and playing elevated with light touch production.
I like this. Real Jim Croce vibes. It was peaceful, with well written lyrics and beautiful playing.
Ah, another tragic hero beloved by music journalists! But this is an excellent album, one of three excellent albums her recorded before his tragic and untimely death.
I quite liked this, nothing crazy about it though. Not really my style.
An under rated songwriter with beautiful crafted tunes. Very somber at times
Tiene canciones mejores en sus otros discos que además suenan más completos. De aquí me guardo "River man" y "Cello song". Una pena que se fuera tan pronto de este mundo.
This was pretty awesome. Although only a few songs made it on the playlist the whole album was great. This was my first listen to Nick Drake even though I've known who he is for a while now. Will definitely give his other albums a listen at some point
The album was well written, and sort of melancholic. I like how he plays guitar. Will probably listen again.
I keep getting this fellow mixed up with nick cage , really relaxed perfect album for chilling with coffee in a Sunday morning and reading the papers. Awesome voice and sounds a lot more modern than 1969 , will listen to more of his stuff
Good one, not the best though, what is with this list?
htela sam da hejtujem ali nisam uspela, nik i njegova muzika su prosto toliko chill, ne moze ih nista zaustaviti. sladak, opusten album. ponekad ima nekih zanimljivih i neocekivanih instrumenata koji upadnu, ali uglavnom je produkcija veoma ocekivana, sto nije losa stvar, znas sta te ceka! vokali su u prvom planu uglavnom i peva o zivotu, najs.
4/5. As a guitarist, I'm biased: Drake was not only a phenomenal guitarist and composer, he was able to combine those talents seamlessly. That's not typical. Oftentimes a composition can outgrow the guitar in complexity, or the guitar eclipse the composition in importance for the composer. But Drake's songs don't show this struggle. He loved to experiment with the guitar, using tunings that would allow him to incorporate it easily into his vision. If you're a student of the guitar, you're in for a treat. Getting onto the songs, Drake is brilliant throughout but the album requires either a sort of introspective, melancholic mood or effort to get the most out of it. Despite the calm rhythms and arrangements, it's not easy listening. Mixes of genres, cluster chords, and controlled dissonance are all present here. They're used well, but there's still an avant garde quality to it more than 50y after its release. My personal favorite is "Man in a Shed," probably one of the simpler compositions. I love everything about it — the descending bass line with an open tuned guitar playing a puzzling riff over it, the piano offering little flourishes, and the simple and sweet lyrics that contrast perfectly with the relative complexity of the song.
I feel like I’ve heard this artist’s name but cannot tell you why… His voice and songs were pleasant, but true appreciation for this album is probably lost on me.
🙂
Really solid all around. There were a few songs I didn't like but they were the shorter ones. On the other hand, I really liked three hours but I thought it was a bit too long.
First time listen River Man is beautiful and haunting Love the guitar work on Three Hours Love the use of the strings throughout especially on Day is Done Never listened to Nick Drake before but I see why hes such a cult classic.
Relisten I prefer Nick Drake more stripped back like on Pink Moon where it's mostly just him and a guitar but the instrumentation on these songs is still really good and adds some whimsy that his later stuff doesn't have as much. Feels like walking through the woods in the fall picking up pinecones and shit. Favorite: Three Hours, Saturday Sun Least favourite: The Thoughts of Mary Jane
Pehmeää. Niin laulu kuin kitarointi. Melankolista. Mukavaa kuunneltavaa. Viskileka käteen ja sohvalle nauttimaan, niin viskistä kuin musiikistakin. Vaikkei viskistä tykkäiskään.
The melancholy never abides. The lyrics are deep and the voice is incredible for someone that was so young when this came out
A gem.
love him and everything he stands for.
The easiest of easy listening. No Pink Moon, though. 4/5
decent guitar work and song composition, otherwise a bit boring
Listening to this always brings back strong memories of being a teenager. Given that Nick Drake grew up near where my family lived, his music always evokes images of driving through the countryside with it playing. Regardless of my personal attachments, this is objectively a classic English folk album, with Drake's gentle, hushed vocals complementing his immaculate finger-picked guitar work. The arrangements that sit atop his playing never feel obtrusive in the way that they sometimes did on Bryter Layter (though the album still falls slightly short of his haunting, bare-bones third and final album). River Man is a case in point - a song genuinely elevated by its orchestration, while Day is Done is a testament to his skill as a musician, with wonderful playing that is never overshadowed by what surrounds it. Lyrically, the album evokes a mystical feeling - never overly cryptic, but focused on mood rather than explicit meaning. It is always saddening that he never lived to see how revered and appreciated this music would become, with this debut standing as a true and essential classic.
