Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I enjoyed the Jeff Buckley album “Grace” on here, but my first time with Tim here, I was not very impressed. Seemed to be trying way too hard to have a persona instead of letting his work stand on its own, I don’t know enough about him to know if it was schtick on this album or career-long, but I disliked it. 2/5
Started off strong, but I got bored at the end.
Buckle up, Tim Buckleyuu's! Greetings zrug miteme eher churze review. 1, 2 lieder sind mer bliibe aber meh ned. Und chum ned drüber hinweg, dass de Tim Buckley biz tönt wie de homer simpson. drümaligs zuenicke from Z.H.
Greetings from Tsüüüri by Brüeder han Termin. Isch mir echli vill nöd spezielli Albe im oke Territorium in letster ziit, denn fallts eim schwer immer was us em Huet z zaubere. Aber ich bin ja nöd um süsch de GeoGandalf im Geoguesser oder im mac Vorschau sehr flexibel mitm Zauberstab bim Bilderbearbeite. Also e chline Zauberer. Und daher hani mir au das Review hinder-, für-, ufe- und abezauberet. Das wärs denn aber scho, biz zu boring die songs. 2 Zauberstäb statt Revolver uf L.A. via wilde weste
uh da heds mer wüki gad chli zu fest eis inebluest… bin kein fan gsi, has gfühl nöd mal imne live setting wür mer das öppis gäh 2 bli bla blues für de brüeder
just sounds old. didn't find anything on here that I particularly liked.
After 3 songs, this was increasingly irritating. I stopped when the 4th song started. I will now reclaim my life and get this trash out of my head.
Second album on the list from Tim Buckley I think. Not sure I feel it's warranted, but ok. Must say I get some Jim Morrison vibes from this. Their singing style feels are not too different in some cases, like on 'Get On Top', for example. When I plowed through this the first time I didn't feel that much, so I tried to be a bit more attentative the second time. I actually think the sound is very nice, and the songs have a nice groove to them. I get some sexist vibes from Buckley, could be unwarranted, not sure. Overall I think the record is pretty decent. No single song strike me as particularly standout, it's more of the overall tone and quality of the record that holds up well.
Like if someone copied “The Doors” without the organ and instead just sang about his organ. Honestly, the lyrics were terrible, just songs about sex without any finesse. The songs were bland, felt like some kid tried to copy other famous acts (Rolling stones, The Doors etc.) and just took the worst parts of blues, rock and funk mixed together.
Täähän oli aika hiton hyvä! Yllättävää että diggailin näin paljon. Hyvää tämmöstä jytähenkistä folkrokkia. 4/5
Kelpo jamittelua! 3/5
What a party!! This was a fun listen
A fun variety pack of stuff
Solides Album, was sicherlich gut auf der Autobahn läuft.
Ich fühle mich molested
Crazy how much he and his son sound a like. Good album too.
Solid
Unique voice that died too early.
Like this better than the earlier folky hippy stuff
Okay album 6/10
This guy is nuts
Only one song on here that I wasn’t particularly fond of. The lyrics while pretty basic for its time comes second to its instrumentation and Tim Buckley’s vocals. Was not expecting this.
I had never heard of Tim Buckley before this list. When I initially looked over all the artists on this list before I started in, I saw his name on it, not once or twice but three times and looked forward to discovering his music. I really wanted to like this album, truly. There are so many things that seem like the makings of compilation of good songs. But honestly each songs sounded like a hodgepodge of popular sounds. There’s some solid blues guitar and piano, there’s some funky bass lines, and some solid rnb style vocal rhythms. But none of it went well with one another. Top that with Buckley seemingly trying to sound like Mick Jagger on pretty much every song, it made for a bad recipe. To add on, Buckley’s lyrics were ok by and large, but there were some really odd moments where I turned my head and thought, he said what?!? And the skatting was overall a bad touch. This album just seemed like a guy with an above average musical talent level was experimenting with popular songs of the late 50s to early 70s to try to create something unique. He accomplished that, it is unique. But unique doesn’t always make something good. There were so many moments in pretty much every song where I thought that they’d bring it together and make a good song but they couldn’t get over the hump. 4.8/10 #32/1001
Not the typical Tim Buckley, yet. I hardly recognized him initially and like later records better.
First listen
Caterwauling faux-funky bongo white guy shit. I can't believe how terrible this is.
Devil Eyes is pretty gross.
I’m not a fan of his singing style. I was grateful this album wasn’t any longer. Everything about this was just very forgettable.
Such a great talent, taken from us too soon
Is this the album where he goes off the rails? Based on the other two albums on this list this one just doesn't work for me.
Hmmm, my antepenultimate and penultimate albums of the whole project have been Tim Buckley, and that's too much Tim Buckley in too short a space of time. (I had to look up the correct term for "third from last" and will now be on the lookout for opportunities to bust our "antepenultimate" in conversation. 🧐 ) Perversely, though, I think I'm going to listen to some more Tim Buckley today, as reading up on his discography to try to put these albums in context, I see that his album "Starsailor", which is not on the list, is the origin of "Song to the Siren" the This Mortal Coil version thereof is one of my fave tunes ever. I've apparently given his version a couple of listens over the years, but not the rest of the album. Anyway, back to "Greetings From L.A." - yeah, leaves me cold, pretty much. There were no standout irritating tracks, but nothing I really dug, either. I find his singing in low registers to be kinda inauthentic-sounding? Like he's trying to copy someone cooler? His higher register stuff is fine though. Fave track.... eh, "Hong Kong Bar" I think? 🤷
What's with all the screaming?!? No Bueno
Wow, I thought I hated Tim Buckley but I am digging this! Get On Top almost feels like the intersection of Steely Dan and Pere Ubu.
If you'd asked me before I heard this album, I'd have guessed that Tim Buckley was some sort of political columnist for a major paper in the US (maybe William's brother/cousin). It appears that's not the case, but I'm not at all sure why this is one of three of his albums in this collection (the first for me, but chronologically the last), given that (a) none of his albums sold well or got much play time on the radio, and (b) there's nothing particularly distinctive about his style or music (at least on this album). I enjoyed it well enough as early 70s rock, with a kind of eclectic mix of styles, and definitely appreciated the 40 minute run time, and I thought "Get on it", "Devil eyes" and "Make it right" stood out a bit. I kind of wish the "1001 Albums" editors had just stuck with one Tim Buckley album, though, as I'm pretty sure I will be tired of his albums long before we're actually through them. And a shame that the Wikipedia entry for this album doesn't help make him any less obscure or interesting.
Fair to say the lyrics in "Move with Me" haven't aged well, but I really enjoyed the groove throughout this album.
this starts off with one of the worst openers to an LP I've ever heard - it doesn't suit the other songs on the album and made me dread listening to the rest. fortunately the songs that followed were better, musically at least. the lyrics throughout the whole album are bad. like very bad. Buckley can hit some notes for sure, but honestly his voice doesn't do much for me most of the time. the only thing this record's got going for it, is that the band sounds good. I didn't hate the album completely, just casually listening to it, but I definitely didn't like it. I'd feel too generous giving it 2 stars, so 1 will have to do...
This guy has 3 albums on this list, 2 which are ok to good, but this one sucks.
Decent folk
Favorite Songs: Move With Me / Hong Kong Bar
Aggressively Horny. Didn't quite click though 7/10 Favorite Song: Nighthawkin
9/10 Tim Buckley, I was woefully unfamiliar with your game. I forgive you for abandoning Jeff Buckley as a child now. This album rips. It has so much influence from the powerful rock artists of the time but also feels like it combines big band with that same late 60s/early 70s sound. Gives me some CCR energy but with more edge. Will be coming back to this again. Favorite Song: Nighthawkin’
"I'm Horny: The Album"
Finally an album totally new to me that I really enjoyed! Steely Dan-core so an easy sell for me, liked the distinctive vocals and rumbling energy.
