Reviews (page 6 of 14)
C'est beau, j'ai compris, c'est bon du Nick Drake.
Good listening.
Very pleasant and I want to relisten it for sure.
Simple energy, weird voice. Not bad, just need to adjust myself
I like this a lot musically, but the vocals and lyrics aren't quite great. And sometimes the instrumentation is lacking. Better when it's just guitar, piano, drums.
Very pleasant listening. I thought At The Chime Of A City Clock was beautifully produced with the soft guitar, sax, and violin mixed together to make a really soothing song. You could've convinced me this was John Mayer from Nick's singing style. A lot of songs here had that same great production quality: One Of These Things First, Fly, Poor Boy, Sunday (when the guitar comes in after the flute intro...that was nice). I can't believe how well the orchestra instrumentals like flutes, violins, and piano all work with Nick's guitar work on these songs. This was a great listen. I'm not familiar with Nick Drake so maybe I need to go listen to his other work. High 4.
This album is lush by comparison to the incredible sparseness of Pink Moon. Also has a generally brighter overall tone that come through in upbeat compositions (Bryter Layter, Hazey Jane II), though there are a number of melancholy songs that trend more closely to Pink Moon (Northern Sky, Poor Boy). Was really nice to hear his voice applied in a more dynamic/bright setting. While I think it is characteristically predisposed to melancholia it is nonetheless impressive in its tone and clarity. At once breathy and flexible. The songs themselves are quite varied and nicely composed. Enjoyed this one start to finish. Exists somewhere on a boundary between a high 4 and a low 5 for me. Hazey Jane II is more upbeat than I have heard Nick Drake before. His voice is equally effective in this more dynamic, fleshed-out environment.
Another goodie from Nick Drake! Peaceful and beautiful album that worked well as background music to work to. This had no blemishes that I could discern and I could listen to this practically any time any day and be pleased.
Now finished all 3 Nick Drake albums and they were all very good. This one was the same style of smooth quiet singing with really nice instrumentals. Short album that flew by
Very good but also background music in a way that keeps it from 5 stars.
Only really know Nick Drake's music from assorted movie soundtracks, but to his credit they're some of my favorite soundtracks. This album was really solid though- seems like a direct line from him to guys like Elliott Smith.
*Very chill, singer-songwriter vibe with some super light horns, lots of piano and guitar. *Best track - One of These Things First (Track #4) *Really good background music. Listened to it several times today because it was short (39 mins) and because I could work at the same time. *Enjoyed it, but wasn't wow'd. *Rating - 7.5/10
Never really heard of Nick Drake or this album. But as I started listening I thought "hey...this sounds like the dude who sings one of the songs on the Garden State Soundtrack that I absolutely love." Turns out it is the dude who sings the song on the Garden State Soundtrack that I love (and that song is on this album). The rest of the album was delightful as well.
8.5/10. Ngl just quickly listened to this but kinda just wowed away at this. Of course I will listen to this again and I will pick up on more of the lyrics. Great album
Esse disco é menos melancólico do que os outros dois, algumas músicas inclusive têm até um tom mais otimista, como a faixa título, que é instrumental e tem cordas e flauta, ou "Hazey Jane II", que tem um clima bem diferente do tipo de som que virou característica do artista. O destaque do álbum é o violão e a voz marcante de Nick Drake. Um belo bonito, com muitos instrumentos (violino, cravo, saxofone...) e ótimos arranjos, com uma pegada jazzística em alguns momentos.
I enjoyed this a fair amount.
O, my beautiful Nick Drake. I can hear how pained you were
My second Nick Drake - I’m grateful for this challenge for introducing him to me. I love the sad, melancholy guitar and lyrics.
This album is absolutely beautiful. Listen to it while in a dark depression and it hits different.
I love Nick Drake. He’s so unique. He could be from any area. ANY. Truly a timeless artist. Great writing, lyrics, vocals, production, instrumentation, and arrangement. Love this from start to finish. As is the case with most of his albums, though, there is little range. “Hazey Jane II” is one of the few energetic songs, not just on this album, but in his whole discography. The intro, title track, and outro are all beautifully structured instrumentals, but instrumentals nonetheless. I appreciate them being spread out, but would have appreciated some words even more. Anyways, wonderful album. Truly majestic. 4/5
Better than I was expecting, China Girl is Bowie-esque and a standout. Will listen to more Iggy past the singles.
Bueno como todo lo que vengo escuchando de Nick Drake en este proyecto. De hecho al no ser este un albun tan depresivo como Pink Moon me gustó incluso más.
This is a very solid 4.5 and I listened a few times to see what way I would be rounding. I’ve loved One of These Things First since it was on the Garden State soundtrack but didn’t know any of the other tracks.
This was much better than the other ND album we had. The arrangements and musicianship (from members of Fairport Convention including guitarist extraordinaire Richard Thompson on one track — John Cale of The Velvet Underground is on two tracks) are very inviting and add well to ND’s ethereal vocals. Wow, this sounds like a record review, doesn’t it? Anyway, quite liked this. His first album is yet to come up for our listening.
A pleasant album with decent if slightly dated arrangements. It's kind of slight, and if not for the austere final record and tragic early death, I think it would remain lost to time. which would be a shame because it is definitely worth hearing. four stars just because Pink Moon is five.
Originally was going to go for 3 but listened a few times and it grew on me a lot, love his voice
Very Nick very Drake
Nice shoes Nick
Great smooth album
It's very relaxing. I do rather like it. It was a little boring towards the end but I would listen again. Overall: 4/5
Listening to this on a stormy day is definitely a vibe. I will come back to this
Jeez, I'm sorry fella :(
Really enjoyed this melancholy folk music album. Great talent. Beautiful album.
good lyrics, love the voice
Unbelievable arrangements. Guitar playing and picking is next level. I need to lookup who played piano, flute, and bass. I need a second pass for lyrics.
Nick Drake has one of the coolest vocal styles I’ve heard, and along with his guitar and other backing instrumentals, his music is absolutely superb. I will say that my only criticism is I think the violins or woodwinds sometimes overpower the song, which is ok but I’d prefer to hear them in a more subtle setting. High 4 and definitely will be listening again
I liked this a lot, pretty melancholic
yeh
An interesting blend of jazz, country influences and folk with the voice of Nick Drake that draws you in. I think there’s an enjoyable fragility to Nick Drake’s voice, there’s always a sense of some deep emotion lurking behind even with an upbeat track, which creates a more interesting dynamic. There’s also some nice orchestral accents that is more typical of a 50s or early 60s album, but less than in his other work. Prefer his more serious stuff but enjoyable.
really pleasant
I am a Nick Drake stan, but I do have to admit that this is not his best effort. Of the three of his albums that were ever put to tape, this one falls third. Not to say its not a great album, but even with all that is added, something feels missing. Nick isn't supposed to sound this poppy with his music and it seems like he just kind of isn't into the sound stage that was created with this album. That being said, I really do like the Van Moorison type instrumentals and the singer songwritter feel to it. Hard to assess, but 7/10
Kendrick lost the beef. I mean Not Like Us is a great record, but it’s no Poor Boy 8.5/10 Favorite Song: Poor Boy
Loved it. Nick Drake is a fantastic songwriter and the rest of the atmosphere feels so warm and inviting. I don't have too much to say beyond that but I think it's an album that's better listened to then talked about. 9/10
Great find
Pretty good.
