Five Leaves Left

didn’t like it that much, classical basic rock album out of 60s

Mukavat vibat mut en koskaa oo ihan varma mitä mieltä olla nick drakesta.

Great album

Simply lovely. My second Nick Drake album to rate and I like this one better. This would be a cool hang on vinyl.

very nice and calm album wow never hear of nick drake before but will definitely check out more of his stuff

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

This was amazing and his later albums are even better. How in the fuck did this fly under my radar? IDK, but fuck yes;

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

Second Nick Drake album. Make way for the must-listen-iest artist in the book. 100% of his main discography has been included on this list. I didn’t like my previous outing with Nick’s Pink Moon. I’m not much of a folk or singer/songwriter guy and the lo-fi approach didn’t do much to move me. In any case, I’m curious to hear more of a studio approach from this guy. That previous album of his appears to have been a deviation from the norm. Yeah, this is quite good. I’m a sucker for strings, so I was hooked by this album almost immediately. Like all albums, the appeal of this album obviously lies in the lyrics, which are fortunately quite good. Very intimiate and personal. Anyways, onto the actual music. “Time Has Told Me” is a solid opener. The country guitars give the song a pleasing, warm sound. “River Man” is my favourite song of the album. Fantastic track, especially due to those beautiful strings. “The Thoughts of Mary Jane” is another good one. Some great strings, and I'm always a sucker for songs about lost love. “Saturday Sun” is a good closer. Nothing like a good piano performance, and the lounge influence isn’t half bad, either. Gonna read up on why this is in here. I may as well check the book for such an esteemed musician. “...complex, introspective”, though very poppy as well. Some collaborators on this one, surprisingly. This is a good pick. Folk has been a pretty underrepresented genre thus far, so I think it’s fair to get another one of these albums in here. It also helps that I quite like this album and am curious to return to it in the future. It’s a great testament to the healing power of music.

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

I saw a few reviews suggesting this was best album ever; River Man the greatest song ever put to music. Maybe this is a flaw in the album per day format: given enough time and listens I might come to agree. But I listened twice through today and while there was some interesting guitar work (3 hours), I found it largely unremarkable. The kind of thing on in doctors waiting room. Effectively 1960s Jack Johnson. 3/5

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.

BEST SONGS: - Three Hours - Day is Done - Saturday Sun

I see Nick Drake and give 5 stars.

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!

’ve heard Five Leaves Left many times. I love it. Not sure if I like it or Pink Moon better, because they’re both fantastic. Nick Drake has a wonderfully mellow sound that is so relaxing. I was happy to see this album pop up as my next listen. He was such a talented guy. I wish there were more of his to listen to

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

heard this many times. like i previously mentioned when reviewing Pink Moon, I LOVE MR. DRAKE Time Has Told Me - 5/5 River Man - 5/5 Three Hours - 5/5 Way to Blue - 4/5 Day Is Done - 5/5 'Cello Song - 5/5 The Thoughts of Mary Jane - 5/5 Man in a Shed - 4/5 Fruit Tree - 5/5 Saturday Sun - 5/5 Average score: 4.8/5 okay i thought Pink Moon and Bryer Later were his best work but after listening more closely to this... maybe this is his best?? idk my answer for his best album changes all the time depending on the mood. i can confidently say that this is his most cohesive-sounding release out of all his work. i personally think all his albums are essential listening and worth listening to, but this is especially an accessible intro to his work

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

It all sounds like one long song…

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.

Feels very forward for 1969.

Eh. Acceptable

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.

I'm sorry buddy

Beautiful and vulnerable

Not my vibe

Not a fan.

It came and went without me noticing

Never knew how good this was. The piano

Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Smile. Sigh. Drift. Float. Goosebumps. Chord change. Melancholy. Sadness. Hope. Uplifting. Profundity. Spectacular. Sit in the music. Follow it downstream. Back upstream. Never swim against it. Soak it in. Become it. This is an album like few others. The strings are perfect. Not a negative word to say about Mr Drake himself. Voice, guitar, lyrics, pace all perfect. Not sure i have a favourite song. It's all just so good. Love that bit in Cello Song when the shaker comes in. Innocuous but symbolic of the beautiful intricate details. 9/10

Cover 7 Nice mellow album. No bad songs really except that a lot of it seems to melt together, like one song. He also tends to sing exactly the same in several songs despite the guitar being slightly different. They're basically Pink Moon over and over again, which is a great song, unto itself. Anyway, decent but not revolutionary or all that necessary.

