 Nick Drake Nick Drake is one of those rare artists that deserves all of the awe-struck praise he receives. Before dying in the mid-seventies of an overdose, Drake had released three nearly perfect albums, and only recently has he begun to get the acclaim that's always been his due. Barely noticed outside of cultish circles in his time, Drake's gorgeous music still sounds fresh today. Call it folk, or pop, or whatever, it resonates. Bryter Layter was his second record, sandwiched in between the lush and melancholy Five Leaves Left and the stark and really effin' melancholy Pink Moon. Bryter Later is catchier and more cheerful, though it doesn't quite carry the stunning impact of either of the other albums. Not for lack of great songs, though. "Hazy Jane II" and "Hazy Jane I" are both wonderful, the former especially so, with his familiar acoustic guitar and sensitive voice augmented by great washes of strings and horns. "Poor Boy" shows flashes of humor (not a trait typically associated with Drake), as it seems to be sending up his image as an afflicted, introspective soul. This has a great arrangement, too, especially with the use of female backing singers for the chorus. Makes me smile each and every time. "One of These Things First" lopes along effortlessly, and is also a charmer, and after repeated listenings has revealed itself as one of my very favorite Drake songs. The lyrics reveal a statement of purpose that by design culls up arbitrary images, and the effect is both revealing of his serious nature and wittily self-deprecatory. "Fly" and "At the Chime of a City Clock" are a bit slower but also top-notch, somewhat secondary on this album but tracks most singer-songwriters would sell their souls to write. To me, though, "Northern Sky" is the real standout, a perfect love song, neither over-sappy nor arch in any way. The piano on this (and elsewhere, for that matter) counterpoints the guitar to great effect. This is a song that can pull me out of the deepest funk, that I really can connect with personally. I do wish the production on it, especially, and the whole album to a degree, was a bit more full, but that's a small quibble. It may be due to an overly-clean mastering process – there are definitely moments, especially in the orchestral parts, when I wish the sound was a little more present, if not necessarily perfect. There's a little padding to the album in the acoustic "Introduction," the semi-boring, instrumental title track, and the comparatively lackluster closer "Sunday." It's still chockful of wonderfulness; this is probably the only Nick Drake album that sounds appropriate on a warm, sunny day. Bryter Layter doesn't quite match the emotional resonance, nor the overall brilliant songwriting, of either of the albums that bookend it. But than again, few records do. You just cannot go wrong with any of Drake's three albums – they reveal more and more levels of brilliance, both musically and lyrically, with each listen.
Review by HIP |