Bryter Layter

Nice album with nice sounds, I'm sure. But boring to the core. Just not for me. Although Northern Sky is a gem.

While I don't think Nick Drake needed all three of his albums on this list, I'm at a loss as to which one(s) to drop. My guess is this one, but it is still one of the greats! The brass and strings make this album his 'fullest' and most uptempo/uplifting, but the melancholy is still there. I can't get enough of his voice, as always. This should have been a hit record, but he never got one of those, which might have led to Pink Moon and his untimely passing. It's very sad that such a talent left us so early. Worthy of 5 stars, much like his other two albums.

A banger here and there but overall this album didn't do a ton for me

generally in rotation for me.

Some wonderful songwriting here.

Hauntingly beautiful. Nick Drake provides something unique, even amongst his singer songwriter contemporaries. Oddly, the tracks that sound most like the music being made by his contemporaries are songs like Bryter Layter in which Nick's voice is missing and more emphasis is given to the backing band lilting in the more common constructions of melodies of the the time.

I ended up really liking this. I've never heard any of these songs before, but they all had that easy familiarity that draws me in. Nothing incredibly standout for me, but nice to listen to.

Love

Beautiful

Not my favorite album of Drake's but still a really damn solid offering. What a shame he didn't have more output or receive the help he needed to right his ship.

01) Introduction - 7,0 02) Hazey Jane II - 7,0 03) At the Chime of a City Clock - 7,5 04) One of These Things First - 6,5 05) Hazey Jane I - 6,5 06) Bryter Layter - 7,0 07) Fly - 6,0 08) Poor Boy - 6,5 09) Northern Sky - 6,0 10) Sunday - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,70 (67/100) Current ranking: 444/662

Good classic album.

Prachtige muziek met een prachtige stem. En het komt ook op een ideale dag, met de herfst in het vooruitzicht. 4.5

This is probably my least favourite of Nick Drake’s 3 albums but it’s still brilliant and beautiful. The guitar hook on Haney Jane II is etched in my mind.

I hate folk

This is a repeat for me? Per my prior note: *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

Pretty good

Unmemorable

Interesting, would listen again

Lekker rustig en relaxed album, beetje funky. Nick heeft een erg zachte stem die fijn is om naar te luisteren.

Fantastisch album

Gister geluisterd maar nu alweer vergeten

heard it before, always liked

Simon and Garfunkle peaceful

This account sucks, the person who made it should be ashamed of himself

Another short album of only 30+ minutes filled with poetic lyrics and a mix of melancholy instrumentals to cheerful romantic tunes, it's dominated by lyrical poetry with a few instrumental tracks that calm loud noise in the mind. It transforms it all to a more safe space that isn't harassed by negative emotions. Overall, it was an enjoyable ride with a few songs I enjoyed (mainly the instrumental tracks).

Very musical with pleasant acoustic string sounds, piano and trumpet/sax. Soundscape is so modern that I was surprised to learn that it was from 1971. Favorite track: one of these things first other picks: Introduction, At the chime of a city clock, Northern Sky

After three Nick Drake albums I’m consistently impressed by consistently never blown away.

Like the other Nick Drake albums, it's pretty alright. It sounds well made and the lyricism is pretty cute, but yet it does not do what music should, which is make me have any interest in listening to it. The album functions fine as background filler, but not much more.

Sympa, pas marquant 6.5/10

love his voice, the lyrics, and the whole vibe!

This is the two hundred tenth album I’m rating. For a little over a month I've been avoiding this album but here I am now. Adding to my Playlist - Introduction, Hazey Jane II, At the Chime of a City Clock, One of These Things First, Hazey Jane I, Bryter Layter, Fly, Poor Boy, Northern Sky, and Sunday. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 10/10 songs. Nothing on this album stands out too much but it was all good.

Nick Drake was an amazing musician with a magical voice. Top tier. Pairs well with picnics in the forest on cool, bright days.

Painfully boring Best Song: Hazy Jane 1 Rating: 4/10 Stars: 2/5

Felt pretty generic. The melancholy sounds didn’t make me feel that emotional. Music didn’t sound bad but just felt like it wasn’t accomplishing what it set out to

Sonically inoffensive and pleasing, but did nothing memorable for me.

The arrangements are nice on this album. But it's difficult for me to connect with this album. Not sure if it's just that the sounds are too much "of the time" for me, or what it might be.

Something to get propesed too

I don’t know, did Belle and Sebastian always sound like Nick Drake? I think I need to pause my generator. This is a lot to take in all at once.

Jazzy and folky. Pretty enjoyable.