Some tracks have an intriguing confluence on sounds, but typically fail to evolve as they continue. The biggest creative risks here pay off, even if they retreading other popular sounds of the era (cough, Zeppelin). Too often though these tracks end up sounding the same, even when their notes and tones are quite different. Listened to: on a bus to Providence. Favorite tracks: Devil Eyes, Make It Right
Never really got Tim Buckley, certainly no where near as much as I did his son. But he is always listenable and this album is no exception. The songs are all California pop-rock-soul, with touchs of funk in the rhythms, some of them very good in the moment. The problem for me is that I may have listened to this before, I just don't know because nothing really grabs me, nothing sticks.
Good
I’ve heard of Tim Buckley, but don’t think I ever listened to him. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. Can’t say digging it much. Just because you can drag a song out past six minutes doesn’t mean you should. That seems to be the pattern on this album. A song that’s not great at three minutes, but forced to slog on long past the limits of good taste. Which was over pretty quick on this one.
1. move - 1.5 2. top - 1 3. zuueet - 1 4. night - 1 5. devil - 1.5 6. bar - 1.5 7. right - 1
Good music, bad singing, terrible lyrics.
Oo this is very 70s. Man this is one horny dude. Groovy man. 3.5 stars.
I enjoyed the frenetic energy of some of the songs, boring at worst but that's okay.
“I went down to the meat rack tavern” The opening line on this album gives no illusion of what we’re in for.
за что старину не любят местные обыватели? не пойму. ну явно не на 1
Mid
emo country music. or is it?
Why is every song so long
Not feeling it, feels like background music even though there are good instrumentals. 2/5, liked some of his other album more
This brings to mind the old Buckley’s cough syrup slogan. “It tastes awful, and it works.” Effective advertising if any mention of the common name “Buckley” awakens my mind like a Cold War era capitalist sleeper cell. Hoping this slogan doesn't reflect the list maker’s modus operandi in adding this album the pantheon of mandatory albums. That’s right folks, I’m begging the amorphous entity(s) who compiled this list for an album that indeed sounds good, and works as an entry on this list. Will Tim deliver? We once again don our bell-bottoms and travel to a time before female access to credit cards, in the year of 1972. Take us to LA Timmy B. Fuck. Riverboat song about adultery. Four minutes into hearing somebody and I know everything I need to. The worst guy at a wedding gets too drunk and sings what he remembers of the blues brothers 2 soundtrack. I wish the guy in the song killed him before I had to smell this medical waste barge wafting down a tributary of the Mississippi River. Hey guess what? They didn’t cut off that wedding guy and now he’s doing a Jim Morrison impression while trying to woo a married bridesmaid. Why would I (in any universe) want to hear about this man’s sexual exploits? Why? It’s a theme that is so pervasive in musical history and I simply can’t understand it. Are there good songs that have sexual themes? Yes. I can almost guarantee those songs weren’t explicit. Not that I follow this advice, but brevity is the soul of wit. Try subtlety and maybe an entirely new lyric set and also music, and voice and also don’t release it. Then we’re on to something. You know what. As heinous as adultery is, the other person in this song dodged a bullet. I can’t imagine anything less likeable than this song. I lack words to describe how much I hate this. Oh boy! More fake blues!! INSUFFERABLE WHITE GUY BLUES DRINKING GAME - Now if the singer says any one of the following words - Boogaloo, Momma, Daddy, Redneck, ol’, or anything of the sort. Take a swig. Use bleach for best effects! I am mad at the band for playing behind this. This is another explicit sex song by the world’s least attractive moron. Aren’t you excited?? If this guy was around 30 years later, he’d absolutely be buying cocaine off of the friends of the minor he was courting and performing horrible Limp Bizkit covers in bars his girlfriend couldn’t get into. Are we serious with this? Reminiscing about fucking a teenager is not a point of relation, Tim. It’s a point of me wanting to quit listening to music. This will be my retirement. Here let me workshop a song from this album. Ok, let me channel my Grover from Sesame Street voice. Ahem. “Ahhh girl I’m your daddio and you’re 14 and I’m drunk on rum, how about I engage in inappropriate physical touching and sing about how that makes me an artist. Rahhhhh gurrrrl that’s right I’m your daddio and you’re my sweet child and I swear this Jim Morrison gig is going to pay off some day just wait ahhh.” I hate almost everything about this with a depth I thought unreachable. While the band was good at points, I’m the most disappointed in them. Why? Becausewhat they did was act as a vehicle for this drugged out, talentless moron to detail his laundry list of sex crimes to the applause of near deaf weirdos who comprise the music listening public. I sometimes hate living on this planet. Death does not create depth. Can we not see a project for what it is before and after the demise of somebody? This guy needed to be checked into rehab/jail, and he wasn’t, so we got this album, his death, and the ensuing brain dead applause from the internet’s most self-assured dolts. Now, I’m sure if he WAS checked into rehab, we would’ve gotten more bad music (with a fraction of the praise) a multitude of allegations, and a set of Botox influenced pro-Donald Trump TikToks in about 50 years time. If this album apparently matters, so do lyrics and these were some of the worst I’ve ever read. A complete lack of self-awareness surrounding each disgusting bar. Greetings from L.A. is the sound of a male manipulators final wheeze. I look back to my starry eyed intro to this review and I can say without a doubt that this tasted awful, and unless the objective was to get me to hate music, it did NOT work. 0 HIGHLIGHTS: The Consequences of the Rockstar Lifestyle
Didn't entirely like this one too much, but I liked how much he seemed to enjoy recording this.
I'm pretty sure this is the last album of his that I will be forced to listen to, and for that I'm grateful.
First tracks were fine. Then Sweet Surrender came on. What a dog of a song. Seemed like it went on for 30 minutes. I kept checking the progress hoping it was over, but it just kept going. That was only 6:47? By 5:30 is was crawling out of my seat wanting to press the skip forward. But no. I MUST LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM BEFORE I DIE!!! Then it went back to fine. Spoke too soon. Make It Right made it wrong.
Better than I expected, some good parts to this one
🤷
I really enjoyed this album! It sort of sounds like if Geese got a studio contract in the 70s lol. Very good listen, definitely going in my normal rotation!
Started off strong but got real weird real fast
Jeff definitely improved on his father.
Меня продолжают пичкать музыкой семидесятых, а я и не против. В принципе, это лучше чем многое, что делают сейчас. Но, на самом деле, этот альбом мне показался довольно скучным. Здесь нет каких-то впечатляющих открытий и особо ничего не запомнилось. Обычный гитарный поп того времени.
I don’t know why but kinda felt like the doors if JM didn’t think he was all that. A nice listen.
Jesus Christ, Tim, please try to have some decorum. I'm not sure I've ever heard a more flagrantly horny record. Shoutout to him for siring the great Jeff Buckley, but, yeesh.
Extremely below average.
Great sound but nothing unique. His son was better.
На Sweet Surrender я наконец въехал в Тима Бакли. Откровенные и мрачные песенки.
It's temu Van Morrison and I'm here for it! Although, after reading the other reviews, I'm realizing maybe I need to be checking out lyrics. But then again if I only hear the vocals as just another sound source and not the words of a cringey gross message then maybe I'm doing it right?
An interesting relic of the early 1970s: a mediocre Funk / R&B album, which didn't sell that well when it was released, so I'm not sure why it's in this list. I've never quite understood the cult that seems to have arisen around Tim Buckley, and this album is no exception, although I did quite like the track "Get on Top".
As I always do began to read the accompanying Wiki entry as l listened to this. Apparently an actual postcode was attached to initial pressings of this. Which led me to the thought if this is where Pink Floyd got the idea from for WYWH. But then I mused that I couldn’t see any of the Floyd members going anywhere near this record. Whilst I was wrestling with these thoughts the record ended and I realised I hadn’t taken one bit of notice. Didn’t bother listening again. 1 star for the music but 2 for the postcard concept. 2/5 17/3/25
I swapped the ratings and reviews between this album and Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones, so I'll talk about that one (Tim Buckley sucks BTW - rated that a 1). You know some things are just not for me. Loved her version of The Wire theme, but that's as deep into Tom as I need to get. Thanks for no thanks.
Tough one today because I was moving and grooving to the rhythm, and then I started listening to the lyrics. Oh no. Between the casual racism, the misogyny, the sex stuff and then the weird sex stuff, it's hard to find something to love. Still, I was grooving so I can't say I hated all of it
Very average.