I see how this album influenced many singers-songwriters who came after. Not where my music taste is at the moment, but 10 years ago I'd have eaten it up. Maybe with time I'll revisit it.
Absolutely exceptional songwriting.
I've seen Nick Drake recommended time and time again, but I've never actually sat down and listened to one of his records. This was clearly a mistake. Favourite tracks: Hazey Jane II, One of These Things First, Poor Boy, Northern Sky
Beautiful! intimate and with much depth. Things to learn from every different listen from every different point in life
Nem rossz chill album
Nice, soothing. Very pretty.
Nie von dem gehört. ;) aber nett.
Songs: Sunday
Not even his best album, but still great
Really enjoyed. Sadly I hear he is not alive anymore.
Som ett ljuvligt litet kuttersmycke
Nick Drake has come up a few times during this challenge, and I’m a bit surprised. Personally, I’ve never found his music especially groundbreaking or compelling—but I went into Bryter Layter with an open mind. And I’m glad I did. This is a genuinely enjoyable album. It’s mellow and folky, with some beautiful moments. “Hazey Jane II” stands out as a highlight—gorgeous guitar work and thoughtful lyrics make it an easy favorite. “At the Chime of a City Clock” blends jazz and acoustic folk in a way that’s quietly brilliant. That said, the album feels a bit slight. Three instrumental tracks is too many, especially when the total song count is just ten. With only seven vocal tracks, it ends too quickly and leaves me wanting more of the actual songs. Favourite song: “Hazey Jane II” Least favourite: The instrumentals—they just don’t add much. Album artwork: A cool cover, and excellent shoes.
Beautiful album. One of these things first is a highlight.
if you hate this album then fuck you
Another beautiful Drake collection of songs.
This album grabbed my attention from the start. While it lost a bit of momentum in the second half, this was a great find. I love the acoustic folk + accompaniments (strings, horns, wind instruments) and the lyrics + delivery are fantastic. This is a 4.5-star album rounded down because I'm still early in this journey and am reserving 5-stars for the "perfect" album that holds my attention cover-to-cover. - This album has the best intro of the journey so far, and the moment that his voice comes in for the first time is SO rewarding after the instrumental intro
Not quite as good as pink moon and five leaves left but still a very strong album.
A new Sunday morning music album.
Cool, romantic
Las canciones instrumentales son una joyita, es un hermoso disco, con una voz medio que susurra y arreglos de guitarras re zarpados. Un solo tema me parecio bastante largo y repetitvo.
I never listen to this Nick Drake album before. I listened to the other two. I actually like this one, the best out of all three of them. It was a lot less melancholy than the other two. And in some ways, it reminded me of Van Morrison‘s astral weeks album. I really like the horns in the piano on this.
Sad but easy listening, I liked this a lot
Heard of nick, but not as much he's folksy, won't be fun fun ig, but it shouldn't be bad either the colours of the cover is mmm good, I don't like the guitar holding even though that's his whole point. No high expectations, just some melancholy shitt. Also does he have his shoes off?? Just noticed, he looks dark and mysterious here, we'll see about thatt. First song, fully instrumental I see, headphone play and violiiiiiinsss. It's as sad as I expected. Feels like I'm introduced to smth new, like an open world opening in a game. The guitar is in my left ear. Some frequency at the end. Liked this one I suppose. Second song, upbeat start, but his voice isn't. Sounds like aretha somehow. Love the production, the jazzy part came in too so even better. Instrumental break is as fun as it could be. Ig this one is sonically catchy, but the way he delivers the line is catchy too, just less. I like his voice btw, it's soothing. The frequency at the end is still present, oh even in the Third song too, now this one's dark country low-key. Guitar on the left and drums on the right. The violin use is amazing, powerful too. Mmmm saxophone thingy makes it allll betterr ahhh. The instrumental break is just IT, nothing special happens and actually this feels permanent wave too. That saxo on the right was just cool afff. 4th song, piano start huh. Voice started quickly too. If listened closely one can hear almost every sound and noise in the song, love that. Dunno what to say, which happens when I'm either enjoying or hating the song a lot, it's enjoy now obvi. Ohhh yea he has breathly vocals, maybe that's why it sounds like Aretha. I love when he vocals on I could've been(and murmursssssssss) that's the best part tbh. 5th song, upbeat start with that frequency behind it. Violin comes in somberly. Hazey Jane's first is dropped huhh. Actually the first line resonates with me a lot, I do curse where I come from dafuq. I wish I listened to the lyrics of II too, so that I'd connect these two Hazey Janes. First song had the best lyrical delivery, after that it's all very sonically well done. 6th song, frequency with a guitar start. Mmm dunno the name of this instrument, only in my language, it's whistly basically. I just felt like I'm writing for the deaf who want to feel the music, but can only read, thing is I don't even write that well because I don't know music terms, plus I'm doing this to keep up with the music overall. It has been only instrumental btw. Soft and somber I suppose, but probably the worst song on the album, because it's not giving me what it usually does. It's a beautiful one tho, just doesn't compare to the others. Funny that it has an album's name too. 7th song, deffo the saddest start yet. Headphone play as always. Actually the latter song was better than this I was wrong, this one's kinda bland in a bad way. It's like his voice is a little different, don't like thaat. Well the violin on the right and some new instrument on the left was the best part, but could've been better. 8th song, amazing start and idek why, it just caught me. Sounds familiar, this is genre bending I think, because the overall vibe is too tropical for Nick. The chorus girls are fun, but doesn't fill the music with anything new, just more tropicality. Song kinda progressed for a second, loved that. Also ummm this is not coffee shop music, just because it's somber and easy listening, it could easily be one, don't get me wrong, but the lyrics here are probably stronger than some basic ass coffee shop music, plus there's no actual epitome of coffee shop or that kinda place which plays these kinda music, it's just this can be boring when you just wanna dance and have a different mood, not that the album is bad rightt, like Cohen is playable in the coffee shop, because the songs are quite mmm like this, just less upbeat and loud, but that doesn't mean that the overall quality of the songs are diminished. Just wanted to say that because I saw a comment and it got me confused. This one was actually a longest song I think, deserved I suppose. 9th song, chill asf start. Production is full, if you pay attention to the details. He sometimes has Nina Simone voice hmm. Many instruments aligning for this mm cute song ig. Instrumental break is giving me autumn, it was obviously a before-chorus would hit one too, a buildup (couldn't remember the word before). Obviously full of sad emotions, but the last part seemed hoping. 10th song, sadly it ain't Sunday today, would-a been cool. The start is some familiar instrument, dunno English name, also the beat coming in was spot on good. I think it's a nonlyrical one though. Headphone play apparently. The violins fill the emptynes too. It's a more of a relax and rest kind of song, with a glimpse of happiness and sadness in it, but mostly it's just melancholic (for me). For an album ending it was not bad. All in all, I enjoyed it, however tooo calming or here and there boring it was, I still see how this could have been impactful, I'm gonna give it roughly 4 stars, even though some of my other 4 star albums had a lot more on the plate. Nick's production, voice and delivery can be well used and he has done it most of the time, just not as perfectly or in an addicting way that I strive to.
Well, this bummed me out. Beautiful, but damn. Think I'm going to go contemplate my life or something.
