Five Leaves Left

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?

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.

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.

A gem.

The easiest of easy listening. No Pink Moon, though. 4/5

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

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

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.

Дуже спокійний і ніжний альбом. Символічно, що він попався на 14 лютого -- ідеальний метч альбому і настрою

Um belíssimo álbum com canções e interpretações intimistas de folk e jazz camerístico. Excelente!

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.

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!

Very nice, mellow voice and catchy guitar riffs. Wonderful background for a wind down part of the work week. 4/5

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 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 .

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

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!

Oye que bonito.

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.

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

beautiful melodies, better than the drake we have now

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.

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.

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

sort of soul destroying but good

Haven’t spent much time with Nick Drake’s stuff, but I dig this.

Nick Drake delivers another acoustic, folky, album that is good.

This album is pure poetry. It’s so minimalistic yet so powerful, sticking to the tried and true methods of impactful music through chords and simple orchestration. It feels very personal, yet has such strong emotion being invoked. On the flip side, this minimalism prevents some songs from having proper progression, leaving it like an incomplete thought. Favorite song: River Man

so pleasantly surprised! this was jack johnson in the 70s

Five Leaves Left is an absolutely great album. Nick Drake was never an artist i was really aware of prior to doing both this and Pink Moon but those two albums have taught me that the music he makes is hauntingly beautiful. A lot of this music really invokes some of Leonard Cohen's stuff with a lot of the stylings you would expect from an album by him. Of course, the music here is great like i said, each instrument from the violin, the guitars and the cello among many others were executed brilliantly here. Drake's voice, which is the main reason why i brought the Leonard Cohen comparison here is also great. The production here is also great, better than Pink Moon. This album certainly is a really good one. Best Song: Cello Song Worst Song: Time Has Told Me

It can be a little one note. It is, however, a very pretty one note and one I will be revisiting.

It's very similar to Pink Moon. Nick's amazing voice, acoustic instrumentation and absolutely magical songwriting. The major difference is that there is actually more instruments here than just a guitar. It's all very beautiful, his playing is immaculate and his voice just sooo soothing. I guess it doesn't have that vibe of Pink Moon, idk why but just something about that album is so special and touches my soul in a very unique way. This is absolutely stellar tho, not really much worse.

I have never listened to a whole Nick Drake album. I kinda liked the laid back vibe. The lyrics were great and as an aspiring producer how this record was made is rarely done anymore. Sounds cool.

I listened to this one a few times because I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t love it on first listen, but it grew on me. You can really hear his British accent come through, and it feels a little like he could’ve been a Beatle in their slower songs. It’s chill and a little melancholy/bittersweet. Good for that vibe

Beautifully written songs

Very cool. Reminded me of John Martyn.

Nick Drake is always a breath of fresh air. I prefer his other albums, but his voice singing to me on my.mornimg commute is always welcome.

Really prettty

A lovely, peaceful listen.

Pink Moon is an amazing album and I think this one just doesn't stand up. It's a little fuller, which I think works against it. The piano, for instance, doesn't add, it's a negative. But still a great album. The guy was born into it, it's natural to him.

Please refer to previous Nick Drake review.

Great album. Relaxed and chilled. Sunday Afternoon vibes

This was a pleasant surprise - enjoyed it a lot

I loved "The Thoughts Of Mary Jane", but it loses a star because I didn't enjoy the melody on "Three Hours" that much.

i don't hate it but i don't love it either

yay

Heel erg mooi. Rustgevend. Prettige stem. Blij verrast

This is great English folk of the quiet and reflective variety. The chords are lovely and melancholy; the lyrics are sweet and intelligent, but occasionally slip by unnoticed due to Drake's understated delivery. The album features fantastic string arrangements ("Day is Done", "Fruit Tree") that enrich the whole sound without overcoming the voice and guitar that are at the heart of the music. A fantastic album for certain moods, and a crucial record of another talent gone too soon. Favorite tracks: "Three Hours", "'Cello Song"

Very enjoyable. Like a rainy day spent looking out the window

Nick Drake might be my favourite discovery from this whole journey. It's not at all my typical genre but it's the best version of it.

Well, I suppose there are worse musicians named Drake, that’s for sure.

Enjoyable, I’d listen again

A really nice minimalistic and sad album. Beautiful voice and some great melodies

Braaaa bilmusik!!

A very pretty album, this is my 2nd favorite Nick Drake album behind Pink Moon. I really enjoy the strings and his guitar playing. High 4.

I’m getting down to the last fifty or so albums on this list, and today I’ll finally review my final Nick Drake album, which happens to be his first album. I’d never heard of Nick Drake before starting this project, but I was immediately blown away when I first reviewed Pink Moon, all the way back at album 36. It’s been almost two and a half years since I reviewed Bryter Layter (which I also really enjoyed), so I’ve been looking forward to this album for quite some time. Like his other albums, I really enjoyed Five Leaves Left. Nick Drake has such an incredibly unique way of arranging his music, and his lyrics are incredibly beautiful and haunting. It’s a treat to listen to someone with a talent like this, and Nick Drake’s music stands out so much compared to other music that was coming out at the same time. I truly can’t think of anyone to compare him to, because he was able to put his mark on everything he did. I really love the way he blends his guitar playing with these beautiful string arrangements. Every element of his music feels perfectly placed, but it all sounds so natural and instinctive. Nick Drake’s lyrics can be a tad too figurative for me at times, but when his lyrics succeed with me, they’re a rousing success. Some notes on the individual songs on this album: I loved how each element on “Time Has Told Me” kicks in at separate times. I think it makes the overall sound that much more beautiful, because it made me appreciate each element on its own. I really loved how “Three Hours” was arranged. The percussion was excellent, the guitar was haunting, and I found myself hanging on to each note as I waited for the next line of vocals. A really great song. Those strings on “Way To Blue” pack such a punch. It sounded like the melody wanted to get brighter and lighter, as it shifted away from the darker sound, but was always sitting right at the edge before going back to the darker sound. I thought it was a really effective way to construct this song’s sound. “Man in a Shed” was excellent, and probably my favorite song on the album if I had to chose one. The guitar playing was beautiful, but I really loved the lyrics here. I interpreted this song as being about a man who sees himself as broken emotionally and mentally, but he sees a girl that he loves who he thinks has it all together, and he knows he can’t abandon all these dark thoughts he has, but he still wants to be with her. “Fruit Tree” was really beautiful, but also incredibly haunting, especially given what we know about Nick Drake’s death. The sharp strings created a really great atmosphere that made the lyrics that much more impactful. I’ve really enjoyed listening to all three of Nick Drake’s albums, and it’s a shame that I never discovered his music until starting this project. Not only is his music fantastic, but he had such a tremendous impact on so many other artists as well.

