Bryter Layter

Based on the album art alone, I thought I was going to hate this. He looks like exactly the sort of person who bores the tits off everyone at house parties by singing sad songs, obviously with his eyes closed, because the music is just so damned emotional. Listening to him though, I actually quite like it. Remarkably upbeat, he weaves in a few lovely-sounding diversion, some jazz, some bossa nova, some soft rock - it's quite nice. I don't think I'll ever care enough to listen to the lyrics, but it's quite pleasantly pleasing background music.

I really enjoyed this. The sound is extremely modern. The lyrical content and vocal style make this sound like it was made yesterday. I resonate with Nick's feelings here. It's probably a 4.5 for me with the caveat that I definitely never seek this genre out.

I enjoyed this album. It didn't hit me like pink moon (yet) but it feels nice. It's surprising to hear nick drake playing with a group of musicians but it is growing on me

It's interesting hearing this album after having spent considerable time with Pink Moon, the album that came out after Bryter Layter. It's a little odd hearing Nick Drake with so much going on behind him. I find some of the songs to be overly-arranged, to the point of distraction. But when it does all come together, this music is sublimely beautiful. The album is full of gorgeously written, melancholy gems. And Drake is accompanied by some stellar musicians, including John Cale, Richard Thompson, and several members of Fairport Convention. You really do get a sense of Drake's soul in his songs. Fave Songs: Fly, One of These Things First, Northern Sky, Hazey Jane I, Introduction

Klassísk.

4.5

synkkää...melankolista...toivokasta... näillä snaoilla voimme kuvata nick draken kalbumia nimitetty nimellä bryter layter... taitaa mennä keskiarvo taas ylemmäs alkaa vähön vituttaa. albumissa saksofoneillaan, viuluillaan ja huiluillaaan... KAUNIISTI..... lyriikka on iha meediumia.. meediumi kynäveikko, lauluääni silikin suloista siihen viekkuun... miellekästä musiikkia huoh at the chime of a city clock... ylitse muiden...

Absolutely lovely album. I came to Nick Drake late and by chance from the soundtrack to Garden State. Whatever he thought about the orchestrations it's a fine album.

Well produced, warm and beautiful folk.

5/10, 50%

Sunday Brunch soundtrack, for sure. Wouldn’t kick it outta bed for eating crackers. Would make it share.

Smoothe, sexy fingerpicking. Great melancholy vibes.

I liked this one, it reminded me of Free but less psychedelic. Nice guitar. Very low-key.

"What a lovely sound to wake up to" -my roomie when I played the first song

4/5. Sad and lovely music that really pulls at the heart strings.

This was delightfully chill

I really enjoyed having this on in the background. Extremely pleasant.

Knew one song on the album, but there are several more great songs on here with it. A few too many instrumentals possibly? But I will listen to this again.

It made me think of King Crimson with all of the background sounds and instruments. I want to listen to the album again because of that. He has a very nice voice.

Super mello. Great harmonies.

Pleasant listen, but no clue what was being talked about. Will need to revisit.

Jazzy folk music, good vibes

so fragile

woah! weird deja vous with belle and sebastian. 4stars.

Nice album!

Very beautiful album. His unique voice and singing style paired with the folk guitar playing make this one very soothing and relaxing listen.

HL: Fly, Northern Sky, Hazy Jane I Listened to while assembling a credenza. Didn’t get as stressed as I normally am with simple-to-assemble furniture, and so I give credit to the voice of Nick Drake. Liked the instrumental passages, but it’s odd going backwards from the stark Pink Moon to his earlier works. October 3, 2022

I need to listen to this a ton more to really appreciate it but it's clearly great. Love the voice, the songs, the instrumentation.

Really cool. Love the chamber influences. Folk with a flute is just cheating. Should probably listen to discography.

Nice and Calmfors, good music to relaxa to

you know it was ok but am definitely going to have run it a couple of times to get into but 👍

I was not familiar with Nick Drake and found this surprisingly likable.

Sunday is impossibly beautiful. I'm probably in the minority here in saying this, but for me the best parts of the album are the instrumentals. The gentle soothing flute melodies, combined with delicate, complex fingerstyle guitar makes for a gentle but comforting listening experience. This is Nick Drake's best album imo.

Beautiful, like a chamber suite of songs—-the Pet Sounds comparison I only loosely hear, Pet Sounds has a kind of alien quality this misses—-but beautiful

I have heard some of these songs before and enjoyed them. Listening to the album all the way through showed me songs I liked even more. I didn't realize how much of a jazz sound it had.

Beautiful songs

Ah so smooth and jazzy and ultimate easy listening. Some times I think I have found certain Nick Drake a bit bland (love plenty though), but this hit the spot for me

SO GOOD cant wait for his other albums to pop up.

Lovely voice, but the album lacks variation

Great voice, enjoyable album.

What an awesome find. Love his voice. Sad loss to music.

So, thank you for introducing me to this liquid melancholy. Apparently everyone knows him (except me) yet he only sold 4,000 albums in his lifetime. And he lived in a bedsit around the corner getting stoned and hiding his presence. Very grateful for the introduction...

4/5

one of his more upbeat albums but it always feels like there's smth missing to this album. northern sky might be my favourite song by him and I wanna give it a 5 but I cant get myself to.

Really love this album. Was a late discovery for me (already on my 40's). I recommend the whole of Drake's discography actually. Specially Pink Moon.

didn't expect to like this but was pleasantly surprised. more varied than expected and much less maudlin. Will listen again

i recognized drake's name cause garden state soundtrack, but whoa i recognize his voice as coming right before lebanese blonde and the only living boy in new york great album

Nearly flawless. Flawless was to come with Pink Moon.

Another artist that I have aware of forever and have heard many songs, but never really \"listened\" to. This album is a delight, and really meshed well with my mood today. I need to dive in a bit more on his stuff.

Heard a couple songs before. Def a good listen.

Not as good as Pink Moon but fine.

great listen on a rainy sunday

nice, chilled out, folksy vibe. Enjoyed this one over a coffee

There is something so soothing about Nick Drake’s voice and playing style. I will listen to him for years to come.