2.6 2x forgettable but not bad - catch up 3/18/25
R&B infused folk album, would listen again as it is a very distinct sound. 3
genérico repetitivo chato ruim horrível quase desisti na segunda música
tem uns instrumental bem massa no mais não fede nem cheira. é só mais um branquelo tentando fazer funk.
Not a terrible album, not a great one. Just right in the middle. I think I'd be ok not hearing this one before I die. 2.75/5 = 3 on this scale.
That's how to end an album. The strings on Make It Right were a ton of fun. Very cool album.
Move With Me // Sweet Surrender // Make It Right // 3.5/5
This is a pretty cool, though very sexual boogie groove early 70s album. I wouldn't say there is anything really ground breaking or a lot that I personally take away from this, other than Tim is horny, but its as good as some of the other brit pop trash that's in this list so w/e.
Very meh about this one. 2 stars.
Get on Top is a bit messy, but a groovy jam no less. Otherwise, this one washed over me without making too much of an impression. Nothing offensive or really bad, but I have no urge to go back. Not really my cup of tea -- 2 / 5.
Went in thinking Americana, left feeling satisfied with some good funky funky. Not world class by any means, but a nice 40 minute hit to brighten the day a bit. Low 4
Kind of sounds like a combination of the Doors and Rolling Stones. Pretty above average classic rock sound with some absolutely freaky shit going on in Devil Eyes. Make it Right at the end was a pretty great song. This is a high 3
Tim Buck Tu loves a black woman apparently. Good for him! Not really sure what I expected from Tim Buckley but it wasn't this. This dude is a freak.
Nothing new, nothing special
This is #day205 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here we are with the second Tim Buckley album on this list. Surprisingly, given how vibrant it is, I always thought he was more of a folk-rock guy. The music itself is okay, though I can’t say the same for the delivery or his persona. I just looked at some of the lyrics, and they're absolutely atrocious. Sweet Surrender was the last drop for me. Save yourself some time, you don't have to hear this before you die. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day206.
‘Greetings From LA’ of course the famous first words of Len Houmous when he was Britain’s representative at Eurovision in ‘92. Always one to have a bit of a laugh! It really through everyone. Fortunately the Dutch saw the funny side of it - which was lucky. They were in a really bad mood that year. 4.0
Geinig plaatje, maar z'n zoon is beter.
Really awesome groovy funky rock album with great instrumental tracks. Its too bad they let that minecraft villager into the studio to scream about cheating on his partner. I am going to pretend its a Chuck Rainey album and bump it up to 3 stars.
Not bad - not great either. Middle of the road
I didn't like it this much \_____o______/
This was one of the longest 40 minute albums so far. I've liked Tim Buckley's other albums on this list so far, but I can't do *whatever this was.* 1.5
bland, boring, uninspiringn
Some of the music was fun and I know this isn't a music-scientific sort of thing to say but he just seems like he'd be really annoying and come up to you in public and start talking and not stoooppppp
Weird is a word. This isn't especially great to listen to or deep in any way. It feels more like a decline than a showcase. This feels like the act of the movie where the protagonist has lost their way and needs a redemption to become something more. This is a less depressing L.A Woman by The Doors.
The musicianship and production is well done. This does not age well. I can't get into the details. This guy and his voices. I forgot we already did one of this guys albums.
This album, bless Tim Buckley's dead soul, makes zero sense. There's no reason for Buckley to make such a horny on main album, nor make it sound so good. Being horny isn't a crime, but there's a definite male gaze view point that causes the album to fall flat. The lyrics are cheesy and not in the endearing way. Anyway, Buckley brought a natural easiness to Greetings from L.A.. The chill energy matches the album's title and lands it squarely into the folk and R&B genres. Usually folk sounds so abrasive, but Buckley combined it with R&B to make this album so smooth. So the lyrics weren't great, but the other aspects intrigued me enough. I can't help but imagine how great he could've been with another songwriter. The final song, "Make It Right," reminds me of E.L.O. with its orchestra backing. Not sure who inspired who, considering ELO is from the same time period-ish, but something cool to note nevertheless.
Who does this guy think he is coming in here with such a horny funk album? Marvin Gaye? I am a bit torn on the actual sexually provocative theme of this album. On one hand, it's always nice to see a product of the times, in this case one in which people were becoming very sexually liberated and expressive about that liberation. On the other hand, Buckley is singing about all of this from a very objectifying point of view on nearly every track. In other words, it's pretty much all about him and his pleasure. The style is fairly interesting, as Buckley is putting his typical folk-leaning style onto funk, and he actually executes this pretty well. The lyrics were a bit spotty on this album and the vocals were nothing special, but about on par with a lot of vocal styles of the time. The actual music was actually pretty enjoyable. I actually did find myself liking this album, which I wasn't expecting going into it. I probably would have liked it more if it hadn't been for the fact that nearly all the songs are about women being the objects of Buckley's sexual desires. In addition to feeling a bit gross, that particular angle and point of view dominating the entire album was just very one note.
Watered down version of The Doors?
Going into this, I expected the legendary Jeff Buckley's father, Tim Buckley, to sound more or less similar to him - or at least in that same folky lane as him. It was an admittedly stupid expectation to go in with...I mean we're talking a whole generation between the two. The standout element of this album was its Jazzy fusions. I'm talking the keys on 'Get on Top' and 'Devil Eyes' or the very tribal-sounding percussion all over this thing. The song 'Nighthawkin' I'd say draws its jazz-rock fusion sounds from many of Tim's contemporaries within the genre. We also get a lot of blues, rock, and funk thrown into the mix, though I found those moments, like with the bluesy 'Hong Kong Bar', far less compelling. The almost Latin-themed 'Make It Right', while not doing much for me, was an interesting and very grandiose sounding closer. So a lot of interesting sounds fused here but, say for a select few songs (near the beginning), I didn't find this hodgepodge of genres to be very cohesive. Tim himself is an interesting vocalist, and very dynamic as well. I swear there are times on here where it sounds like five different vocalists on the same track like on 'Sweet Surrender' - one of the more consistent songs instrumentally, sort of going in a very soulful direction. 'Devil Eyes', in many ways, reminded me of a classic Hendrix cut, and it has some of Tim's best and most consistently enjoyable vocal chops. So yeah, not too sure how to feel about this, it didn't keep me hooked in its final few songs. But It's still a very eclectic album and one that, very clearly, exhibits Tim's many talents as a musician.
This is odd, but I mostly like it
Okay. So I was obviously trying to go into listening to this album without bias because I love Mr. Buckley’s son Jeff (he was my top artist of 2024 after all). HOWEVER after hearing the stark difference between the two it was hard to contain my emotions fr. Jeff’s songs are beautiful love songs with raw emotion. Mr TIM was just writing about fucking raw and cheating on his woman and being the absolute worst??? Like lowkey I had a NIN moment listening to this. I couldn’t believe it but it lowkey made me appreciate Jeff’s music more? Ok I will admit the instrumentals were kinda good but the lyrics oh man
Cool Time Capsule of a rad LA sound
This was fine. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my jam.
Raucous and rocky - shades of Leon Russel. The writing reveals a rather misogynist world view.
I liked this! Unexpectedly fast paced and funky. I like Tim's voice. None of these tracks are outstanding, but I enjoyed it. 3/3.5
not my style of music
I didn’t listen to this
⭐️ let's just say his earlier work was much better than whatever the fuck that was. wish i stayed oblivious of this side of Tim Buckley's music maybe i just don't see what some of you guys see. maybe i'll come back and re-evaluate
um... anyway...
gettin a lot of the doors vibes from this. i never liked the doors. but honestly, jeff come collect your horny dad. he's been yowling like a cat in heat for forty minutes and the neighbors are starting to complain. marvin gaye this is not.
Why?
Pretty dated
Sure, not bad.