Absolutely gorgeous by its simpleness, in contention for best debut albums. Jealous of him having that voice at 19. 4.25/5

Goated

Brilliant. Love. This is his first. Don’t know if it’s better/worse than the next one, which was first to reach my ear holes. It will take another 2 dozen spins of each before I can begin to get so granular. But here’s the thing: every single one of those listens will be an absolute pleasure. 4 Stars. Thank you for your attention to this matter

I love this record

Love Nick Drake, come on!!

i mean come on... its nick drake!

Classic late 60'

Great, somber tracks, much like Pink Moon. Just a touch too homogeneous for a 5

Never heard of him, but was pleasantly surprised. It is very mellow though.

I am a firm believer that the opening song of any album sets the tone of the album. It dictates whether or not the album would be like a rollercoaster, giving its listeners thrill and taking them through ups and downs with the contrasts of the songs complementing each other, or like a cradle, serenading them with how smooth the songs flow as one end and another starts. This album is the latter, akin to the stillness of a lake in a cold night. Calm but mysterious, having a somber feel to it that requires caution. The songs don't necessarily have anything that traditionally screams "climax", but the storytelling that the rhythm of the songs when they are played made my eyebrow raise. The first two song was calm and the melody can be compare to a lullaby, but that vibe changed when the third song played. Three Hours (put explanation here). I have to give the musicality off this album its flowers. The usage of string instruments is phenomenal, the spectrum of the way they are played portrayed different feels. Thoughts of Mary Jane used it to give it air and the feeling of light love. Way too Blue was a heavy song, the cello(?) and every drag of the fiddle adding to the sombreness of the song. The piano in Man in a shed gave this bouncy beat that made the lyrics feel lighter. Imagine if it was treated with sad ballad-like melody? It would've sent a whole different message. The album is almost a no-skip album (I skipped Fruit Tree). I'm pleasantly surprised that I liked the whole album. This is a great album to play when you're just looking to sit around and watch your surroundings. Or stare at a wall. Or people-watch. Song(s) I liked the Most: The Thoughts of Mary Jane, Saturday Sun, 'Cello Song Song(s) I liked the Least: Fruit Tree

8/10

Even though it’s my least favorite from Nick Drake, it’s still an incredible and very special album with few skips 4.4/5

rv

A smart album with fantastic arrangements. The music was more interesting to me than the lyrics and vocals. The guitar-picking was strong, the strings were real nice, and the piano work was really impressive and they all served the songs well. Like, the musicality was so good I want to give this 5 stars, but the vocals is where it let me down. The lyrics were fine enough, some interesting, some dull, but the vocal melodies were just kinda monotonous. They all hovered around the same notes throughout it felt, and it fell flat. Al Stewart does this sort of '60s British folk with strong musicality a bit better - his vocal lines actually have melodies.

Not my favorite Nick Drake album, but he was so good so this still gets a 4.

Perfect lazy Saturday morning music with a healthy dose of gloom attached to it. Nick Drake's despondent crooning, fused with mystical, emotionally poignant folk instrumentation, haunting string arrangements and the immersive production of the album owing to its recording whilst Drake was surrounded by a "semicircle of instruments" in a multilevel studio, all culminates in a great listen. This is getting purchased, and I will be exploring further.

Nice acoustic tracks, very soothing

Really like the use of strings in this. It adds a lot of depth.

Good chill music for my early drive to work

Makes me want to listen to more Nick Drake

Have listened to Drake (Nick Drake, that is) for several years but have never really "gotten" him the way many other seem to have. This time around I listened more deliberately and found a lot more to like. I think it's music you need to be in the right mood for. The day after Thanksgiving, it certainly clicked more. The opening and closing tracks in particular spoke to me ("Time Has Told Me" and "Saturday Sun", respectively).

"Pink Moon" was one of the first albums that came up for me to rate, and since I was very familiar with that album, I easily gave it 4/5. This album, although I have it in my collection, I never played it as much. But I was equally or maybe even more impressed by the beauty of the songs, particularly "River Man". The 5/4 time signature and the orchestral arrangement by Robert Kirby make it one of his most ambitious and haunting songs. Add to that the fact that this was his debut, and was completely recorded without any overdubs - Nick Drake in the studio with the string sections, and occasional other musicians, all playing live together - and it's another easily given 4/5!

A beautiful artist. I wasn't in the right mood at first, but it was pleasant to listen to on the road, all in all.

Good music to relax, very very good vocals, and a stunning guitar performance

At first I thought it was boring but I enjoyed it by the end

It’s great, what a debut album. My hot take is that this is better than pink moon, and I even think that Bryter Layter beats them both. But this just has that sort of same dreary sound to pink moon, with the added tone of the other instruments also feeding into that sound.

words of wisdom sung through a beautiful voice. Its folky, dark, moody, orchestral, and makes you think. He's constantly trying to show you this longing to only be better, but feel better. Sad we lost him at 26. What a debut. River Man is a beautiful song

This was a very chill record.

Very pretty. Worth listening to again to pick up the intricacies.