Hauntingly beautiful. It is the Nick Drake album that most resonates with me. Definitely deserves an inclusion. 10/10 [KEEP]
The Good: We aren’t left barren… The Bad: The five leaves left aren’t enough to cover up anything… The Ugly: Realizing that the leaves refers to reefer… Son of a bitch… that’s it. 3 Nick Drake albums? Just like with our friend Leonard Cohen, listening to more than 1 album is kind of enough, and though I did like the first two albums of Nick Drake, this third one broke this camel’s back… I am starting to fear for my sanity the further I am progressing on this 1001 list… oh well, around 400 albums to go… Sorry Nick, only 2* this time...
Chill background folk singer/songwriter.
A mellow album but solid in delivery. The arrangements, strings and all, are timeless and beautiful. It deserves repeat listens to fully absorb what all is happening lyrically and musically.
Really quite good, great voice, chill vibes, would def listen to again
A nice and simple album but nothing really stood out.
Overall Enjoyment - 2 Re-listen Desire - 2 Playlist Potential – 2 Energy Level - 1 Groove / Rhythm – 1 Listening Comfort – 2 “Wow” Factor – 2 Score - 4 Best: All songs
Bit boring for me. I can see there being an audience for me, but it didn’t resonate with me at all.
Not my cake lo fi , slow , analog guitar , talking singing , makes you wonder how cum is it in 1001 to hear before you die
As haunting an album as I've ever heard, even before I understood the tragedy of his life and short career. I could never have placed this record in 1969; how does one manage to sound timeless and still ahead of their own time? What interesting instrumentations and arrangements, this has the feel of someone who has spent immensely more time doing studio recordings than a kid recording their debut record. Just when you think it's all acoustic guitar and strings and woodwinds, you get the understated twang of an electric guitar chopping right through the mix. This is my first Nick Drake album, and I'm happy to be able to start at the beginning. I understand that his other two albums are also on the list and I look forward to hearing how his output develops (or not) over his brief career. I wish this album came to me on a day where it matched my mood better, but I'm still able to appreciate it today. Perhaps revisiting in the right headspace will deepen my appreciation in the future.
3- Stars (7/15)
Дуже спокійний і ніжний альбом. Символічно, що він попався на 14 лютого -- ідеальний метч альбому і настрою
Every Nick Drake album could be his best. I’m not surprised they are all in the 1001. Five Leaves Left, like the other two, consists only of gorgeous, mysterious music with some kind of haunting magic running right through it. It’s beautifully arranged too and drips with delicate melodic majesty at every turn. The timbre of Nick Drake’s voice, soothing yet brittle, tentative yet strangely self assured is once heard never to be forgotten. Over 100 albums in and my top genre is 60s Folk because of 2 classic Dylan albums early on - I’ve been patiently waiting for for that to change, but it looks like I’m going to put that eventually back by another 100 albums or so because I have to give this full marks.
Folk is one of my least favorite genres, so this was tough. But not as bad as I feared. The less closely I listened the better it was for me. It’s pleasant. For me the orchestration detracted, and a lot of it was just not to my taste. Easy to see why people love this though.
I can see the foundation of what he would become scattered on this record, but he just wasn’t able to put it all together here in a way that really pulls me in. It’s somewhat of a shame that this list gave me “Pink Moon” first because it was always going to be a bit of a letdown hearing his previous albums after listening to what many people consider his best record.
miserable dirge, every track sounded the same, whining self indulgent misery, well the 4 tracks I managed to bear.
Oh not this miserable git again. I'm on a run of duds at the moment, this one being the worst in 5 days. Was there really any need for 3 albums of his? Please say there's no more! This is only the second album of 357 that I've switched off.
meh
soooo gooooood
Really, really boring
Um belíssimo álbum com canções e interpretações intimistas de folk e jazz camerístico. Excelente!
Treig nesten country Gammel musikk Litt kjedelig, men hadde fine melodier til tider
Slaapverwekkend. Stem is steeds hetzelfde.