It’s October. You’re in your Tuscan themed kitchen, standing over your stove with soup on a low simmer. You made the soup with vegetables you bought at the farmers market for an unreasonable markup, but you don’t even care. You insert the immersion blender, real smooth. For some reason you’re wearing a turtleneck. You kind of pull it off, you kind of don’t, but you’re at peace with this fact. Your golden retriever is napping on the carpet, unbothered by everything happening. There’s a candle burning because you’re too poor for a fireplace, but that’s ok. You’re white, middle(ish) class, you live in Connecticut, and you have Nick Drake. The pumpkin spice latte of the music world. Is he the best? No. Does he make you feel like everything might be ok though? Also no. But your soup is going to be killer.

Garden State anyone? I liked this album, good instrumentals and Nick has a cool relaxing voice. fave song: one of these things first

I really enjoyed listening to this album after a long day of work. Nick Drakes voice was calm and soothing and so was the music. Favorite tracks: Northern Sky, Haley Jane I I will listen again

I needed this record today. Not sure if I like it better than Pink Moon but it gets the higher rating for hitting the melancholic spot.

Holy shit, That was an incredible arrangement of music. Like a soul sold to the devil for it kinda good. It felt like this album was made specifically for me to enjoy. The whole production gives an immediately classic vibe, like the album inspired countless other music projects after it, so Drake is probably one of the giants everyone's standing on the shoulders of. Definitely worth listening to before you die, if I had this album before the internet age it would be a prized possession and I would bother everyone to come listen to it with me. (Anyway I'm convinced Nick Drake was totally a woman and I'm sorry she didn't get to transition back in the 70's. I'm also pissed I didn't mull a while to transition, if I had waited a few more years, I might have been able to make a piece of art that has something to say as much as this album does. Maybe that's just me.)

Introduction: Nice vibe Unique sounds nice kinda folky Hazey Jane 2 slam poetry style intro feel good movie song

На фоне двух других его альбом, этот, конечно, чувствуется очень слабым. Но любой музыкант мечтает о таком слабом альбоме, конечно. Лучшая песня - Northern Sky.

My least favorite album of his

clearly an attempt at more mainstream which cuts back from full Nick Drake potential. Even more depressing because this was also a flop at the time. The freaking flute is so good. nothing to give it but a

I liked the folk aspects, wasn't too keen on the easy listening-esque parts. Enjoyed "One Of These Things First"

Fuck yeah depressed folkie. Love Nick drake, man

The chill vocals over actual instruments instead of just solo acoustic guitar gives Nick Drake a whole different vibe that I love.

I had never heard of Nick Drake, what a beautiful album. Such a shame we lost him so young

This was a cool chamber pop-folk album that I didn’t see coming. It’s a folk album at its core, but it mixes in elements of chamber pop, baroque pop, and jazz. One interesting thing about this album is that it includes contributions from members of Fairport Convention and the Velvet Underground.

Very sensual and such a beautiful album to listen to. Wish it was Pink Moon cause it’s a full moon tonight.

I saw singer songwriter from the 70s and groaned. But I was SO WRONG. This was delightful. A lovely voice and instrumentation. Holds up over time. 4* Highlights: one of these things first

Leyendo el trasfondo del álbum lo primero que me llama la atención es lo conectada que estaba la escena musical de los 60 - 70: instrumentación de Fairport Convention y John Cale, con la colaboración de técnicos que también asistieron a los Beach Boys. Y la verdad que tanto músico de estudio y tanto arreglo le resta bastante intimidad al bueno de Nick. Trompetas, pianos, coros... un acompañamiento demasiado barroco para una poesía tan austera. Pero eso no quita que siga siendo un álbum excelente. Nick Drake ha sido quizás mi mayor descubrimiento de este challenge y sus letras, con una calidez depresiva únicas, me siguen pareciendo increíbles. Uno de los mejores cantantes de folk de la historia, aunque este sea mi álbum menos favorito de él.

Very instrumental heavy, which I like. Tbh, don't really like the singer's voice. It's nice and it fits the genre but I would listen to it that much.

One of those cool but not for me albums.

Cool, entspannt und USA pur.

Lovely music. Really enjoyed the instrumental pieces.

This was the first Nick Drake album I listened to after Garden State. It’s hard to believe this is the same artist that made Pink Moon. It’s like listening to Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac and then listening to Rumours. Heartbreaking to hear the life and optimism that’s gone on his following record.

Keeping It simple, this feels like flying in a starry night. 85/100

Nick Drake's second album Bryter Layter has a dreamy quality about it. I'm dreaming of being a fashion model in a TV commercial for a greatest hits album by Burt Bacharach wearing a mod dress with perfect bangs. I'm dreaming of me. I'm dreaming of you without me. It makes me feel sad & happy, sometimes in the same song. Bryter Layter is very much an album of its time but also timeless. John Cale of The Velvet Undergrounds plays on Bryter Layter. You know how sometimes you open a window & there is a scent that reminds you of a time & place in your life? Maybe how the playground smelled in fourth grade? That's the how the production on Bryter Layter feels like to me. I will play this album again.