A great listen from a clearly talented songwriter. Reminds me of Richard Hawley in places.

didn’t listen till end of the day .. amazing. 4.5/5

Buen albúm para escuchar en días de lluvia, sofà y manta.

I like three of Nick Drake’s albums, but I’m not sure I would go so far as to call any one of them great. There isn’t a lot of range going on, that’s not what he does. My favorites from this one are Way To Blue, Saturday Sun, and especially Cello Song.

This all sounded about like I expected ND to sound based on the handful of songs I've heard before, and that's pretty good.

Finding this album entrancing to the point of making me fall asleep. I thought I was going to hate it, but it's strangely mesmerizing. Yet another tragic story of a talented musician's life cut short. Hard to describe why I like it so much. Simple melodies, his soft voice. It's monotonous and he tends to hold his notes for too long and too often, but something about it just kind of hits. The melancholy nature of it just makes me kind of sit here and.....feel....and then I drift off.

Beautiful front to back. Lovely recording and a space I want to stay in. Drake is that guy!! Favs: River Man, Saturday Sun

So British

A timeless singer songwriter album

La toune River Man me fait penser à l’album Sea Change de Beck ! Une pièce mélancolique accompagnée de cordes. Nick Drake a réellement une belle voix. Bon, l’album est terminé, et c’était très beau. Je pense qu’il y a quelque chose chez Nick Drake qui me rejoint. Peut-être qu’il y a une partie de moi qui aime les albums mélancoliques ? Il me rappelait Elliott Smith avec son album Pink Moon et Beck (Sea Change) avec celui-ci, deux albums dont j’aime la mélancolie. En tous les cas, à réécouter. Les deux.

Cello Song <3 whole album is warm and dreamy. LOVE!

Another good album from Nick Drake.

j'adore les instruments sauf la guitare

Extremely mellow. So mellow it makes me sleepy but so lovely I want to stay awake for the whole thing. I will be napping afterward. An only-once-in-awhile kind of thing. For me. Certain others will listen every day.

Interesting and enjoyable!

This was great. Quite different from Pink Moon with more full band and strings. Think it might be better. Definitely inspired a lot of later singer-songwriters.

This was a lot more inspired than Pink Moon. Really enjoyed the style, even if it has been re-done many times since

I've become a big Nick Drake fan because of this list. This album is really good. Is it 5 star worthy? Nope, but it's definitely worth 4 stars because I like it.

Such a beautiful listen, rich and complex

Dad- NA Mom- 8 Mike- NA Lori- 7 Michael- 8.5 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 7.83

70s mellow....

Best New Old alblum that I listen to for the first time in years

I enjoyed this one, very introspective and reflective. Well engineered and recorded as well for 1969, this is the best album I've heard out of this guy.

Je connaissais déjà River Man que j'adore, j'avais pas fait le lien avec le reste de l'album ! Très bonnes vibes, 4/5

It is nice for my first true introduction to Nick Drake to be his debut. The sounds are simple, serene, and beautiful. The lyrics are pure poetry. Really liked this one.

Love this. The blueprint for sad girl music I listen to on repeat.

A primeira review que escrevi neste site é, além de ruim e feia, sobre o fato de eu não gostar de folk. 200 álbuns depois, não digo que mudei de opinião, mas certamente fui exposto a um gameta bem mais amplo do que este complicado gênero têm a oferecer. Existe algo aqui que eu profundamente aprecio, por mais que o disco não seja mesmo “minha pira”. A voz de Nick Drake é discreta, passa despercebida. Nenhuma canção aqui é explosiva, chamativa, grudenta. São arranjos minimalistas, como é de costume com Folk. O foco está no conteúdo lírico, que eu temo dizer que não prestei tanta atenção assim. Sinto que é injusto avaliar o disco dessa forma, mas vou reiterar que a parte lírica é a que menos valorizo quando ouço música. De qualquer modo, Nick Drake, o qual estou conhecendo propriamente apenas agora, me agradou. A produção nas faixas deste álbum é ótima. É como se nenhum instrumento fosse sobreposto sobre outro, tudo parece estar em perfeito equilíbrio. É bem prazeroso de ouvir. Mas, pro meu gosto, nada é super memorável aqui. É um ótimo disco, é um prazer ouvi-lo, mas não me imagino o colocando com tanta frequência. Totalmente subjetivo, mas toda música é. Vai ficar na minha lista de artistas que eu aprecio apesar dos apesares. 4/5

Some of Drake’s best tunes here. Still very steeped in 60s folk.

Reminds me the whole "hero's journey" in the 90' movies

I knew of Nick Drake from a different album of his, Pink Moon, which is quite good if I remember correctly (apparently it's also one of the 1001 so I guess we'll find out). Five Leaves Left is a hell of a debut album. He has a unique vocal quality that I enjoy. This music is beautiful and conveys lots of emotion for being so simple. I listened to this while driving around in the rain tonight and it was the perfect soundtrack.

This was a really pretty album with beautiful instrumentation

Hauntingly beautiful from start to finish. Such intricate layering of guitar, piano and a series of other instruments. This kinda reminds me of Bert Jansch but like better.... I really appreciated the variety of different moods this album had to offer. Favorites were: Way to Blue, Cello song, Man in a shed (loved the piano and guitar on this one), Fruit tree had some beautifully written lyrics, and Saturday Sun was a great way to end it off. 8.5/10

The first Nick Drake album I was able to finish. Really enjoyed it.

Beautiful

Perfect for a rainy day

Красивая музыка и голос.

Beautiful and sad

Good songs

I said all I wanted to say about Nick Drake last time THAT said this album features one of his best loved songs 'River Man' and a personal favorite of mine called 'Way to Blue' OK I'm all draked out, LOL P.S. I read a great biography on Nick Drake since the last album, Nick Drake: The Life by Richard Morton Jack. It covers everything (it's a long one!) and has endless photos of the handsome Nick Drake.

Glad to get this one! Love Nick Drake, but only listened to his Pink Moon album and have meant to get to this one. I think I still like Pink Moon more than this but I'll definitely want to go back to this one more to see how I feel about it over time.