If Pink Moon is the perfect night album, Bryter Layter is the perfect morning album. Nick Drake's gentle voice is now backed by a full band, some of them playing piano, trumpets, and violins (oh, my!) which inject a surprising energy to the songs. The combination is the soundtrack to early bike rides along the lake on a cool morning, sipping coffee while doing house chores, or cozily laying in bed watching the room get brighter as the sun climbs. This album brings me peace, all in a brisk 39 minutes. I agonized over whether to rate this a 4 or a 5, but the lack of variety lead me to 4.
Very, male Joni Mitchell spoken word musical poetry. Enjoyed it but wouldn’t reach for it
Beautiful. Soothing but melancholy. A little unfocused at times, but thoroughly enjoyable. 4/5 Album 32/1001
A blend of folk, jazz, and chamber pop with a dreamy, melancholic tone that became a hallmark of his style.
• Wow I really liked this! • Is it me or does his voice remind you of Nina Simone? • I really don't know Nick Drake outside of the song Pink Moon, but 15 year old shmekie would have loved him alongside Donovan, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison • I like his sound. Even if his songwriting/instrumentation doesn't offer a lot of variety, it is very good at doing what it is trying to do.
Liked this more than later stuff I've heard. Some songs sound like Belle and Sebastian
lovely
Very nice, well executed soft music. Really impressive fingerpicking guitar. 4.5 rounding down, because while everything was very well done, it didn't blow me away.
Soft and sweet like a spring breeze
4.5
Nick Drake’s music is just beautiful. Love the interplay of the droning guitar and the piano. One of These Things First is an all-timer.
-holy hell this is incredible wtf?? the string and horn arrangements were so haunting and beautiful ugggh -I was expecting something more like Pink Moon which I had heard before ig, but I actually like this a lot more. can’t listen to Nick Drake without feeling depressed but this has a really nice awe-inspiring quality. Will listen again -Favorites are Hazey Jane II, One Of These Things First, and Poor Boy
Highlights: - Hazey Jane II - Northern Sky - Sunday A pleasant listen, Sounded like the holdovers
Nick Drake still rocks. Beautiful collection of songs and singing. 7.75/10 (3.875/5)
Lovely and calm
Stunning. Exactly why I am doing this project.
something about nick drake just calls to me wrote this, read his wikipedia page and realized he was severely depressed and overdosed on anti-depressants whoops
I liked this a lot more than Pink Moon. It's a lot less stark and emotional due to the backing tracks but it does make for easier listening. Northern Sky is an amazing track.
Very good
This is supposed to be his worst one, but the instruments aren't as bad as people act. Great background music, not quite enough there there for a 5 from me.
Great chilled and slightly melancholic album. Reminds me of in the court of the crimson king in a way. Never heard of this guy before but was pleasantly surprised.
Ach uwielbiam mojego kochanego, nisko funkcjonującego Nicka Melancholia ta jednak zaburzona była przez przytłaczającą instrumentaliatyke. Za dużo. Może pisze też tak ze względu, że najpierw przysłuchalam pink moon gdzie głos idealnie współgra z szaroaniem strun, ale no cóż I tak mega spoko
This one! Super snoozefest at first but then the tune One Of These Things First got stuck in my head and then I listened a bit more intently. I'm on my fourth listen (maybe 5th) now and I'm loving this. It reminds me a lot of some of the Iron&Wine albums that I love. This ones definitely getting added to the library!
I love five leaves left and pink moon... I think this is good, but ruined a bit by pointless trumpet and attempts to popify his music
This feels like the kind of music that music people listen to
Previous Encounters with the Artist: None Pleasant folk music. I appreciate his lyricism. The fact that he dealt with mental illness and died young make his lyrics more romantic. Very easy listening. Multiple tracks have Saxophone bits and Poor Baby has a great piano solo in it.
I like the more minimalist style of Pink Moon more but this is still very good.
This album put me to sleep in the best possible of ways. Favorite Track: Sunday
This was such a treat, feels like perfect road trip tunes!
Beautiful. I'm sad I put this album for so many years. Go listen to it now.
Great folk record, lyrics and sound is all you can expect and let's you in with open arms.
Well this is just a wonderful album. 'Fly' and 'Northern Sky' are particular favourites. I don't adore it as much as I love 'Five Leaves Left' but it's up there.
Nick drake vocals and guitar sublime but the arrangements feel over-cooked it is a wonder to think what the songs would be like stripped back to just voice and guitar and a little bass & drums. Still the songs are strong.
Nick Drake shows up on my listening and on a lot Spotify playlists for me. I will say that the songs on this record are kind of a blur for me. They all sound kind of similar. Interestingly it really works as a record. The consistency of the songs brings you into a mood and atmosphere that you live in for the duration of the record.
I've listened to some of his work before and liked it, but I was surprised at how much I liked this.
Not my thing really but it's super enjoyable and he's clearly amazing
Pleasant to listen to. Folky and jazzy. Light and airy. I like the orchestral sections too. Poetic lyrics and smooth vocals. Makes me want to go for a walk in the forest. I can imagine some of these songs in a movie soundtrack.
Приятный медляк
meh
Lovely and lilting; subtle, charming and understated and the near-perfect suffering artist back story to achieve later cult status: no wonder one regards with it a deep and abiding affection and has since becoming aware of it in early 2000s, and it might have been the most listened to record of one's late 30s. "Northern Sky" in particular was a song of both solace and inspiration/promise during a turbulent time in one's life – and one still finds it about awfully close to being the perfect pop song. Let's let the obvious observation suffice: this should have been much more recognized (critically and commercially of course). Few records have as many as three perfecty conceived and executed cuts – in this case "NS," "Hazey Jane I," and "Fly" (oh, the cello, it can perhaps move one to tears, when heard in the right situation). None of that lessens the relevance of a question that may seem troubling to some: has ND become a bit too well known in the year's since the market so cruelly and unjustifiably ignored him, and perhaps even slightly overrated?
A poet that could be a Morrison, Van or Jim, but with more psychics versus barbiturates.
Nice, beautiful little folk album. Definitley well arranged. I get the hype behind Nick Drake's work now. Some tracks didn't wow me though, but the ones that did left me in this beautiful, melancholic mindset. Favorite Tracks: One Of These Things First, Fly, Northern Sky 4/5
I really liked this chilled acoustic vibes nice voice well visit more of his back catelogue.
Хорошая вайбовая музыка, доброе и светлое впечатление
Excellent music, Fly a true standout but over all very chill album
Chill
My least favorite of the three but still a miraculous album... There were times, though not often, the added orchestration seemed a bit much as well as the backing vocals on "Poor Boy", but for the most part it's an extremely moving album 9.35 ★★★★½
My least favourite Nick Drake. Still extremely good. 4.5 stars
I think this is a bit better than Pink Moon, which I'm not that high on. I think the songwriting is a bit better and I like the more fleshed out and diverse arrangements. It reminds me a little of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks. Highlights are "Northern Sky" (probably my favorite Drake tune), "At the Chime of a City Clock" and "Fly". A few of the songs on the second side don't quite do it for me, but it's still great. 4 stars.
