Five Leaves Left

I enjoyed this more than the other Nick Drake album on the list. Kinda too mellow for me but not bad. I have to be in the right mood for this.

So lovely calming

Good chill folk music. I may have been a bit underwhelmed by it though.

Mellow, folky, acoustic singer/songwriter stuff. Runs moody to upbeat. Solid playing including some intricate fingerpicking. Lusher arrangements as well including strings (and given the year of production, I'm sure it's real instruments). There's a song "Thoughts of Mary Jane" ... 1969. Come on, man.

chill

J'ai bien aimé, l'album a un aspect mélancolique très attrayant avec des parties de guitare très intéressantes. Néanmoins, l'album est assez répétitif et peu inventif

It was good, but definitely not as good as Pink Moon

Knew the big ones from this LP but had never listened in full. Some nice songs but a little too twee and heavy and orchestral accompaniment.

nice listen

Wanted to get on a bike in Texas and also just stay put at the same time

Listenable but i liked his other album better, kinda depressing, fav song is “Fruit tree”

The highlight of Nick Drake's debut album is the evocative "River Man", a 5/4-time signature marvel with lush-yet-haunting strings. The rest of the album has decent but relatively unadventurous songwriting, relying a little too hard on established folk forms (and with some tracks like "Thoughts Of Mary Jane" practically medieval-sounding). Still, Nick Drake's voice has a lot of personality and the acoustic guitar-and-strings arrangements are often beautiful.

3.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/nick-drake/five-leaves-left/ It's good, but just that, I guess? Listened to it twice today and still nothing really sticks. Not sure I like the lush instrumentals too much. It's no Pink Moon, that's for sure.

Maybe high 3s (3.5-3.8?), liked parts but overall slower than I usually go for. Chill though

Very Calm and a Bit too sad for me

Enjoayble, smooth and safe for work support in the background.

A good headphone listen, enjoyed it, a refreshing change of pace from much of the stuff we've had on this list.

Enjoyed the album Favourite song either three hours or Saturday sun

I just dont enjoy it as much as i should

A little somber and slow for me. Not something I'd generally listen to, but it's not bad by any means.

I can appreciate the vibe and appeal and definite talent. If I was in a pub and he was playing in the corner it probably be just lovely. As it is, winter weather has me inside and with 3 songs still to go, it feels like I have been listening for a day and a night already. Apart from some tempo shifts, it sounds quite the same through.

Folk That's all

Very good

The songs kinda just washed over me. Like it wasn’t bad, just very vibey. I could see every song being like a transition/montage song in a movie.

I prefer pink moon but I liked it

I was looking forward to this as I know a few people who highly rate Nick Drake but I had never listened to him before. I was a bit disappointed with the first playthrough, but I think that was probably because of my expectations. I certainly enjoyed the second listen a lot more and also checked out another of his albums. Overall I think he’s ok but not someone I’ll be adding to my rotation.

hehe it’s okay i really liked the whole vibe of it

Slow and imo a little boring. Would listen while working but not as a dominant note.

I'm coming to the realization that I really enjoy folk music. This was really nice to listen to. 7/10.

Not his best album in my opinion but still good.

3.5 (41:43, 10 tracks, debut, 1969) Folk This is the soundtrack to listen to when you are going to take a long one way walk into the woods with a gun. Nick died young, 26, of an apparent overdose of antidepressants. A high level of sadness is prevalent in his recordings. It does beg the question had he lived would he a.) have been largely forgotten as another unsuccessful but talented struggling artist b.) taken his music to commercial success? Sometimes dying young is good for your reputation. The music is undeniable sad. One music critic (professional) said he detected that Nick was a virgin in his singing. I wondered to myself what the hell does that sound like??!? I suppose sad and depressed may apply? Overall, I liked his guitar playing the most; a lot of strings and piano for "folk". Don't plan to revisit it often but I did listen to it 4 times in a day and it's mid-range long (41 minutes). Thought about rating a 4 but I music is just too depressing. Favorite track - Man in a Shed

Appropriate background music.

The counter-melodies! In intricate guitarwork! Feels like a calm, rainy day. Doesn't burst... IT SETTLES. At first I was like, "GIVE ME SIMON & GARFUNKLE", but I could get into this! Will circle back

Not bad.