Ihana pehmeää tunntelmointia alusta loppuun. Chill-listalle koko levy niin että heilahti.

Awesome British folk.

Nick Drake was an enigma really, such a talent both in composition and in Lyrics but a troubled soul. This is a great album, you can hear his influence on the likes of John Martyn, REM, Style Council (Weller) etc on this album. some great songs, my favourites are "Hazey Jane II" "Hazey Jane I" "Bryter Layter" and the wonderful "Northern Sky". A lovely relaxing album to listen to on a Sunday morning!

4/5

this album made me feel sadness but its rly nice

Beautiful but haunting at times. Don't know how I never heard of Nick Drake before but I'll definitely be giving his other two albums a listen even though I know they'll come up on here sooner or later. His voice is quiet and airy, and a lot of the compositions, though rooted in folk, have a jazzy quality that makes this feel more upbeat than I think it really is. Overall a really wonderful album.

I really seem to enjoy this fellow, though I think I prefer his unaccompanied stuff a bit more.

Had some good parts, reasonably enjoyable

trop doux ca y est on est sur une remontée de pente

veisla tbh

Que bonito cantaba este muchacho

A perfect Sunday morning album. The closing track is even called “Sunday”! I love jazzy folk-pop like this. There’s certain times (Sundays, mornings on vacation) when I put on Van Morrison because nothing else feels right. But now I know - Nick Drake is an option too! But while Van Morrison is wild on the microphone, Nick Drake is much more sedate. The emphasis in these songs is on the guitar playing and the gorgeous arrangements. (How about that flute! Front and center!) Highlights: “Hazey Jane II,” “At the Chime of a City Clock,” “One of These Things First,” “Poor Boy” (the piano on that song!), “Northern Sky”

Always loved his playing and never really did deep dives into his albums. He's known as being a (the?) king of alternate guitar tuning / singer songwriter music and this album is really a masterpiece of that style of playing, singing, and overall composition. I love his voice. It's very evocative and yet approachable and not overly dramatic. Biggest gripe is that his music to me can get boring. #shotsfired I know this time period is an interesting mix of 60's and 70's folk music, but I would love for more dynamics or energy in a track here or there. The closest we get to more energetic tracks are in "Poor Boy", which is a bossa nova type track, or "Bryter Layter" which has the faintest hi-hat rhythm that moves the song forward. We hear it a little on "One of These Things First" (which is a lovely song), but his voice is just ~too~ soothing and slow to really push it at all even though the guitar and piano are trying.

7/10. Chill stuff

I liked the soft sound. 8/10

There are some REALLY beautiful ballads here. I enjoyed this one a lot. Particular standout tracks were "Hazey Jane" (I and II), "One of These Things First," and "Fly". All gorgeous melodies and gentle acoustic strings. It does sound aggressively 70s, but for once not in a bad way. It sounds 70s in the way that Jim Croce or Fleetwood Mac does: Gorgeous songwriting, bold vocals, and a general sweetness. A lot of these songs sound like a sunset put to music. Worth the listen. Would give this 4.5 stars if I could, but it falls slightly short of perfect even though I loved it. Sorry, it's the tinge of cheesiness for me. Fave track: Fly

I have always loved Pink Moon and had never listened to this album. Every song on this album is an experiment. It merges Nick Drake's ASMR-like sound with orchestral tracks, flutes, jazz horn grooves with backup singers. A big surprise to me was Poor Boy which is a very cool, jazzy piece. It is sad that the album never got the attention it deserved. The album is quite upbeat and different from the moody austerity of Pink Moon and highlights his innovative guitar sound which is sometimes quasi medieval. Nick Drake, a musician from another dimension, like J. S. Bach.

Thumbs up.

I feel like this was always in my Q magazine albums to listen to. Long time getting round to it. Pleasant. Flutey. Where Hazy Jane beer is named from?! Thought I didn't like the end but turns out it was auto playing something else that I didn't like

Swagged up

Banger Benger

This was not at all what I expected, and in a really good way. I honestly had no real idea why to expect and I thought it was fantastic. Very well composed, incredibly melodic, and overall pretty enjoyable to listen to.

A beautiful sounding record. I've been meaning to discover his music and this was the perfect excuse to listen. I need to hear more from Drake (no, not that Drake!), highly recommended!

V nice

Longtemps pressenti pour occuper les premiers rôles parmi ses camarades à 3 étoiles, Nick Drake réussit une véritable prouesse. Prennant tout le monde à contrepied avec un dernier son entièrement joué à la flute, il réussit à se propulser dans la caste supérieure, celle des 4 étoiles. Je me rapproche du banc de touche pour essayer de recueillir les impressions de l'intéressé.

Enjoyed this. Reminded me of Solid Air but with more lush instrumentation. Arrangement and playing is great. Song writing isn't the most memorable so it loses a star for that but a top album nevertheless.

I always knew that the day will come. Out of 1000+ albums, why wouldn't I encounter at least 1 folk album that I'll genuinely enjoy? This album, with its jazz infused upbeat folk, by a nice voice and a good set of accompaniments, is one of the first folk albums that I actually enjoy. Kudos! Unfortunately, most of the songs felt overlong. Because of that, it has some boring moments. And apparently, those are enough to make me hold back those sweet fives. Anyway, I look forward for more of Nick Drake. Him and S&G are some folk artists that I enjoyed discovering.

Of the three albums released by Nick Drake during his all-too-short lifetime, this slightly quaint exercise is the one that probably veers a little too close to a novelty performance. Drake himself pointed this out. But that doesn't mean this record should be ignored, given how many great tracks with luscious arrangements make the bulk of it, from "Northern Sky" to "Hazey Jane II" or "One Of These Things First". Once you're owning *Five Leaves Left* and *Pink Moon*, it's hard to resist *Bryter Layter*, if only from a completist perspective. Nick Drake was gone too soon, everyone who once got interested in him knows that. Even though it was written and played in the early seventies, his music is timeless, and it will be for many other decades to come... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 948 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 24 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 14. Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 15

"One of these things first" is a huge favorite. The rest of the album plays out nicely with a great sound that holds steady throughout.