Pretty good, not the best and a decent amount worse than pink moon but still like a 7.5/10
Beautiful record that plays so well. Nick Drake was such a unique talent and every album he had made is perfect in their own way. Fav tracks: "one of these things first" "bryter layter" "poor boy"
like an actual amazing album, the instrumentation is just such a me thing to listen from the brass to the piano to well,everything would like an instrumental version of dis better tho
I’m really enjoying Nick drake. This is a good album.
Somewhat of a 70’s vibe. I liked it.
hol up, his writing is THIS fire?????
Pour ce nouvel épisode de notre traversée un peu masochiste des "1001 Albums", on tombe sur un client sérieux. Un monument de la tristesse heureuse, un fantôme dont la musique continue de hanter des générations de gratteux en chambre et de poètes à la petite semaine. On est en 1970, l'année de ma naissance, tiens donc. Pendant que le monde digère Woodstock, que le hard rock pointe le bout de son nez et que le prog s'apprête à nous pondre des solos de synthé de 17 minutes, un jeune Anglais sort son deuxième album. Un disque qui, évidemment, va se casser la gueule dans les grandes largeurs. Nick Drake – Bryter Layter (1970) Voilà, le nom est lâché, Nick Drake. Rien que de l'écrire, j'ai l'impression de baisser la luminosité de mon écran. Pour beaucoup, et surtout pour ceux de notre génération qui ont usé leurs fonds de culotte dans les bacs à vinyles des disquaires indés, Nick Drake c'est une sorte de secret de polichinelle, un saint patron des âmes sensibles. Un type qui a enregistré trois albums, n'a jamais vraiment joué en public, et s'est éteint à 26 ans d'une surdose d'antidépresseurs. Le CV parfait de l'artiste maudit. Son premier album, "Five Leaves Left", était déjà une anomalie. Un disque folk d'une beauté automnale, fragile, presque effacé. On sentait le gamin pétri de talent mais terrifié à l'idée qu'on le regarde. C'était l'album idéal à écouter en rentrant de soirée, seul, avec un fond de verre. Une pure merveille de spleen acoustique. Et puis arrive "Bryter Layter". Et là, ce disque, c'est de la triche, c'est un piège, parce qu'au premier abord, il sonne presque... joyeux. L'intro instrumentale, "Introduction", avec sa flûte et sa section de cordes entraînante, pourrait presque figurer sur la bande-son d'un film de la Nouvelle Vague. On se dit : "Tiens, le petit Nick a pris du poil de la bête, il a vu la lumière". Grave erreur. "Bryter Layter", c'est l'album d'un homme qui essaie désespérément de sourire alors qu'il est en train de se noyer de l'intérieur. C'est la différence fondamentale avec son prédécesseur. Si "Five Leaves Left" était le constat brut d'une mélancolie innée, "Bryter Layter" est la tentative de la maquiller, de la rendre socialement acceptable. Et c'est peut-être encore plus triste, au fond. La production est beaucoup plus riche, plus sophistiquée. Joe Boyd, le producteur, a sorti le grand jeu. Il y a des cordes magnifiques arrangées par Robert Kirby, qui donnent une ampleur cinématographique aux morceaux. Il y a des touches de jazz, avec la présence de membres de Fairport Convention et du Pentangle. On entend du piano, du célesta, des cuivres discrets... C'est un écrin somptueux, presque trop. On sent la volonté de créer un disque plus accessible, plus "pop". Et ça fonctionne, dans un sens. Les mélodies sont sublimes, accrocheuses, "Hazy Jane II" a un allant presque insolent, "At the Chime of a City Clock" déambule avec une sorte de nonchalance urbaine et jazzy et "One of These Things First" est d'une évidence pop confondante. On pourrait presque taper du pied. Mais au-dessus de tout ça, il y a la voix de Drake. Ce filet de voix désarmant de fragilité, ce chant qui semble toujours au bord de la rupture, qui vous murmure ses doutes et ses angoisses à l'oreille. Et c'est là que le piège se referme. Derrière les arrangements cossus, la solitude est palpable. Les textes sont d'une poésie introspective et douce-amère qui tranche radicalement avec l'optimisme forcené de l'époque. C'est une mélancolie polie, presque mondaine. Le spleen d'un jeune homme bien élevé qui observe le monde depuis sa fenêtre, incapable de s'y joindre vraiment. L'album est un paradoxe total, il est lumineux et sombre, chaud et glacial, accueillant et distant. Il est le son d'un type qui vous invite à une fête magnifique tout en vous faisant comprendre qu'il préférerait être seul dans sa chambre. Et bien sûr, personne n'a rien compris et le disque a été un bide monumental. Trop folk pour les jazzeux, trop jazzy pour les folkeux, trop subtil pour les rockeurs. Un échec cuisant qui a sans doute enfoncé Nick Drake encore plus profondément dans sa dépression. C'était le début de la fin, la confirmation douloureuse que sa musique, si intime et si pure, n'avait pas sa place dans le bruit du monde. Il se repliera sur lui-même pour accoucher de son chef-d'oeuvre absolu de désolation, le squelettique "Pink Moon", avant de tirer sa révérence. Quand je l'ai découvert, bien des années plus tard, "Bryter Layter" m'a fasciné pour cette dualité. C'est l'album de Nick Drake que j'écoute le plus facilement, mais c'est aussi celui qui me met le plus mal à l'aise. Il y a une tension, une façade qui menace de s'effondrer à chaque instant. C'est un disque d'une beauté inouïe, mais une beauté malade. Il n'a pas la pureté brute de "Pink Moon", qui est pour moi son chef-d'oeuvre incontesté et qui mérite un 5/5 sans discussion. "Bryter Layter" est un chef-d'oeuvre, certes, mais un chef-d'oeuvre de transition, le son d'une bataille perdue d'avance contre ses propres démons. C'est pour cette légère impression de "compromis", de tentative d'enjoliver le mal-être, que je ne lui mettrai pas la note maximale. Mais putain, quel disque.
A very pretty English folk album with lots of feeling expressed through introverted singing and arrangements of tender finger-picked acoustic guitar, melodic bouncy bass, flowing piano, and orchestral flourishes. It’s full but still roomy and airy, and it’s melancholic but also comfortable.
Drake's second album is pretty similar stylisticly to the debut, but when your style is so amazing, that is absolutely a goo thing. The sophisticated chamber arrangements pair amazingly with the soft vocals and introspective lyrics. Great stuff. Key tracks: One of These Things First Hazey Jane I Fly Northern Sky
I've listened to a couple of these tracks quite a bit before. Very pleasant and a bit more varied than I was expecting.
Moody and intimate, with hauntingly beautiful guitar riffs tying the album together. 'At The Chime of a City Clock' is emblematic of this. 'Poor Boy', sticks out with its jazz piano and sax solos; its breaks up the flow of the album in an interesting way. Lyrically, some songs are guilty of hippy-dippy mumbo-jumbo; e.g. 'I never saw the moons knew the meaning of the sea... Straighten my new mind's eye' [Northern Sky]. Of the three instrumentals on the album, I did find 'Bryter Byter' to be the weakest. Overall the album was a solid 4/5 Fav track: 'At The Chime of a City Clock'. Added to playlist: 'Hazey Jane II'.
Nick Drake is an incredible song writer and there are a number of great iconic songs on this one. Not a huge fan of the musical numbers though.
Dumb album name but I like it otherwise.
