best Nick Drake album

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la la

Five Leaves Left
16
31%
Bryter Layter
22
43%
Pink Moon
13
25%
 
Total votes: 51

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bixhenry
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby bixhenry » 04 Jan 2009, 17:20

Sir John Coan wrote:Good fucking Christ. You really like this crap?

Well, at least I tried.


This was like shooting fish in a barrel, JC; it's pretty obvious that you're not one for ballads or melancholy music, and that you have an almost built-in attraction to 'weird' music. So what would make you think that you would like one of the 'balladiest' and melancholic artists of all time?

Nick Drake created a small, beautiful, and timeless body of work. Sorry you can't hear it.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Bungo the Mungo » 04 Jan 2009, 17:41

bixhenry wrote:
Sir John Coan wrote:Good fucking Christ. You really like this crap?

Well, at least I tried.


This was like shooting fish in a barrel, JC; it's pretty obvious that you're not one for ballads or melancholy music, and that you have an almost built-in attraction to 'weird' music. So what would make you think that you would like one of the 'balladiest' and melancholic artists of all time?

Nick Drake created a small, beautiful, and timeless body of work. Sorry you can't hear it.


I wouldn't say I'm not a fan of ballads or melancholy music, altho' it's fair to say I tend to prefer faster, weirder stuff.

I'll try again (with Bryter Layter - the one I bought) later. But I found it monotonous - the lack of a change in tempo or (seemingly) key was my main problem.

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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Stirling Moss » 04 Jan 2009, 18:28

Sir John Coan wrote:
bixhenry wrote:
Sir John Coan wrote:Good fucking Christ. You really like this crap?

Well, at least I tried.


This was like shooting fish in a barrel, JC; it's pretty obvious that you're not one for ballads or melancholy music, and that you have an almost built-in attraction to 'weird' music.


Steady on BixHenry - Culture Club tick all those boxes


















:lol:

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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Piggly Wiggly » 05 Jan 2009, 00:42

Sir John Coan wrote:
bixhenry wrote:
Sir John Coan wrote:Good fucking Christ. You really like this crap?

Well, at least I tried.


This was like shooting fish in a barrel, JC; it's pretty obvious that you're not one for ballads or melancholy music, and that you have an almost built-in attraction to 'weird' music. So what would make you think that you would like one of the 'balladiest' and melancholic artists of all time?

Nick Drake created a small, beautiful, and timeless body of work. Sorry you can't hear it.


I wouldn't say I'm not a fan of ballads or melancholy music, altho' it's fair to say I tend to prefer faster, weirder stuff.

I'll try again (with Bryter Layter - the one I bought) later. But I found it monotonous - the lack of a change in tempo or (seemingly) key was my main problem.


I can't say it jumped on me and kicked me in the ass on first listen, but...I seem to remember being hooked on second or third play.

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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 05 Jan 2009, 00:51

When I first heard Nick Drake -- I don't remember what song it was -- I knew it was perfect.

With that said, it has taken some time to decide that Bryter Layter is my favorite, and certainly wasn't always so (I had the same misgivings as everyone else who has them), but the basic positive, even ecstatic reaction to the music was immediate for me.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby johnnydefault » 05 Jan 2009, 08:52

I played 'Five Leaves Left' last night - for me an absolutely astonishing album.

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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Goat Boy » 05 Jan 2009, 08:58

I think Pink Moon is pretty much perfect so I'd go for that one.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby mentalist (slight return) » 05 Jan 2009, 09:02

Bryter Later is my favourite. It's the type of album Drake wanted to make and would have continued making had he retained his health. I think.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby naughty boy » 16 Dec 2017, 17:17

I'm thinking about buying Pink Moon.

I'm at the stage in my life where 'better than New Order' is justification enough to buy something :(
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Rayge » 16 Dec 2017, 22:31

!!VAPRANT!! wrote:I'm thinking about buying Pink Moon.

I'm at the stage in my life where 'better than New Order' is justification enough to buy something :(


You were right the first time. I wasn't around for this thread when it first came out, and although Nicky can play guitar, his songs, personality and backstory always seemed to me like a mimsy load of pants back when he was alive, and I still find echoes of that feeling today.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby clive gash » 16 Dec 2017, 22:42

It used to be Pink Moon but Bryter is the one.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby The Modernist » 16 Dec 2017, 23:54

given my three favourite ND songs are River Man, Cello Song and Three Hours then I'd have to go for Five Leaves Left.

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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Pool Hall Richard » 16 Dec 2017, 23:57

Five Leaves Left. Bryter second, very close.

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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby Darkness_Fish » 17 Dec 2017, 10:28

Bryter is a horrendous cheese fest, Pink Moon is dull, Five Leaves Left is absolutely lovely.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby mission » 18 Dec 2017, 09:35

Poor Boy sticks out like dog's balls and rather spoils the vibe, man.

I like Pink Moon best but FLL has the best tunes.
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby clive gash » 18 Dec 2017, 10:54

Poor Boy’s a doozy, the backing vox are mocking innit?
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Re: best Nick Drake album

Postby The Write Profile » 12 Jan 2018, 04:54

Very Stable Baron wrote:When I first heard Nick Drake -- I don't remember what song it was -- I knew it was perfect.

With that said, it has taken some time to decide that Bryter Layter is my favorite, and certainly wasn't always so (I had the same misgivings as everyone else who has them), but the basic positive, even ecstatic reaction to the music was immediate for me.


It's interesting, I came to Drake first via Pink Moon, and was worried that the other records wouldn't share its melodic spareness and emotional directness. Certainly, I wondered whether they could capture the icantatory quality of many of the tracks- most notably "Road" and "Know" or the sheer bleakness of "Parasite".

Which they don't, to be fair, but they're arguably working at an even higher plane than Pink Moon. I think Bryter Layter is his best sounding record, and probably his most emotionally rounded. There's even a fair share of hope on many of the tracks, whether it's the romanticism of "Hazey Jane II", the sardonic humour of "Poor Boy" or the yearning, desperate "Fly" (and Cale's contribution to that track is masterful, it gives the track a real sense of release). On a song-by-song basis, Five Leaves Left might even have the advantage, but like The Slider, I have issues with some of the embellishments, in particular on "Time Has Told Me".

That said, it has moments of overwhelming sadness and beauty, particularly the haunting "River Man" or the ineffable "Way to Blue". It's certainly a record where the artist has set out its store, yet it doesn't feel quite as complete as Bryter Layter (I think it trails off a bit near the end). So I guess I've talked myself into voting for Bryter Layter by the most slender of margins, but all three are simply essential, magical works.

As for why he remains so feted: I think it's down to the intrinsic beauty in his melodies and the way they offset the more ruminative (and in the case of Pink Moon downright depressed and despairing) aspects of his work, and vice versa. Simply put, he had memorable tunes and a memorable voice. There's a clarity to it.
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