Oikeinkin miellyttävä kokonaisuus. Voisi kuunnella enemmänkin. Mukavan seesteinen tunnelma joka toimi oikein kivasti

Five Leaves Left -albumi kyllä jätti jälkeensä hyvän fiiliksen. Sopivan rauhallinen kokonaisuus, joka ei eksy missään vaiheessa sivuraiteille. Ei oikein yksittäisiä huippubiisejä ole, mutta jokainen biisi tekee tasaisesti työtä albumin eteen. Pyörii siinä kolmosen ja nelosen paikkeilla, mutta laitellaan nelonen.

Mukavaa kitarointia ja laulantaa, tämähän oli yllättävän hyvä!

Tää oli ihan positiivinen yllätys. Paljastan taas sivistymättömyyteni, mutta itselleni entuudestaan tuntematon artisti. Tosi kauniita biisejä ja erittäin ajattoman kuuloisia soundeja. Piti oikein tarkastaa että tämä tosiaan oli noin vanha levy. Ei mitään yksittäisiä superbiisejä, mutta tosi eheä ja hieno kokonaisuus.

Late 60s English folk debut. Floaty, airy and beautiful.

loved "cello song"

Nice, soothing vibes.

Never drawn this parallel before and maybe I'm either deluded or it's a novice take but I swear Drake was channeling a wee hint of Nina Simone at one point. Obviously amazing record. Wistful but not depressing. In my mind, this was maybe his last record but I seem to have the order completely wrong as it's actually the debut.

Ok it was good, pretty sad tho

Pretty nice. Way to blue reminds me of feed the birds from Mary Poppins somehow.

Great sounds and voice. Haven't heard much from this artist.

its too calm

i preferred pink moon over this one cause i don’t really like some of the included string instruments attached to some of the tracks. i do like the included drumming though, since that was lacking in his other album.

Inspiring guitar work. Lot of the songs sounds the same during first listen however.

Wow this is an amazing debut album. The level of craftsmanship on this album is mind blowing. The only real thing stopping this from being a perfect album for me is that it’s a very somber album and it stays in the vibe throughout. I like alittle more variety in a 5 album. But that being said the biggest thing that won me over the most is the guitar playing is AWESOME. No other word for it, it’s just so good. This album made me excited for more of his work to show up on the list. Crazy talent.

I haven't listened to much folk. So I was pleasantly surprised by this album. The whole album felt like a journey by boat through a calm river. The beautiful scenery passing by, the little fishes in the water, the occasional bad bump. An overall pleasant, eye opening experience. Some of my favourite tracks have to be River Man, Cello Song, and Fruit Tree. The Acoustic guitar was beautiful and the brass was so very well done and used beautifully throughout the album. The only thing I felt weak about it is that though all the songs are good, not all are songs that I would relisten thought I will listen to the album again for sure

Love Nick Drake.

Last two songs hit particularly well.

I loved this album, I love nick voice and his melodies make me feel calm and content

Very pleasant, very chill folk music. Drake has a soothing voice and the music is quite nice.

Still can't believe I've never heard of this guy. Beautiful album. I enjoyed his voice and the instrumentation. Cover 4/5 classy and mood appropriate

Loved this one top to bottom, completely new to me. I'm giving it a 4, but it's a stone's throw from a 5 for me, I think.

Musically, I appreciate every thing about this album. It’s beautifully executed and produced. Personally, it’s not my general preference, though I do think it’s nailing exactly what it set out to accomplish.

Nice chamber folk album, I had already checked Pink Moon before and that album is lovely but so is this one. The use of string arrangements really elevate the music from just nice folk to absolutely lovely. Just my kinda thing.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: River Man Soothing and haunting all at once. River Man is a fantastic piece of music. This ended up being quite a nice album to listen to. Not mind blowing, but eloquent and interesting.

Time has told me: I love his voice omg, really like the tonation and also the instruments, so soothing - 3,5/5 River man: I like the storytelling vibes, can i marry this sound, i kinda want to cry and laugh at the same time wth - 4,5/5 (fav) Three hours: im not a big fan of long intros, not very interesting but alright, i like the guitar - 2/5 Way to Blue: Dramatic introooo i like, gives musical vibess, hard to rate, very dramatic - 3/5? Day is done: this is sad, but i like it - 3,5/5 Cello Song: so dreamy, i really like the experimentation with different instruments, it feels like the guy loved what he did, long outroooo... - 3/5 The thoughts of mary jane: sweet - 3,5/5 Man in a shed: also really sweet - 3,5/5 Fruit Tree: Liked the theme, nothing really amazing - 3/5 Saturday Sun: feels like the other part to "sunday morning" by the velvet underground, i likeee, i kinda loveeee - 4,5/5 (very very close 2nd fav) Stimmigkeit: there isnt really a consistent theme, but the sounds match together well - 3,5/5 Gesamteindruck (x2): this album is truly great - 4/5 (x2) ------> 3,5/5

So this is the third (first) Nick Drake album and like previous albums I rather liked this and with the influence he has had on artist I really rate this is an easy 4 stars.

Never listened to much Nick Drake outside of Pink Moon. This is (as I suspected) really rather lovely and beautiful.

Easily the weakest of the Nick Drake trilogy, but still Nick Drake. (3.75/5)

Some beauties. Not his best though.

Little bit mopey but actually quite liked this as backgroumfv

Absolutely beautiful… lovely lyrics, sublime music. Enjoyed it.

I'm not normally into this kind of thing, but Drake was one of the best - beautiful songs, haunted lyrics.

Nice, relaxing album

I've never really listened to Nick Drake before. This one has quite an enjoyable vibe. Laid-back, sometimes sunny, sometimes a little dark. I'd listen to this again.

Really good -

That's more like it....

Nick Drake's debut. Sister is the actor Gabrielle Drake (UFO).

This was nice. No part particularly stood out, but it was pleasant overall.