Relaxing

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

I didn't particularly like Pink Moon, and I gave it a middling three stars. However, this album actually managed to make me sit up and pay attention to Nick Drake. I really like it, and for those times when I just want to chill, or feel like something mellow and sombre, Five Leaves Left deserves a place in my Tidal library.

favorite: Man in a Shed

Super chill album. I think I’d need to listen to it more than once or twice to gain appreciation of it. I’m not sure it lives up to all the Nick Drake hype, but I’ll give it more listens.

Nope

eh it was mid

2.5

A quietly breathtaking debut. Nick Drake’s voice is soft but haunting, his guitar playing intricate yet effortless. Every song feels timeless, suspended in its own gentle melancholy. I could return to this any day — there’s always something beautiful waiting in the silence between the notes. An album that doesn’t demand attention, but earns devotion.

Los últimos cinco "liyos" de cigarrillo de tabaco armado de Nick Drake se prepararon de forma prolija, como un fino arte silencioso. Mientras tenía la boca entretenida con el filtro, todo lo que tenía para decir lo dijo con arreglos orquestales grabados en una sola toma. Una sola toma para generar toda una atmósfera: solo la adrenalina de un joven puede respaldar esos riesgos. No es de los que practican qué decir; simplemente lo dice, como todo introspectivo veinteañero. Mientras él se pierde en sus pensamientos, aprovechando cada centímetro de las últimas cinco hojas, los fumadores pasivos del salón que aspiraron todo el humo fueron Hozier, Radiohead en OK Computer e In Rainbows, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens y los melancólicos postmodernistas Olvidado como el último fumador del grupo en terminar antes de entrar al teatro social, pero después, en su joven funeral, lo recordamos con las mejores anécdotas y una nostalgia de sampleos e interpolaciones de sus acordes, letras e introspecciones durante todo el siguiente siglo. Porque lo que no se aprecia en el momento se disuelve, para dejarte con el FOMO del "qué hubiera sido", fragmentado en sonidos con regustos fantasmagóricos en el futuro.

this was absolutely incredible - perfect dark folk for autumn, and i feel like i’ll love it even more if/when i dive into the lyrics. the guitars and strings are so nostalgic to me, and i definitely need to listen to more of his music now

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.

boooooring

Saturday Sun is solid as is the first track. A lot of same sounds and vibes after that. Well produced and performed. Listened while walking.

was pretty okay. interesting use of instrumentals (in a good way). could objectively appreciate this album, it just didn’t strike a chord. 3/5.

Good soft album, easy listen. 7.1/10

As a sucker for singer-songwriters, I appreciated the poetic & occasionally narrative songwriting and cottagecore arrangements, but found the vocals to be generic/monotonic. Tracks to Track: Saturday Sun, Day Is Done, River Man

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

Not great but not terrible either, peaceful folk music

It's not an album where you come back to relisten to some banger singles but the whole experience overall is Incredibly Good

This is the third Nick Drake album on this list (I hope) after Bryter Later and Pink Moon, and for me the least good. I like Nick Drake, I like him a lot, but with the best will in the world he doesn't need to be on this list three times. All these albums are, basically, the same, even if individually the songs are all very good, which they are. Make some room, editors, jeez.

3+

Instrumentals we're awesome, really nice guitar. Found the lyrics to be a bit lacking, but still a easy listen.

Unexpected and delightful piano

I liked this album! Just not as much as the other two we already listened to on this list.

Mild

Loved the first song. The rest of the album was enjoyable and a good listen, but didn't necessarily stand out.

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

Fuck yeah

Beautiful thing. Probably best Nick Drake album

Boring album. After a couple of songs you’ve already hear everything. Strings sound phenomenal though in this album. Good lyrics and songwriting, but his voice and style becomes too repetitive.

Nick Drake is a top 5 artist for me, I could listen to this forever.

Nick Drake's ability to make music that is sad without being depressing is always something I have admired him for. The beauty and the rawness of this album come through on just about every aspect, and is easily one of the most beautiful and passionate folk projects ever made. It really is one of the ultimate "a man and his guitar" albums.

2.5

3.5

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.”

Incredibly beautiful.

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

Chill folk vibes, it's fine. 2.6

Nice easy listen

I didn't expect to enjoy this album but I did! The lyrics are fun, and the instrumentasion is fantastic. With that said, there are some boring moments and Nick's vocals aren't the greatest, but nevertheless, still an enjoyable album.