I dont understand Nick but somehow I still like it

Classic folk, very nice.

Feeling this is a little too quiet and modest (the original “twee” album maybe?) to be a full five stars but there are a few gems – ”Fly” and “Northern Sky” (the latter truly an all-time gem). I listened to this record so often in early 2000s that I may have worn it out. Also is downgrade due to “it’s been underrated so long that it actually become overrated” syndrome and the suffering at the hands of Wes Anderson. 4.1

Bryter Layter by Nick Drake (1970) “Shaping a performance in the drama of living, each of us wonders: How am I doing? Am I creating a persona suitable to the human drama, crafting something worthwhile, or am I botching the performance? This existential concern … manifests itself as the search for dignity. Guiding that search is an attention that is always both outwardly oriented and inwardly focused, because the performance of existence is at once social and individual. Thus it is a matter of both social esteem and self-esteem. As social creatures, throughout our lives we look for an estimation of how we are doing … and to an extent we rely on the approval, admiration, and affection of others as a measure of our dramatic success.” (Glenn Hughes, “Dignity and Cultural Degradation” in Voegelin View, March 11, 2022) On this album (but not so much on his preceding Five Leaves Left [1969]), Nick Drake’s poetry gives voice to the struggle in each person to live to the fullest flowering his/her inherent dignity. His oeuvre therefore should not be compartmentalized or even dismissed as merely melancholic, fixated on his own inward isolation and sadness. He fully owns the necessity of our existence as social creatures, and in this album, he doesn’t fail to offer sage advice (at the age of 22!) on the ‘communalization’ of our sense of worth. From the upbeat “Hazey Jane II” to the wistful “Hazey Jane I” (tracks likely placed in that order to enhance developmental movement?), Drake encourages “slow, hazey Jane” to transcend her inward-focused isolation and touch the lives of others, including family, friends, and him. Not for his sake, mind you, but for hers. So that she might see and share the value in herself. Philosophical. Almost pastoral. And is there a more intelligent love song than “Northern Sky”? None come to mind (at least not today). He is loving and giving. Outwardly. In a way that is self-aware without being self-absorbed. Musically, this record excels, with small-interval solo vocal melodies over skillful folk/jazz acoustic guitar. It differs from his spare Five Leaves Left by incorporating rich instrumentals performed by members of the folk rock group Fairport Convention. Additionally, string and horn orchestrations add to the richness of the sound, generally by emphasizing the coloring tones in his guitar-based chord structures (occasionally with whimsical effect, which seems at times to be out of place). There are some very fine solo passages, especially the nice jazz piano stylings by Chris McGregor on “Poor Boy”. So, the collaborative sound is nicely synthesized with a poetic theme—the communal dimension of authentic humanity. This album is a fine work of art. It’s not merely attractive. It not only makes the listener think; it has the potential to make one’s inherent dignity come to fuller fruition, by connecting dots that one perhaps never even knew existed. 4/5

Another masterful album by Nick Drake. It's easy to see why he cared deeply about that one. People always rave about Pink Moon (and rightfully so) for its mystique and melancholic feel, but this one's just as important. This is what he wanted to do. The lush arrangements and warm production makes it something really special.

My least favorite of Nick Drake's albums, but still an amazing one. He just takes folk to another level.

Wow, really becoming a nick drake fan the more I listen to him

Nick Drake is a master in the category "folk singer-songwriter" and this album wonderfully shows it. He was just one step away from his ultimate masterpiece, Pink Moon.

Un Folk mono, mejor de lo que esperaba en principio y que de hecho me gustó más de lo que he oído, por ejemplo, de Neil Young o su pandilla. Me agradó la combinación de instrumentos y la voz del tipo, y a ratos me recordó a Rodríguez, pero más refinado.

Lush sounds, well arranged and musically interesting. Should have been a star.

On a rainy day, I'm a big Nick Drake fan. Mostly just the Way To Blue compilation, though. In that group with Cat Stevens and Leonard Cohen, though not as good as either. The Belle and Sebastian thing is funny.

More slick than 5 Leaves with some jazzy/country influences and a lot more upbeat in places. With a number of famous artists helping out it's well produced and professional. It's pleasant and easy to listen too. If Pink Moon hadn't been written I would have loved this album but I can't help compare it to his Masterpiece.

I've loved his album Pink Moon for many years now, but I don't think I've ever explored beyond that album, despite Nick Drake not having that much music out there. Not sure why, buy I'm glad I am now digging beyond what I've already known. A delightful album that is almost instantly recognizably a Nick Drake record and now I wish we had more of his music...

Quiet, gentle relaxing. Beautiful guitar & piano arrangements. I liked it a lot!

Lovely, lush proto-twee classic

Drake has a gloomy, yet joyful voice, and the songs of this album are great to listen while getting ready to start the day or while getting set to call it a day. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics though. I'll probably check it out again sometime

Loved it, the only track I’ve ever heard before was northern sky. It was such a mellow album, one I will save for those days when I’m in need of some soothing chilled out tracks

A, entire album is airy and tranquil Stand out tracks: -At The Chime of A City Clock (loved the instrumentation, especially the strings and sax) -One of These Things First (was in Garden State) -Hazy Jane 1 (stunning, a great mix of instruments from violin to soft drums -Bryter Layter (mostly instrumental, flutes are airy and bright) -Northern Sky (always loved this song, it's the track that plays at the end of Serendipity when Jonathan is laying on the ice rink and Sarah throws her glove at him)

Beautiful

Really sweet, chill music. Every song was consistently great, all paired with haunting vocals.

Really enjoyed Pink Moon when it came up on here. This is also a really beautiful record. Still pretty melancholy. He's got a cool voice and some nice guitar work. However, I prefer Pink Moon to this record. It was really stripped down with just him and a guitar. This record has a lot of backing musicians and while they're mostly fine, it is occasionally a bit too much I think. Still, that's a minor complaint, it's still a calm, beautiful, dark record.