Incredible album. So beautiful, hunting and harmonic.

Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: #283 (2003) - no longer on the list. Best Songs Time Has Told Me River Man Way To Blue 'Cello Song Thoughts of Mary Jane Saturday Sun

Beautiful and at times haunting. The level of musicality is really showing and I dig how the guitar and strings play together. RIP my man

Precioso 🥺❤️‍🩹

I love his voice and arrangements but some of the songwriting does not match the quality of the tools available, which is what stops this being a great album. A song such as River Man shows the potential for making a great album but sadly he did not have the opportunity to realise this.

A rumination. A depressed memory scape. Quite simplistic and effective.

I enjoy this man’s music

4.1 2x+ in the car, catch up 9/18

Thought I was going to be disappointed after hearing such rave reviews for this guy when I was not really vibing with the first track. Thankfully I was able to get into things by the 2nd song and was along for the ride (although with this albums pace its maybe more of a melancholic cruise).

I could already tell from the album cover that this cunt would be fucking miserable and it is both supreme irony and an absolutely ridiculous method of suicide to go out by ODing on antidepressants. Most drugs in that class fuck with your neurochemistry so badly you feel like your body is falling apart just tapering on and off small doses, I cannot imagine how agonising a death overdosing them would be. I liked the album, bothersome that the fella was not appreciated in his lifetime. Instrumentall I found it very engaging, and old mate has a very low and soft tone without being monotonous. Like he’s singing gently. Shame Spotify shuffled the FUCKING ALBUM ORDER.

A delightful and charming album. The album feels quite lean and bare, no superfluous instruments or fancy production, simple in the same way that orange juice only has one ingredient on the label. Gripping from start to finish with a couple of songs that don't quite hit the same highs as the highlights. The simple instrumentation contrasts the lyricism well, which increased my enjoyment of the album as I paid more attention on repeat listens. Nick Drake has a unique, melancholic voice and I can't think of many artists who could deliver these lines with the same sincerity or weight. I can't give it a perfect score but it comes quite close to a 5, a joy to listen to. Highlights: Time Has Told Me, 'Cello Song, Saturday Sun

I've loved all of the Nick Drake albums and I'm sad this is the last one. But of the three, this one spoke the least to me. It was still a great experience, but maybe it a way it wasn't as varied as the others?

Woah, all Drakes are problematic.

Highlight Song/s: Three Hours, Way To Blue, 'Cello Song, The Thoughts Of Mary Jane Another Nick Drake album. Unlike Pink Moon (which is the first one I got from him,) this one isn't a solo acoustic album, there IS a backing band; or at least session musicians. For better or for worse. Well for better, the bongos add so much texture. Or for worse, as I do enjoy the emphasis on the acoustic guitar, the orchestration on some songs takes away from it. Which I just don't like. But I believe the orchestration isn't too overbearing most of the time, so its A-OK (for the most part.) Wasn't too hopeful in the first couple tracks, but it came around and It's a solid album. Nice sombre overtones as well; just like Pink Moon, just less bleak.

Very pleasant. Ahead of his time.

Like a smooth cup of coffee

no notes. i love this album

I had listened to some songs from this album before and loved them. Happy to have a reason to hear the entire thing!

Second nick drake within a week, and last time I was pleasantly surprised. One of the few singer songwriters I really enjoy, his stuff just doesn't age. 4*

An old fave. So glad I got this on a chill Sunday. Great folk. Love his voice and delivery.

I am a sucker for folky singer-songwriter music, so this was a really fun album to get generated today! Gorgeously atmospheric but emotionally restrained. Leaves me wanting a bit more.

Nick Drake always puts me in the mood I need to be in. It my favorite album but a beautiful work of art.

I had never heard of this artist or this album before getting it today and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it! It sounds like an indie record from the late 90s/2000s so I was shocked when I double checked the year and it said 1969.

Interesting nice background kinda music

the combination of folky guitar + vocals with orchestral string is interesting to me! i’m a big fan of this. sounds like a pretty tragic dude during his life, and boy does that melancholy come through. liked the guitar in ‘three hours’, the bass + piano in ‘man in a shed’. he’s a british, more reserved gordon lightfoot. adding to my library.

Had never heard of this artist before, but then recognized a few of the songs. Really enjoy the gentle almost mystical lyrics and vibe.

Fint album från den ömme och plågade Nick Drake. Hans debut, och det finns egentligen inget dåligt att säga om det. Inga dåliga låtar ö.h.t. Men sticker ut gör 'River Man', ''Cello Song' (som jag först hörde Fontaines D.C.:s cover av), och 'Saturday Sun'. Även 'Day Is Done' och 'Fruit Tree' gör avtryck. Och 'Three Hours', som sticker ut på grund av sin längd och det lite mer psykedeliskt experimentella i arrangemanget. Nu har jag väl snart listat alla låtar på albumet som utstickande, vilket ger en bra indikation på albumets kvalité. Kul också att Rocky Dzidzornu spelar congas på två låtar, samma person och samma congas som spelar i bl.a. 'Sympathy for the Devil' på Beggars Banquet som var mitt förra album! Bästa låt: River Man

Nick Drake's voice is melodious. Beautifully haunting and lingers long after the last note is sung. His lyrics are moving and thought provoking. A talent gone too soon.

Oh Nick ❤️these songs make my heart hurt.

Fruit Tree is absolutely beautiful

Flott album. Liker godt stemmen og gitaren. Et par nydelige låter.

Oh I know nick drake! His voice is silky smooth and I think I could listen to it all day. Do I remember any of the particular songs? No! Do I care? Also no! This album made me feel calm and soothed. 4/5

Beautiful album. Soft but also sad and depressing at times. A perfect melancholy listen. My favorites are Time Has Told Me and Saturday Sun, perfectly sandwiching the album.

This is a jam, but only in headphones. You can hear all the instrumentation and how all the instruments play a role in each song. His voice gets annoying but honestly it’s not that bad.