Kos og finfin bakgrunnsmusikk. Lite som stikker seg ut, men vil sjekke ut mer av diskografien her ja.

Perfecto

ok background sound

3-4

Not really a fan of this one. Fail to see the direction. On one hand there is the quiet and beautiful acoustic guitar, but then on the other there is typical 70’s pop horn arrangement disturbing it. And then the vocals.. not that strong either

Pink moon is one of my favorites, so I knew I would like this. Already knew a few songs off this one, but had never listened to the album all the way through. Really enjoyed it, still prefer the sparse and simple sound of Pink Moon, but this was a great listen

One of These Things First is great but the rest were not really memerable to me. I liked it but nothing mind blowing for me

Folky with some irish hints. soft, busy acoustic finger picking. Horns.

Nice vocals and guitar work. A little bit twee for my taste but well put together!

i have a hard time forming a solid opinion on nick drake but this is probably my favorite album of his

Supremely vibey but didn’t blow my mind. Will return though.

Fuller band record is interesting but I prefer his solo acoustic stuff. Still a very good record

nice vibes. sometimes funky, wistful, happy, folksy. nice flutes

Pleasant chill music, nothing that stood out and probably won’t revisit it for any particular reason.

:)

Demasiado pronto para otro de Nick Drake, pero me gustó más el anterior me parece. Nota: 2.7

Musically interesting but vocally left me feeling a little cold. Felt like the lyrical arrangement could've done with a little work and Drake's voice did not shine on this. The album felt to me like a kind of proto-Sufjan Stevens. I could feel the influence but nothing stood out.

Aangename stem, leuke muziek. Gelaagd, met houtblazers, strijkers…

Æ huske ikke om æ har hørt nokka særlig på det her Nick Drake-albumet før, æ tror kanskje ikke æ eide det, men det e i samme bane som Five Leaves Left, så æ likte det.

While I’m trying not to compare to the other Nick Drake album, I will say that off the bat I did enjoy this one more. However the sentiment remains the same as the last—I can tell this is a good album but I’m interested to do a few more listens and see how it really speak to me.

Beautiful, soaring background tracks made the album pretty enjoyable for me. My favorite tracks were Hazel Jane I, Poor Boy, and the three instrumental tracks.

Merveille

Meh - decent 70's feel and effort. One or two memorable tunes.

I enjoyed this. I had heard a few of the songs from complications or soundtracks. The album as a whole was great!

Instrumentals are just a bit… boring to me? Trite/predictable?

bro got the mf clown shoes on bruh

85% Best: Hazey Jane II; At The Chime Of A City Clock; Poor Boy; Northern Sky Must-Hear? Sure

Nice evening jazz type of album. Instrumental and songs.

It's not Pink Moon, but it's still a representation of what a great writer he was. One of These Things First was my first introduction through the Garden State Soundtrack. Then Fly from Royal Tenenbaums. Some great songs, the rest of the full instruments aren't entirely beneficial.

Liked this for nice chill vibes

Boring.

Very enjoyable music. Another sad loss of a young artist.

Really enjoyed this and added a song to the playlist 7/10

Yeah fucking hell it’s good

His best work. So massive, I can’t really explain how much it means to me. Poor boy might be my favourite song of all time. It’s another 5.

Paisible, beau et mélodieux, senti

If I may out myself as being Nick Drake unaware. Queuing up the album, an ephemeral clue emerged with the year '1971'. Oh here we go, bell bottom jeans and flute rock or some shit. However. From the outset there were soothing tones and complex, possibly Brazilian jazz rhythms along with shy vocals and virtuoso classical guitar flourishes. If I may make another unaware connection, this reminds me of Syd Barrett as being freely imaginative and shamefully unattended for his personal struggles. Now after reading about Nick Drake's bio I feel like I encountered some intimacy that shouldn't have been public.

a beautiful album with tracks full of colour. listening to this while watching sunset made it a spiritual listen. the tracks are melancholic but still have a warmth to them. it's a really comforting album to listen to and it left me wishing it was longer. i've had 'northern sky' on repeat since and can't wait to listen to his other albums. his voice is smooth and compliments the underlying instrumentals perfectly.

3.5

It's fine margins but I come back to Bryter Later slightly less frequently than I return to Five Leaves Left or Pink Moon. It contains some of his finest songs but overall I tend to agree with his own feelings that some of the songs have a bit more decoration than they really need. Having said that it's still a great album and it boggles the mind that he didn't achieve at least a modicum of commercial success during his own lifetime.

