Nick Drake - Way To Blue: An Introduction To Nick Drake

Embarking on the musical odyssey that is 'Way to Blue' by Nick Drake is like uncovering a hidden gem in the vast desert of music. This CD has not just been a listen; it's been a revelation.From the moment 'Cello Song' graced my ears, I knew I was in for an extraordinary experience. Drake's hauntingly beautiful voice, intertwined with the intricate guitar work and the melancholic cello, set the tone for an album that speaks directly to the soul.'Way to Blue' is not just a collection of songs; it's a mosaic of emotions. Each track, from the wistful 'River Man' to the poignant 'Day Is Done', paints a vivid picture with its lyrical depth and subtle musical nuances. Nick Drake's ability to convey profound feelings with such simplicity is nothing short of genius.'Fruit Tree' stands out as a personal favorite. Its introspective lyrics, coupled with Drake’s gentle, yet compelling, delivery, resonate with a timeless quality. It's a song that makes you ponder life, legacy, and the fleeting nature of fame – themes that are now more poignant given Drake's own story.What makes 'Way to Blue' an essential listen is its raw authenticity. There's a purity in Drake's songwriting that is rare and moving. The CD has an intimate quality, almost as if Nick is performing in a small, candle-lit room just for you.'Northern Sky' is another highlight. The song's dreamy quality and heartfelt lyrics encapsulate the essence of longing and love, showcasing Drake's versatility as a songwriter.In conclusion, 'Way to Blue' by Nick Drake is more than just a CD; it's a musical journey that takes you through the depths and heights of human emotion. Its timeless quality ensures that it will continue to captivate listeners for generations to come. Five stars for an album that deserves a place in the annals of music history.Heartily recommended to anyone who appreciates poetic songwriting and haunting melodies. This CD is not just music; it's a piece of art that continues to inspire and mesmerize.Sincerely,A Forever Fan of Nick DrakeP.S. For those uninitiated in the world of Nick Drake, 'Way to Blue' is the perfect gateway into his enchanting musical universe.

Some of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.

This excellent introduction to the work of Nick Drake also provides an entirely new perspective on his genius since the songs are not arranged in chronological order. The individual albums are all classics but they are very much self-contained units that make one associate a particular song with the album. Way To Blue thus lends a new angle in the mix of songs. Although 10 tracks are repeated from the 1985 album Heaven In A Wild Flower, the sound quality is much better.From the album Bryter Later come Hazey Jane I and II, Poor Boy, One Of These Things First and Northern Sky. Five Leaves Left contributes Cello Sing, Way To Blue, River Man and Time Has Told Me, whilst the stark minimalist album Pink Moon supplies Things Behind The Sun, Which Will and the title track. Black Eyed Dog and Time Of No Reply come from the posthumous Time Of No Reply album.On her Sweet Old World album, Lucinda Williams beautifully covered Which Will and Swans made a bloodcurdling version of Black Eyed Dog, found on their Various Failures album. The group Drive covered his song Road on their early 90s album Out Freakage. The Dream Academy dedicated the song Life In A Northern Town (1985) to Nick Drake. His song Mayfair had already been covered by Millie (of My Boy Lollipop fame) in 1970.My only complaint about Way To Blue is the omission of Fly, a song that first appeared on Bryter Later and was then included, in a different version, on Time Of No Reply. In my opinion, it is one of his most moving songs. Besides that, this compilation contains the best of Drake's eerily compelling music but it is still worth it to investigate the original albums.

I guess you have to be in the right state of mind to listen to this CD. I kept wanting to fall asleep. Not Blues and not rock.

Interessante la composizione della compilation, oltre alle tracce in sé

25 years ago next month, Mojo magazine alerted me to Nick Drake, and this compilation. My name is Nick too, I was 21, and had just left home the previous year from leafy Surrey to South Devon.I can remember playing the cd and immediately, instantly, feeling like I knew Nick. And he knew me, and how I felt as that then rather burnt out but brave 21 year old who had thrown himself into the world. He sang of my angst, my longing, he seemed to know he wasn’t long for this world, old before his time.I’m sure I am not alone in this.So much has been written about Nick Drake now that he’s become park of the fabric of music. Music journalists now spend their time trying to find another Nick. Mojo even tried to convince us that Skip Spence might be another lost genius with ‘Oar’. But no. He is the true lost genius. An over used phrase, but how his music was overlooked goodness only knows, I suppose with our multi media lives now that would never happen.I watched A Skin Too Few again recently and still cried at the ending where his sister talks of him, and Northern Sky rises in from the background.It’s truly music from another place. His finger picking is extraordinary, his voice has that public school inflection, but where he got the world weariness, only the universe knows.Of course Nick not being here, cannot fail to have an effect on the way we hear his music and think of him, and those lyrics. I would love to be able to have heard this music in his lifetime, I wonder how I would have felt? Would he just have been another posh folkie being sincere and introspective? We’ll never know.All I know is that he was good enough for John Martyn to write a song about. So go figure.So from one Nick to another, thanks.

The sad story of Drake's short life in his music - haunting, wistful, delicate, vulnerable - a tragic loner who left us a priceless legacy and an inspiring influence for songwriters and guitar players everywhere. While i'd recommend that everyone buys all 3 albums he released during his short career, this 16 track compilation encapsulates every mood and nuance of his genius (not a word i use lightly). Most of the songs feature Drake's ethereal vocals accompanied by distinctive finger picked guitar (in various tunings) with sympathetic contributions by players like danny and richard thompson (not related), john cale, Daves - Pegg and Mattacks and others. These songs are personal and yet universal, iconic, poetic, and the melodies sublime. Timeless classics - River Man, Way to Blue, Northern Sky that just keep flowing. Rather mean to see reviewers dropping stars because one or two of their favourites have been omitted, or the sad guy who awards 2 stars because it's not rock and roll. I can never tire of these songs. They are now part of me.

This excellent introductory album (which is part of a long-running series of albums on the Island record label) to the genius of the late English folk singer/songwriter Nick Drake (1948-1974) was released in 1994, and contains highlights from over his complete three studio albums, and the 1987 issued compilation 'Time of No Reply', therefore providing a comprehensive collection for newbies and the curious.As three albums is hardly a vast catalogue of work, you might decided to pick up the excellent trio of 'Five Leaves Left' (1969), 'Bryter Layter' (1971) and 'Pink Moon' (1972) as a bundle instead, but if you're still uncertain whether you require that much Drake in you're collection, this is the one to buy to test-the-water with.Where Nick Drake might have lost out on quantity, he made up for with absolute quality. Excellent songs to enjoy here include the sheer beauty of 'River Man', 'Heaven in A Wild Flower', 'From the Morning', and 'Northern Sky, whereas other gems like 'Black Eyed Dog', and 'Pink Moon', still have the power to send shivers down my spine.Dark and melodic music is one of my favourites to listen too, and Nick Drake, with his emotional, acoustic sound, always offered up so much of that in spades. The bottom line is that his music is beautiful, and this troubled and unhappy genius' work is something that I'll always keep with me. As a sufferer of depression myself, I feel for him, his untimely death was such a waste, and the young man had the potential to do so much more. The only conciliation is that his illness led to him making music which is soaked with timeless perfection.The sound quality of this CD is very good, and the album's nicely designed booklet contains lots of small black-and-white photographs, lyrics to each track, and a one page 'introduction' to Nick by American record producer and writer Joe Boyd.

beautiful