Chill acoustic. Didn't grab me, be I liked it.

Another solid album start to finish by Nick Drake but I do like it a little less than Bryter Layter or Pink Moon. While all of Nick Drake's music is a bit melancholy and moody I find some of the tracks on Five Leaves Left almost a tad depressing and certainly a bit melodramatic. I like the subtle use of strings (Cello Song is my favourite) but on a couple of the tracks the full string arrangements almost take over the song and start to interfere with the subtlety that I want to appreciate in Nick Drake's music. Still fantastic songwriting and a pretty special album by anyone's standards.

Another wonderful album from Nick Drake! This one feels more intimate and less upbeat compared to Bryter Layter. The songwriting is still absolutely phenomenal, but I do think I preferred the more upbeat and complex arrangements on Bryter Layter.

Chill and interesting

Nick Drake is beautiful. Always. It is not my favourite album though. We all know that his acoustic prowess is astounding with an understanding of counterpoint that let his fingers produce their own mini orchestra from 6 strings. And yet, they decided to overpower this with a bunch of other stuff. I think he gave in to the common idea that his first album should be enormous with as much sound as possible! String sections! Conga players! Five Leaves Left is an unnecessarily overstuffed treasure chest. But this is not his fault! It feels like the music is crowding a sensitive soul who really did not know yet how to say no (me too king). Compare this with Pink Moon. Now that is an album that shows all of the beauty of Drake in its purest form :) Highlights are Saturday Sun ALWAYS and 'Cello Song. Miss u Nick

Not Len Houmous favourite Drake. If you’re not sure who it is, just give Houmous & Chutneys sea shanty collection ‘Fags n Taters’ a listen! 4.1 7/10 The Thoughts of Mary Jane

4.5 rounded down absolutely insane debut. honestly hard for me to say if this or bryter layter is better.. they both have their own distinct strengths for me highlights: time has told me, fruit tree, saturday sun (apr 4 2024)

40 years too early to write modern pop. Pretty, heartful singing

Sounds way more modern than it is. Really peaceful music, perfect for a drive on a sunny day!

Very peaceful and mystical album. The instrumentation is very enticing and enchanting, coupled with Nick’s beautiful voice. I did find some points in the album to be a bit of a lull, but overall I enjoyed it.

probably my favorite album so far in this project. loved nick drake before this but hadn’t listened to this album before. very good!

A good album. Reminds me of soft rock, but also classical music at the same time. Really good!

Not typically my jam but there’s some magic at work here

81% Best: Three Hours; Cello Song; Man In A Shed Must-Hear? Sure

I liked this one. I let it play on repeat in the background for most of my day. Some songs will definitely be added to my playlists

4.5/5. Really Really good but not quite Pink Moon level good

I feel like the producer was really anxious that if he left these songs unadorned, people would think he wasn’t doing his job or something. No other way to explain the unnecessary arrangements all over this album. It’s pretty but if you’ve heard Pink Moon you know it’s overkill. Still really good but a tier below the next two albums.

Muy bien álbum, buen rollito me encaja ahora mismo con mi gusto musical.

Nick Drake is my favorite artist of all time. "Pink Moon" is my favorite album of all time, and it's not even close. So naturally, I love the crap out of this album, and every single song he ever wrote, and for that reason, I tried to be really really objective when listening this time through. I do think this is his weakest album. Don't get me wrong -- some of the songs here are absolute perfection. "River Man" may just be the single greatest piece of music he ever wrote, taking 5/4 time and making it feel natural, incredibly complex chords and progressions that seem to melt away and feel effortless, and the endlessly fascinating lyrics: "Betty said she prayed today, for the sky to blow away. Or maybe stay. She wasn't sure." But there are also some songs that fall flat. "Way To Blue" and "Day Is Done" feel just a little bit too schmaltzy. "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" feels pretty cheesy. I love this album, but it's not perfect. What it does do is show glimpses of the mastery yet to come. Fave songs: - "Time Has Told Me" - "River Man" - "Three Hours" - "' Cello Song" - "Man In A Shed" - "Fruit Tree" Side note: the lyrics to this song are so impossibly fitting to Nick's own life that it's almost hard to listen to. It's almost as if he knew it would take his death to ignite an interest in his work. - "Saturday Sun"

This was some great evening driving music!

river man in particular is beautifully rustic. good album, good start.

solid start, bit too soft at times, can find myself listening to saturday sun occasionally. parts of it remind me of that curious george song subhash likes. would give it 3.5 stars if i could

Virkelig godt. Jeg kan være helt uforstående over for, at jeg ikke har lyttet til ham tidligere. Bedre sent end aldrig.

British folk rock is usually really not my thing. But god damn did the beauty of his voice and the quality of the recording unexpectedly pulled me in on the first track, Time Has Told Me. There's a quality to the vocal recording that is at once new and old, familiar and unfamiliar. The third track, Three Hours, sounds like something that would have influenced Bruce Springsteen on Nebraska. I also really enjoyed track 6, 'Cello Song. That drum beat was dope. That piano on track 8, Man in a Shed, is so fun. It's so strange to hear both ease and urgency in a song. It works really well. That last track, Sunday Sun, is good. Really evokes the feeling of what Sundays used to feel like, lazy, laid back.

Sounds eerily familiar, like it could be in the soundtrack to my favorite movie or something. Not bad music at all

Lovely. Still think Pink Moon tops this though.