I was already familiar with Nick Drake, particularly the Pink Moon album, although his Five Leaves Left album also came up earlier in this 1001 albums exercise. I would rate this album between the two; I like it better than Five Leaves Left but not as much as Pink Moon. This album also has some other musicians, where Pink Moon is just guitar and vocals. The album is good, but Pink Moon is still better.

Exceptional album. Really good tracks. Stands up to the test of time.

Good album. Like old Paolo Nutini.

Music is good. Voice is blah and not good.

I had only heard Pink Moon before (last album before he became an hero). This one is just as stunning, but in a completely different way. Man was talented af

Kinda pussy

Great, but depressing

lovely!!!

Everything I like about Cat Stevens turned up to 12

Kinda different, but just kinda chill.

This was some nice music, mostly relaxing. I don't know that I'd want repeated listens though.

First time hearing the whole album and it was great, loved the instrumental interludes.

Dreamy, Ethereal & Real all at the same time. What a great album and lovely guitar work.

Enjoyed the arrangements, sax piano flute added to folk

First time listener. I loved the musicality of it all.

beautiful, gentle, everything perfect.

love nick drake, not his best album but still deserves 5 stars

Some really nice songs. Big fan.

Veit hva han driver med. Eller kanskje ikke, sannsynligvis ganske full av piller. Funker greit lell.

Drake's lyrics and instrumentation shine as always on this record, with a unique blend of introspection and magenta colored glasses through which he sees the world

Four stars for the guitar and lyrics. Drake's voice is like a gentle whisper striving to be heard and yet not daring to draw attention to the vocalist. Most of the album made me feel like hiding from the world. Talented Guy with lots of struggles.

Really pretty album. I like the way Drake's breathy vocals play with the piano and guitar.

Pink Moon is too much for me albeit it is Great. So this is one for me

Amazing. All these songs are classics.

A really good album! It includes folk, rock, jazz, and blues all on one album. Really good!!

Very 70s easy listening vibes. Folky with some generic jazz elements thrown in. Just ok for me.

normally i don't really like Nick Drake as much as the folk lists/ spotify playlists seem to imply I should. but this was a nice summery listen + a breath of fresh air [real music] compared to some previous recent listens that will go unmentioned... and i like these songs more than some of Drake's top songs

Not a very memorable album, quite forgettable songs 2/5

Very nice sounding, layered instrumentals although most of it wasn't super riveting. I also find his voice kind of annoying, I can't really explain why

Drake was soooooo far ahead of his time.

Pleasant

I love some of the chord progressions on this and the guitar work. Just very calming and folksy.

so fucking nice

Calm elegant and beautiful

Conflicted on this one. Nick Drake has some bangers... but this album as a whole experienced in one sitting really dragged on for me.

It's albums like this that I continue this long journey for. The production on this album is fantastic. While Nick Drake has a more folksy voice which wouldn't normally keep me wanting to listen, somehow it all comes together quite well. I liked this album even more than his first album. I can't wait for the next album!

Beautiful album, just great acoustic music with rich production. Easy to connect with and pleasing.

What an absolutely beautiful record. I liked the instrumentation in each track. I enjoyed the sombre tones in this record. This record is the first on my list currently that made me do some research on the artist. Sad to have found out that he passed away young and lived such a troubled life. Favourite Track(s): Introduction, One Of These Things First Least Favourite Track(s): Sunday

Gotta be great with a name like that!!

Not as good as pink moon but good

Intense but oddly soothing at the same time. Lyrically literate.

He's good

Really good! You know who else is good? John Martyn! Haven't listened to Drake before really, though I've heard I should lots. Enjoyed it very much. Go listen to 'London Conversation' by John Martyn next.

Over the years, I've heard of Nick Drake, but never actually heard any music, not knowingly at least. So, I'm sure what my expectations were, but the record flat out boring. There's no real dynamics to any of the songs, which actually makes it tough to get through.

its alright. 3/5.

He certainly doesn't NEED all that extra instrumentation, but it still sounds very nice

Beautiful

I felt like I wanted to like this more, but it felt very bland to me.

I have been on the fence with Nick Drake, but this album has me leaning toward more listening of his discography. The feel of this album seems natural and fluid in a way that puts one at ease. Listen to this on a Sunday morning or on your headphones during a walk in the woods. Peaceful and uplifting. Reminds me of Beck's Morning Phase or Jethro Tull.

This is the type of music that just makes you stop thinking and look at flowers and stuff. Just beautiful.

Nick Drake, c'est bien. Pas aussi bien que Nick Drake seul avec sa guitare, mais quand même.