Very chilled. Liked it.

Beautiful guitars and voices. Loved it and will definitely revisit

Very nice and relaxing

My second favourite Nick Drake album

Chill, funky, and jazzy pretty good. Better than I was expecting for sure.

Best songs Not one in particular but a great album.

Pas aussi bon que Five Leaves, mais overall aucunement décevant

Solid pop-folk, just as good as Pink Moon. Give another listen soon!

I prefer both of his other albums, but I still like this one very much.

pwetty

Lovely

11/22/21 Yes.... Wonderful.... a perfect day for this album. Introduction: Sumptuously orchestrated. A standout in it's own right. Hazy Jane II: The pulsing organ chords in the background remind me of a GAS song. Hypnotic. A deliciously queasy rollicker. At the Chime of a City Clock: "I see your trousers don't taper"... brutal diss.

I own this already

New discovery for me, I dug it.

8/10

Non mi dispiace, sai!?

Krasses singer Songwriter Niveau

There's something very enjoyable about his music. It's mellow and a little bit sad but there's definitely a place for Nick Drake's music in my life.

Soft 4 stars. Nick drake is awesome. Such a voice and gorgeous music. A true gem that would have remained hidden if it wasn’t for this project. I look forward to his 3rd album (if it’s on this list).

This has a definite 1970s San Francisco hippie vibe. I enjoyed it.

I find this to be a major improvement over "Five Leaves Left." Though still generally mellow, there is much more range and vitality to the arrangements.

The story of Nick Drake is a sad one, and his music reflects this. It's lonely and melancholic, while also being nice and lush. His compositions bring these beautiful strings and percussion flourishes to accompany his simple guitar and voice. It's also not afraid to get a little exciting at times, with a rockin' sax solo on Poor Boy. Very mellow for the most part though, making for a wonderful morning album. Worth a spin.

Would rate 4.5 stars. Great album and made me want to check out more of his work

extremely comforting listening experience from front to back

Beautiful. I hadn't heard his music before at all (though I had heard the name), but it's lovely. It's definitely a mood, though.

Grea Great album. What this list is for. Discovering new music

Nick drake might be the most under appreciated artist of all time

This is very lounge, perfect dinner party music but still has enough of an edge to maintain my attention throughout. Beautiful understated guitar playing. BIG sax on Poor Boy, don't even realise it's there until the last 30 seconds. Love the weird abstract writing, get lots of Aldous Harding vibes over it all. Pretty sure I've come across another album of his so far and think I might've ripped into him a bit - if so he's redeemed himself here.

While I don't think this is my favorite Nick Drake album, it's still fantastic. I never knew who he was before this album exercise and getting to hear all three of his best in the same year has been great. Love the giant shoes in the album cover and the entire cover in general. I kept Fly and Poor Boy to re listen but his albums are better listened to fully than picking certain songs out. Great start to the week.

Here we are, the final piece of the Nick Drake puzzle. The connective tissue between Five Leaves Left and the harrowing Pink Moon. The vocals on Hazey Jane 2 gave me big-time Wicker Man vibes. Actually, maybe I'm just now realizing that he's got a perfect voice for Wicker Man music. This is a fantastic album. I'd put it over Five Leaves, but it's pretty hard for any artist to touch Pink Moon. But damn, there are some serious heaters on here. Still very intimate music, even though there are a number of instruments working with Nick throughout. Loved this immediately, and could see it becoming a five star in time, but for now it's not quite there. RIP to the legend, and thank you to this list for giving us all three of his albums! Lord knows if it didn't, the gaps would be filled with more live albums from the Who. Favorite tracks: Fly, Bryter Layter, Sunday, Hazey Jane II, At the Chime of a City Clock. Album art: Really love this one. Great framing and colors, and the picture of Nick Drake is almost menacing. Not bright at all, so makes for an excellent contrast in colors, mood, and theme. He'll be bryter layter, or so he says. Also love that he's not wearing his shoes, but they're still there. 4.5/5

классные вайбовые полупостпанковые песенки, насыщенные аранжировки, слишком спокойно

Nice listen

nice, smooth, little. Way of singing not my favorite at times

The voice of an angel

Hoe anders dan Five Leaves Left, vind ik dit toch ook een puik album. Fijne stem en klasse nummers. Vooral Northern Sky.

Niet zijn beste album maar nog altijd erg goed!

My main man Nick Drake. This is my least favourite of his albums - Pink Moon's sparse, haunting arrangements make it an easy number one, followed by the lush, glacial strings of Five Leaves Left. The upbeat & bright Nick Drake here seems a bit at odds with the others in his catalogue, but still some great tunes. Good to take for a spin every few years.

nicely layered folk music. like a slice of rich chocolate cake that magically doesn't put you in a food coma

An overlooked classic.

the intro was nice. doubt i will be into this but hey it's 39 minutes long so it gets all my attention. okay i actually am into this first song. his voice is sooo nice. okay songs 2 and 3 were nice too. i wasn't crazy about 'fly' and the title track. everything else i enjoyed.

Gone too soon. What a beautiful voice.

Great smooth album

First time hearing his work. I recognized one of the songs from a movie (from the 2000's) soundtrack. Very mellow but great.

A perfect Sunday album. I'm much better acquainted with Five Leaves Left but this album is a gem. You can give it a few runs and focus on a different instrument each time or, just Drake's voice. I've never really wrapped my head around the word melancholy but I feel like this is the audible representation.

A beautiful listen, which I need more time with to really rate it. I wasn’t sure I enjoyed it on first listen but I started to get absorbed by the voice and the gentleness the second time. One which linger, I feel.

I liked it

Chilled Background music

Definitely a mood album - what mood might depend on the person :P - this could either be one of the more depressing albums or one of the more joyous, I honestly can't ever decide. Either way, it's gorgeous in total - the full band arrangements, horns, strings, and Nick Drake's odd/dry/intimate vocal style all work for me. Hardly a party album :D (I'd love to get Van Halen 1 after this one for contrast) nor one that I think can be fully appreciated on first or second listens but for fascinating acoustic tunings/chords/arrangements and non-traditional "pop" singer-songwriter albums this is tremendous. 8/10 4 stars

He did again! Love this dude. Can't believe I haven't listened to all this stuff before.

