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albums
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- Pink Moon
- Released 1972
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- Five Leaves Left
- Released 1969
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- Way To Blue - An Introduction To Nick Drake
- Released 1994
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- Bryter Layter
- Released 1970
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biography
A singular talent who passed almost unnoticed during his brief lifetime, Nick Drake produced several albums of chilling, somber beauty. With hindsight, these have come to be recognized as peak achievements of both the British folk-rock scene and the entire rock singer/songwriter genre. Sometimes compared to Van Morrison, Drake in fact resembled Donovan much more in his breathy vocals, strong melodies, and the acoustic-based orchestral sweep of his arrangements. His was a much darker vision than Donovan's, however, with disturbing themes of melancholy, failed romance, mortality, and depression lurking just beneath, or even well above, the surface. Ironically, Drake has achieved a far greater stature in the decades following his death, with an avid cult following that grows by the year.
Part of Drake's failure to attract a mass audience was attributable to his almost pathological reluctance to perform live. It was at a live show in Cambridge, however, that a member of Fairport Convention saw Drake perform, and recommended the singer to producer Joe Boyd. Boyd, already a linchpin of the British folk-rock scene as the producer for Fairport and the Incredible String Band, asked Drake for a tape, and was impressed enough to give the 20-year-old a contract in 1968.
Drake's debut, Five Leaves Left (1969), was the first in a series of three equally impressive, and quite disparate, albums. With understated folk-rock backing (Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson plays bass on most of the cuts), Drake created a vaguely mysterious, haunting atmosphere, occasionally embellished by tasteful Baroque strings. His economic, even pithy, lyrics hinted at melancholy, yet any thoughts of despair were alleviated by the gorgeous, uplifting melodies and Drake's calm, measured vocals. Bryter Later (1970) was perhaps his most upbeat effort, featuring support from members of Fairport Convention, and traces of jazz in the arrangements. On some cuts, the singer/songwriter, remarkably, dispensed with lyrics altogether, offering only gorgeous, orchestrated instrumental miniatures that stood well on their own.
Neither album sold well, and Drake, already a brooding loner, plunged into serious depression that often found him unable to make music, work, or even walk and talk. He managed to produce one final full-length work, Pink Moon (1972), a desolate solo acoustic album that ranks as one of the most naked and bleak statements in all of rock. He did record a few more songs before his death, but no more albums were completed, although the final sessions (along with some other fine unreleased material) surfaced on the posthumous compilation Time of No Reply.
Drake's final couple of years were marked by increasing psychiatric difficulties, which found him hospitalized at one point for several weeks. He had rarely played live during his days as a recording artist, and at one point declared his intention never to record again, although he wished to continue to write songs for others. (It's been reported that French chanteuse Françoise Hardy recorded some of Drake's songs, but she hasn't released any.) On November 26, 1974, he died in his parents' home from an overdose of antidepressant medication; suicide has been speculated, although some of his family and friends dispute this.
In the manner of the young Romantic poets of the 19th century who died before their time, Drake is revered by many listeners today, with a following that spans generations. Baby boomers who missed him the first time around found much to revisit once they discovered him, and his pensive loneliness speaks directly to contemporary alternative rockers who share his sense of morose alienation. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Part of Drake's failure to attract a mass audience was attributable to his almost pathological reluctance to perform live. It was at a live show in Cambridge, however, that a member of Fairport Convention saw Drake perform, and recommended the singer to producer Joe Boyd. Boyd, already a linchpin of the British folk-rock scene as the producer for Fairport and the Incredible String Band, asked Drake for a tape, and was impressed enough to give the 20-year-old a contract in 1968.