A bit unsure how to feel about the opener - good storytelling, but the topic is certainly interesting. After a few more songs of feeling this way, I went to the full Wikipedia article to see if Tim Buckley was just playing a wretched character or if these songs were more biographical. Lo and behold, this is Jeff Buckley’s dad. Something clicked then, having already heard Jeff’s “Grace” album & gotten familiar with the story of his life. Father and son both lived careers of vices, doubt, and inner-turmoil. Both troubadours to some extent, using their music as a means of processing the lives they lived, both dying before their full audience could be realized. I think “Nighthawkin” is a fair microcosm of this whole record. Engaging story, a performance clearly empowered by cocaine, and then *boom* a couple of words you wish he didn’t use/ideas he didn’t convey. A record encapsulated in its time and place. It’s like you listen to this album unfold and wish for Tim to use his powers for good instead of evil. You can’t deny his vocal chops and heart for performing…but then you hear song after song about a vice, misfortune, or misbehavior. Perhaps the final song “Make It Right” is even more representative of the album as a whole, more than “Nighthawkin.” It’s a ‘mask off’ moment where Tim doubles down on the instrumental composition and production to elevate the energy to something really groovy and exciting. Then proceeds to dream and plead for a sex worker (?) to do all these things to him to “make it right” again. He takes the ending of the song to a pretty impressive peak where he goes on a crazy vocal run. It’s as if he’s accepting how lost he is in his vices. Will I go back to this album? No. Did I learn something? Sure - maybe Steely Dan & Van Morrison had a good thing going, in comparison to the more evil sides of this record.
His earlier albums were better.
This guy is one of a kind but not really my kind.
He only got 2 stars because it was kind of funny.
It was acceptable. Not great though. Lyrics were rather funny. Dude seemed to have a one track mind and only think about the ladies.
One of his better albums but a bit tired
Well... it's not the Buckley I was hoping to get an album from, but here we are, I guess. This might just be the horniest album I've ever listened to. Not the sexiest (That honor still goes to Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On), but certainly the horniest. This is due to the writing, which is probably my least favorite part of this album. It's not offensive or anything, but it's certainly questionable. At least the style here is solid. There's some funk elements, which is certainly interesting. I think the execution fits the vibe of the album. Tim's singing is also interesting. Sometimes it's fun like, other times it's slightly annoying. "Sweet Surrender" is probably the album's high point. Greeting From L.A. is flawed, but I think it's alright. 3/5.
Chill. A good backdrop for working. Cosy winter-y comfort. 3 stars.
Nice instrumentals, but absolutely no reason this should be on an all time list. Tim Buckley is only slightly less overrated than his son Jeff. Both Buckley's get way more attention than is warranted.
Meh. "Sexual funk" from Jeff Buckley's deadbeat Dad. Weird misogynistic, philandering, and racist lyrics
Couple head bopper here. Was good.
That was a solid record. Tim has a unique but great voice.
This is yet another album that shouldn’t be here. It’s not the best seller, and not the most critically acclaimed. So more hipster white boy nonsense. It’s kind of interesting, but nowhere near essential. 1.5
I can't recall what was my first awareness of Tim Buckley; via the (awesome) This Mortal Coil cover of 'Song to the Siren' or mid-80s Triple J listener poll of "sexiest songs ever", that included 'Get On Top' pretty high on the list. In the 1980s, Tim Buckley was a largely forgotten artist. His albums were largely hard-to-get, often deleted. And, frankly, I think he would have stayed that way if not for Jeff Buckley's career and the eerie echoes of their similar looks, voices and early deaths. (David Browne's book Dream Brother points out the ways in which their lives also contrast.). I do not know why the Greetings from LA album is on the list. It's well recorded and pretty great band (shout out to Venetta Fields, always happy to see her name on album credits), but this album is not Tim Buckley playing to his strengths. A deliberate play toward some sort of commercial appeal, this turgid white-boy "sex funk" is frankly embarrassing. I cannot think of anything worse than trying to get it on to 'Get On Top'. It's appearance in that poll suggests to me that Australians in the 1980s were not a particularly sexy people, because this song is just cringe. I have time for Tim Buckley's jazz-inflected folk rock, and he has a great voice, and he wrote and covered some great songs over his career. But not on this album. This is not good.
My least favorite Tim Buckley album so far
Nope
58/100. The switch to funk rock/soul isn’t that impressive. This is an OK album, but nothing will stick with me after this listen. Unremarkable, but fine.
I am not a fan of Tim Buckley. So it was surprised me this album is quite good. 3.6 about. Not too bad, not too good.
This really didn't do anything for me
Oo this is very 70s. Man this is one horny dude. Groovy man. 3.5 stars.
Too before my time. Folk just never grabbed my attention. On the plus side, Tim Buckley gave us Jeff Buckley.
The music is actually not that bad, but the lyrics are 90% complete sexist bullshit.
First impressions were im going to like this. Opening track was great, unfortunately that's where it ended. Rest of the album was, well somewhat less than enjoyable. Can't really define why, but it was just rubbish. Really didn't like it, so it's a rare 1 from me.
His complete over-performance of the vocals just annoyed me. Over-shadowed anything nice there might have been in the music.
After listening to this I was left baffled. I was trying to work out if I liked it or not - another case of Marmite syndrome? After a brief spell of reflection, the answer was no and a tiny bit of yes. Instrumentally it was OK, but the vast majority of the vocals were a big messy pre-Ayrton Senna style car crash (they knew how to do them properly before 1994). One thing is for sure, I shall not go out of my way to listen to anyone called Buckley in the future, unless James Buckley decides to do a cover album of Kasabian songs playing a violin.
Loved it
Fun springtime music. Will be listening again
Sounds like coke and sex fueled 70s rock. It's fine, nothing notable, won't relisten
Move with Me 3.3 Get on Top 3.1 Sweet Surrender 3.4 Nighthawkin' 3.3 Devil Eyes 3.2 Hong Kong Bar 3 Make It Right 3.1 Score: 3.2
Hmm. Un noteworthy 🤷♂️ need to listen more
Interesting prog, need to be in a better headspace
I'm uncomfortable right now 3/10. Sounds all right then the lyrics hit.
raro, me encanta
Funky but zany. He also went completely insane during Devil Eyes
I'm not sure I ever recovered from going into this album thinking it was Jeff Buckley, but it was quite a surprise. Not to say there isn't a common element of some blues between the two but not at all what I expected. This was a pretty good album and had elements of "nasty" in both the good and bad sense. Asexual me is not a fan of whatever Get on Top may or may not be implying -- particularly with the tounges, but there were some other decent songs too. "Sweet surrender" was probably my favorite and I'm wondering if my naivety is letting some of the meaning escape me for some other songs here. Favorite track "sweet surrender" 2.5/5
Jeff Buckleys Dad, hope I like this one better. Thinks he’s the shit and sounds kind of annoying. Type psych folk rock I don’t particularly enjoy. The kind of 70s music that just bores me.
I enjoyed this!
not bad
Get on Top Sweet Surrender
I'm not sure what I just heard but I didn't really like it. I'm also wondering why I had to hear this before I died.
really cool instrumentals here with totally bizarre vocals on top. i just don't think that tim's voice really fits this album at all. if you took this album and removed tim buckley's vocals and put a soul singer on top, i think this album would be pretty good, but with him singing, it's a bit rough to listen to. a lot of times it sounds like a cartoon character singing. not soulful, just kind of goofy. the album, beyond that, is not bad. it's just kind of awkward to listen to.
Little Feat meets Chris Isaac; liked Sweet Surrender the best.
Damn, this album was annoying. Another reviewer said it best. This dude just wanted to scream “I had sex!” 😂 I think the L.A. sun might have fried his brain. It was an imitation of a bunch of musical styles but worse. The production was hollow, absolutely no low end. A few good studio musicians playing but parts but the songs sucked. Worse version of the Doors which is a worse version of American soul and R&B.
My three previous albums were, unbelievably, NOT 70's classic/dad or terribly experimental punk rock, which was a complete anomaly. Three in a row that WEREN'T Strokes/Stooges/Dylan clones? I couldn't believe it. But with this one, we're back in the saddle. We've got: - nasally singing - electric guitar work you've heard a million times - repetitive rhythms - the one slower acoustic cut - and the feeling you're listening to a Miller Lite that became sentient and wrote music at a Boomer's BBQ. The whole shebang. We are so back baby.
