Customer Reviews
Simply Masterful - By: N. Watts, 08 Aug 2008 
It seems these days that Nick Drake is known just as much for his mysterious life (and death) as he is for the music, especially given the media's ability to create hyperbole. However it must be said that same msytery about Nick Drake's personna is also presentin the music, which is what make's listening to Nick Drake so compelling.There is a strange otherworldy aura about his vocal & acoustic guitar technique, both which are pitched with an erie precission.
The album can be viewed as one long mood piece, as on first listen one song may not seem that different from the next. It is only on further inspection that one is amazed by the sheer complexity of his performances made with such ease.
Basically the album is split between songs which have autumnal orchestral arrangements ('Day Is Done', 'The Thoughts Of Mary Jane' & 'Fruit Tree') by Robert Kirby, which augment Drakes vocal & acoustic guitar; & songs which have a smaller ensemble backing ('Time Has Told Me', 'Three Hours', 'Cello Song', 'Man In A Shed' & 'Saturday Sun', the latter featuring Drake on piano instead of guitar). There is also the haunting 'Way To Blue' with a stately string arrangement by Robert Kirby & the albums' psycholgocial centerpiece 'River Man', this time arranged by Harry Robinson.
The album features the wonderful Pentangle double bass player Danny Thompson on most of the tracks, with contributions by Richard Thompson on the opening 'Time Has Told Me', Paul Harris on Piano & Clare Lowther playing Cello on 'Cello Song' (funnily enough..).
Probably the most the striking thing about the album is how calm & slow it is. Obviously it has the melancholy which Drake is now associated with, but it is also paradoxally upliftingin spirit. Given the album's maturity it is amazing to think that Drake was barely out of his teens when first releasedin 1969. It is hard to pick any highlights as every track is perfect. The only exception to this is the jazzy 'Man In A Shed' which doesn't really suit Drake's voice, but it does add some variety. An essential purchase.
Timeless perfection - By: Rush K. Shukla, 09 Jul 2008 Life's but a memory
It happened long ago
Theatre full of sadness
Of a long forgotten show
Whats understood does not need to be discussed any further.
one the best debuts ever!! - By: K. Sergeant, 21 Jun 2008 I was brought up among the warring factions of britpop, blur & oasis,in the nineties, I could never really choose between the kinks & the beatles but that's a different story entirely, This album is most definitely one of the founder members of brit pop whether it likes it or not. All the way through my teenage years, a name cropped upin articles....melody maker..... NME......... Nick drake. When I eventually succumbed & bought an album of his, it was this. And I can only tell you that I've never looked back. From the plodding opener of "time has told me" through the maudlin streets of "river man" & "three hours" to the upbeat melancholy, if you like, of "way to blue" & the exquisite meandering of "day is done". To even suggest that songs on the last part of this fantastic album are included as mere padding is ludicrous. This album finishes as strongly as it started, with "manin a shed" being a highlight of gardenial proportions, & the timely classic "fruit tree" shimmying, reaching, never close enough to touch, evading itself with a cloak of irony that reeks of dostoevskys anti-hero, but, somehow, close at hand, the light is within our grasp. Don't download this album, buy it, with real money, for it is a truly great, mesmeric & real collection of fantastic songs that you must own
Finest fruit - By: D. J. H. Thorn, 09 Jun 2008 Not as instantly accessible as his follow-up album 'Bryter Layter', 'Five Leaves Left' is nevertheless the best of Nick Drake's classic trio. Sparse, low-key accompaniment ensures that Drake's soft voice & implausibly nimble guitar playing are always to the fore. The exception is 'Way To Blue', on which strings back Drake's voice rather than his guitar. According to one biography, Drake had a tough time at some of the folk clubs he played. This isn't surprising because Drake's music doesn't pigeonhole as folk or popular music. There's nothing difficult or outrageously innovative about it, but it is art at its purest, driven by Drake's intuitive feeling, by turns dark & warm, occasionally light, & executed with peerless skill & beauty. Jimi Hendrix may have been the electric king, but I prefer Drake's brand of guitar genius.
'Time Has Told Me' is as apt an opening as Drake could have chosen, an understated, almost modest eulogy. After this comes the main business. 'River Man' combines Drake's odd chording & plaintive strings to produce an ebbing effect as the backdrop to an eerie vocal. The epic, relentless 'Three Hours' features some sublime, shimmering guitar patterns. 'Way To Blue' & 'Day Is Done' feature melody more prominently, closing a predominantly melancholy first half.
'Cello Song' is a major highlight, hypnotically weaving the cello, guitar & bass over insistent conga rhythms. 'The Thoughts Of Mary Jane' is the lightest track on the album, a glimpse of broad daylight before the wry humour of 'Man In A Shed'. 'Fruit Tree' is the last of the main highlights, Drake's guitar playing enhancing the drama of the lyric, before the album closes as gently as it began, with 'Saturday Sun'.
Though 'Five Leaves Left' has its peaks, there are no careless moments during its forty minutes. Drake's other two albums are both superb & explore different approaches, but neither tops this.
Wistful melancholia and very lovely listening - By: Lou Knee, 19 Apr 2008 A beautiful debut album full of Englishness from one of the most mourned artistsin pop/rock. This album has such a non showy, non poppy presence about it that it sort catches your attention. Musically it is simple yet complex, simple because it is mainly acoustic, complex because the mix of of instruments gives it an almost classical ensemble feel. But essentially it is about the melancholy songs of one man with a simple but beautiful style. I find it hard to find where his influence might come from, I've often listened to other folky artists of the 60s just to see if I can pinpoint where his sound comes from, but I have never found it, & don't think I will, as his sound was unique. The album cover is a great reflection of the world you will find within, & this has always been one of my favourite record sleeves, as well as a favourite record.
His voice on this album is almost ghost like it is so wistful, mournful at times, but carries the gentle melodies really well. The melodies are light but very strong at the same time, each song is a proper song, not mere flurries of folksy wistfulness, & nor are they too commercial sounding. Andin this it has a very English conservatism about it that I really like. His songwriting is very fine & we wouldn't be raving about this lost artist today if it wasn't. For me this has always been a mood album, one to play whenin one of those thoughtful, introspective moods. It is always hinting of the pleasures of simple rural life, & yet with worldy lyricsin songs like Day Is Done & Fruit Tree, it is not too far from modern urbanity. It also has a studenty feel with a few drug references dotted about & one song about a drug, but this was a fad very common to that era. River Man vies with Saturday Sun & Cello Song for my favourite song here, though this is one of those albums where you don't really want to choose a favourite, so good is every track. If I had to describe this album with an analogy I'd probably say it was musical Thomas Hardyin a modern suburban setting. Told you he's hard to categorise.