Short album of all guitar and vocals. It has a relaxing tempo and feel to it. I listened to this album while Sarah was in Seattle with Breanna and I had an eye appointment. I heard this 1,001 list features several Nick Drake records and this was the first one I've ever heard.

While I do feel sad that he was ignored, sometimes it was for good reason. 3/5

Nao curti mt

It's sounds so sad, so moody and dark. I don't know if this is for me. Can be really pleasant to listen if you're in a that mood I guess. Dark folk, like I'm in a movie where I have to make some kind of very important decision. Also the melody, the strings are amazing, but the voice a bit too monotone

This is a completely new to me album. I've never heard any of the songs and I'm really not familiar with Nick Drake. When reading about him and the album, he's referred to as a folk musician, and I would definitely not consider this music folk music. I found the songs to be beautiful. The strings and his voice add almost a haunting quality to a lot of the songs. Definitely something I would listen to as background music, but not as a primary listen.

Depressing. Singer songwriter with mostly acoustic guitar only. While listening, I thought of Cat Stevens and Paul Simon who have more hooks and their songs are more upbeat. Even Madcap Laughs by Syd Barrett is more upbeat. This album is just "down"... has Nick Drake ever laughed or felt happy? I might listen to this album a few more times for the lyrics and find out what he is being introspective about. I will look forward to "Pink Moon" when that surely is suggested as it might be the better album (hopefully.) I don't feel led astray by this suggestion as I have with several other of the 1001 selections so far.

It's ok, like the voice, a bit répétitif, some nice guitar, feels like hot chocolate near a chemney

Dok sam ovo slušala osjećala sam konstantnu potrebu da uporedo radim nešto drugo kako ne bih zaspala. Onda sam usred svega toga shvatila da sam tako opuštena i da mi ovo leži skroz. Baš lijepa muzika, ne za mene ali jednom je bilo fino odslušati.

i’ve never heard of him before, but it was a nice listen. favorite song: fruit tree.

Not really sure what the fuss about Nick Drake is. Not that’s it’s bad but I don’t get the acclaim.

All Nick Drake to revisit later 3

Didn’t like this nearly as much as Pink Moon. Seemed a little monotonous, which was sometimes cool and meditative but often just a little boring.

This album gives off the type of vibe you feel when you're in a coffee shop on a rainy day; simply existing, watching the world go by.

Another debut album. (And Richard Thompson in the backing band!) I have an affinity for this kind of folksy music. Already familiar with Cello Song from this album, which is still the standout track after a full listen. He sounds like an indie Beatle that left the band early and more successfully pulled off McCartney's solo album thing. Orchestral touches to some tracks, and a recognizable singing voice without affectation. His voice reminds me of Laura Marling and at moments, Nina Simone. Something about the vibrato. I did not know Drake lived such a depressingly short life. RIP.

Cool blend of acoustic and more almost classical moments. I've listened to this twice now cause I just happened to listen like a couple weeks ago. I liked it more this time around. I feel like if I gave it a true proper listen I'd like it even more.

i liked it but didn't leave much of an impact on me, 3.5

Music: beautiful Lyrics: good Vocals: ok Overall: beautiful but dreary and sad. Melancholic. Works as background music.

Very lightful beat with some kind of sadness.This album has deep lyrics of life and some romantic love stories. It made me feel a little emotional. I wanna to listen this album in a silence night not in a work day's morning.

There are better Nick Drake albums

Not exactly my favorite type of music, very Irish balladeer, but it was okay.

A really beautiful album. Perfect for early morning or chill, late night listening. Cello Song is a standout.

I didn’t mind this, but it’s the third Nick Drake album on this list so far, and I am only about a third of the way through. I am convinced that 1,001 albums is too many. I would have rather seen a more concise list of say, 250-300 albums. Anyway, three stars.

Loved the instrumental. Intro to every song was great.

It was good, liked the gutair, but decently won’t listen on regular basis.

Have always loved Drake's voice, and his songwriting strength really shows on this album.

good but pretty melancholic for me

Pleasant album. There are some musically elevated songs, such as River Man. It's a sort of evolution of old country, but a bit depressing

No meh auti Musig ...