Ok, not the most amazing album or interesting songs.
Is it any surprise this came out at the same time as Deep Throat?
Enjoyed it more than I expected having already heard one of his albums in this list, especially liked Devil Eyes
Musically this is great. The musicians assembled here are amazing, as are the song arrangements which are really funky. The vocals and lyrics not so much, especially Buckley’s over the top whooping and hollering and speaking in tongues. If he’d dialled it down a bit, this would’ve been a real winner.
Great album! Reminds me of the doors in some ways. Listened to it twice.
4.0
Groovier than I was expecting. I've listened to the folksier stuff. It's a good album but it doesn't do-it for me really.
Too much Buckley for this list.
1.8 I thought I was missing some kind of inside joke about the artist on first listen, as the songs were so bad. Was it meant to be humurours. But reading on Wikipedia...nope, this is a legit, serious album. Good god. Other than the chilled out enjoyable Hong Kong bar that was a tough listen. I'm drained just having to sit through it. He just scored lower than Madonna ffs.
Rare treat
weirdly elvis-like, but pretty samey to me and i guess just not the type of music im a fan of here
Første indskydelse: Det her var overraskende fedt. Den er ret funk på en dateret cool måde! Den får lige lov til at stå indtil weekenden - Måske en 4er? Næste lyt: Nej.. Jeg har haft Nighthawking' for klar i min hukommelse da jeg pausede albummet. Det fremstår ret kedeligt som album idag.
Det var et sjovt lyt
Very mellowy
Excellent
Clearly jazz inspired Crooning soulfully upon Care free edgy rock
There is nothing enjoyable about this album: The bigoted lyrics, the sub-par instrumental play, the singing, the production, the beats, and not even one song is "catchy". Favorite Track : "Make It Right".
Seems like run of the mill early 70s folk rock to me - not sure why I really needed to hear it, but it's fine for what it is.
Daddy Buckley gets sexy with the winds of blue-eyed funk at his back. If this album had a scent, it would smell like stale cigarettes, dimly lit cheap hotel rooms, and sex-covered 70s genitalia… but not in a bad way. Think of it as the hottest 70s era pornography you’ve ever seen. It’ll probably get the job done, but there’s better options available, and you’ll feel really grimey afterwards.
It was decent. I liked most but didn’t love any Rating: 3.4
🎧Wallpaper funk album, doesn’t belong in the book. Favorite track: Sweet Surrender
Music was mostly fine, if a little bluesier than I'd like. Buckley's voice is grating, though.
Tim Buckley sounds like a mummified zombie version of Jim Morrison, who came back from the dead to sing in a really good Doors cover band! Some of his lyrics are silly and superficial. Others are really good, like Sweet Surrender. The main problem here is that there are some songs that are a little over 6 minutes long, and from the middle onwards they are just clumsy improvisations that end up ruining the song. The best songs on this album are precisely those that escape this parameter, like Nighthalkin', for example. That's because Tim's band is really good! The instrumentals are great. However, it's not exciting enough for me to give it a rating higher than 3 stars... This is the second album by Tim Buckley that I've received through this site. I'm curious to know what other picturesque things he's done on his albums in his short career...
Technically the music wasn’t bad, but I did not like it. It’s all sounded like one long song and that song was annoying. Also, this album should have been called I Have Sex because holy shit all this guy sings about is banging chicks. It’s a forty minute brag about how he gets laid a lot.
Actually, Pet Shop Boys, actually is a really good album. It’s A Sin with its up tempo synsonic base beat and catchy lyrics is the best song, followed by the equally rhythmic Heart. S-h-o-p-p-i-n-g is missable, but the rest of the songs are listenable. Album flows well enough to go (3.6*s)
This album is an improvement for Timmy B but still not great. A lot of the songs sound the same and I'm not really into the horned up lyrics (though I can't help but wonder how they landed in 1972). It's like Barney Gumble narrating a 70's porn flick but I guess I didn't completely hate it. Some groovy baselines and interesting instrumentation (did I hear congas?), 2.60 for the sex funk tweaker.
Is this the same Buckley from "Goodbye and Hello?!" Timmy boy moved to L.A. and finally got laid (by some big, black women apparently) and man did his music improve. He brought the funk and energy but what a little horn dog. I grooved to this and even liked the slower "Hong Kong Bar" track. Got a little too kinky with the toe lickin and monkey rubbin but I give this album a 2.65 for the solid "Nightcawckin."
I associated Tim Buckley with more whimsical psychedelic rock from his previous entry on this list and my limited prior exposure. Greetings From L.A. was a trip down a weirder funkier hippie-esque lane that I didn't expect. I can't say I was displeased but the album unfortunately doesn't hold up through the full duration. It's only 7 songs, and while any one of them is fine, they all kinda sound the same. For the most part Tim Buckley is slinging some bluesy lyrics over some simple beats and jams time and time again. While I'm happy to bring on the weirdness, there is limited variance from one song to the next. It's an OK album, and you can do a lot worse elsewhere on the list but not something I needed to hear before I die. 2.37 stars
This was like a parody album of a swinging sex icon, singing about making love, done by some white dude named Tim. I thought the melodies and groovy beats were fun, but the lyrics and the depth were pretty shallow and one-note. The chillest song was the best song in my opinion, “Hong Kong Bar” because it wasn’t so over the top wailing about doin’ it. Just kind of a weird and fine album that hasn’t really stood the test of time. I’ve never heard of Tim Buckley, and don’t know if I ever need to again.
Bluesy sort of thing.
Tim Buckley wrote some good songs, but there aren't any on here.
2 stars out of respect for the dead
This is a tough one. Really cool music. Interesting voice. Raunchy ass lyrics.
Most tracks on this one are 3 min longer than they need to be. That's not enough to make them bad, but it is enough to make them feel stretched a bit thin when all the lines of lyrics are spent in the first 2 min Standouts Get on Top Hong Kong Bar 3/5
It’s gonna be a no for me dog
Крутой альбом. Вокалист напоминает Роберта Планта из Led Zeppelin. Мне понравилось. Отличный фанк-рок от сингера-сонграйтера. 4. Точно не тот альбом, который нужно послушать до своей смерти.
Musically fun and with excellent vocals, this was a very enjoyable one to listen to.
This is a strong veer from Tim's usual shitty folk fare...This is more bluesy/funky mixed with rock and sexually charged lyrics. It surprised the hell out of me. This was actually the most tolerable album Tim ever made. Favourite songs: Get on Top, Nighthawkin', Move With Me Least favourite songs: Make It Right 4/5
Gather round kids and listen to daddy sing about his ebony fetish
I think I prefer his weirder albums that came just before this one, but it's still interesting and damn funky. Also he was immeasurably horny when making this album, jesus christ.
ehkä kaikkien aikojen järisyttävin sankari. miltähän näyttäisi maailma jos tämä herrasmies ei päättänyt tallustaa ja tehdä urotekoja. varmaan aika paskalta. tämän influentiaalisempaa musiikkiartistia ei ehkä ole koskaan muovannut yhteiskuntaa.. i was born 30 ATBS.. after tim buckley shenanigans.. 310k monthly listeners... huhhuh... vielä näin kauan, ANTIIKIN AJOISTA SAAKKA.. kaikki tuntevat kaikki ihmiset tuntevat timpan. kiitos. kiitos timppa olemassaolostasi. .. everybofy clap your gucking hands right ffffffffucking noww.... evetybody.... clap clap clap clap clap clap clap.. MOVIE MUSIC.. TIM BUCKLEY MOVIE MUSIC! move with me
Eh. It wasn't bad and started strong and interesting but just fell flat after a few songs.
I don't think Tim Buckley deserved a single album on this list, let alone the three or four we've had, and I didn't enjoy Greetings from LA very much. It's full of mostly crass lyrics and content and delivered in a style that aims to honour or imitate predecessors of a funk or rock and roll/rhythm and blues background but really only comes off as a poor effort at best, a mockery at worst. Actively annoyed me at times, not gonna get higher than a 1/5, and like I've said before, I think he's only revered for his lifestyle and his young death (plus Jeff) more than his music.