Gear: Letshuoer S12 PRO Artwork: 👞🪑🎸 Production: 🔇📢😵💫 Music: 🎸🎺🎻🎹🪈🔔🕰️🥀🆘 Rating: 💜💜💜💜(💜)/5
Peaceful and melancholic.
I hated the "Pink Moon" with all my heart and was horrified when saw Nick Drake again... But I really loved this album, it's really nice and gentle and harmonic and has these nice jazzy tunes in "Poor Boy". And I just adored "Northern Sky". BUT I STILL HATE THE VOCALS AND STILL CANNOT FATHOM FULLY WHY BECAUSE BOB DYLAN ALSO SINGS OUT OF TUNE BUT I LOVE BOB DYLAN
I think everything has been said about Nick Drake. Although "Bryter Layter" is his weakest album in my opinion, it is still better than average. I love his albums, especially "Pink Moon" but also his first album "Five Leaves Left". Bryter Layter just has a few too many instruments in some places. Definitely 4 stars
хороший приятный альбик
So alone, but so comforting
It was a nice surprise, never heard of Nick before and his music was haunting but really nice to listen to.
It's always the ones with bryte futures...
I really like this. It’s much more in line with the type of music I would listen to. I added Fly to my playlist. I enjoyed the mixture of instrumental tracks throughout the album. Good listen overall. Hopefully there’s more like this to come.
One of the favorites that this has shown me.
I'd probably give this a 3.5, but I will round up to 4 just because Nick Drake was doing something and making music so different than almost anyone else and has had such a lasting impact on so many indie and folk singers to this day. Listening to this album reveals the past of so many artists like Sufjan Stevens, Elliott Smith, The National, and so many others.
Nice music not my first choice but a solid album pretty much all the way through.
Nice. Fyra
Wonderful album. I prefer this lusher version of Nick Drake over the more spare one.
This is gorgeous Favorite track(s): At The Chime Of A City Clock, One Of These Things First Will I revisit?: high priority Current rating: 8/10
Great album, for what it is, it's a very brave in terms of genre, i greatly appreciate the bravery to explore these folk-ish themes sometimes fused with jazz and cool and creative backing instrumentals. Despite the vibes being sort of different across the album, the songs flow really well together and nothing felt off. I really liked some songs and feel like i might revisit them some in the near future.
It made me think of you. I'll save this for later so 4 stars right now I'm not in the mood but when I'm, I know that I will enjoy this album so much. 4 stars and thanks for the recommendation. XOXO Maggie
It's a solid album. I really enjoyed my listen.
Soothing and easy listening, musically interesting.
Never heard of Nick Drake before. Very nice. I liked the mix of folk and jazz.
Nice and chill background album to listen to on hole multitasking
I like his voice a lot. Jazzy sounding album, easy listening. 4/5.
This album was absolutely unknown to me before it came up here for review. Grateful I had the chance to listen to it, even though I usually find myself gently saddened afterwards.
I always liked Nick Drake songs, from what I know of them. Which is not much, because I had no idea he died so long ago & so young (and from an amitriptyline overdose??!??!). Wikipedia never turns up good news on these [1001 album] people. So though you might think "ah, he's just famous because he died young", I had the benefit of ignorance, and point being I liked him before all that. Cheers to me. 'Hazey Jane II' has Belle & Sebastian vibes. 'At the Chime of a City Clock' does too, but it also has sweeping strings + jazzy horn*. B&S should take notes! 'Hazey Jane I' is one of the first Nick Drake songs I heard, so it feels very prototypical to me (and not at all B&Sey :)). Actually, listening now it sounds a lot like 'Orange Sky' by Alexi Murdoch. Speaking of Sky, 'Northern Sky' is also a lot like 'Orange Sky'. Vaguely uplifiting, but not too peppy. Nice album. Nice to hear a flute that isn't my neighbor tooting her little toots while I'm trying to sleep. Nice not to have any extraneous "bad" songs. *I had a crisis of conscience about whether a saxophone counts as a horn, but Wiki says it does.
Love Nick Drake as a songwriter. Don’t know why I never feel compelled to listen to him. 4/5
A really good record. I like this much more than Pink Moon.
beautiful hidden gem from the 70's folk era
New artist to me. Very melodic with flutes and piano. Particularly enjoyed Hazey Jane I. One of the best albums I've listened to in a long time.
I very much love Nick Drake's voice. I love the Pink Moon album. This one, I think is very good, but not up to the level of Pink Moon. It feels like he tries to maybe go a bit too pop with this one? Maybe trying a little too hard to make radio music? I don't know the story behind it, but to me, Nick Drake is almost timeless, because he makes his own music, and it's unique. This album was very good, but had some songs that I felt like they sounded like Drake trying to fit himself into a box where he doesn't quite belong - and because he's *so* good, it's very good, it's just not transcendent.
The perfect album for a quiet yet comfortable autumn afternoon. As most people would agree, this may not quite be Drake at his peak, but regardless these are still some warm, lush folk songs with great songwriting inviting you to daydream along.
This is a pretty great album. I've always really liked Nick's voice. I don't think I've ever heard his work with a backing band before. Very impressive how even with a full band they can maintain that very intimate feeling that Drake is known for with his solo acoustic work. Music is all very laid-back but never gets boring for some reason. Definitely the type of stuff I generally do not respond to, but something here is different, really pulls in a listener.
Didn't knew about Nick Drake until now. What a pleasant surprise it was! "One of theses things first" had my attention. "Bryter Layter" was a great surprise with the flute. I'm definitely going to go deeper into the other albums.
4.5/5 Absolutely gorgeous - this transcends time, seasons, emotions. He's English!! I am so surprised and so happy, I am glad I got to hear some English folk today, forever excited about this genre that is so new and lovely to me. Standout tracks: - Hazey Jane I 5/5 - Poor Boy 5/5 (was 4/5 but then the Saxophone kicked in)
Nick’s got a winner with Bryter Layter, both the album and the song. Violins, flutes, and other orchestration work well with his guitar and voice. Only song I didn’t like a lot was One Of These Things First. Great Sunday morning listen. (4.5*s)
3.5
I was surprised that I really like this and I feel like I need to listen more than once. There's some strong songwriting here. Liked Songs Added: Hazey Jane II
Very easy to listen to this. Northern Sky was my favourite, but I enjoyed them all
Someone should have told this geezer he had some decent tunes. Simpsons: No
Quiet
Strange sound, but tunes and lyrics were interesting to pay attention to. Should listen to it at some point, but not a daily listen.
Had heard before. Really good, might have rated it higher if I hadn't heard Pink Moon First.
j'aime beaucoup Nick Drake et j'ai écouté pour la première fois cet album de long en large. Verdict : super ! Un alliage super entre douceur et fantaisie, avec des superbes mélodies et harmonies. J'aime beaucoup les morceaux instrumentaux, ça laisse beaucoup d'air à l'album et puis ça magnifie sa superbe voix. Coups de cœur : - Hazey Jane II - At The Chime Of A City Clock - Fly - Sunday
Absolutely beautiful.
Still loving Nick Drake so much - the energy here is obviously different, so it doesn't quite speak to me as much as the depressive Pink Moon, nor as much as Five Leaves Left, but there's always something interesting about how deeper, broader instrumentation can mask those themes better. An incredibly pleasant listen! I love those instrumental tracks, and only on my second listen of this album today did I finally pinpoint who he sounds like - Stuart Murdoch! Especially on Hazey Jane II!