Once listened to this guy because the great Mikael Åkerfeldt nudged me to it. Cool stuff although I wouldn’t put it on nowadays

Lovely, lovely stuff. I’ve floated around Nick Drake for years and enjoyed several of his songs but never dove deep, that’s definitely going to change now because I enjoyed this so much. Especially Hazey Jane I & II. Can hear the influence on some of my favourite current artists like Jose Gonzalez, Nick Mulvey and Roo Panes. A very comforting sound. So terribly sad he died so terribly young. (4.5 stars)

A lovely airy little album. Ideal relaxed Sunday afternoon listening. 3.5/5.

Pink moon better

Five Leaves Left was his masterpiece. Strong hooks and gorgeous orchestration littered with musical surprises. This album doesn’t measure up. While it has the same elements, they’re not as striking as Five Leaves Left. But, it’s still a good listen and far superior to most of the schlock being released at the time.

Mom can we have Pink Floyd? We have Pink Floyd at home. Pink Floyd at home. I think with repeat listens I could come to love this album but it didn't do much for me the first time.

Wow. Loved some songs

Easy vibes - not my thing but he has a nice voice

Very chill. I have heard Nick's voice before and did not know the name. Not bad to chill out to.

loveeeee it

This album is right up my alley and I'm so surprised I haven't heard of nick drake b4!!! Also this guy has great hair:) "I could have been a sign post" REAL. I'm between a 4/5 and a 5/5 tbh

Как и предыдущий: приятная музыка, но скучная

Vibey, nix hängen geblieben aber fließt nice

I like the other Nick Drake album a bit more, but still enjoyed this one, heard some songs that I hadn't before.

At first this felt like a breath of fresh air, but in the end it was just boring.

I liked it pretty well. Definitely seventies, pretty mellow. Cross between jazz and folk Rating: 4 stars (probably would listen again)

Excellent songwriting, lyrics and a great voice. Really enjoyed.

Incredible debut

Brilliant atmospheric chamber folk

Better than his first,arrangements are very good. Pleasant garden party music

Nick Dale has been my favorite discovery of this challenge

Very chill :)

Tulee mielee paul simon Kivaa pimputtelua

Kjedelig

This album is fucking horrible, makes me want to scratch my eyes out. How the hell did this make the top 250 of Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Poor Boy was kinda catchy. Northern Sky is ingrained from hearing before but holy shit the rest…

Nice, but not something I'll listen to a second time

This is lovely

Nick Drake was a gifted songwriter with a distinctive voice (and terrific guitar finger-picking skils) but the songs on this record would have been much better served by pared-down arrangements rather than the overly-busy ones here. The arrangement on "Hazey Jane II" (especially with its cheesy horns) is directly at odds with Drake's guitar and voice. On the otherwise-beautiful "At The Chime Of A City Clock" the sax player incessantly tries to barge into the spotlight. On "Poor Boy" it sounds like the backing musicians are playing an entirely different song than what Drake is singing. There are good songs here but a lot of this album seems like a lost opportunity.

Pretty good stuff, I would say 3.5 but I can’t stomach giving it a 4.

Love Nick Drake this is probably closer to a 4.5

Fav: At The Chime Of A City Clock Least Fav: Introduction This felt like it was made for me, it’s everything I’ve wanted from a folk album, I’m very happy with it

[3.00/5] Final impressions: This album ranges from feeling like it should be played when you're alone in the forest in summer to feeling like its a backing track in a coffee shop while you sip a warm drink. Very singer songwriter and folky, cold and sad, but with solid instrumentals and a decent variety in sound. Started to lose me in the second half. Listened to on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/0B2E1w5T7PEbZIctZnnt9K]. Introduction - Amazing instrumentals. *Hazey Jane II - Fun listen. The cadence of the lyrics scratches my brain in a good way. At The Chime Of A City Clock - Liking the sax. Smooth sound. One Of These Things First - Narrative and nostalgic. Piano forward. Hazey Jane I - I'm into Hazey Jane I being after Hazey Jane II. Unfortunately, Hazey Jane II is a lot better than this one. Bryter Layter - Pleasant sound, but not dynamic enough to hold my attention. For being the titular track, fairly disappointing. Fly - This one is rough. Poor Boy - Loving the piano in this one. Great instrumentals. Would be as good as Hazey Jane II, but I'm not into the backing vocals. Northern Sky - Just ok. Sunday - Back to the flute I see. Solid. Overall notes: Generally distant and melancholy, folky and instrumental. Works for me, but probably not something I would think to listen to often. Wish there was just a bit more variety, but at least its not nearly as monotonous as some of the albums I've rated lower. At least theres some variety in instruments.