Wasn't sure why his other attempts were in the list, and this one manages to be worse than either of the previous 2. Lyrics are pretty uncomfortable, music is uninteresting, might scrape a 2 if I was feeling generous but I'm not. 1/5.
Cool but not my style
That didn’t necessarily sound horrible, but wow did I hate it. Worked about as well as you’d expect white man sex funk to work.
2-3
Snore fest
Sexist lyrics, something you'd listen to while on cocaine. Not my bag.
Like a 70s porn flick…this has not aged well. Not my bag, and doesn’t even seem that Tim Buckley was popular when he was putting out music (putting out…see what I did there? I could write these lyrics). White boy sex funk honky tonk bullshit. No thanks. 1⭐️
I was not attracted to much of this album. But when it ended I found myself sad that it was over. The absence of his music haunted my mind for a few minutes. That must speak to something I liked that I cannot express in words.
I was honestly expecting it to be a LOT worse. I’ve heard his other albums so I was expecting a bomb but I’ve heard worse. Sure I’m doing an unfair comparison but I actually see why people like this album.
I hate to be so facile as to throw another complaint on the pile along the lines of "WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY ALBUMS BY OBSCURE ARTIST XXXX" I truly do. But why tf do we have THREE albums by Tim Buckley? The previous 2 were at best curios and at worst a mess. But this album is immediately and sustainably comically-awful - one of the worst in >900 for many reasons. It mostly plays like a parody - is this a sexist-racist Barney Gumble singing??? What the actual living (dead) hell? Beyond a throwaway, this is insulting. This spot on this list would have been better served by even another Bowie album (mostly kidding). I've no way to prove it but "worst/most-stupid lyrics of all time" is not a reach in any way and sometime during the 3rd song I pulled the cord and bailed tf out of this travesty. Bass player (Chuck Rainey!) is killer, though. Have to remember this one when i'm done and compiling the 10 worst albums because this is an easy call. 1/10 0 stars.
Never heard of him and will soon forget his name.
Jeg var faktisk oppe mellem 2-3 i første halvdel, hans stemme og især hans tekster bliver aldrig lige min ting men jeg kunne godt lide musikken. I anden halvdel går luften noget af ballonen, så det ender på en stor 1'er. Ikke fan af Tim!
I hvert fald på den stolte top tre over liderligste plader indtil videre (med George Michael og Soft Cell). Meget meget festlig måde at starte dagen på.
Thanks, i hate this.. sexist and racist lyrics... 🤷
A strange outpost in the singer songwriter field, an album that could use more information unfortunately. A shift from his previous jazz styles to a new "sex funk' venture, it's a cacophony of fun sounds and catchy hooks. What a direction before Jeff took the helm decades later
big fan of tim buckley but this one is infamously Not it, man
I'm not the purity police, if Tim Buckley wants to be unapologetically horny & racist on main that's his choice. The problem is that these songs just aren't that good. Disappointing considering I was pleasantly surprised by Buckley's "Goodbye and Hello" and was hoping for something similar here.
I had a really fun time with this one. I’ll definitely continue listening to it in the future
A pleasant experience but not earth shattering
It's a big fat 'Meh' from me, Jeff. I mean Tim.
Better than average funky/souly/bluesy music, but paired with lyrics written by the horniest of gremlins. Bonk out of five.
I wish I could watch this guy sing some of these songs. His pupils must’ve been massive
Good dinner music. A few standout songs
Not really sure what to make of this. The genres its tagged on here don't seem very reflective to me. I don't think I particularly like it It's not even the horniness (although that is off-putting), I more find the vocals annoying. He sounds like a bad Jim Morrison impersonator
For what would otherwise be a pretty solid album, the lyrics make it completely unlistenable. The babbling and moaning on get on top was awful. Where do I even begin with Devils Eyes? 1.5/5 simply for the instrumental
Kind of Boogie Nights-70s era, kind of Bob Dylan. Make it Right is probably the song I enjoyed most but for this album enjoy is a strong word for any song.
Blind album and artist. I can understand the appeal but this just wasn't for me. Not 1 memorable track either...
banging. Maybe slightly hollow and non-comprehensive. Especially compared to the more avant-grade and folky works of Buckley. Here is mostly just imitations of funk artists from a scene he is very out of place in (still great)
Like the music beat and edginess of songs
Started off well, slowly got worse.
Not bad, found it to be pretty average.
Bleh. This felt like a similar style to the past few albums I’ve gotten, which I’m a little sick of. I admit I was listening to this while working on something and wasn’t paying attention at all to the lyrics, but the ones I caught were off-putting. It might’ve actually gotten a lower rating had I been paying closer attention.
Tim Buckley has a very interesting voice. The trumpet in Move with Me was a blast. Most of the songs are ok, nothing great. Good music though. Hong Kong Bra and Make It Right were pretty fun. Best song: Hong Kong Bar
kind of weird sort of mix between rockabilly, folk, and indie with some odd eccentric tendencies from Tim thrown in. didn't hate it, but also wasn't a huge fan.
Infatuation with sex
What a record. Love it.
easy listening but bland
first listen it's definitely groovy
While listenable musically at times, Buckley's annoying voice singing inane lyrics kinda ruins things. Every track is hypersexualized and the schtick wears off quickly.
'Greetings from L.A.! I left a tape recorder outside some random bar and this is what I got!'
more of an East Coast guy
I’ve never listened to Tim Buckley before, and I doubt I’ll want to again after hearing this one. The songs range from decent enough foot tappers to painfully drawn out, and there’s some odd vocal sounds in there akin to Yoko Ono for *bad* measure. The folk/psychedelic rock music has potential if put towards something a bit more fun, but this isn’t it.
knew his name but 0 songs, some good stuff but overall mid
01) Move with Me - 6,5 02) Get on Top - 6,5 03) Sweet Surrender - 6,0 04) Nighthawkin - 6,0 05) Devil Eyes - 5,5 06) Hong Kong Bar - 5,0 07) Make It Right - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,07 (61/100) Current ranking: 271/331 Well, this is definitely better than the first two of his albums that I listened to - "Goodbye And Hello" currently ranked at number 296 out of 330 and "Happy Sad" at number 310 out of 330, both received two stars. The songs are faster, funkier, more rhythmic... let's just say less boring. The lyrics are shit but who cares if the song isn't a total snooze fest like most of his songs on these two aforementioned albums. Given that this is already Tim's third album on this list, and the man died at the age of 28, I hope there won't be any more... On the other hand, he managed to record as many as nine, so one can only hope.
I really wasn't expecting what ever genre this is, like funk rock, or soul or something. I really thought Tim Buckley did folk or Americana. This album is good, nothing here really stuck with me, but I had a good time listening. It reminded me a lot of the band Geese, which is a good thing because I love 3D Country (check it out if you want a more modern version of this sound). Mid 3.
Pretty good
Was decent nothing spectacular but had a really good sound. First track “Move With Me” reminded me of The Doors during this same era without Jim Morrison. Rest of it was all decent but some songs went on for a bit. However with it only being 7 tracks it is passable. Only song that was a little rough but got better was “Hong Kong Bar”. This is a light 3/5 (Bonus to learn this was Jeff Buckley’s Dad, both died way to young)
Bangers with some horny posting
Achei legal! Me lembrou um pouco de rolling stones
I'd never listened to this artist before. Now I can say that I have.
This one just didn't click with me. Nothing bad per se, but it just felt a bit much. A little too frenetic, a little too over the top.
This was so weird. I was convinced this was a horny old man singing and then I realised Tim Buckley died at 28 and I couldn’t reconcile the voice and the subject matter with a man in his 20s. Too much going on, lots of screaming and wailing, and the songs were way too long. I’d never listen to this again but I’m glad I’ve heard of him.
Every great singer has their mad moment
Vibrant. Horny. Intense, impassioned, largely incomprehensible vocals, luxurious strings, and lots of libido, horniness and funkiness
Not a bad album, but just felt like quite generic blues? I imagine it was probably perceived as a bit more groundbreaking when it first came out.
Musically it’s pretty good. But most of the lyrics seem to be written by a horny teenager… it’s dumb. And there’s just something a little off about the entire album, I feel. Nighthawkin’? That did not age well, did it?