This one is a preeetty album. I like Nick Drake very much when I’m in the mood. And I was today, so easy 4

More Nick Drake! The second three-peat in the last two days. I really love delivering meaningless statistics to my readership which is entirely accidental. Hopefully, somebody has been brought here in an attempt to geolocate me for my hatred of Bruce Springsteen and they’re taken aback at the general low quality of the rest of the opinions. Imagine that, a Bruce Springsteen fan who can use a computer?? Anyway, we’re here to talk about someone with artistic merit. A man who in just a few years would drop Pink Moon. An album that has grown on me further in recent months. I was disappointed with Bryter Layter as it lacked the stripped back atmosphere of the artist’s final record. Where will this “leave” us? And with that “joke,” we begin another Nick Drake release. Time Has Told Me - I am holding my breath and waiting for overbearing drums or dumb stabs of piano. Alright, well we have some country influence, but it really works. This is a classic Nick Drake track with a few interesting flourishes. Sweet song. River Man - The mysterious river man is always a great topic of conversation. You never really know the naked guy screaming in the Saint John river until you SPEAK to him. Three Hours - HELL yeah. Listen to that standup bass. Double bass. Listen. I don’t know stuff, I just know string vibrate nice and this song = good. Way to Blue - Way to blow it stripes. Is that exclusively a Canadian thing? Calling referees “stripes?” As my “athletic” career winds to a close due to being “big boned,” I can only reminisce on the days of hockey that preceded me. The violin here is so unnecessary. While the previous few songs were more reminiscent of my favourites from Nick Drake, this was a foray into the mediocre. Day Is Done - The day is done when I say it’s done. Why am I being so combative with poor Nick. He’s just a sensitive lil English fellow. Maybe that’s why. It’s my Scottish blood vehemently ejecting this record. This song is fine. An improvement from the last track; but still too much going on. ‘ Cello Song - Perfect. I’ve already lamented the inclusion of too many instruments, and now eye getting extra superfluous and spelling it out in the track title. Well actually this one was pretty good. Way to throw me off the scent, gang. Do you think there was any gang drama during the studio sessions. Thoughts of Mary Jane - Oh yeah. Gangster confirmed. Singing sensitive man ballads and ripping the dab rig nonstop. Cleanest way to get high. Man in a Shed - Between the river man and the shed man, we’re getting a full hobo concept album. Did the vinyl copy come in a limited edition bindle? Maybe with green tartan to tie the package together. Fruit Tree - This is fine. I'm kind of not as high on it for some reason. I was flying on a fucking cloud after the studio Mary Jane hobo sessions, so there was only one way down. Saturday Sun - This sounds like a pretty sad track for a topic that makes a lot of people happy. Classic fellow melancholic soul. Although I think this is Nick Drake at his happiest to be fair. He sounds glowing. Seeing as this is probably the last Nick Drake effort we’ll have presented to us I feel like I need to sum everything up. This was the perfect middle ground between the disappointing “Bryter Layter” and the ingenious “Pink Moon.” I like the additional instrumental touches on this record a lot as they don’t insist on being front and centre and accompany Nick Drake’s distinctive voice beautifully. This album was highly enjoyable as was the entire catalogue from this interesting individual. I suppose I’ll have to eat my words if there is some mystery album that I don’t know about, but seeing as I’m in the hobo mindset, the promise of a nice word meal puts my mind at ease. 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Time Has Told Me, Three Hours, Man in a Shed

Good music, just not quite my style.

I really enjoyed this one. Loved the orchestra elements, the melancholy and the acoustic guitar it’s just so good.

Who did Nick Drake pay to get every one of his albums on this list? That being said…I’m a fan.

i think i like this even more than pink moon

Cool vibe

Beautiful melancholy. The vocals are compelling. But I would need a lot of time to really get into the songs, which—to this relatively uninformed ear—often offer more feeling than message. Of all the tracks, “Fruit Tree” probably resonated the most with me. Runner-up: “Saturday Sun.”

thoughts: speaking of singers whose voice i love, here’s nick drake. this is just so soothing and so confident for a debut album. confident melancholy? is that a thing? sure, let’s go with it songs: “time has told me”, “day is done”, “saturday sun” rating: 7.4/10

Nice easy listen

Stunning

Väldigt mysigt folksound och känns väldigt genomarbetat trots hur avskalat soundet är. Awesome!

Don’t get me wrong I like this but it’s no pink moon. Rating a four to keep myself honest

Very relaxing.

Drake’s breathy vocals are immediately enticing. Song writing is top notch, and the instrumental backing provides a nice platform for the vocals but it also has some intrigue of its own. River Man was a very interesting narrative with a catchy hook. The flute on Thoughts of Mary Jane was excellent and the double bass on Man In A Shed keeps the song grooving along.

So after two Nick Drake albums I'm officially a fan now.

Favorite songs: Three Hours, 'Cello Song, Time Has Told Me, Sunday Sun Least favorite songs: Way To Blue 4/5

A delightful listen

Niin tämä oli tämä Nick Drake! Sanoitukset loistavia ja kaikenlainen kerronta omaa luokkaansa.

This was a very enjoyable album. I listened to it while I watered the plants and it was a good time.

Does he have a bad album?

Ts guy rhymed love with love in the first fucking song, but other than that, this album was actually surprisingly good

This is my last of Drake’s three albums on the list. His music has been one of the only pleasant surprises. This album may not be my favorite of his, but it is a great entry into his music. 3.5/5 Will listen again

menos intimista que o pink moon, mas ainda intimista pra carai lindo demais esse, os arranjos são top!

Great listen. I have only ever listened to Pink moon. This was a treat.

I am Nick Drake fan like the next music loving guy. Flawless catalogue (seems easy with only 3 albums, but they are truly all incredible). Releasing a debut album like this at 21 is truly one of a kind.

Beautiful album

Good moody, rainy day tracks

Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🪟👨‍🦱🪟 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌿⛈️🍃 Rating: 🍁🍁🍁🍁(🍁)/5

1. Sadness. Acabo de ver que el pana se suicidó, solo pienso en Graham en I Wish wishing for him to be brought back to life. 2. Ta bonita y kinda sad too. Ta sacable en guitarra, los sonidos del video dan buena vibe. Los violines de fondo me recuerdan a cerati's episodes. El último acorde del violín en cada lick es bellísimo, marico. WeeEEEEmmmm... (buscaré acordes) Maldita sea que mi capo está donde Ostin. 3.Chévere, no me atrapó tho'. Grew on me after the bridge. Requires technical skills to play it. Gonna skip. 4. Cute, mostly violin. 5. Cute, mostly guitaring and likes of anterior. 6. Boring. Sounded nice, boring tho. 7. Boring. 8. Fun riff, happy sounding. 9. Cute indeed, sigue recordándome a los episodios de Cerati. Está muy bello. Veo que Graham se inspiró bastante de aquí. También se nota la melancolía que jode. 10. Cute, medio waiting song in an elevator, notas de jazz. Not bad. Not atrapante either. Creo que un 3.9 basao en mi gusto.

