1970: Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
Thanks to Kingfox we're back on track. Just in time for me to find yet another album that I hate myself for missing until now. This is a beautiful, incredible, jazzy piece of godliness, and I'm ashamed to admit I never really got into Nick Drake before. (Lucky, I don't think my friend Paul reads this blog, otherwise he would never let me forget this admission.)
He reminds me of a male-Joni Mitchell (circa Court and Spark) but a little softer. Maybe Sam Beam + Joni? (For those just joining the blog, Joni Mitchell is probably my favorite singer-songwriter. Ever.) His voice is slightly rustic, but the piano playing is what makes it perfect. Sometimes there's a hint of a saxophone in the background, or a slight trumpet line, but the piano is what weaves in and out of his voice. They compliment each other perfectly. It's albums like these that make this project worthwhile. "I could've been a whistle. I could've been a flute."
He does other great things too. Like Simon from yesterday, or Mitchell during the mid-70s, he incorporates many different music structures that seem foreign to his personal experience. Like the gospel choir on "Poor Boy" that turns into a sax midway through the song. I promised near the very beginning of this project that I wouldn't make generalizations about 70s music. But embracing numerous outside influences seems to be a trend in 70s music.
That said, the Rollingstone Prompt this week is to describe a trend. I don't expect to place (they seem to have gotten cold on my style of writing - or just want to give other people a shot) but I'll write it anyway. The practice is good for me.
(Anyone else find Drake looks a little like Eliot Smith on the front cover?)
Also, this is album number 55 on the list. We've almost done half the list, and it's only March. Way, way, way ahead of the game.