Chill enough.

mopey

sad and dark

This album had a very pleasant sound, just didn’t blow me away with anything.

Nice background music

It was good but nothing really wowed me

7/10 Not a fan of his monotonous singing style. That said this is the first time a Nick Drake album really connects with me. The instrumentation is gorgeous. Strong songwriting as well. Highlights: Day is Done River Man Fruit Tree Time Has Told Me Man in a Shed

Este señor casi no puede parar de melancolinear, hay alguna cancion guapa (en las que no llora y le van a salvar del suspenso), me ha recordado a los tiempos de con arthur morgan cabalgando por el viejo oeste. En otras solo queria que se parase ya porque eran 4 min de la misma melodia que te tralla la cabeza como un despertador.

I’ve enjoyed ‘discovering’ Nick Drake through this project but I think I slightly prefer the other albums we’ve had so far.

fist time hearing this artist and music music is a little slow and sad reminds me of songs from a musical good music for a rainy day

I was into it for the first couple of songs, then I forgot there was music playing. Relatively pleasant, but I have enough albums in my quiver to meet my needs when I want to listen to this type of music.

3/5 - I felt like I was listening to a troubadour at a ren faire for 40 minutes. If that's your thing, this is wonderful, and probably a top 10 album for you. I mostly found it beautiful, but unmemorable in any way. Still, it's a better album to listen to than many of the 2s I've handed out, so I'm going with a 3.

chill vibes

Nick Drake has all the qualities I appreciate in a singer songwriter, yet I find it hard to truly connect to his music. It might click someday, as I seem to feel closer to it with each listen. Five Leaves seems to be my favorite album of his at the moment and I'll most definitely revisit it soon.

Laid back. A bit monotone, but decent. Mono parts of some songs do not work well with headphones. 3,0/5

This one is hard to rate. I like it but the production takes quite a bit away from it. The string arrangements are overdone particularly in the second half of the album. Oftentimes vocals and Nick's guitar are drowned out. His later albums, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon, feel much more alive. His songwriting shines through better. I want to give it 4 stars. But I just can't see myself coming back to it repeatedly like I do his other work. It pains me, but 3 stars.

Fine. It was fine rainy day music

Sonorous, mellow, reflective.

Very melancholy and not normally my thing but I listened twice

He's an impressive song writer, and when you're in the right mood, the music is pretty good. Man in A Shed was my favorite - it's a livelier, swinging, jazzier song than the others.

Yes, this is umistakeably Nick Drake.

The first half of this album is excellent, the second half gets a little tedious and slightly weird. I’m still on the fence with Nick Drake, but this album is decent.

I want to like Five Leaves Left more than I do. It is great in a folk singer-songwriter context. However, when considered against all genres, it may be around my fifteenth to twentieth favorite album of 1969. There is nothing distasteful in the slightest. In fact, the album is quite tasteful. There just are not any songs that draw me to them.

Sound very modern, acoustic, handmade folk and pop music.

For being the exact type of music I don't usually like, this isn't that bad.

Sounds like snake introspective river man me like

Smakt tannkrem som er mer spicy. Veldig a4, sikkert viktig for sin tid men gørr kjedelig nå. Er noe jeg kunn hatt som bakgrunnsmusikk

A little maudlin but I still liked it well enough.

Chill mais un peu trop peut-être, j'étais border de m'endormir mais bon ça s'écoute bien. Une vibe un peu plus piano jazz sur Saturday Sun qui ressortait peut-être un peu du lot des autres chansons à la guitare

Pretty decent, the first half is just not my type of music but the last song was very good.

its that type of low energy that is ok ish

Enjoyed, good lyrics.

Riverman is a classic and stands out above the other tracks, which are pretty much meh...

This one was fine. Nothing particularly outstanding about it so it gets an un-outstanding score. I didn't get annoyed with it at all though.

Bucolic folk with picked acoustic guitars and lightly played stand up bass, flute, hand drumming, and an overall gentle jazzy cabin feel to it - his voice is as ever, whispery and expressive. None of the songs here reach the level he'd soon get to though, and it's a very pleasant but not gripping album.

Yep I really liked this one!