Nick Drake’s music is absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful. Gets me every time. The guitar is virtuoso and his vocal tone and subtle voice are a match made in heaven. Highlights: Way to Blue… so spare yet so sonically rich. Then ‘Cello Song. The cello mingling with his voice after he asks the girl to reach down and lift him into her place in the cloud. Time Has Told Me is great too … country guitar meandering throughout. This album is sublime.
boring
Ok so full disclosure here, Nick Drake is a weak spot of mine. My roommate LOVES him, and it's February in Boston so I feel like this is perfect listening for the moment. I have heard River Man before and the chord progression was haunting. This album is lush, ornate, and melancholic all at the same time making it the perfect listening for the short winter days. I also just appreciate how much variety there is here between the songs. It's one of those albums I can't wait to listen to when the weather starts to get cold.
Meget fint album
it's very peaceful but not the type of peaceful I'm into. sounds like sitting by a river in a village update: day is done is pretty melancholic and sad in a calming way update: if i heard him busking on the st i would stop and listen
I think mood plays an important part in listening to this album. If you can, pick a slow activity that lets you relax and you can have this wash over you. I decided to do some painting when I sat down for this one and it definitely hit the right spot. Its smooth and gentle, but still has some good finger picking and introspective lyrics.
Very mellow easy listening music by ol Nicky Drake. I think I’m a Nick Drake fan!
Didnt like it, too acoustic for my taste
An ok album, if you're into sad folk ballads.
Very nice, mellow voice and catchy guitar riffs. Wonderful background for a wind down part of the work week. 4/5
I understand it, but it’s not my cup of tea. Way too slow and rambling for me
Spotify has been trying to get me to liste to this album for ages so i was quite excited to see what it was all about. this is a lot coming from me about this kind of mopey genre but this was actually reallly good. so far the better nick on the list
This album felt a bit darker than his previous one, and I really liked that. I'm a huge fan of acoustic guitar done well and this is a great example of that- its almost like there's more depth to the sound of it rather than just strumming. This album actually surpassed my expectations a lot, especially given the cover which I thought had a more mellow vibe to it.
I know I like to say I hate this man but I don't actually mean it, I think he was just really depressed and he makes sad, mournful music that isn't quite to my taste. There were, however, some gems in this album including 'Way to Blue' which shockingly I did enjoy and so I will **tentatively** give this a 3.
I love this album, not as much as his other one but I still really enjoyed this. The songs feel sad and mournful and feel like a frosty winter morning. I will definitely relisten to
I already love this what the cro .
sooo good
Chill album, but very similar from song to song. Also never realized Nick Caves work went all the way back to the late 60s.
Some gorgeous songs and production here and some pretty good. One eye opening aspect of this project is seeing how much my favorite artist were influenced by records from days of yore, in this case Beck (on "Morning Phase" particularly) and Fleet Foxes (the whole darn discography). 3.5 rounding up cause that's how we did it in math class.
4.5
Ok for background music. Liked Three Hours and Man in a Shed best.
Coffee shop vibes. Liked Man in the Shed.
2/4/26 - listened on the way to work. Enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Would be great for a camp fire or Golden Hour background music. Top Song - Man in the Shed
beautiful slow folky
Love this sound!
Probably my most familiar album of Nick Drake’s. Not been blown away by his stuff but certainly familiar and enjoyable. Ah yeh, it’s all flooding back now. Forgot what a lovely album it was. Really nice use of strings too and really great arrangement and craft throughout. I’m surprised to see myself edging closer to 5* because there just isn’t a weak song on here and it does his sound pretty perfectly. Increasingly impressed with every song. And production is perfect for it too. Think it might be a 5* er!
Wow! This album blew me away, and made me quite emotional whilst driving, what a Thing of Beauty.
Powerful album, but just didn't impact me as much as I thought it might.
Some vintage chill music! I really like Nick Drake. Some of it is a bit monotonous but I really like his vibe. Shame he passed on so soon, would have liked to see how he evolved.
Calm Good for a background song at home during chores/reading. Heard better but still nice 3/5
Some were pretty cool, some were pretty meh cool + meh = 3 maths
Weirdly I liked this. Based on self-knowledge I shouldn't have liked this but I did for totally unknown reasons.
The first half was complete bullshit, but it got a lot better later, especially when the pianos kicked in.
Feck naww. I so do dislike country and folk. Mr. Drake did however do interesting things with his guitar, there was a lot of little variation going on in the background with acoustic bass and percussions, it did feel like it was leaning in to jazzy sort of terrain and I often forgot what I was listening. Which is a good thing, because I don't like a lot of folk music.
Oye que bonito.
Not my type of album, first song was already boring!
