Five Leaves Left
by Nick Drake

From Rug 02/20/2022 07:03 | #281568 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

The story goes that Nick Drake's understated, intimate lyricism was a product of his being "too sensitive for this world," a remark that diminishes his skill and commitment to revision by reducing them to an emotional quirk. Nick had "a skin too few" maybe, as Gabrielle Drake would say, but hardly a superpower or malignant brand of genius.

Five Leaves Left is his best album by a hair, and that hair grows on a little patch of versatility. While Pink Moon and Bryter Layter are masterpieces in their own right (and both would find spots on my chart if it weren't for my 1 album per artist rule), Five Leaves Left is more emotionally flexible. "Time Has Told Me" could be either your mother whispering the opening notes of a lullaby or your lover murmuring a gentle good morning. It's the balm you reach for to soothe or the champagne you sip to celebrate.

Five Leaves Left is both a respite from the harshness of the world and an exploration of the thousands of beauties you might find in it, and that duality only happens through Nick Drake's willingness to speak as carefully as he listens. (Edited)

"Five Leaves Left" released in 1969 is the first of only three albums Nick Drake managed to get released in his short lifetime.

Several of the album's lyrics suggests a delicate and fragile mind, which might ultimately have led to his untimely death in 1974.

Musically Drake's music may at time appear a little reminiscent of Donovan's from the later 1960s. In Drake's case, though, there are strong inspiration from classical music, which is hardly the case with Donovan.

The album contains several of Drake's best and most beloved songs. Among them "Cello Song," "Time Has Told Me," "Way to Blue" and "Thoughts of Mary Jane"

The Instrumentation is in most cases, sparse, with Drake's beautiful acoustic guitar as the turning point.

On the opening track "Time Has Told Me," one may recognize Richard Thompson's characteristic electric guitar and the sound of this number is slightly reminiscent of early Fairport Convention. Otherwise, it's Danny Thompson (Pentangle) who appears most frequently on the record. Also Strings-arranger Robert Kirby has put a strong stamp on several of the album's key tracks, "Way to Blue" Day is Done ", The Thoughts of Mary Jane" and "Fruit Tree".

Summed up this is very fine album that wins for each new listen. If you are not familiar with Drake's music in advance, however, I recommend that you start with the sequel "Bryter Layter", which is, without being lightweight at all, probably easier to fall for. (Edited)

As debut albums go, there are only a handful in my opinion that are better than this, it arrived without much fuss and disappeared without any kind of chart history or even modest sales but it has certainly grown in stature over time.

Nick Drake's practically whispered vocals, his very precise lyrics, and the great guitar work, in particular on tracks like Cello Song are a delight to the senses. A lot of these tracks have a sweeping orchestral arrangement which compliments the delicate vocals, and gives the likes of River Man and The Thoughts Of Mary Jane the dream-like feel of a green English summer afternoon. (Edited)

Perfect album. The mood builds and builds throughout. The guitar finger-picking style and cluster-chords particularly give him one of the most distinctive guitar sounds around. The lyrics and the compositions really build off each other, including the arrangements by Robert Kirby, and his singing style, with the beat more reminiscent of a sax line than a vocal line really melds the music and his soft voice together. (Edited)

if only more people could have the chance to listen to nick drake. amazing music. beautiful. (Edited)