Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left LP

Description

It’s little wonder whyDrakefelt frustrated at the lack of commercial success his music initially gathered, considering the help he had on his debut record. Besides fine production fromJoe Boydand assistance from folks likeFairport Convention‘sRichard Thompsonand his unrelated bass counterpart fromPentangle,Danny Thompson,Drakealso recruited school friendRobert Kirbyto create most of the just-right string and wind arrangements. His own performance itself steered a careful balance between too-easy accessibility and maudlin self-reflection, combining the best of both worlds while avoiding the pitfalls on either side. The result was a fantastic debut appearance, and if the cult ofDrakeconsistently reads more into his work than is perhaps deserved,Five Leaves Leftis still a most successful effort. Having grown out of the amiable but derivative styles captured on the long-circulating series of bootleg home recordings,Drakeimbues his tunes with just enough drama — world-weariness in the vocals, carefully paced playing, and more — to make it all work. His lyrics capture a subtle poetry of emotion, as on the pastoral semi-fantasia of “The Thoughts of Mary Jane,” which his soft, articulate singing brings even more to the full. Sometimes he projects a little more clearly, as on the astonishing voice-and-strings combination “Way to Blue,” while elsewhere he’s not so clear, suggesting rather than outlining the mood. Understatement is the key to his songs and performances’ general success, which makes the combination of his vocals andRocky Dzidzornu‘s congas on “Three Hours” and the lovely “‘Cello Song,” to name two instances, so effective.Danny Thompsonis the most regular side performer on the album, his bass work providing subtle heft while never standing in the way of the song — kudos well deserved forBoyd‘s production as well. -All Music Guide