Way to Blue: An Introduction to Nick Drake

iTunes Review

Nick Drake recorded only three solo albums in his brief but brilliant career, with the posthumous collection, Time of No Reply, following many years later. His tragic death in 1974 at age 26 perfectly mirrors the melancholy underpinning his greatest work and has turned the young English singer-songwriter into a cult legend. Drake’s catalog is a lean, concise collection of uniformly excellent material and performances. His unusual guitar tunings, his adept finger-picking, his otherworldly ghost of a voice combine to form one of the most fascinating sounds in modern music. Way to Blue collects highlights from each of his albums and serves as a worthy introduction to the man’s music. Since he never released a subpar recording, there is no potential for a misstep here. There are only personal preferences. “Northern Sky” from Drake’s second album, Bryter Layter, is a breathtaking work that comes to a grand crescendo with John Cale’s piano and celeste adding dramatic height. “Cello Song,” “River Man,” “Hazey Jane I” and “II,” “Pink Moon,” the tracks roll past in heavenly succession. The only downside is the missing gems (“Fly,” “Thoughts of Mary Jane”) that are readily available on the original studio albums.