Nice sounding but nothing earth shattering for me

No song really made a lasting impression, but overall i enjoyed the album. It was very jazzy and not too slow. It was very surprising to me because I did not enjoy Pink Moon.

buen álbum de rock que no es muy en tu cara ni trata de hacer nada más de lo que no sabe que no es capaz, magnífico y tranquilo

This is the most polished and produced of Nick Drake's albums and, while I still enjoyed it, it loses something because of that in my eyes. The thing I love most about Nick's music is his fragile voice and it gets lost a little here, especially when instruments like the saxophone are included. It is a very worthwhile listen. I liked Hazey Jane II and Northern Sky in particular. It's just not as good as Pink Moon or Five Leaves Left for me.

Yeah

Damn, I thought this was Boris lol This was a great listen! I really enjoyed these songs and the backing musicians, interested to hear what his work sounds like without them.

Лучше предыдущего, но ничего необычного

Maybe I am in a weird mood today but this album was so peaceful. The tracks were so complex but not in your face. Will definitely revisit.

really pretty record

positives: + the album was short + i didnt listen to the whole thing negatives: - the genre and vibe was not a bit of me - the piano and violin really overstimulated me to the point where I could only listen to half the album - it felt like it was someones secondary school music project my favourite song: N/A

Very much late 60s/early 70s folk. Nick's voice is very pleasant to listen to, and if you don't mind a very "of its time" instrumentation then you'll enjoy this. I thought it was decent.

One of the greatest albums ever made. Such a heartfelt, warm ,and endearing record.

Thought, More Too Much UK, but it's great.

Nice and gentle

Pretty solid

I had heard of Nick Drake but until now I had not knowingly heard any of his songs. It's not really the sort of music I choose to listen to but it was a truly beautiful album.

Musically, compositionally, I think this album is absolutely sublime! The instrumentals are pure emotion, I was, and am, astonished by it. Now. this is nothing new to my thinking and my reviewing, so I just need to be straight up about it: I don't love Nick Drake's voice. I actually think if all else, including his guitar work, etc. were exactly the same, but he had a hired singer that wasn't him, it would be an absolute corker! It is so beautiful, lyrically and instrumentally that it kills me to do it, but I have to go from absolute 5 star all in all the way to four stars because I am just too on the fence with his singing.

Meh

Nice relaxing album. Liked it.

Sympatoche

This is such a good melancholic, singer-songwriter album. Bryter Layter is so great, although it's hard not to compare this to Pink Moon, which is an all time favorite. 8/10

Chill 70's folk vibes.

2 were a nice listen. Can't say that for the others

Songs too similar, but good folk

Introduction: An almost overwhelmingly calm instrumental piece, at the same time burdened with a certain heaviness. Short but impactful. Hazey Jane II: More uplifting than the lyrics would at first suggest. There is a carefree vibe to it. At The Chime Of A City Clock: Jazzy. Full sound. The bassy harmonies make this a very entrancing listen. One Of These Things First: This song has a very timeless quality to it. A melancholic sound and sentiment that can resonate with people of all eras. Hazey Jane I: Works so much better as the guitar-only version that's out there. But in the full band version we find on this album, sadly the strings do overpower the vocals. Bryter Layter: The title track originally opened the record's B-side, and like the other opener it is purely instrumental. Yet with a completely different character - more lithe and playful. Its melody is carried by a flute. Fly: There's basically three voices in this song; the guitar, the strings, and the vocals. And each of them basically doing its own thing. I'm not even sure which I'd characterize as melody and which as counter-melody. But amazingly, they all come together in a surprisingly harmonious way. Poor Boy: Leans very heavily into its jazz influences, fulfils all the clichés of that genre. A bit too much so for my tastes, which pains me to say, because I can see that this must have been a very personal song for Drake. Northern Sky: An unconventional love song. Unconventional in its honesty and innocence, and in how introverted it is. Beautiful composition. Sunday: The third instrumental track. It indeed does sound like Sunday. Laid-back, dreamy, happy. Nick Drake is a much better songwriter than he is a singer. But that does not mean he's a particularly bad singer. Rather he's a particularly good songwriter. He does have his very own style. English Folk, yes, but the melodic variations, harmonies and the jazzy instrumentation elevate it above just falling into the obscurity that genre. The album ebbs and flows, goes through different motions and emotions, rests at appropriate times. Not every song hits the same, and not every song hits the the right notes for everyone. But the bigger picture it results in offers an aesthetic quality that I consider quite unique.

Beautiful album

3.75

8/10- I’d never heard of Nock Drake before this album, I now very much know of Nick Drake. This album felt quite pioneering and perfected genre fusion before it was really a thing.

liked the vibe and most of the songs, just didn't like his voice

Some very enchanting sounds and good instrumentalism. Big fan of the folky, jazzy, orchestral fusions. Interesting vocal style. I was also surprised at the album being from the early 70s. The music seems a bit more experimental for that time.

Lovely guitar His voice can at times be a little of putting Nice, interesting compositions Overall a really nice jazzy folky interesting album

classic

Groovy calm lil album. I love the flute

Nice mellow music

Put it on. Listened. It was fine. Mid/10.