Nick Drake is a kind of music that fits extremely well when in a certain mood. Other times i just want to listen to something else and today was such a day so I find it hard to score it high.

Ok 👍

Very poetic and can hit just right when you are in the right headspace for this album.

Sounds super modern. I've been a casual Nick Drake fan for a while just with songs that come up on various playlists, but I had no idea he was releasing stuff in the 60s!

Aivan nevahööd jätkä. Yllättävän fressit saundit. Seassa pari hyvääkin biisiä. Laitetaan kolkki

This was lovely. Saturday sun was really nice. No strong feelings to report.

I like this better than the Paul Simon record. But it took me several vibe tests to find that I enjoyed this the most in the early morning. I think my fave track was probably Man in the Shed since I liked the sound of finger picking in the steel stringed acoustic guitar. I also enjoyed the orchestral accompaniments when they were included. But not too many tracks I can nail down aside from the first couple and last couple that really stood out to me.

I think this is a really nice album, I enjoyed it, but admittedly I need to spend a little more time with the lyrics. It’s probably better than a 3 but it needs a few more listens.

meh

Soulful and melancholic

Very mellow and moody, talented songwriting and guitar playing but a bit snoozy for me. Perhaps with more listens.

enjoyable but not super exciting

The guitar tone on this album is beautiful. And I love how the finger plucking frequently dips into minor notes. It adds a mysterious tone. The music feels deep and complex as a result. This isn’t just standard chord strumming. It’s intricate. Nick Drake’s vocals are restrained but confident. He captures the quiet drama of these folk songs. I wasn’t paying close attention to the lyrics, but they sound like stories, and I’d guess that there’s a lot of heartbreak and sadness in the lyrics. There’s some great piano on this album too. Really beautiful, mesmerizing music. 3.5

It's a pretty, soft, and pleasing album. Nick Drake's voice is beautiful, his guitar playing is inventive while also consistent, and the added instrumentation is wonderful. It's also a bit monotone for me, and with this being his 3rd appearance on this list, I question if this album should really be on it. He's a great artist, probably one of the more underrated ones that's always still been relevant, but I don't know.. I just don't think every release he's had has to be heard in your lifetime. There's a lot of great artists out there. Still, I can't give it anything lower than a 3 because it's a joy to listen to.

Smooth, low key and calming.

Timeless classic.

You could imagine this being right up my alley. It...could have been right up my alley. Alas, it left me a little cold.

I'd never heard of this artist, so had no preconceptions. It was a really nice album. Very mellow and easy to listen to. There were no standout tracks, but also no weaker / filler tracks.

Very mellow but pleasant. Would likely listen to again and other albums in his back catalogue

Pink moon is Drakes definitive album

Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left is a graceful, haunting debut, with delicate guitar work and atmospheric string arrangements that clearly show why it’s so revered. I admire the craft and the mood he creates, but for me it stays more at arm’s length than I’d like. I feel like I should love it, but instead I respect it without being fully pulled in. A beautiful listen, just not one that sits at the core of my musical world.

It was nice but a little boring for me

A very cozy and relaxing album 3/5

I didn't like it first listen, but it grew on me on the second listen. I have a feeling I'll come to love it in time. At the moment, I don't think I can give it anything more than three stars.

Quiet and understated. Beautiful and haunting. 7/10 Favorite tracks- “Three Hours” “Cello Song” “Man In a Shed”

Schöne ruhige Musik

Very chill

Good

It's pleasant and boring in equal measures. Probably enjoy an individual song, but an album of it is way too much.

Haven't heard this for years. It's good but too depressing to listen to a whole album

Salright

Some very pretty melodies.

Don’t know of this album. Liked it. Didn’t love it.

Got drawn in to his lyrics. Right after I listened to the album I played it again, that has to mean something 🧐

I gave it a couple listens. I can get into this for a mellow music day

Standouts Three Hours Day is Done

This seems like something I should at least like. All I got out of it was boredom. The vocals are the problem, I think. Too monotone. The music wasn't bad, though,

Ihan ok. 3/5.

I like Nick Drake. I really enjoy his guitar playing. The songs are good but I probably need to spend more time with them to get full value.

This is probably an album that is much more impressive in historical context? It's very moody singer songwriter, before the peak glory days of singer-songwriter, I think.