Drake's debut, Five Leaves Left (1969), was the first in a series of three equally impressive, and quite disparate, albums. With understated folk-rock backing (Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson plays bass on most of the cuts), Drake created a vaguely mysterious, haunting atmosphere, occasionally embellished by tasteful Baroque strings. His economic, even pithy, lyrics hinted at melancholy, yet any thoughts of despair were alleviated by the gorgeous, uplifting melodies and Drake's calm, measured vocals. Bryter Later (1970) was perhaps his most upbeat effort, featuring support from members of Fairport Convention, and traces of jazz in the arrangements. On some cuts, the singer/songwriter, remarkably, dispensed with lyrics altogether, offering only gorgeous, orchestrated instrumental miniatures that stood well on their own.
Neither album sold well, and Drake, already a brooding loner, plunged into serious depression that often found him unable to make music, work, or even walk and talk. He managed to produce one final full-length work, Pink Moon (1972), a desolate solo acoustic album that ranks as one of the most naked and bleak statements in all of rock. He did record a few more songs before his death, but no more albums were completed, although the final sessions (along with some other fine unreleased material) surfaced on the posthumous compilation Time of No Reply.
Drake's final couple of years were marked by increasing psychiatric difficulties, which found him hospitalized at one point for several weeks. He had rarely played live during his days as a recording artist, and at one point declared his intention never to record again, although he wished to continue to write songs for others. (It's been reported that French chanteuse Françoise Hardy recorded some of Drake's songs, but she hasn't released any.) On November 26, 1974, he died in his parents' home from an overdose of antidepressant medication; suicide has been speculated, although some of his family and friends dispute this.
In the manner of the young Romantic poets of the 19th century who died before their time, Drake is revered by many listeners today, with a following that spans generations. Baby boomers who missed him the first time around found much to revisit once they discovered him, and his pensive loneliness speaks directly to contemporary alternative rockers who share his sense of morose alienation. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
news
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Nick Drake's string arranger Robert Kirby dies
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- 10/8/2009
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- 10:06 AM
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- NME News
- Arranger had also worked with Elvis Costello and Paul Weller
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New Release : Family Tree
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- 4/14/2009
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- 3:51 PM
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- Rolling Stone : Nick Drake
- Artist: Nick Drake
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Dave Grohl, Heath Ledger for Nick Drake tribute album
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- 1/19/2009
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- 2:24 PM
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- NME News
- Stars come together to celebrate Drake's life
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New Release : Time Of No Reply
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- 10/14/2008
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- 11:11 AM
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- Rolling Stone : Nick Drake
- Artist: Nick Drake
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Album Review : Bryter Layter
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- 3/18/2008
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- 9:35 AM
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- Rolling Stone : Nick Drake
- Artist: Nick Drake Album: Bryter Layter Review: Nick Drake may be the most ethereal recording artist I've ever heard. His fleeting career--the moody…
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related
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comments
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One of the best...
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- By TheMurdocks
- 7/27/2009 21:05:52
- Nick Drake is perhaps one of the best singer-songwriters out of the 60's and 70's. He painfully created his unorthodox guitar tunings to play cluster chords and used these sometimes dissonant tunings to compliment his powerful melodies. His intricate finger-picking creates a wonderful mood, whether it be beautifully melancholy or pleasantly optimistic. Unfortunately, Drake released only 3 albums in his lifetime before deciding to move away from music. His battles with depression eventually lead to his oft-argued death due to a result of an overdose of anti-depressants. For much of the 70's, 80's, and 90's, Drake was hardly a name known. While there were occasional boosts in popularity, and a handful of rarity releases, it wasn't until the title track from his final album, Pink Moon, was used in a Volkswagen commercial that Drake achieved mainstream success. While his albums had been critically acclaimed, this brought immense popularity, and following the airing of the commercial, Drake sold more albums in the following year than he had in the past 30 years previous. Easily one of the best musicians of the 70's, the music of the wonderfully talented Nick Drake features an intricate, intimate, and sometimes devastatingly sad beauty that must be heard to be believed.
- 3 out of 3 people
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Really Groovy Folk Music
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- By Sicki Nar Nar
- 3/9/2009 03:54:48
- This is some great folk music that I find great for studying and relaxing. I recommend.
- 1 out of 1 people
- think this is useful
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