Gives me a Van Morrison vibe
**Album Review: *Greetings From L.A.* by Tim Buckley** Released in 1972, *Greetings from L.A.* marks a radical transformation in Tim Buckley's musical trajectory. Known previously for his ethereal, folk-influenced records, particularly *Goodbye and Hello* (1967) and *Happy Sad* (1969), Buckley embraces a raw, visceral, and funky sound with *Greetings From L.A.*. This seventh studio album is a daring venture into erotic themes, jazz-funk stylings, and hedonistic energy, making it a polarizing but undeniably bold entry in his discography. Below, we'll dive deep into the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and its overall influence, while also weighing its pros and cons. ### 1. **Lyrics** One of the most striking features of *Greetings from L.A.* is its departure from Buckley's earlier abstract, poetic lyricism toward more direct, sexualized content. The lyrical themes here center primarily around lust, desire, and the gritty realities of urban life. Sexuality is explicit in songs like "Get on Top" and "Make It Right." These tracks feature lines that border on the bawdy, reflecting a swaggering masculinity that contrasts with the introspective, delicate sensibility seen in his earlier work. For instance, in "Get on Top," Buckley sings with abandon: *"Ooh, Mama, lick my velvet back with your mouth…"* The language is both carnal and commanding, evoking a wild, unapologetic sensuality that is both enticing and overwhelming. Another noteworthy song, "Sweet Surrender," blends romance with lust in a slightly more introspective way. Here, Buckley’s crooning reflects both yearning and domination: *"Now you're just a sweet surrender to the memory of your smile…"* The lyrics suggest a loss of innocence and a constant chase for satisfaction, a recurrent theme throughout the album. While Buckley's raw approach to sex and passion in these lyrics can feel refreshingly candid, for some listeners, it may border on excessive or even uncomfortable. There's a lack of emotional subtlety that characterized his earlier work, making the content seem one-dimensional at times. ### 2. **Music** Musically, *Greetings from L.A.* is a dramatic pivot from Buckley’s previous folk, jazz, and avant-garde experiments. Here, he dives deep into a funk and rhythm-and-blues-driven sound that evokes the visceral spirit of the early ‘70s. The album is filled with loose, groove-heavy arrangements, where the rhythm section dominates with pulsing basslines and propulsive drumming. "Move With Me" opens the album with a sultry, laid-back groove, supported by Buckley’s impassioned vocal delivery. The funk-heavy instrumentation here features horns, electric guitar, and thick bass lines, reminiscent of the era’s burgeoning soul and funk scenes. It's a stylistic nod to the urban, gritty musical landscape of early ‘70s America. "Get on Top," one of the more uptempo tracks, thrives on a rolling bassline and dynamic percussion. Its funky guitar riffs and jazzy horns recall the likes of Sly and the Family Stone or Funkadelic, showcasing Buckley’s ability to adapt to the sounds of the time. Meanwhile, "Make It Right" layers sensual blues with a raunchy, stripped-down production style. It's a visceral fusion of Buckley's dynamic vocals and the raw, sexual pulse of funk. A departure from the brash, sexual energy is found in "Hong Kong Bar," which incorporates a Latin-flavored rhythm and acoustic guitar. Here, Buckley dials down the intensity and instead presents a more reflective, languid groove that serves as a sonic breather amidst the album’s more aggressive moments. Although Buckley clearly thrives in these new musical directions, one could argue that the album is a little uneven. At times, the songs blur into each other with similar tempos and motifs, creating a sense of sameness in some parts of the album. ### 3. **Production** The production of *Greetings from L.A.* is gritty, raw, and unfussy, reflecting the album's thematic focus on lust and urban grit. Jerry Goldstein and Tim Buckley co-produced the album, and the emphasis on live, improvisational feel is evident in many of the tracks. The album often feels like a jam session, with instruments tightly meshed together but never over-produced or polished. Vocals are front and center, and Buckley’s impressive range is on full display—from the soulful croons of "Sweet Surrender" to the gritty growls in "Get on Top." His voice is drenched in emotion and sexuality, often being mixed slightly above the rest of the instruments, which gives the songs an intimate, direct feel. The rough edges in the album’s production also suit the overall tone—Buckley is not interested in delivering something pristine or cerebral, but something that throbs with immediacy. However, this lo-fi approach may leave some listeners craving more sonic depth or polish. The production can feel a bit raw or unrefined at times, leaving certain instrumental details buried or underdeveloped. ### 4. **Themes** The dominant theme of *Greetings from L.A.* is sexuality—both its power and its messiness. This theme is present not just in the lyrics, but also in the sultry, often sweaty grooves that permeate the album. Buckley seems obsessed with physical desire, and the entire record feels like a celebration of carnal pleasures. Tracks like "Devil Eyes" and "Get on Top" explore lust with an almost primal urgency, reflecting both the liberation and dangers of giving in to bodily impulses. There is also a notable undercurrent of urban decay and disillusionment. The Los Angeles referenced in the album title is not the glitzy, glamorous city of Hollywood dreams, but a more sordid, nocturnal world where desires come with a cost. "Hong Kong Bar," for example, evokes the transience of urban relationships and the search for meaning amidst fleeting encounters. In this sense, *Greetings from L.A.* can be seen as a reflection of the early 1970s counterculture—an era that celebrated freedom but also dealt with the fallout of its excesses. Buckley’s sensual exploration on this album is not only about pleasure but also the deeper, sometimes darker, search for connection in an increasingly fragmented and chaotic world. The themes of disillusionment and the tension between freedom and consequence run subtly throughout the record, offering a more complex backdrop to the album’s overt sexuality. Another recurring theme is the idea of surrender—whether to lust, to music, or to a transient moment of escape. "Sweet Surrender" serves as a microcosm for this motif, with Buckley crooning about giving in to passion and memory. The song’s title itself suggests not just love, but a yielding to something greater, perhaps the relentless forces of desire that dominate the album. However, the singular focus on eroticism can also be seen as a limitation. Unlike some of Buckley's earlier work that delved into spiritual or philosophical realms, *Greetings from L.A.* largely stays within the scope of physical desire. For some listeners, this may come across as a lack of thematic variety, even though Buckley does provide nuance in how he frames those desires. ### 5. **Influence and Legacy** *Greetings from L.A.* stands as a polarizing album in Buckley's catalog. For long-time fans of his folk and experimental jazz phases, the shift to funk, blues, and sexually charged R&B was unexpected, if not shocking. While the album did not achieve major commercial success at the time, it has grown in stature, influencing later musicians who appreciate its raw fusion of rock, funk, and jazz with confessional, almost confessional-level lyrical honesty. The album's production, particularly the mix of funk grooves and Buckley’s unrestrained vocal performances, foreshadows the rise of more eclectic, genre-bending acts in the decades to follow. Artists in the neo-soul and indie rock scenes have cited Buckley as a pivotal figure in the evolution of expressive, boundary-pushing music. Buckley’s ability to blend genres—combining the sensual grit of soul and funk with a poet’s sensitivity—finds resonance in artists like Jeff Buckley (his son), Nick Cave, and even contemporary acts like Father John Misty, who blend introspection with bold, sometimes shocking, lyrical narratives. Despite its influence, *Greetings from L.A.* is often overlooked in discussions about Tim Buckley's best work. It sits uncomfortably between his early folk successes and his later, more avant-garde jazz explorations, making it harder to categorize. However, for listeners open to its unapologetically raw energy, it serves as a fascinating snapshot of an artist at a transitional point in his career. ### **Pros of *Greetings from L.A.*:** 1. **Bold Experimentation with Genre**: The fusion of funk, jazz, and blues with Buckley’s expressive vocals creates a unique sound that sets this album apart from his earlier, more acoustic work. His willingness to fully embrace a new direction is commendable. 2. **Powerful Vocal Performance**: Buckley’s voice is the centerpiece of the album, shifting effortlessly from a soulful croon to a raucous growl. His vocal dynamism is on full display, especially on tracks like "Get on Top" and "Sweet Surrender." 