Stunning

Приятная музыка, но монотонная, не интересно

It was good, not my personal style but worth a listen.

This was a pretty good folk album! I have never heard of the guy but it wasn't that bad! It wasn't something that blew me away but pretty good

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

Sömnigt.

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

Stunningly good.

Not terrible. Actually reasonably ok but just a bit to bland for it to be interesting.

Very relaxing.

Like it 3/5

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.

Beautiful voice, beautiful guitar. Trying to figure out what makes this feel like 3 stars compared to Pink Moon's 5 stars. Presumably the songs themselves. But going forward can't imagine needing a Nick Drake fix and putting this on over Pink Moon.

Una guitarra en un túnel con mucha niebla. Corta venas sin preguntar. Un retrato

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

Slow burn, lovely mood.

Stolen duck.

Five to go!

I found this a little unengaging but I can see its influence on folk pop and beyond. The fact that it doesn't quite feel like a typical 1969 album is a credit to Nick Drake

Every time I listened to this one I was distracted and I think when I come back to it I’ll be able to appreciate it more. Did love the strings throughout.

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

nice

1/5

I liked the songs I listened to, and I can tell that he influenced a lot of newer artists but it’s still kinda meh

I feel relaxed, comforted, cozy, 5

Really pretty album. Lots of great songs and guitar work.

A delightful listen

held off reviewing this as I thought Nick Drake was Mr depressive ... but this was ok and no where near as depressing as I though it might be. I owe Mr Drake an apology and will give this another go soon.

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?

Oh my god I love Nick Drake so much holy fucking peak and still probably his weakest album

It’s alright

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

A troubled cure for the troubled mind.

Haven't heard this Nick Drake album before. I do like Nick but this album wasn't very interesting to me. After 2 songs I forgot I even was listening to music. Background noise 2/5

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

seloco.... um misto de tristeza e contemplação pelo que existe bonito d+ como sempre

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

My least favorite Nick Drake. I enjoyed it, but nothing really sticks with me like his other albums.

It's meh.

Pleasant surprise, not my personal cup of tea but still an enjoyable album.

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

meh, Kinda boring

Pleasant album

A lot of respect for Nick Drake but not what I needed to listen to at this particular point of this particular Thursday.

I like his music, not as good as Pink Moon, such a shame he died so young! Would listen to the album again

When I look back to my time with 1,001, I’ll be grateful that despite the shite mediocre Brit pop albums, it showed me the ways of Nick Drake (beyond what I knew from Garden State). Saturday Sun is one of the best closers to an album.

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.

3.0 - Ok

These songs are good, but the string arrangements are ruinous. Another producer could have taken this in a different direction and saved it

The mysterious melody and folk style across the album created an eerie aura (complimentary). The music brought out the weight of his lyrics. Quite enjoyable, first album we got that I had never heard of the artist

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

Ik hou wel van af en toe traag en rustiger, dit is té traag en rustig voor mijn voorkeur

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.

Very solid, but didn't truly grab me. Standouts include "River Man", "Day Is Done", "The Thoughts of Mary Jane", and "Saturday Sun".

Loved it - great tunes thx!

A bit maudlin

Excellent and tragic

Didnt go into this one with high expectations - i'm usually not a fan of folk albums. But this was a nice surprise. Beautiful melodies, thoughtful lyrics and storytelling.

Pleasant. Quite pleasant indeed. 3.4

I like Nick Drake's flow and voice, though majority of his songs sound the same.

Good album good lyrics but it got a bit repetitive

nice for awhile but repetitive

Meh. Got sick of his voice. First song gave me a little hope but then this one really drug out.

Eh

Enough!!! I’m sick of this guys shit.

Lighten up Nick.

Hypnotic, peaceful folk tunes. Favorite tracks were Cello Song and Man In A Shed (kind of switches the vibe up to be more jazzy). Fruit Tree sounds like Babe Im Gonna Leave You from Led Zeppelin. This was a fun airplane album and something I could easily come back to with the rest of Nick’s albums weve seen so far. Some great guitar lines and excellent use of various drums for that hypnotic element that we havent seen on other Nick Drake albums. All of this in 1969!

Does any other artist have their entire discography on here? Nick has three albums, and we've heard all of them now. Pleasant enough stuff, but this one has way less to latch onto than Bryter Layter (the best of the three) or Pink Moon.

favorite song: fruit tree

meh

A lot of great songs in Nick drakes style (acoustic guitar + singing). Pretty raw. I personally prefer Bryter Layter and Pink Moon.