A perfect antidote to modern living and modern music. Not a laptop in sight, just fine guitar playing, subtle percussion and strings that played by real musicians (but without drowning songs in great washes of orchestration). Quintessentially English, Five Leaves Left is a pretty much perfect example of folk.
Oh, poor Nick. I mean this sincerely. He was either way ahead of his time, or he influenced so many later musicians that he created the future. It depends on how you wish to look at it. The beautifully intricate arrangements and minor key shifts are exquisite. One can appreciate how it didn't necessarily catch on amid the bluster of the times. There were successful contemporaries in style, I suppose, but the braggadocio and psychedelic spirit of the time was certainly vastly different from what Nick had to offer. Perhaps Van Morrison could be considered comparable, but he still had his catchy upbeat ditties to draw people in. What Nick had to offer was tremendous, however. A young man with the talent to put his naked soul into his music. Maybe people just weren't prepared for how deeply honest it is. I'd rate it higher, but I have to leave room for Pink Moon above it.
Começo a perceber o porquê de tanta gente gostar de Nick Drake. Acho que se o ouvir mais umas vezes vou começar a entranhar mais a sua música e a viciar. Não sabia que a ' Cello Song era dele. Apenas a conhecia porque os Fontaines DC têm uma cover desta música. Gostei de ver uma ligação a uma das minhas bandas favoritas e tanto a música original como a cover são incríveis. É um 3/5, mas no futuro pode ser mais.
Lovely.
I've never really listened to Nick Drake, and after this listen, if this typical of his work, I understand the popularity. Not my typical style, but it was a delightful listen.
man in a shed, time has told me
Nick Drake is such an insanely talented musician. I don’t think he can make a bad song
Ahhhh, listening to Nick Drake lowers my heart rate. The man died too soon, but at least he left us some beautiful music.
Me gustó mucho este álbum. Había escuchado algunas algunas canciones de nick drake antes y me sorprendió que muchas de ellas están en este disco
Overproduced not my favorite nick drake.
Nice album, altough out of my usual comfort zone. I have mixed feelings about it, because I appreciated the melodies, but struggled to appreciate the voice of the singer. However I could definitely see myself listening to this again with a hot chocolate and a book by my side ! Favorite tracks : Three Hours and 'Cello song.
I fucking love Nick Drake and this was the only album of his I hadn’t heard any songs from. I think my expectations may have been a bit high but nevertheless, this was pretty impeccable. His instrumentation is such a standout here and shines through with truly amazing composition. Almost every song was so wonderful to hear and I really enjoyed the faster tempos. One detail that stood out were the chord progressions that gave each song an incredibly unique and opinionated feel. Just some awesome work here and really outstanding for a first album on his discography.
Almost perfect. 4 1/2 stars. A stunning debut album.
Sleepy dreamy alhum… requires more listens. Last track, Saturday sun is the standout and it’s amazing
"I get the feeling this is an artist I will gel with strongly." These were my words when I first encountered Nick Drake 109 albums ago, hearing his album Bryter Layter for the first time and being surprised by how much I loved it. It turns out, I was right. I can't properly put into words the way Nick Drake is able to make me feel with his music - last time I described it as mesmerising, and I certainly stand by that... but it's more than that: there's such beauty and depth and richness to what masquerades as simple folk music, and it's done so subtly and effortlessly... Nick Drake uses all kinds of musical ideas (there's even a song in 5/4) but none of it feels disjointed or out of place for a second. His lyrics are poetic, colourful, tortured and harrowing. His vocal delivery is tonally perfect for what he's singing, and it tugs at my emotions in a way I can't describe. I am now convinced that Nick Drake is not only "an artist I will gel with strongly", but a genuine prodigy - a generational talent. It's an immense tragedy that during his short lifetime his work went largely unappreciated, that he struggled so much with live performance and self-promotion, and that ultimately his battle with depression and death at 26 years of age cut short the creative career of a man who may yet have so much more to offer the world with his music. In this way, he's not unlike Vincent Van Gogh - I even feel there's a certain quality Drake's music shares with Van Gogh's paintings stylistically, but I don't think I could possibly articulate what that is. Now that I've heard Drake's first two albums, I know there is only his third and final album remaining. From what I hear it's short, stripped back and more like Nick Drake than either of these two. I'm still relatively early in my 1001 albums journey, but I know Pink Moon is on the list... It's very tempting to go and listen to it now but I'm resisting the urge because once I hear Pink Moon that's it - there is no more Nick Drake music for me to discover. Instead I'm choosing to savour it, knowing that in time the generator will give me that final album and I'll get to experience Nick drake for the first time for the last time.
i love this
Enjoyable and chill.