3.5 starts. Quite nice at times, like the strings.

Nice and chill album, like I listened to it in the perfect way, just softly in the background. Nothing too special, but a good listen.

If you told me that Nick Drake was worthy of inclusion on a list of 1000 albums, I’d believe you. If you tell me Nick Drake is worthy of inclusion twice, and that there aren’t 999 other artists and albums that are better, I start to have questions. Algorithm, you’ve been put on notice

The generator really wanted to give me all three Nick Drake albums before I hit 80 albums in total in the project. Wild. Well, this IS more Nick Drake. It's good; my favorite song on the album is probably Day Is Done. Of the three albums, my favorite is probably either Pink Moon or Bryter Layter, leaning towards Pink Moon. None of it bowls me over, but I do think it's reasonably good, forward-looking folk.

It was chill. Kinda soft but in a good way

Interesting and dreamy, worth a few more listens, but on the first listen felt a little repetitive

A certainly unique listening experience - though generic in the sense that I guessed immediately this guy died by suicide without even knowing who Nick Drake was. However, just because you're unique, doesn't mean you're interesting. And this was certainly a bit dull. I appreciated the guitar work on this thing, it was quite nice. A nice listen, and Nick Drake has a lovely voice - but nothing to rave home about honestly.

Hated it at first, then I started to like it so i had to relisten to the beginning of the album to see if i was missing something, but i wasn't. Seems like some songs would be great for a walk in the woods or a campfire, but otherwise, a lot of the album is pretty boring. THAT SAID, there were some great lyrics, and great instrumentation. The songwriting on some songs I'm excited to go back to. Definitely a well put together piece of work either way, but I'm not sure that I'll return to it much at all. Maybe a few songs like Day is done, The Thoughts of Mary Jane, Man in a shed, and Fruit Tree.

Good but somewhat boring .

Relaxing, but rather repetetive.

Good technique but too mellow for my tastes

Pretty songs.

Pretty, and surprised by the year - can hear this sound in a lot of 00s and 10s guitar boys.

Used to play a lot of Nick Drake. Much less now, it's a bit depressing music to me.

Pretty and pleasant, but forgettable

Very cozy. Would definitely make a good rainy day listen. My favorite song was Cello Song.

Listened to this whilst out in the garden with the kids. It was pleasant as background music, but I don’t think it’s an album I’ll return to again.

Etwas zu entspannt. Bryter layter war viel besser.

C30, HDH-Göppingen, Deutschland. Etwas seicht, aber schön.

vibey

Very pleasant. Feels like nice background music for a picnic but didn’t really make an impact on me

-Very like forest vibes idk why -Enjoy the funky chords he throws in during the songs -Guitar work is very nice -Is it my style? Is it not? We shall never uncover such a mystery -Peaceful like a lullaby

really good, enjoyed the instrumentals and voice a lot, 3 - 3.5

Really chill tunes, i could see myself listening to this making breakfast on a regular basis or something

Fairly good one for background music.

It's a nice and calm album but not really my taste. So I could imagine to listen to it when relaxing. It was a joyfully first album of the 1001 Albums. But all in all I can say that I didn't blow my mind

Kind of slow and sleepy, but nice voice and nice '60s folk.

God, men også lidt ensformig.

Not terrible, but also not really my thing. The Body Breaks was my favorite, but I had a hard time to focus on the music as a whole. Gounod everything a bit boring.

I always get him and Nick Cave confused. Ehh this is fine, not my cup of tea

Nice and mellow

Decent album, enjoyed it. Nothing really stood out to me but I liked everything. Like his vocals a lot.

It’s good but nothing earth shattering starting to pick up on a distinct Brit bias in this list

Nurse, I need 10ccs of 10cc STAT

the usual nick fare

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

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

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.

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

Feels very forward for 1969.

Eh. Acceptable

I'm sorry buddy

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

3.5

Chill folk vibes, it's fine. 2.6

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.

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

Like it 3/5

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.

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.

nice

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.

It’s alright

A troubled cure for the troubled mind.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

Good but also not amazing

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 :/

Nice! Favorite Track: Three hours

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'

Très bon à réécoute

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.

chill acoustic and a bit sad soudning

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

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.