Nice but there’s something u always find irritating about nick.
Beautiful album start to finish. Swipe left if someone says they think this album is overrated or their not a fan of Nick Drake.
I just had a Nick Drake album last week. This album is the best of his. I think the backing band helps a lot. I've now listened to all of Nick Drake's albums. He died after 3 records, what a shame. 4 stars for "Bryter Layter".
Overall: 7/10 My first Nick Drake album. This dude had a pretty great voice and he was a talented songwriter. I always imagined his music being just vocals and guitar so it was a pleasant surprise to find out that he's playing with a band on this album. Even if this is generally his least celebrated album, I can definitely see why people love his music so much. Fav Song: At the Chime of a City Clock Least Fav Song: Bryter Layter
I have decided to give in to melancholy and become a Nick Drake stan.
Nick Drake’s voice and lyrics are about as good here as they were on Five Leaves Left. This one features more instrumentation behind him. I think the simplicity suited him a little better and think I prefer his prior effort. Still very good. Favorites here are Hazey Jane II, One Of These Things First, Hazey Jane I, and Northern Sky.
Nick Drake er æði og hér eru frábær lög. Hazey Jane II er best, æðislegt Belle and Sebastian lag, 25 árum fyrir tímann, en platan er ekki eins gegnumgangandi frábær og hinar tvær. Rúmur fjarki.
Was actually really nice. Probably wont give it a 5, but fit my style of music. the calmness but intention was nice to hear.
I listened to this 3 times yesterday lol
The more I listen the more I like.
not quite as good as pink moon but a really really good album
Good shit, good shit. 8/10.
The last I heard Nick Drake on this journey was his final album, Pink Moon, all by himself. Here's the album prior, Bryter Layter, which is his last with backing musicians, in this case, members of the folk-rock group Fairport Convention, guitarist John Cale, and session musicians for the Beach Boys. I appreciate the instrumental accompaniment on this album, giving some weight to Nick's acoustic songwriting. Personal highlights include Robert Kirby's lush string arrangements on select songs, the alto saxophone soloing from Ray Warleigh on "At the Chime of a City Clock" and "Poor Boy", and the drum and bass that hold the foundation. Nick's vocals and intricate guitarwork are still the main focus, and the mixing on this album keeps that in check as the other instruments only compliment him lightly. Lyrically, Nick still used vivid imagery to paint a scene that invited the listener to explore and reflect on himself and what could have been. While the album may not have the immediacy and intimate details of Pink Moon, it's still plenty ambitious in its balance between melancholy and search for happiness. I can read into songs like "One of These Things First", "Fly" and especially "Northern Sky" and recognize the genuine effort Nick was making for himself at the time. Overall, I had a pleasant time with Bryter Layter. I get that Pink Moon is the more popular choice of Nick's albums, but this one still carved its unique path. I'd give it a solid recommendation.
Very good 4 1/2 stars, orchestral 70s folk. Could go a lot higher on more listens as it is better than Pink Moon.
This was a great album. I liked it even more than Pink Moon. Really fun instrumentation and discordance.
lyrics are beautiful and suggestive, production is tight, orchestration adds rather than detracts, something uplifting here tho we all know the tragedy of the artist.
Good mood moves it from 3 to 4
This list has taught me that I like Nick Drake. Super chill, mellow easy listening.
Melancholy
I give up Nvm I listened to it and it was pretty good actually but I'm still probably gonna give up
I've been through Drake's discography before so there's no surprise here: Bryter Layter is lovely, too and I do love me some strings and a folkjazzy flute but it's all a bit twee, a bit - do I want to say it? - soundtrack for quirky romcoms.
The Good: Those shoes… The Bad: That drab purple… The Ugly: Me still not understanding what Bryter Layter really means… I believe that I’ve heard a couple of his songs on auto-generated playlists, or maybe even while listening to a classic rock station, but never did I sit through an entire album by Mr. Drake. Color me interested. 3 1/2* which I am bumping into the 4 stratosphere!
Reminds me of Jack Johnson, mellow, talented!
A pleasant surprise. I don't care much for Nick Drake's voice, especially in the higher registers, but the music is the epitome of "that 70s sound". The album was an enjoyable listen throughout. 3.5/5
Een depressief leven en daarbij komende vroege dood zijn de perfecte ingrediënten om een nagenoeg perfecte discografie te kunnen noteren. Tragisch, maar op niemand meer van toepassing dan Nick Drake. Bijzonder om in deze lijst alledrie zijn albums nu al langs te hebben gehad. Wellicht groeit daardoor de fascinatie voor de artiest Drake, of past het gewoon net iets te goed bij grijze luchten en koude tocht, ik ben toch ook wel erg te spreken over dit album. Op Five Leaves Left zet Nick Drake zijn signature met dikke stift neer. Zijn gitaar en zijn stem; daar draait het om. Alles wat je daarbij plakt is risicovol. Maar waar ik van Five Leaves Left ook een beetje week werd gedurende de plaat, weet Bryter Layter eigenlijk tot het eind toe te fascineren, juist door het gebruik van deze extra instrumenten. De aanwezigheid van een drum is misschien toch net die extra prikkel die mijn millennial-brein nodig heeft die boeiend tot het eind te vinden. En nu ik lees dat John Cale betrokken is geweest bij dit album, kan dat ook haast geen toeval zijn van beschreven bovenstaande. Sterk werk. Ik kan niet kiezen tussen mijn favo Nick Drake. Dus ook deze krijgt 4 sterren. 8/10 Highlights Hazey Jane II One of These Things First Northern Sky
1001 Albums #5 mmmhmmm this one hits yes i am a lamb frolicking through a spring meadow on sunday quite good. 80/100
The amount of artists currently working today who are making incredible music that may never be discovered is probably innumerable. It’s really up to the average person like me to discover those talents and hopefully spread the word, even if it’s just one person at a time. Look at bands like Have a Nice Life or Duster, who potentially never would have made it out of those small Internet forum board circles and into the limelight like they have now if it weren’t for social media and such. Those vessels have not had the same effect on Nick Drake. But this idea still applies to him. In many ways, Drake is the folk world’s equivalent to Jimi Hendrix. Three studio albums all released within a very short amount of time, with the last coming shortly before their death, which all had profound impacts on their respective genres. Except unlike Hendrix, Drake saw none of the same commercial success in his time. He was rather unknown, and has only garnered the appreciation he has now after his death. Which makes me even more glad all three of his records found their place on this list. I guess from a critic standpoint, this sophomore release would be considered his weakest. But that doesn’t really mean anything considering who I’m talking about. I am only familiar with Pink Moon, so I was not used to hearing his performances at a such a sophisticated level. At least not with proper instrumentation other than just himself. Backed by members of the wonderful Fairport Comvention and John Cale of The Velvet Underground, what you get here is jazz-influenced chamber folk. And it’s some of the best I’ve ever heard. There are very few musicians that I know of who can command a song with an acoustic guitar like he could. Even with all of the wonderful arrangements present in the background, his slightly dark and mystifying guitar parts still come through clearly. His voice is soft as silk and many times barely present in the music itself. He was clearly someone very reserved, a fact that comes through very clearly in his works. Even something as simple as the introduction, which is an instrumental mostly consisting of strings and guitar, is still incredibly captivating. This is a really solid way to become familiar with his music, and I wish he could have lived to see how he would affect hundreds of thousands of people later on down the road. But this listen also makes me considerably more excited to hear Five Leaves Left. Rating: 8/10
Out of all of the folk singer-songwriters Nick Drake is easily the best. I didn't enjoy this album as much as Pink Moon, but it was still good and had some great melodies. Low 4.