3. **Raw, Authentic Energy**: There’s an immediacy and visceral intensity to the album that makes it feel alive. The rough, live-jam feel of the production captures the mood and spirit of 1970s urban nightlife perfectly. 4. **Mature, Complex Themes of Desire**: Buckley’s focus on lust and the darker sides of sexuality offers a nuanced take on human desire. The lyrics, though overtly sexual, also explore deeper emotional currents of yearning, vulnerability, and disillusionment. 5. **Influence on Later Artists**: While the album didn’t achieve massive success, its influence on later genre-bending artists is undeniable. It also paved the way for musicians to explore sexuality and desire more openly in their work. ### **Cons of *Greetings from L.A.*:** 1. **Lack of Thematic Diversity**: The album’s near-singular focus on erotic themes may feel limiting for some listeners, especially those accustomed to the more philosophical and abstract lyrics of Buckley’s earlier work. The consistent focus on lust can become repetitive. 2. **Unpolished Production**: While the raw, loose sound works in the album’s favor for the most part, there are moments where the production feels too rough, and certain instrumental details get lost in the mix. Some listeners might find the overall sound to be too unrefined. 3. **Lack of Emotional Subtlety**: In contrast to Buckley’s previous albums, where emotions were often layered and complex, the emotional palette here is narrower, primarily focused on lust and swagger. For fans of his more introspective work, this album can feel like it’s missing emotional depth. 4. **Commercial Inaccessibility**: The album’s departure from Buckley’s earlier sound, along with its raw, funk-heavy approach, made it less commercially accessible than his folk-oriented records. It didn’t resonate with a wide audience upon its release and still remains somewhat niche today. 5. **Repetitive Song Structures**: While individual songs stand out, the album can sometimes feel repetitive in terms of structure and rhythm. Tracks like "Get on Top" and "Move With Me" share similar funky backbeats, which can blur the lines between songs for listeners seeking more variety in composition. ### **Conclusion** *Greetings from L.A.* is a brave, unapologetic dive into the raw energies of funk, blues, and eroticism. Tim Buckley’s vocal performances are among the most intense of his career, and the album’s grooves are steeped in the kind of urban grit and sensuality that defines its time. Though it may lack some of the emotional and thematic variety of his previous work, the album’s bold exploration of lust and the darker aspects of desire is both captivating and provocative. For some, this album may not represent Buckley at his most profound or musically complex, but it offers a unique snapshot of an artist unafraid to take risks and redefine himself. *Greetings from L.A.* is a vivid, sexually charged exploration of sound and desire—simultaneously flawed and brilliant in its rawness. Its impact may be most strongly felt in how it has influenced later generations of musicians willing to mix genres and openly express the complexities of human desire.
I would've taken a whole album of Hong Kong Bar. The rest was too "Broadway showman meets sex addict folk star" for me. Buckley's vocal range is impressive, but it comes across here as silly; like we're not supposed to take any of this seriously. And maybe that was the intention. Who knows? Tim and Jeff reunion tour 2025? Sorry.
From Los Angeles With Lust.
Not bad but sounds like a hillbilly Tom Jones
It’s ok
i liked it, but i also wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics so… 3.5
Why is this on the list?
His grating voice does not mesh with the instrumental music whatsoever. Poor emulation of Janis Joplin meets Eric Burden with no soul.
This played and kind of passed by. Quite a few times I thought this is pretty good but also a few times I thought what was that?
Ihan passelit jamit, mutta ei tätä tee mieli kuunnella toistamiseen.
C'est du rock ben correct, je trip pas sur la voix du chanteur (quelle surprise) mais je suis capable de passer par dessus avec le reste des instruments
Opzich best aardige muziek, maar niet heel memorabel. Wat ik wat minder vind zijn de vele uithalen van meneer Buckley. Van mij mag hij wat meer z'n gemak houden en de muziek wat meer het zware tilwerk laten verrichten. Bij "Devil Eyes" krijgt oom Tim helemaal een klap van de molen en gaat 'ie joelen, jodelen en keffen. Keffen ben ik niet kapot van zoals hier ooit eerder was te lezen. Ik lees in de rating van m'n lotgenoot dat dit het meest toegankelijke album van hem is in deze lijst, dus ik hou m'n hart vast voor wat er in de toekomst nog gaat komen. Hoogtepunt is die Son Mieux track op het einde. Omdat de muziek verder wel tof is kom ik toch uit op een 3.
At first I thought it was going to enjoy it as parody and began to feel like this was not a parody I then realized it wasn't. He meant every word.
This was apparently the start of Buckley's "sex funk" era, and I've got to say I quite like it. The lyrics didn't register as being fantastically objectionable, unless you're some kind of puritan, perhaps a pearl-clutcher. He tries to pick up a girl in a bar who's married, and gets the shit kicked out of him. He gets his end away. He picks up hookers and likes to get spanked. Ooh, scandalous! The music is good. His voice is great. This will score highly from me.
I had no idea who Tim Buckley was until June of this year when I this generator gave me one of his albums. I hated it. Since then I've gotten 2 more and I hate them too. This one has to be the absolute worst. The lyrics make me want to puke and the music isn't doing anything at all for me either I hope to never hear Tim Buckley again as long as I live.
dude shut the fuck up atrocious as close to a one as you can get
Reading the reviews and thought I would hate it, but Id didn't - it was ok
Very unsual to my regular listening
This was a really solid album from a previously unknown artist for me. A lot of cool elements here that signified some trademarks of that time period, reminiscent of Santana, The Doors, and his vocals even remind me of Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. Where some of the tracks may drag a bit, there are a few tracks with myriad of instruments to keep me entertained throughout. Definitely worth looking more into Buckley after this record. Notable Tracks: - Move with Me - Get on Top - Make It Right 5/10
I have been more aware of Jeff - of "Hallelujah" fame - than Tim Buckley, so this was a tad bit confusing for a sec. But now I see. And apart from Sweet Surrender, which is great, what a nice fit: music to leave your wife and offspring behind to.
I got Happy Sad before. That was amazing. This was just good. It didn't feel essential to me. Favorite song: Devil Eyes.
Three Tim Buckley albums in this list is a bit unnecessary imo.
Yikes. I feel like this man's greatest contribution to music may have been his son.
Cringe
A fun, funky and horny set (a lot of songs are about sex including one that mentions licking toes!) of jazzy rock songs with lots of jamming. The band has a big sound, including strings! Tim Buckley brings a lot of energy with his vocals on this album. I can’t believe this is the same guy that made the sleepy album “Happy Sad” that was also on the 1001 list. The whole band sounds like they’re having fun in the studio and it’s infectious. This was a pleasure.
Pretty solid classic rocky type album. A little short, at only 7 songs and 39 minutes, but I didn't mind that really as when the album was over it didn't feel like it wore out its' welcome. That happens to me sometimes on albums, where I can start to get some ear fatigue going on during the last few tracks of longer ones. Interestingly, the average length of track here is around 5:40, which is surprisingly long and on this list might be towards the top end if sorted by the metric of "average song duration". Some of the songs feel good being long, like "Devil Eyes" has a great "speaking in tongues" sort of part around the 5:00 mark. Kind of funny to take a step back and think about that starting at 5 minutes when you figure most songs these days end around 3 minutes, and usually have their big shifts or bridges around the 2 minute point. It's a nice 3/5 for me. I've heard his name around but never really listened much and this was a nice surprise- I was expecting some straight up classic rock but this had a nice amount of flavor in it. I love this album cover. There's a lot of ideas in it that make you want to look further; like why is the main image tilted? Why that yellow? I love how traditionally these postcards are usually some idyllic photo with a beautiful landscape, but here it's an overwhelming collection of rectangular buildings that start to fade away into a pretty gross blurry brown section.
Boring
Helt kiva vibes, gillar konstiga ljuden han "sjunger" och pianot. Sus lyrics
Rock/Pop, s.s., 1972 -> 2
hmm garnicht meins. oder heute halt nicht.
Nice to meet you Mr Buckley. You’re album was fine.
Play that funky music white boy!! 3
Okay. There were some unexpected sauce songs but overall just decent
What is this shite?
Never heard of this guy. His voice is weird, but I really enjoyed most of the songs. Listed to the album a few times.