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

Nick Drake really was something else. I read about him after listening to Bryter Layter because I loved that album, and his story is such a tragedy. Five Leaves Left is on parr for me with Bryter Layter. There is some beautiful acoustic guitar playing here, his lovely vocals and orchestration bringing it together. This will be another album I’ll be keeping an eye out for in the record fayres.

Just an excellent album from an unheralded excellent artist

Meh

Good but also not amazing

Already heard Pink Moon on this list. After hearing this, have to imagine will be hearing his remaining album as well. So personal and beautiful, instantly recognizable and enjoyable.

Beautiful and delicate, like a spider web glistening in the morning dew; fetching, aching, and transient beauty. I felt this one deep in my soul.

Life in a Northern Town.by the Dream Academy is one of my favorite songs, so I definitely have heard of Nick drake before this. A very haunting, chamber atmosphere with these songs. This could grow on me further.

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

Fantastisch. Ich habe dieses Album bereits gehört aber nie so aktiv wie dieses Mal. Und es ist es nicht nur wert aktiv gehört zu werden, es verdient es auch.

Great all the way through. Every track was outstanding.

this was very beautiful 2 me

I've been listening to sad music this week so it really hit the vibe for me. I had a great word in mind to describe this album and then forgot it so I spent over an hour looking at thesaurus.com to find it again. I never found it :/

Good. 3.5

Not my bag

Nice! Favorite Track: Three hours

It was cool but probably won’t to return to it

Not the best album to begin the week

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.

Nick Drake existing in the 60s is mindblowing. Maybe I subconsciously still mix him up with Nick Cave. Anyway, to be fair, this album is also extremely mellow. Some might call it a snoozefest, but I think his style fits right in to the 90s OC-soundtrack kind of music, and not just because it's very Alexi Murdochy. So I find it very pleasant and nostalgic. Highlight: 'The Thoughts of Mary Jane'

Nick Drake does a very folky bluey soft rock with largely nice intricate instrumental work. It’s not the type of mood I seek too often

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

Quite sad, kinda slow, liked it in a way. I can picture myself listening to this on a train, or like the album cover, in a small British cottage and my wife just died

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.

Très bon à réécoute

4.7

Nothing burger of music. Forgotten the moment it ended. Maybe if I was a native English speaker I would appreciate it more.

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.

Good album. More of a dark/melancholic, introspective sound that I do enjoy in spurts. The album stands the test of time and can still be appreciated now. 3.5/5

A sad folk album with some interesting brass and wind instruments. Didn't grab me. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Wasn’t sure if it was just the novelty of Drake’s vocal style wearing off, but I felt like this wasn’t as good as Bryter Layter. Ended up going back and listening to Bryter Layter again afterward… I was right, I do like it better.

I don't hate it, but it's a little too folky for me.

Love a good folky album.

This was a pretty okay album. I thought a lot of the instrumental was pretty and added to each song. I just cant get behind the vocals... They felt dragging and relatively monotone.

Slow but beautiful

Like the other, soft and beautiful

I’ve been told how great Nick Drake is by many people. I don’t hear it. Mediocre “poor me” tunes.

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

Perfection

chill acoustic and a bit sad soudning

Stunning, beautiful, timeless. Artists are STILL chasing this sound. So thankful to get to hear this music.

Just perfect. Nourishment for the soul.

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.

A sad folk album should be a 5/5 for me, but this album couldn’t grab me like I was hoping it would. It’s lyrically beautiful, but I think the music is just okay which is a bummer

Not my cup of tea.

it’s a very pretty album. The music is beautiful. it’s definitely background music. I liked it a lot. But it all sounded like the acoustic intro to a Led Zeppelin song. I kept waiting (knowing it was not coming) for a heavy breakdown. Still, a very good album.

Great album. More accomplished than his subsequent releases.

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.

Its pretty good. Didn't realize big Richard Thompson played on this. Acoustic arrangements with all sorts of other instrumental touches. Pretty one note (not literally) singing. Reminds me of the L. Cohen Albums from the same time, just with not cutting lyrics.

Fantastic singer/songwriter album, but maybe it's me, I found it great as just background music. Would listen again though. 4/5

Chill

Det her gjør mæ så glad og æ like det så godt.