A wispy, whimsical spiderweb on the wind of an album—light as a feather, even when the subject matter is anything but.
Like a hot cup of coffee on a crisp fall morning. Absolutely delightful folk/jazz record from a depressed Englishman
I see Nick Drake, I press 'like'. Another very good album from him. 'Norhtern Sky' might be his best song, competing with 'Pink Moon'. Overall, high quality throughout the record. I kind of want to give this a weak 5, even though it suffers from a bit of the same problem as the 'Pink Moon' album of lacking some more real hits. On paper this should be a weaker album than 'Pink Moon', which got a strong 4, so I guess it will have to get the same!
As always, a cozy and nice album from Nick Drake. I've said before and will say it again: Its really just a mood for me. This is however the most memorable Nick Drake album for me. There are more songs that stand out than other albums. For me some of the stand out songs were "Hazey Jane II" and "Nothern Sky". Just another really good album.
7.5/10
I really like his stuff
Everything that Nick Drake did was lovely in its own way. Hopeful to beautifully bleak. Bryter Layter is a wonderful album but for some reason I prefer Nick on his own. Nevertheless, excellent work and highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this whole album.
Favorite songs: At The Chime Of A City Clock, One Of These Things First, Northern Sky
Singer songwriter lige som det skal være
★★★★½
This record was absolutely nothing like I expected it to be. Not that I had ever even heard of Nick Drake going into it. It’s a very pretty album musically, the fingerpicked guitar is very beautiful, and the orchestral arrangements fit very well. Some of the brass sections in particular stand out to me. For what is essentially a folk album, it gets almost jazzy at points. The lyrics on the other hand are almost verging on total nonsense, Mr. Drake is evidently the absolute king of run-on sentences. As a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I’m not sure it’s entirely fair to dislike gibberish lyrics, but a lot of the lyrical phrases are written weirdly clunky and awkward. I enjoyed the album, but it would certainly be a strange one to sing along to. Northern Sky is my favourite track off this record, it’s almost reminiscent of Cat Stevens. Solid 3.5 star record, I guess we’ll round up.
beautiful
Very comfy listening. Nice and laid back with a good voice.
The instrumentation, specifically the Nick Drake’s guitar performance, is so awesome. I feel like the 70s Folk scene had some secret shredders that don’t get the respect from Big Guitar. In addition to the instrumentation, Drake’s writing and vocal performance really solidify Bryter Layter as a classic collection of timeless Folk songs. I’m tempted to go 5, and I think with more time I will eventually value this as a 5, but I’m so damn far behind on the list that I don’t have time to let it sit much more than I already have.
One of the greatest folk musicians of all time. Died to soon.
gorgeous gorgeous girls love gorgeous gorgeous guitar
My impression is not fully formed yet
Some chill, jazzy tunes. Very enjoyable!
It's just smooth and mellow. A very 'walking through a park on a sunny spring day' kind of album.
Really liked it, but different
Went into this one completely blind. I enjoyed it. It's got a smooth, gentle folk sound.
A bit too cheesy because overproduced
On the whole a lovely little album. A nice contrast to some of the other albums on here. Let down in places by the sax but a really nice find this one.
Some beautiful songs, both in terms of the words and the music. I get that some people prefer the stripped back version of Nick, but apart from on Poor Boy, I liked the fuller, jazzier sound; not too different from what Joni Mitchell was doing around this time or shortly thereafter.
Nice
Pleasantly surprised, this was the right vibe at the right time for me. Too bad it all ended prematurely for this fellow.
I like Nick Drake. But 5 star Nick Drake is just him, his guitar, and an alternate tuning.
Excellent singer/songwriter that wouldn’t sound too out of place today. Great instrumentals and songwriting.
Surprised with how much I liked this. Definitely an artist and album I’ll circle back to on a rainy day
Loved it.
Had never heard of this album or artist before. Really enjoyed the light, acoustic feel.
This was a nice listen 4/5
Rather liked this. Didn't much like an earlier (actually later) Nick Drake album (Pink Moon) but enjoyed this one.
8/10
Not usually my cup of tea in terms of genre but I genuinely enjoyed this album, really beautiful music
Very melancholic but also easy to listen to. I really enjoyed it.
Relaxing, mostly instrumental
I could listen to this again, but won’t seek it out
7/10. This is the album that I was assigned on my birthday. It's a decent folk album. It's pleasant, but a tad boring. :)
Just flat out excellent music. Perhaps not as hauntingly beautiful as Pink Moon, but excellent nonetheless
4, Nick Drake is my go-to thought on the Folk genre
I had good things to say about the first Nick Drake album that came up on the list, but noted that it almost lulled me to sleep at times (in a good way). This one had all the same stuff I liked but was a little "peppier" which seemed to strike the perfect balance. He's a really intriguing artist.
Beautiful, great arrangements, very iconic album. Only a little bit of mid in there
This is #day32 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... that's a gentle way to start the week. The list seems to have taken a somewhat linear path recently, moving through country, folk, early rock and roll, and back to folk. But today's pick is a different kind of folk. I was introduced to Nick Drake by a friend a couple of years ago, and it's one of those rare recommendations I decided to keep. Even though I prefer a more inward-looking Nick Drake, with his introspective and solitary style, this album offers something exquisite. It feels as though a shy guy with a guitar wanted some company. And... he found it in the form of backing instruments, which resulted in a beautifully rich sound. Bryter Layter blends contemplative, melancholic folk with lush arrangements sprinkled with flute, sax, strings, and more. This is an album worth listening to before you die. I'm giving it a strong 4 out of 5 this time around. Sparing a 5 for the other albums. Looking forward to #day33.
Listened to this while playing Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin. The whole time i was listening to this, I kept thinking "this is not at all what I would have expected Nick Cage to sound like before the Bad Seeds." I mean...I was right. It wasn't til the album was done that I realized I was confusing two very different artists. Despite my confusion, I hugely enjoyed this album. I knew one song, but I don't know why. Looking forward to hearing his other albums on here.
Akin to Fred Neil, all first-names Nick Drake managed to capture not the sounds of, but a soundtrack for ordinary life in Britain in the early 70's. We all want to be the main character, or to think ourselves most important, but this brings grace and light to the ordinary. It's happy, yet melancholy, and many more slighted emotions as the point of the music comes across "fine"
Nice Singer-Songwriter Folk album.
This is my 1,031 album, as I near the end of this project it’s a great reminder of one of my favourite discovery’s near the start of this project, Nick Drake and Pink Moon. This album is also brilliant so will be added to my frequent rotation, just doesn’t hit an almost as has hard emotional as that first time listening to Pink Moon.
Some really great tracks, including one that was featured on the Garden State soundtrack. I didn’t enjoy the back half of the album as much as the beginning.