Very chill listen. Really enjoyed the folksy lilt throughout many of the songs

Soft and lovely, but haunting.

Not my style but good

Cet album de Nick Drake, pour moi, c'est correct, mais ça n'atteint pas la perfection comme le fait Pink Moon. C'est un album très agréable (un peu vedge, mais c'est beau) et le talent est au rendez-vous, mais ça ne pourrait créer le mythe à lui seul. Bref, je pense que ça n'aurait pas dû être dans les 1001... à cause de Pink Moon. Mettons que tu couches avec la plus belle fille de la terre, as-tu besoin de coucher avec sa soeur aussi?

Moins viscéral que Pink Moon mais tout aussi plaisant.

A bit maudlin

favorite song: fruit tree

Lovely music, but as good as the melodies are and as beautiful/poetic as the writing is, it kinda gets trapped in one lane, needs more ingredients or energies to feel more complete as a work of art. Fantastic, nonetheless

Classic Nick Drake. You can hear the sadness and I find it so comforting somehow.

this was very beautiful 2 me

Good. 3.5

Not my bag

This is the debut album from English singer Nick Drake. The style is similar to some other English singers of the 1960s. I thought the arrangements and instrumentation were very good, and overall a good album for a debut. Better than the earlier Nick Drake album on the list.

Hard to find anything more consistently satisfying than a Nick Drake album. I came to this his debut album, after Bryter Later and Pink Moon, but this continues the hot streak. Slots between BL and PM with an array of great great songs, but a little more fleshed out in their production than either Bryter Later and Pink Moon which are more stripped bare. Bt as usual the plaintive singing and beautiful acoustic guitar are the foundation for Nick's soulful music. Nary a misstep here. Beautiful late night or lazy Sunday morning listening. 4.5 stars

I don’t ‘get’ Nick Drake. I have tried ever since one of his albums showed up in one of those 100 Best Albums of All Time lists. I can appreciate the art, the fragile voice, the jazz-tinged folk melodies, the melancholy, his light guitar playing, the orchestrations, The subtle accompaniment from, particularly, Richard and Danny Thompson - it’s all really good, well performed; well-produced, a lovely, wistful listen. But I don’t feel that way very much…

Surprised myself, thought this was quite run of the mill but his silky rough voice and lyricism was very enjoyable.

Nicks voice is really beautiful

Great acoustic album. Standout songs: Way to blue 'Cello song Fruit tree

Nick Drake has a very interesting sound. I'd never heard of him until another of his albums came up in this list, and I really do enjoy the sound of his voice and his writing style, but it's a bit too mellow sometimes. Great for a rainy day inside probably, but quite sedate. I noticed on this record that his vocal tone sounds remarkably similar to Nina Simone, which I guess is just an interesting note rather than anything about the quality of the record. Four stars.

4.7

Been looking forward to more Nick Drake, I really enjoyed Pink Moon and I enjoyed this one as well. Pink Moon is still my absolute favorite but this one is certainly not far behind at all. I enjoyed the raw sound as I expected, but I also liked how he used multiple instruments throughout the album, some songs were dedicated to a specific instrument as well to show off his talent and versatility as much as possible which I liked a lot. Another all time positive I want to talk about is his song writing, on the tracks which tell a story he told them in a very vivid manner so the listener can see exactly what he is talking about while leaving some room for interpretation as well, very good stuff. One negative though that I want to mention is the record I felt could have been a little shorter, I liked how concise his other work is with it being around 30 minutes exactly, 40 minutes isn’t super long but I feel his sound works better in shorter bursts. But despite that I still really enjoyed this. Favorite Tracks: Three Hours (Best), River Man, Man In A Shed, Fruit Tree, and ‘Cello Song.

A very pleasant surprise hearing the much darker and calmer tone of the album when initially seeing the folk genre classifications. The moddy dark tones and the lyrics were quite a good listen, and really suited the artist. Nothing much more to add but the album will be a solid 4/5.

Love a good folky album.

Slow but beautiful

Like the other, soft and beautiful

Five Leaves Left, Nick Drake’s debut album, is a hauntingly beautiful blend of folk, jazz, and classical influences. It introduced Drake’s delicate fingerpicking, melancholic lyrics, and ethereal voice. The album is richly orchestrated, with lush string arrangements that complement rather than overpower his introspective songwriting. Poetic lyricism and quiet intensity. There’s a sense of fragile, timeless elegance throughout, as Drake explores themes of loneliness, nature, and fleeting moments. Five Leaves Left is a stunning, immersive listen that rewards repeated plays with new layers of meaning.

Really nice, I think prefer his other albums but this one is cool

A really nice record that sounds great. Excellent production and good songs

One of the most depressing stories in music the life of Nick Drake was. I’d never heard of this guy until today, and his music is as emotionally gripping and sad as his own personal fight with depression must have been. As someone struggling with anxiety and depression much the same way, I’m not afraid to say that this album made me cry. This man has a beautiful voice, twinged with an unbearable undertone of sheer sadness. This is really something I think I needed to hear right now. Even though it’s depressing, it made me feel a good type of sad, if that makes any amount of sense. My favorite songs on this album are “River Man” and “‘Cello Song”. Thank you, Nick Drake, for blessing my ears with your music today.

Good album start to finish. Not an album I knew much about but was impressed.

I had only heard Pink Moon before this album. I found Five Leaves Left more musical and somewhat more accessible.