I wrote something out for this yesterday when I listened, but I apparently didn't save it. Anyways, I liked it.

I listened to all of his albums recently and this is one I have in my collection. Great song writing. Maybe the strings are a little overdone. Given recent events the forecast is promising.

I had always heard about Nick Drake but never listened to any of his stuff. I really liked the atmosphere on this album. Drake's voice and guitar playing were amazing. I want to listen to this again and pay attention to the lyrics. Very cool.

Genuinely liked this album, felt really chill and could easily listen to it again. On the otherhand, its kind of like vanilla -- I can see anyone liking it but it being no one's favourite.

This was beautiful

Álbum muy tranquilo, pero con presencia. Gran disco. Gusto mucho. Nota: 4.5

Beautiful arrangements. That VOICE.

Breezy and melodic. Pretty good if a little slow at point. Seemed modern.

Ready for an indie film marathon.

Pink moon is the 5 star album, but this one is great too.

Forgjenger til Kings of Convenience

I knew the name but didn't know much about him and have never consciously listened to his music before. A very nice discovery in that respect, and what a fascinating and sad story. His live shows sound like a riot! Crazy how little-known he was before he died, yet his music has become so revered and influential since. His music stands the test of time. Perhaps he'd still be here if he'd found more success while he as alive? Not really into folk music that much but I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. 8.5/10

Another artist I know about but not listened to that much of their work. I think this is the first time I've listened to a whole album of his. I really enjoyed it and will definitely listen again. Will also try and listen to some more of his stuff.

I don’t like silly misspellings, but the music was really good. Sad to read his story. “At the Chime of a City Clock” stuck out.

Really enjoyed this surprisingly

A good listen. Classic 70s folk sounds.

Rzadko kiedy zdarza sie ulsyszec cos tak przyjemnego dla ucha, a jednoczesnie tak smutnego, mawet gdy pierwszy raz kilka lat temu uslyszalem i nie znalem historii jaka sie kryje za tym albumem, to jednak od razu mozna wyczuc, ze jest to cos autentycznego, chyba tylko z dwoma artystami mialem podobnie, sydem i johnstonem, smutek laczy tych trzech artystow i to jak walczyli lub probowali sobie z nim poradzic, no i grali rocka, ale kompozycje na bryter layer wychodza mocno poza rokowanie jest tam sporo elementow jazowych, soulowych, a drake sie w tym wszystkim gubi i czasem az ciezko odnalezc jego unikalne gitarki, hazey jane I jest kawalkiem na ktorym jest ona najbardziej wyeksponowana, bo track jest dosc surowy jak na standardy tej plyty, choc jest to jego najbardziej przystepny album, to i tak nie zdobyl zbyt duzej popularnosci, poeci romantyczni zwykle zdobywali slawe i rozglos dopiero po smierci, w tym przypadku jest podobnie, ciesze sie ze moglem to uslyszec ponownie, jak sie musiala czuc osoba ktora nie mogla dac praktycznie zadnego wystepu, podczas nagrywania w studiu nie potrafila byc skierowana w strone producenta, tylko nagrywac plecami do innych, a jednoczesnie miala tyle do przekazania za posrednictwem muzyki, poor boy jest jednym z moich ulubionych kawalkow albumiku, akurat na nim swietnie jazzowe trabienie i chorki nadaja piosence chrakteru karykaturalnego, gdyby tak autobiograficzny kawalek znalazl sie na pink moonie czy pozostalych 5 lisciach, to bylby on zbyt tragiczny, na plejliste poza nim trafi jeszcze northern sky oraz one of these things first, na miejscu jest tez pytanie czy smierc byla koncem czy poczatkiem kariery w tym przypadku, czy zycie nie przekreslioby sukcesu jakim niewatpliwie sa 3 wydane albumy,

Pretty good, would listen to it again. Good for working to, also. Going to start ranking a pretty good as 4 stars, might down grade it to 3 if need be.

Vi el "aparece en" de Spotify de este sadboy y al parecer está incluido en muchas listas de chill, relax, qué bonita es la vida y con imágenes muy porno inspiracional, pero tiene más bien una vibra en el pozo de lo sad-melancolia-autocompasión para no salir de ahí. Me gustó bastante la instrumentación, las percusiones que de repente están muy cargadas le dan un gran toque que le aporta ritmito a pesar de que el resto de los elementos están cabizbajos. Mood: un día soleado de otoño en que te sientes tristón por alguna extraña razón.

Very mellow

Better than expected. Should listen again

One of These Things First was a highlight. Very overlooked artist who joined the 27 club a year too early.

This is another artist I've never heard before, but I like this album. I really like the first half of this album, especially Hazey Jane II and At the Chime of a City Clock.

Super folky and mellow. I enjoyed the different instrumentation and the dissonances that he incorporated into his music. Looked him up, sad he died at such a young age. But this album was for sure a great listen.

this was pretty good

Conocí a Nick Drake hará un par de años gracias a la gente que ya lo conocía y escuchaba música parecida a mí en Spotify provocando que el algoritmo de sugerencias me lo recomendara. Es un cantante enorme y creo que ha influenciado a mucha gente que me gusta. Una pena que desapareciera tan pronto y que tan poca gente lo conociera en su época. El disco suena muy bien y la producción del año 1970 con violines, percusión es espectacular. De este disco desde que lo escuché me gustaron: Northern Sky y One of these things first.

Kind of a yacht rock vibe

I really enjoyed this album. I'd heard at least one of the songs before but had no idea who this artist was. Unique voice and guitar. Relaxing.

Very relaxing record good one

Anyway, I could listen to “Fly” on repeat for the bulk of an entire day and not get tired of it. I was expecting an album of songs like this and was pleasantly surprised by how different it can be from track to track.