This album was very relaxing, and I liked it more than Pink Moon. I would listen to it on a rainy Friday evening, alone in my cozy room
Very great, but his worst album
Far prefer his other albums, but even with the backing singers it's still Nick Drake and thus worthy of 4 stars.
Nick Drake, the lounge act.
Great
He just sounds so cool.
would have been 5 stars if not for the 6 minute jazz song
Perfect album to listen to on a stroll or in the garden or chilling.
Bryter Layter after awhyle crocodyle
I don’t know why Kendrick Lamar has a problem with this guy. He seems nice
I like this, very smooth.
I really like this. It has more instrumentation than some of Nick Drake's stuff. Just a pleasant record.
Excellent. Hazy Jane ll stands out. Initial reaction was a bit of annoyance, but the more I listen the better it is.
If horns and folk music are meant to come together, this is it. I dont think there are many stand out tracks, but the overall album listens really beautifully
Nice music. His voice is a little nasal and flat for my taste. Instrumental tracks are my favorites. Don’t see myself going back to this often but I enjoyed most of it
Love it
7/10
Favorite Track: Northern Sky
This is a really nice album full of soft songs with many featuring piano. I found the album to be very calm and enjoyable.
Relaxing sound
omg just hearing the introduction track tells me i’m going to like this album. the instrumental is so lush and pretty 🥹 i love the guitar picking and THE VIOLINS (i'm a sucker for strings if you couldn’t tell…) the instrumentals of each song are enough to make me rate this album highly, but i was also pleasantly surprised by nick drake’s voice!!! i didn’t think i would like it much at first but it’s so soft and soothing, fitting with the calming vibe. there’s also a sentimental quality to the album which i love. if i close my eyes, i can almost imagine myself driving past grassy fields and hills under abundant sunshine.
This is a odd ball of an album. Some of my favourite tracks, hazy Jane/northern sky and then others that wouldn't look out of place in a hotel foyet. Maybe it's the mix of people playing on it. Still think Nick Drake is a bit of a genius.
cant go wrong with nick drake. a true gem of a singer song writer. tragic life, but his music filled the world with beauty.
Really good instrumentation and good guitar, bass, and flute throughout the album. I didn't really like the singer, but it didn't make it worse. It had a few songs with a really fun flute vibe (Bryter Layter and Sunday). It was a little bit muzak-like in a few sections, so it was definitely easy to listen to while working. Sounded a bit like Dire Straits (Sultan of Swing). On the edge between a 3 and a 4, but going with a 4 because it was a little interesting with the added flute.
Definitely a moody album but Nick Drake has a great voice and has some of the warmth in his playing you'd hear a bit more in the 60s. Great album and easy to enjoy. Some nice instrumental variety across this one too.
Some of the lyrics are drivel but the arrangements are very nice. Gave it 2 full listens. It's nice but I think there are other artists that do this, but better. Might revisit.
Some beautiful songs with moving melodies. His voice is soft and calming. Honestly, I wanted to like this album more and give it a '5', but nothing about it grabs me. Instead it's more like comforting background music that I enjoy, but don't pay much attention to.
I get the hype, certainly a mood but not a listen to anytime type record
Good 1970s era classic folk rock, and I'm not really a general fan of folk rock. This is actually pretty great. Gonna have to give it some more serious listening.
Day185 - second nick drake album and i enjoyed this one much more than five leaves left
Never heard of him. Nice voice. Shame he killed himself in his 20's. The song Northern Sky sounds familiar.
8.5/10
A melancholy joy. It's Nick Drake's distinctive breathy warm voice, gentle melodic phrasing and cadences, and his jazzy folk chord progressions with a full soul backing band bringing uplifting horns, searching sax, gospel back up singers, reflexive piano, electrifying guitars, swelling strings, and (unfortunately) flittering flute to the party. The upbeat uptempo songs contrast with the sombre dark lyrics for a powerful effect, but the arrangements are sometimes too much on the slower songs, overwhelming them with too much mood. When it hits it hits so good though. Favourites: Hazey Jane II, Poor Boy, Northern Sky
Nick Drake's music comes from such a pure, deep place and on this record that purity is felt more than ever. On some tracks, you are presented with a subtle yet noticeable undercurrent of anxiety while on others you can feel that perhaps he performed with a slight smile on his lips and a tinge of hopefulness. This album is relaxing, yet melancholic. There is a hint of uneasiness, but at times it coalesces into a feeling that maybe things won't be so bad; maybe it will no longer be a drudgery to live another day. But life always finds a way to surprise us.
Good as background music when you’re reading a book or sitting quietly with a cup of coffee. Not sure it’s my cup of tea, though.
Pleasantly surprise. Solid vocals, and like the instrumentation.
The worst of a near perfect discography. His guitar playing is as innovative as ever, while the songwriting leaves a little more to be desired. The cover art, however, is iconic.
Certainly a surprise. Nice songs, well composed and nicely played.
By some considerable distance the best Drake in music
Scenic and makes you forget about the world around you
I liked this a lot. Very surprised I did.
I know a lot of people call this album melancholy but for me it’s quite comforting. The instrumentals specifically were really just a vibe to me. I understand how it could certainly not be someone’s cup of tea but I beg you to try it.
While not as stripped back as his magnus opus, “Pink Moon,” this record evokes just as much soul as that album does, but this time with gorgeous orchestral arrangements backing his haunting poetry.
The hype surrounding Nick Drake isn't just hype. He never made a bad album. All three are beautiful.
Oh man. I love Nick Drake. I love Fairport Convention (thanks to hearing their album because of this website). I love their collaboration on Five Leaves Left. Not so much on this album. Nick Drake is at his best when it's his voice and his guitar. Five Leaves Left and Pink Moon are great albums whose sparse accompaniments complement Nick and his instrument. This album sounds like Nick Drake trying to be Van Morrison or Joni Mitchell or Gram Parsons but only succeeding in creating muzak. His quiet voice and melancholic lyrics don't mesh well with the overwrought orchestral and jazz jam session arrangements. The lyrics are still great. Nick's voice is still great, when it's not being drowned out by all the other instruments being pushed way too high in the mix and tracks being given the Phil Spector treatment of saccharine orchestral grandiosity whether the songs call for it or not. There are a few songs on this album with more stripped back accompaniments that work pretty well — At the Chime of a City Clock for example. But most of the songs are so drenched in schlocky 70s strings and horns that it becomes a cheese fest. Where the accompaniments on the first album created a lush autumnal sound, on this album they only make the songs sound like you're on hold waiting to argue about an overcharge on a bill. There are a couple songs that sound very similar to Pink Moon (One of These Things First and Northern Sky) — as good as that song is, it does reveal the limits of Nick's songwriting and perhaps explains why he felt like he needed all the bells and whistles on this album. The title track is the definition of elevator music. The album isn't terrible, and it has grown on me a bit with repeated listens. But it pales in comparison to his other two albums. I'll give it a 4, but it's really a 3.5 (if that).
Very relaxing and creative guitar plays. Liked it very much
Was it the best album to listen to on warm sunny late spring day? Absolutely not. Thankfully I've listen to this album a few times, so the summer like environment didn't taint my listening. This album really get's better and better with each listen. I really enjoy all of Nicks albums, they have a more timeless sound to them compared to other folk music of the time, like Fairport Convention.