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.

It's fine, a bit sleepy.

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

Mellow moodiness

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.

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

Album is good but overrated too soft

It was ok

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

Its coo

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

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

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

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

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

Ganz in Ordnung.

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

man in a shed

3.5 - Solid and sad

I respect these songs, production, and singing. In a different world (in the dark, in a beanbag chair, wearing a giant headset connected to a hifi turntable with one of those curly wires) I think this album might become my entire personality. But that time has passed for me, and it's just a lot of potential that didn't quite land for me.

Very good, wasn’t sure what to expect. I like his voice it fit the recordings well. Would be happy to give this a few more listens.

Very chill, very relaxed. I good mood

Too lyrically oriented for my likes, but very chill and relaxing acoustic guitar. Soothing voice that gets lost in the background as I doom scroll.

Very chill folk music with great vocals. I have heard of him and actually own one of his other albums. Great to listen to when I laid back mood hits. It's an easy listen.

Skulle kräva att man tar och lyssnar på va han sjunger, vilket jag ej gjorde. Men melodierna är nice

This was nice, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the other Nick Drake album I have listened to on this list. I really enjoyed the bass accompaniment in Man in Shed. While I like Drake's stripped down feel of most of his other work, I think the piano and bass still allow for that feeling and give a more "whole song" feeling rather than demo track vibes. Nothing to do with the album, but reading Drake's Wikipedia article and learning he died at 26 after a lifetime of not connecting with other people so sad. A life of mental illness seemingly causing "voluntary" isolation from other people who obviously cared about him is pretty tragic. If you're reading this and that sounds familiar, you won't be a burden by asking for help. You might not be great at music or some other easily-recognizable talent, but you have something else the world needs.

Boring

rappers be screaming all in our ears like were deaf im like Great Great Great

Another one on my list of firsts. This was a beautiful listening experience, perfect for sitting outside in the sun on a spring day. Drake's soft vocals really enhance the experience and blend in beautifully with the mellow, folk instrumentals. None of the tracks were really memorable to me sound-wise, but looking at this album as a unit, as a whole, I could see myself returning to it for the particular vibe it offers.

Kinda boring

I wasn't familiar with Nick Drake before this, and didn't find it boring. I quite liked it, and I think it's the kind of album that would grow on me, and I would enjoy more with each listen.

This album is okay, I have no qualms about it apart from it being boring. But I'm honestly tired of using that word to describe folk music. The guitar was pretty good throughout, so I liked that. I definitely don't think the album is worthy of a 2, so...

Music to wander to, watch the wind and feel the sun. Saturday Sun and Man in a Shed standouts

That's not my taste in music - But ok

Not his most iconic work but enjoyable

A revisit. Good one

Music for a certain kind of mood. There are some real highlights here, but it does get a bit monotonous after a while.

He has some great songs, but a whole album of it can be a bit much.

Nice, pleasant. Sounds like music they would play in a coffee shop so you can study and get work done. Inoffensive and kind of fades into the background

3.5/5

I wasn’t sure about this, but there is something keeping me at a low three.

Classic drake, good folk

I struggled to connect with it (Fontaines do a great cover of Cello song)

This was a nice album to listen to and the sort of folk music that makes me feel good while it's on. Tho, I prefer "Pink Moon" a little more.

Expected this to be really grim and depressing, but it actually felt pretty warm and comfy.

Nothing stands out as great or bad here. I’ll never listen again, though.

Soft and wonderful, I'll probably end up listening to this till it's one of my favorites ever

Easy to listen to but I’m not sure I’ll return.

I feel like I should like this more than I do. It’s pretty good but it does drone on a bit. 3.5

Nice. Pleasant. Fine

I thought this album was boring musically but the lyrics were beautiful. I would have to give it another listen.

A very well made album but once again, an album where every song sounds the same. No twists or turns. It could literally be one long, run on song.

Not sure I’ll come back much but this is decent.

Would have made more sense back in the Autumn, but Winter time'll do.

Good folksy, almost medieval, album.

Pretty chill laid back tunes, nothing exceptional but fairly nice and relaxing.

Ok

I quite like Journy Man, but the whole album is too much of the same and boring

Alright I suppose