Upbeat but melancholy and rad interludes, very enjoyable 4.1

Even tho a lot of these sounded the same I still liked it. Instrumentals were surprisingly good

Slow but very well made

I was mainly familiar with Pink Moon from Nick Drake, this is the first time I've heard these songs other than One of These Things First. I liked this, but it sounded weird hearing him accompanied by more than just acoustic guitar. Still great, but not as great as Pink Moon. 4 stars.

Nice and mellow. Good to work when you don't need to listen to the lyrics because I sure as shit didn't know what he was saying. Good overall sound.

Beautiful soft album

Lowkey

Just started listening to Nick Drake more closely. Enjoyed this a great deal, really like his voice and guitar.

Also very chill

Listened to it 4 or 5 times, really lovely album, adding to favourites

I COULD LISTEN TO NICK DRAKE ALL DAY (but I also might be depressed for the next month after)

Pretty good album good acoustic tracks interesting arrangements

что-то он у меня затянулся, на 1-2 песни за раз.. но вообще норм, под настроение

Terrific album - Drake's smooth, often haunting folk music is on full display here.

Beautiful and sad 4/5

Very Sentimental 3.8

Beautiful

Very pleasant to listen to. Not my go to style but it was very relaxing and enjoyable.

:(

1970. Key Songs: Hazey Jane II, One Of These Things First, Nothern Sky

Pretty good. Surprised

It was very pleasant to listen to

i like the mood and the sound of the songs, havent quite finished, but def an album i would listen to while by a river drawing

Very nice and pleasant album

Not bad!

3/5 I probably need to spend more time with it but it didn't do much for me through a couple spins

spk spokojne

Sleepy fr. Like sounded good but just… Yk made me wanna curl up and go back to bed. Maybe this is just the WC effect.

A Jazzy folk album. My third nick drake album and both reviews previously I said that I wanted to like it more, but I didn't. This is exactly the same. It has elements that I like, but not enough to draw me in. I guess I am just not a nick drake fan. There are songs that I enjoyed, but there isn't enough to make me want to listen more. This was the most underwhelming album of the three, but Northern Sky was the standout song across all three albums. 3 stars

Ok, not my thing but not offensive

Folk plus jazz. What could possibly go wrong?

Almost deserved a second listen to see if there was a 4 in there. But I can’t be arsed.

Best Track - "Northern Sky"

The entire album felt like it should be my thing, but I really left it feeling not much of anything. Loved the instrumentation, did not care for the voice or lyrics, could not tell you a single lyric that stuck in my mind afterwards. Maybe it's just not for me? Fairly forgettable imo, could not remember any part of the album hours later.

Nick Drake is another one of those artists who's considered 'legendary', and is revered seemingly for good enough reason, that I just can't be bothered to fully engage with. I've never listened to this album before now, and it's exactly what I thought it would be. It's left me with an overwhelming dread that I'm about to be accosted by a stoned student in the middle of an epiphany about the meaning of life and humanity's place in the the cosmos and now I need to reset myself with some Dead Kennedy's or something. 'One Of These Things First' stands out as something rather wonderful but for the most part, it veers a little too far into the drippy end of the spectrum for my sensibilities. And I quite like drippy. In short, it's all perfectly acceptable, but please don't talk to me about it. Or anything, for that matter.

Of Nick Drakes 3 albums (I think) this is the only one I don't have so I was intrigued when this popped up, I don't know where it sits in "order" but it seems more upbeat and with a bigger production than I am used to, in parts this works well. I thoroughly enjoyed it but is it amazing or some kind of benchmark that justifies being on this list? I don't think so. A deft slice of 70s folk-pop nevertheless. I will certainly be listening again.

the introduction made me feel like nothing before.

Chill

Like pink floyd but without the drugs

The music was nice enough but his voice is just so damn depressing, even on the upbeat songs. Better than the last one though so giving it a 3.

Northern Sky is a signature go-to mixed tape tune, but otherwise everything feels very similar, like a warm folksy hug you don’t really want but are glad to have had once it is over.

Similar to the first album, but a bit more life to this one. Someone opened the shade and let a bit of light into his room. Enjoyed this far more than his first, same great songwriting but not as overwhelmingly depressing. Actually looking forward to the next album. He only released 3 albums, all are on this list and we got lucky in that we get them in order of release. I'm curious to hear how he progressed on his final album.

I love the second song a lot. good kitchen music. a little too slow and mellow of a vibe for me. 6/10

Muziek als een warm, vers gehaakt dekentje op een winderige herfst avond.

was een goed begin met vrij unieke liedjes, maar rond de helft viel het plat voor mij

In the distant future, I must like this album. I should love it. Nick Drake is an inspiration for the majority of the musicians I listen to ad nauseam, and yet... He is just not there for me yet. I believe one day he will fit nicely into my rotation, but for now, the most enjoyable tracks are the ones in which he is not singing. Lull me into a peaceful night "Introduction."

sympa comme musique de fond mais un peu ennuyant je trouve

I thought I hated Nick Drake. I don't. This is pretty enough in a Tea & Crumpet way. Nicely recorded, the posh voice grates a little, but the instrumentals are pleasant.

It was short and not offensive that is a when for this past week. Had a hard timing understanding him on first few songs then it got better.

The disdain for him is understandable but not warranted

It was a decent, but somewhat forgettable listen. Enjoyed the music more than vocals

good listen, kind of Becoming The Lastnames vibes

I like the first two songs. The lyrics “And what will happen in the morning when the world gets/ So crowded that you can’t look out the window in the morning” The intro is beautiful

Felt like what a modern hobbit would listen to

Meh.

Muy de dominguera el álbum

Álbum que se deja escuchar, hasta se disfruta por momentos.

3.5 - good album

Very peaceful and calming, but didnt quite grab me so probably need to relisten to it

Hatte definitiv Einfluss auf Künstler wie "Sodastream" und so. Die mag ich dann aber noch etwas lieber. Solide, aber nicht umwerfend.

Nett, aber hat mich irgendwann verloren.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to.