Extremely beautiful. Not as consistent as Pink Moon, but still a lovely listen. 4/5

Don’t love as much as Bryter, but still great. Need to listen a few more times…

Gorgeous - happiest sounding of the the Nick Drake albums but they are all beautiful. I always enjoy them more than I expect to when I put them on.

I need some drums.

One of my favorite albums

calmíssimo! para deixar rolando e tomar um café da manhã com calma no sítio

Well played

It's fine, a bit sleepy.

I think this is the best version of Drake. It’s fine

Mellow moodiness

Liked it.

Nick Drake albums are perfect

Bardzo, bardzo dobry album. Daleki od mojej estetyki a jednak niepozwalajacy się oderwać od sluchania

Musically pretty incredible. Not fully on board with the vocals though.

Mellow and melancholy debut from Nick Drake. Some interesting song topics including The Thoughts Of Mary Jane and Man In A Shed. Enjoyed the listen and he improves with his next album. (2.9*s)

This is a really great debut album, all of it perfectly crafted, blended, and balanced. It creates an entire atmosphere and his voice and strumming are so ethereal. I guess we didn't deserve him because, sadly, he made an early exit. Like his last album, this one came to me in the list at the perfect time, great for a rainy day. FLL is a bit sadder and slower than his previous entry Bryter Layter but that doesn't detract from the hypnotic melodies, rich lyrics, and almost mystical quality here. The opening line is the inspiration behind The Cure's band name. They recognized genius in this calm, cracked, fragile musician. It's a shame his time was so short and he was never appreciated during it, but I appreciate him now. The list provides. Easy 3.25 for this River Man.

Much like the global review...can't say much about "Five Leaves Left." Another sleepy, softy. I don't think Drake deserves the list let alone twice. Did this guy have a huge impact on the music world at the time? Is it because he suffered from severe depression and overdosed at age 26? It's not bad music, but like "Bryter Layter," it's just not for me...1.63 stars.

A couple songs in I was prepared to mostly tune it out and chalk it up as a generic folk album. As the album continued it managed to get its hooks in me and by the end of it I was pleased with the entry. While I expected some smooth guitar and steady vocals there's something to the depth of what is featured on Five Leaves Left that make it stand out from the crowd. Nick Drake's voice has a soft gravel/husk that pulled me in. It features some nice guitar lines that are varied just enough to keep the album interesting. Five Leaves Left is a folk album on the surface but there's a little more to it than that. Hard to explain without giving it a listen. I'm not sure I'll ever put it on again myself but if I ran into organically in the wild I wouldn't mind. 2.82 stars

Subtle, magical... not masterpiece like "Pink Moon", but very, very good

I like his follow up, bit a sad loss of musical artistry 0- to take one's life so young.. Miss you Nick!

Album is good but overrated too soft

'So, I'll leave the ways that are making me be / What I really don't want to be.' I have never had to acquire a deep regard for Nick Drake's music. If anything, I've had to reevaluate my initial impression of his genius. But the more I listen, the more I'm absolutely convinced that he's a special talent, the composer of three uniquely excellent albums. What I admire most is that he's no malcontent; although he offers a morose image, that's mere superficiality: he wants, more than anything, to be rid of his worst habits. He has a real poetic sensibility, w/ evocative lines like: 'Three hours from speaking / Everyone's flown.' The orchestration is never ornamental, only appropriate, and his genre is a superb amalgamation of folk, jazz, blues.

It was ok

wasn’t bad but not really my vibe and too sleepy for this tuesday afternoon

Peaceful and comforting

Melancholic

Nice non-electric stuff Edit Apr 3 2026: 2 --> 3. After really loving Pink Moon by Nick Drake, I am bumping this up

rather nice, low 4

Топ

Meh

Its coo

Took me a few listens to really get into this. But now I'm here, it's really wonderful.

A real late 60’s vibe without the extraneous production fluff. Layers of folk, country, orchestral pieces, a slight Latin flair in spots and jazz all coming together to make a great listen the deeper into the album you go. Vocals remind me of Seal from the late 90’s; effortless resonance in the voice and very smooth. A true surprise from an artist I have never heard of.

Listening to Nick Drake sing should be a recognized form of therapy.

Ahead of its time.

no

Feels like an album I should be sipping tea too, while staring wistfully out the window of my cottage at my wildflower garden on a foggy day.

So good

perfect rainy day music. what a calming way to listen to a dude shred. wish i could sit in a house near the beach in mendocino and just have this on all day with a coffee.