I really don’t care for Nick Drake that much, I never got what the big deal was

Proof that Nick Drake was more than just a sad-boy folk singer. Bossa-nova and jazz influences abound as Drake's guitar takes a backseat to play off piano, saxophone, and even female backing singers. Loses a star for containing 'Fly', the only dud of his studio discography.

Великолепная пластинка, отлично подходит для создания спокойной, уютной атмосферы. Хотя отдельно песни и не запомнились (пока во всяком случае). 8 из 10.

good, but not great.

Was not prepared for the beauty that is a Nick drake album today haha

A beautiful, pleasant, concise album. Singing in cursive decades before we had a name for it lol.

Classic

This was okay. Not really my genre. Kind of a soft sounds. Not really for me. But still a good listen of you are in the mood.

1/10 nick drake is gay

Not as good as his other two albums on this list, but enjoyed it. Standout songs: Hazey Jane At the chime of a city clock Northern Sky

girl who is about to get way too in to nick drake (i loved this)

Good folksy album.

1970s folk is not my bag. I listened to it yesterday and really cant recall a single thing about it so that should say a lot. I would have remembered if it was bad though. 2.5⭐️

I went in phases with all 3 of his albums thinking each one was the best and I think I'm still indecisive, but this one has definitely been one of my favourites . I think the more 'full' instrumental pallet work for this very well, as I think that 'going pop' in 1970 is worlds away from what it means today. There's quite a lot of jazz inspiration in here, especially with the piano and brass parts. Its just perfect in a way which you can't place, he's probably my favourite acoustic guitar player ever, if not guitar as a whole. The vocals range from melancholy to quite happy at times, and his singing is obviously one of the best parts. I think I maybe like his first album a bit more than this, but that will probably change. Favourite songs: all Overall around 9/10

Really liked this one. I do feel a lot of the songs bled into the other. I would like to come back to this one.

C'est beau, j'ai compris, c'est bon du Nick Drake.

Like so many others I’m sure, the VW ad featuring Pink Moon brought Nick Drake onto my radar. Consistently a good listen, perfect for soundtracks and a melancholy mood.

Meh

Peak

Not a lot to say about this album. It was surprisingly musically deep/well composed for how relaxed it was.

To my untrained ear, these albums have to have something special to stand out. This one really doesn't. I feel like a one star is too little, but a two star is too much. So, I'm just gonna drop it a two star, and never listen to it again.

Of the three albums that Nick Drake recorded in his lifetime, this is the one that should be on this list. I'm guessing that all of them will show up here anyway. Let's be honest with ourselves... If it wasn't for that Volkswagen commercial in 1999, Nick Drake would be a mere footnote and his legacy would be as a niche musician with little impact on modern music.

Nice little album

I loved it. 10/10.

Really good my mom didn’t know him by name but Lisa and her recognized him by his voice, it was a really good album loved it

Very pretty music. Would listen to again.

This is ok, but I preferred Five Leaves Left. This is bordering on jazz, for God’s sake.

Pretty, tuneful, and like the perfect hotel guest left with absolutely no trace that it was there. I enjoyed it, but i couldn't tell you a single song i just listened to

Good listening.

Not bad. More interesting by far than the insipid stuff I know him for.

Surprisingly orchestral

Very pleasant and I want to relisten it for sure.

Simple energy, weird voice. Not bad, just need to adjust myself

kinda of ok backgroundmusic

Old favey

chop

Nice accouistic album!

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.

Bättre än förra Nick Drake på den här listan. Har sina moments men klickar inte helt... Ännu

not my style, pretty mellow but very melodic

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

Love me some Nick Drake! This album gives off such a good atmosphere with the instrumentals and background orchestra. Every song is beautiful in its own way and there's a lot to love. Again singer/songwriter is not usually my jam but there is something so aurally pleasing about these albums. 5/5 and I now need to go listen to all Nick Drake albums back to back to back.

Perfect blend of folk, classical, and jazz.

Very good but also background music in a way that keeps it from 5 stars.

I'm a big fan of this one, I hadn't heard of Nick Drake before but I'm a sucker for a singer/songwriter that starts including horns and woodwinds. Favorites are Hazey Jane II and One Of These Things First

Listenable but not exactly moving to me.

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

It’s pronounced breh-ter ley-ter. Also what album does the beef with Kendrick start?

There were several great tunes on the album, but nothing that I found ground breaking or exciting. A good, but not great listen.

This is why I started this. Good music that I have never heard before. This is great example of what folk music can be.

Yeah I’m not sure about this one. In general it was okay but I don’t know if I would listen to it again. Still, I liked his songwriting

3.5 - comfortably dull

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.