It was really matching the vibe of the day and it’s a nice, relaxing listen ☼ It’s not my new favorite album but it was still a good listen and I could even save a few songs to my playlist ;) 3/5

A nice calm peaceful listen. 3/5

Very quick album, and great music to have on in the background, but probably not something I'd listen to on purpose.

out of my music sphere, but a welcome addition

It's very pleasant background music, if you ignore the somewhat depressing nature of the lyrics. :)

Never heard of Nick Drake but it's very good for an old folk album

...okay

This is not what I thought Nick Drake sounded like. I liked this quite a bit more than I was expecting even though it was way more folksy than I wanted it to be.

2.5 - Way better than I expected because I thought this was Nick Cave.

It was an ok album

A very 70s sounding arrangement with folk sadness meeting groovy backup. Some of the tracks are iconic and some are drippy instrumentals.

this sounded really pretty while it was playing. unfortunately due to my folk cilantro gene i will have forgotten every note by tomorrow morning. or actually, i think i already did

More pleasant stuff from an artist I hadn't heard of. Filing under the "good but not sure I'd remember to revisit" category.

First listen

Had it on cd and listened to it in the car, absolutely love drakes vocals, and a very easy listen, something good to listen to after a busy day, although i do think most of the songs are quite sameish

Best song is definitely Sunday. Love the flute interaction with the guitar and drums. Northern Exposure is also worth a listen. Album is definitely something you should hear once through but the rest of the album did not stand out to me.

A pleasant surprise!

Nice delicate vibe, listened to well walking through central park

background music

Favorite songs were At The Chime Of A City Clock, Poor Boy and Sunday

Melodic, nachdenklich, im auto, alter film, schaukel, sonne sitzen, flow

Finally, some Nick Drake. I’ve heard this name for years, and I’m not sure I’ve ever heard any of his music. I always get him confused with Nick Cave, whose music I have heard and like, at least what I’ve heard. It seems Drake is an English singer/songwriter. This was his second studio album and his last album to feature backing musicians. His last album was just him and his guitar, it appears. Bryter Layter came out in 1971. Drake would be dead from an overdose in November 1974. He was just 26, just missing out on the tragic 27 Club by around six months. Bryter Layter has 10 songs and runs 39 minutes. Again, I don’t have to tell you. They knew what they were doing back then. Actually, it seems back then it would have been better to release these longer albums, as people had nothing to do but sit and enjoy music. These days, attention spans are short. There is so much out there to rot your brain. Though I guess these days people aren’t listening to albums at all, well, except me. The youngers are listening to just singles or music in 15-second TikTok bursts. No wonder music is so cheap these days. There is little value put on it. DIGRESSION! Track 1 is Introduction. Just beautifully played acoustic guitar and a string orchestra. It already makes me swell up a bit, as in, this album may make me cry from just the beautiful sounds on it. Just a sweet little song. Track 2 is Hazey Jane II, which is weird. Where’s Hazy Jane I? Oh, it’s kind of country pop. It sounds like a Byrds or Flying Burrito Brothers song. It has a great horn section. Drake's singing style reminds me of Joni Mitchell. He sings fast on this song. The horns remind me a bit of the horns in Touch Me by the Doors. Dammit, there’s a better example, but I can’t grasp it with my mind’s paws. The song appears to be saying if you feel overwhelmed by the world or whatever makes you anxious, step back and focus on family or bettering yourself. The song is a nice little pop song, which I’m reading, is kind of a departure for Drake. There’s a nice little country-sounding guitar solo. I really liked that song. Track 3 is At the Chime of a City Clock. This song already sounds a bit darker. It’s got a bit of a blues feel to it. I like Drake’s voice. Oooh, strings just came in at the chorus. Very nice. And now there’s an alto sax playing during the verses. Ray Warleigh is playing the hell out of that sax. The song appears to be about being lonely in a city, but don’t just isolate yourself, go out and meet people. The song sounds sad, but the chorus is upbeat. Track 4 is One of These Things First, and it begins with a piano riff that reminds me of Billy Joel’s Piano Man, while the acoustic guitar riff and the bass together also remind me of Led Zeppelin’s That’s the Way. Both great songs, so we’re off to a good start. It seems the song is about Drake’s potential to have been anything other than what he turned out to be. The song can be seen as darker than maybe it was supposed to be when you realize Drake was dead in about three years, with so much potential wasted. It’s funny how death, or maybe it’s more like tragic death, can affect how you listen to music. Just a sad, beautiful song. Track 5 is Hazey Jane I. So that’s where she is. It has a nice string arrangement in the song. Makes it sound much bigger than just Drake’s voice, an acoustic guitar and bass. There is some percussion at times, as well, but bongos or congas, maybe a timpani. Jane seems to be a lost soul of sorts, and Drake wants her to find her way, whether it be with him or not. Whatever she does, she needs to do it for herself, not anyone else. Even if it is in her hazey way. But what do I know? The song is beautiful. So far, all the songs are beautiful. I wonder why he decided to forgo other musicians on his last album? Of course, I’m sure he wasn’t thinking it would be his last album. I wonder if, in the end, he said all he needed to say? Not saying that’s why he died, but any one of us can go at any time. Have we done or said all we needed to say? Track 6 is Bryter Layter. The song appears to be an instrumental. It’s weird. It has a more upbeat, positive sound than most of the songs on here. It has an orchestra with strings and a flute as the lead instrument. I assume it’s Drake playing the acoustic guitar. He is pretty good at playing guitar. Track 7 is Fly. This is another sad song, as the subject has made a mistake and needs a second chance. Whatever the subject of this song did, it has changed the relationship with someone he loves. It also seems like the subject of the song has personal limitations that keep him from straightening up to fly right. Again, you can’t help but think about Drake’s death and if he died with relationships that needed to be mended. Things that could have been said to someone you love won't always be able to be said tomorrow. Track 8 is Poor Boy, and it starts with some great guitar plucking and a piano. The song has more of a samba beat to it. This song is so beautiful. There is what sounds like a trio of women singing backing vocals. And now here comes that alto sax. This song has a gospel tinge to it. This is my favorite song on the album so far. It’s a bit more upbeat, though it isn’t actually a happy song. The lyrics are about self-pity and loneliness. The song is six minutes long, and it gives plenty of time for the sax and the piano to shine. It seems Drake’s mom was also a singer and recorded a song called Poor Mom about the struggles of being a mother. Some believe this is Drake’s answer to his mom’s song, where he talks about the existential struggles of being alive in an uncaring world. Track 9 is Northern Sky, and I think this is actually a happy love song. No, it can’t be. “I never felt magic crazy as this I never saw moons, knew the meaning of the sea I never held emotion in the palm of my hand Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree But now you're here Brighten my northern sky” The song has a piano moving the song along and an organ filling out the background. I also hear chimes of some sort. They really add to the song. They’re different. I really like this song. Track 10 is Sunday, and it’s an instrumental. A flute is essentially the lead instrument. But there’s a string orchestra with an acoustic guitar. Those who know better than I say this song is kind of presenting a moment of warmth and peace. It doesn’t have a melancholic feel to it. It does seem more hopeful than most songs on the album. And with that, it’s over. I must say, there’s something about this album. I listened to several songs twice during my first run through. I’m not sure if it’s the death of Drake playing upon my emotions or if it’s just a really good album. I tend to think it’s actually a really good album. It’s for sure a beautiful album. Had this been just him singing with an acoustic guitar? I’m not sure I’d have liked it as much. I consulted with my friends at Wikipedia, and it turns out the musicians playing on the album were John Cale of The Velvet Underground, musicians from the folk group Fairport Convention, and several musicians who played with the Beach Boys. Drake, allegedly, wanted the instrumentals to bring the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds to mind. Lofty goals there. A review from Melody Maker magazine said this, “This is a difficult album to come to any firm conclusion on", and said that the reaction depended on the listener's mood and that "the 10 tracks are all very similar – quiet, gentle and relaxing." I concur. Is it a must-listen? I won’t go that far, but I think it’s worth a shot. I don’t hear stuff like this today. Maybe I’m just not looking for it, but I think music like this is more filling than what Sabrina Carpenter can offer. But I may be wrong on that. I gave up on hating singers or bands because they don’t sing the music I liked a long time ago. If you’re looking for beautiful music to kind of feel sad with, this will hook you up.