Bom álbum, nada demais
Too low energy for me to really love it, but it is beautiful and sad.
Was decent enough - nothing that really grabbed me, but a pleasant listen
Nice as background music - but not compelling enough for me to pay attention.
beautiful melodies, better than the drake we have now
great album. as good as, better than pink moon? idk. river man is great.
Good album. Nick left this planet way too early.
Pleasant easy listening, I'll probably listen to more in the future since its nice calm music.
This album sounds gloomy, but it isn't dark. This captures when the sun warmly lay on your face during the afternoon. When you just woken up from sleep and eager to play with your friends. Like you don't have a clue that this fun will eventually end. For me, the instruments sounds fine, though I feel most of it are quite repetitive, with mostly the rhythms is the only one changing, with some few add-ons of different percussion or cello. The lyrics are lovely though. I just wish he would do more style to the way he is singing. His voice is not bad, just too alike throughout the album, in a way. These lyrics from Fruit Tree are so gut-wrenching: "Safe in the womb Of an everlasting night You'll find the darkness can Give the brightest light Safe in your place deep in the earth That’s when they’ll know what you were really worth" Liked songs: River Man Thoughts of Mary Jane Fruit Tree Rating: 2.4/5 Jan. 25, 2026 - 7:30PM
5/10… folk / singer-songwriter / *1969
These all feel like what would play while a well-loved character is slowly dying in a movie, instrumentals are good esp strings and guitar
Really liked this actually. I liked the strings, was inspired to contemplate life while listening. Post snow storm emo contemplation time soundtrack unlocked
Well worth digging into this artist. Really enjoyed the overall sound. Like a way less pretentious Bob Dylan.
I enjoyed this more than the other Nick Drake album on the list. Kinda too mellow for me but not bad. I have to be in the right mood for this.
A very pretty album and a great first album. Very easy to listen to but I did find it dragged in some areas. Definitely not the peak as to me Pink moon was his best but a great listening experience to hear where he came from
Nick Drake’s guitar tone is so pleasant and warm that it is no surprise that everything else dissolves in it: his undistinguished, aggressively neutral voice; the twee orchestral arrangements; the elastic double-bass. Even the songs themselves suffer from that dissolution, the rhythms blurring into indistinct compound times and the melodies meandering in Brownian motion. It is only after years of hearing River Man on TV and radio that I have some grasp of the tune, but, as for the others, where are they going, why are they doing that? Some of the woodwind work is so rigid and obvious that one assumes it has been added from a template to give the smoke some more conventional shape. If this reads as criticism, it’s not intended as such, but more a bafflement at what is going on in potentially lovely songs such as ‘Cello Song and Fruit Tree. Perhaps potential is the point of the troubled Nick Drake. 2 It doesn’t half help to be dead, especially when you are always dropping intimations of your own mortality in your perfectly pleasant songs. I have burned manys an hour listening for the profundity that many people seem to encounter in Nick Drake’s recordings. Is it possible that it’s not there? By virtue of being ignored in his own lifetime Nick is all the more suitable to make us feel like we are being told a secret when he sings. His odd accent and sometimes archaic turns of phrase place him out of time and place, excepting we can say he’s an Englishman who has enjoyed the privilege of a gentle upbringing and a good education. Could be Nick Drake, could be Sir Francis Drake. But the key element is that he died before the world knew too much about him; before he had a chance to pluck out the heart of his own mystery by saying or doing things in the public eye. There are simply his recordings, a handful of unenlightening anecdotes, a few photos showing hair worthy of one of the Romantic Poets and the fact of his death. How seductively blank is Nick Drake. And just as importantly, even robed in the finery of dying young, Drake is still relatively unknown. The 27 Club? That’s for the riff raff. The 26 Club is where the truly high minds eat their dinner and smoke their cigars. It is no wonder to me that Drake is so treasured - what treasure is so precious as one whose gleam reflects the owners own brilliance in recognising it as treasure? Well I have tried again with Five Leaves Left; this singular collaboration between Nick Drake, Death, and the Guy who wrote the string part of River Man. It has done no good. I hear the same thing I have always heard: nice, if slightly staid, folk songs. 2/5
So lovely calming
sort of soul destroying but good
Emo guitar riddler
Haven’t spent much time with Nick Drake’s stuff, but I dig this.
Good chill folk music. I may have been a bit underwhelmed by it though.
Nick Drake delivers another acoustic, folky, album that is good.