Nick Drake
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake is one of those names that is now
becoming fashionable after decades of neglect, kept alive by a deal
that guaranteed his music was not deleted. The first time I heard
his music it meant nothing to me, which is a common response, but
on second or third listen it cast a spell over me and pulled me into
obsession.The music is shimmering and impressionistic to me. The voice is pure magic, but together the fabulous parts create an even better combination. For months the only music I could listen to was Nick and having one album was not enough, it had to be every note he recorded. The box set and the home recordings were essential rather than desirable.
Every Hearts Cup Final defeat saw me walk away from the stadium with the sound of Nick Drake playing on my walkman. It enhanced the mood whilst also cheering me up. Given the state of mind of the artist, the life affirming nature of the music is ironic
The amazing music is given an added piquancy by the rather sad tale of his life, but is not dependent on it. The main sorrow of his early demise is the selfish thought of music not recorded.
The quirkiness or even silliness of the lyrics to the likes of Man In A Shed become profound and beautiful in the context of the voice and the guitar technique. The unusual tunings create a new angle to hit emotional chords in the listener. The orchestrations by Robert Kirby are lush but never overdone, and really add to the mix. Songs like River Man, Fruit Tree and Day Is Done are amongst the finest achievements in popular music.