Not bad actually. Interesting story behind the artist

I was quite a fan of Hazey Jane II. Overall liked the whole groove of the album. Took some nice chess W’s while listening too.

Bien mieux que Pink Moon !! J'ai failli mettre 4, c'est pour dire

First I thought this was Boris, then I thought it was Nick Cave, finally I realized it was Cat Stevens.

This made me want to listen to Akuma No Uta so I did.

This album reminded me of sitting in a pretentious coffee shop late at night. very calming sound. I loved all the instruments. Overall, really easy to listen to, but nothing caught my attention. Just really pretty background music.

not really my style but still a pretty solid album

Actually it was better than expected. The background music was really modern for the time the album was composed

Nice, easy listening folk. Also, interesting voice, wasn’t what I was expecting. Nice instrumentals / accompanying parts.

Lo escuché mientras maqueteaba

An easy listen. The softness of Nick Drake's voice and guitar accompanied by orchestral music, backup vocals with jazz inflections and even a lighthearted love song (Northern Sky) to break up the melancholy for a moment. I heard Pink Moon a few months earlier, and the sparseness of that one matched the tone of the songs. This one is more lush, maybe something you'd hear in a coffee shop, and you find yourself pulling for the guy, knowing the sadness and depression that would ultimately consume him.

“Hmm… I feel like listening to some Nick Drake today!”, said every coffee shop owner on earth. But hey, i could be listening to kid rock right now. 3 stars.

Interesting voice that works with musical style. I prefer his more spare sound. This album has some dated late 60s and early 70s production.

I prefer Pink Moon where it's just him and his guitar. A lot of these songs come across as more forgettable, easy-listening. Still good though

Good album, strong vibes. 7.1/10

Knew nothing about Nick Drake before listening. I like the light, airy vocals and was surprised by the depth / breadth of the backing orchestral arrangements. Wouldn’t surprise me if Beck drew any inspiration from Drake for his Sea Change album. A pleasant listen for the right moment.

It's always pleasant listening to a Nick Drake album. I liked Pink Moon more than this, but it was still a nice listen.

Hypnotic chord progressions, folk yet jazzy, some songs tend to be too long. Beautiful instrumentals. 6.5-7 at first listen

Ok

Застенчивый, нежный, очень лёгкий альбом. Понравился последний трек Sunday.

No pude prestar mucha atención, pero parece bien

Nice. If I wasn’t a tough grader I might give it another star

Was a decent album - wouldn't rush back to it tho

dang; At the Chime of a City Clock has a nice groove to it. This may not be his best, but it's far better than most of the shit on here.

Best Song: One Of These Things First. I liked the way the piano and guitar picking played off one another, providing a constant rolling rhythm that nicely offset the singer's more gentle delivery. Worst Song: Bryter Layter. It's rather strange that the titular song by this singer-songwriter contains no vocals. His melancholy vocals were, for me, the best part of the album, so I really didn't see the point of this track. Overall: Something about this particular instance of his soft-spoken melancholy didn't strike me as true as did the previous albums of his on this list. Maybe it was too sunny outside. This is the type of music that demands at least partial cloud cover.

Hyvä kokkuslevy

Kyllä tätä nyt ihan kuunteli ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nick Drake seems to have a very strong sense of rhythm. Too early to give a strong opinion.

It's a very beautiful album but not my type of album

I feel like this could be the soundtrack to every romcom ever. The bit after the couple have split up and they are sitting contemplating what to do next. Not unpleasant but I feel it didn't stand out in any way for me.

It was fine

first album on this site! lovely voice and songwriting... very very soundtrack similar to a group I like called yo la tengo though this was probably their inspiration hehe favourites : Introduction One of These Things First Fly

Idek why i rated this album 1 at first, like?? Good songs.