Having this after two Leonard Cohen records really helped me with perspective, the production on this record is slick. Stripped back instrumentation with plenty of oomph when the track calls for it spotlighting killer songwriting and a voice to die for. I love this shit.

meh

muy moody, folky, con gusto. Reminiscencias protolejanas por la voz medio rara a Dinosaur Jr. Pavement, Elliot Smith, Sufjan Stevens

Didn’t listen this time but remember it as a deeply sad album.

I didn't listen to every song on the album but I didn't enjoy what I heard.

Some classic folk! Highlights: River Man, Saturday Sun Drake's voice is hauntingly beautiful. Should listen to this in the fall.

You can see the influence of this guy in so many other singer songwriters. Nice album,.

Stripped down, folly, slightly haunting, and kind of beautiful. Definitely not something I would have picked up on my own, but something I'm definitely glad I've listened to now - the kind of feeling this list was made for :)

Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. Very chill folk vibes, I enjoyed it alot

i mean just the best album ever obviously, and not even my current fave nick drake album (tho it has been!). i think something that particularly hit me this time, something not quite captured in the more stylistically cohesive followups, is the range of influences in the pot here...multiple kinds of folk, blues, jazz, arrangement ideas that include congas and cellos and vibraphone...theres a kind of raw creativity here thats in a more primordial form than the more focused statements of bryter layter and pink moon. in a way this is the least album-y of the three, which is perhaps why it didnt hold onto my Top Favorite slot, but the material is unassailable and benefits entirely from the variety of low-key colors it draws from. drake is certainly in contention for my favorite guitar player ever...nobody Sparkles in my ear in quite the same way he does,,,just like no one sings or writes songs like he does. despite becoming more familiar with both his forebearers and ppl who tried to pick up his torch, his irreplacability only becomes more obvious. ill be sad when i roll pink moon, im not ready for his presence in this project to be over

What a great album. Soft, beautiful and melancholy. The guitar and his voice go so well together. Standouts: River Man, Three Hours, 'Cello Song Rating: 4.5/5

Album de folk, une petite mélancolie s'installe quand t'écoute l'album mais tu te sens pas triste, c'est une mélancolie qui te donne envie de te poser et regarder un paysage.

It surprised me that I liked that album, as I usually don't listen to that kind of music. The instrumentals are beautiful, especially the guitar. After a few listens, the way Nick Drake stretches out the syllable at the end of a verse gets a bit tiring, but that's not too much of a problem.

Beautiful. 4.5

They will know that you were here When you are gone

3.5

Would have been 2.5 if I could, relaxing but nothing I would listen to again.

Amazing album

3/5 A great album for background noise. Not many songs on here are all that great for *just listening* though.

I already had Bryter Layter on this list and I loved it. But this album was just too slow and nothing about it really grabbed me

More unimaginative folk. Good musician though.

This was awful. I listened to almost the whole thing but had to give up. Just some moaning that’s supposed to be singing. 1 star

meh good songwriting, but nothing groundbreaking. Very Gordon Lightfoot-esque.

don't really care for this type of music

Good but nothing special in my eyes. Some nice melancholy orchestral instruments definitely bring the feel of the album to life

Worst Nick Drake. I was pleasantly surprised by Byrer Later...opposite on this one. 2/5

love Nick Drake - think i like Pink Moon better but a solid album

Good album, but gets slow and repetitive at points. The opener and closer are both really good. 3.5

Ganz in Ordnung.

I wanted to like this more, but it did not draw me in enough that I was blown away and felt like I had to have it in my collection. a few songs got my attention, but other than that it was good, but not incredible

Very emotionally salient album. Huge contract to the U2 album.

Fingerpicked guitar, gentle, understated vocals with rich string arrangements and piano, an amazing accomplishment for this talented, if troubled, young man.

Love this album and love Nick Drake. Pretty unique blend of folk, classical, and jazz. This is a 5 star collection of songs that ultimately coalesces into a 4 star album.

I really wanted to like this album because Nick Drake has such a great reputation but I am ashamed to admit I found myself pretty bored for the majority of this album.

The artist is as somber as he is talented. I love the light folk guitar mixed with more traditional orchestral instruments. I wish this man had not been so depressed. He could have made more incredible music. His music stylings fit his own sad story, an unappreciated poet in his time that ended life far too early.

so so

Interesting sound. Nick cave and nick drake are like the difference between the C and D keys

Excellent songwriting. Sad that he died young.

It's been a while since I listened to this album!! I forgot how amazing it is.