Not for me. 1/5

Melancholy and the infinite sadness. Don’t listen to this if you wanna pick me up.

I enjoyed this a fair amount.

Sweet then and sweet now. RIP, Nick Drake.

I got baited multiple times seeing this cover in other's pages thinking it was Akuma no Uta It was alright. Soft, slow, easy to listen, yet not very memorable

O, my beautiful Nick Drake. I can hear how pained you were

***An good easy listening album

My second Nick Drake - I’m grateful for this challenge for introducing him to me. I love the sad, melancholy guitar and lyrics.

Bryter Layter by Nick Drake is another middle of the road album. The music is fine. Nothing to get worked up about, good or bad. I thought I was going to have an issue with the vocals based on how the opening song started but, again, it was fine. I’m reminded of a quote from High Fidelity for this album. It’s when we meet Jack Black’s character Barry for the first time. He comes into the record store and starts bashing the guys for what they are listening to. (It’s Belle and Sebastian). In the argument Cusack’s character, Rob says, “I don't wanna hear old sad bastard music, Barry, I just want something I can ignore.” Bryter Layter is something I can ignore. I don’t dislike it, it can just be on and illicit no real feeling or emotion. Therefore, this album gets a 3 rating from me. 3/5

Nick Drake has his moments but, in general... meh

Можете себе представить, чтобы кто-нибудь обвинял похоронные марши в излишней мрачности? Не редко в них вплетены лирические части, как олицетворение просветления и пути в лучший мир; есть даже целиком мажорные произведения подобного рода, но всё равно звучит довольно странно. В песнях Ника Дрейка, конечно, нет темпов траурных процессий и стука по крышке гроба, но по духу они созерцательно-меланхоличны, подстать длинным вечерам позднего ноября. Его первый альбом, неторопливый и безнадёжно красивый, остался практически незамеченным, и ладно бы его тираж просто пылился на полках, но добравшиеся до него критики били наотмашь: "недостаточно разнообразен, чтобы быть развлекательным" - абсурд чистой воды. "Five Leaves Left" и не должен был развлекать, однако и без того низкая самооценка начинающего музыканта едва не рухнула окончательно. Что ж, хотите музыки лёгкой и гладкой, будь по-вашему - следующий альбом в угоду критике должен был быть попсовым и приджазованным. Теперь продюсеры не обошлись камерным квартетом: в записи участвовал небольшой оркестр, участники группы Fairport Convention и великолепные певицы Пи Пи Арнольд и Дорис Трой. На огонёк забежал даже Джон Кейл, тот самый из культовой Velvet Underground. Богатейшие аранжировки сияют всеми цветами радуги. Никогда больше песни Дрейка не звучали так тепло и доступно, но, зная историю и характер музыканта, задумываешься: на пользу ли такая помпезность? Да, фортепиано и оркестровая медь оттеняют надломленный, доверительный голос исполнителя; да, наиболее близкая к джазу "Poor Boy" с богатым бэк-вокалом - просто прекрасна; и всё же порой буквально чувствуешь, как Нику некомфортно в столь широких звуковых просторах. Такой материал не испортить, как ни старайся, но в громе студийного арсенала, призванного сделать из Ника новую звезду фолк-рока - жанра авторов-исполнителей, он теряется именно как исполнитель. Увы, "Bryter Layter" постигла участь первого альбома: "неуклюжая смесь фолка и коктейль-джаза", как описывали пластинку в Melody Maker, купило всего лишь три тысячи меломанов - дурная, необоснованная критика и слабое продвижение сделали своё дело. Неизбежно возникает диссонанс с "Five Leaves Left" и тем более последним альбомом Дрейка (день 16), но "Bryter Layter", будучи самым светлым в его дискографии, стоит услышать: чего стоят только пасторальная виньетка "Introduction" и "Northern Sky". Вот только по достоинству все три альбома оценили спустя двадцать лет после кончины музыканта - до сих пор не ясно, было ли это добровольным уходом из жизни или роковой случайностью

интро и аутро - прям красота, а все что между ними - скучновато

This makes all other, popular folk artists of the 70’s makes sense (“oh! that’s what they were trying to do”) Huge blueprint for a lot of music to come. Feels like a reaction to Donovan (whom I really enjoy) without the whimsy. Probably more like a 3.72 star.

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

Dull.

Dated music for mice in a cellar by moody castrato.

Better than I was expecting, China Girl is Bowie-esque and a standout. Will listen to more Iggy past the singles.

Wow. It's amazing how some albums (not even ones that old) can sound so dated and yet something that was made over 50 years ago sounds like it was made yesterday. The music had a magical mix of pleasant and haunting. Very much in the same vein as Elliott Smith--not surprising I suppose considering their tragic stories.