Nick Drake is a British artist who made drop−dead gorgeous music. He's got this low, soothing voice that you'll get hooked on at first listen. He died in 1974 due to overdose on anti−depressants. He made 3 albums in his career: Five Leaves Left (1968), Bryter Layter (1970), Pink Moon (1972). Five Leaves Left is a definitive folk album with with vast, raw instrumentation that sounds like he's in the room with you. Bryter Layter goes for even larger, more colorful arrangements with production that aspires to fill up the entire sky. For Pink Moon, we literally get just his voice and an acoustic guitar for 28 minutes.
So yeah, for an artist with less than 2 hours'−worth of LP recordings (a total 31 songs) under his belt, this was an easy list to make. I've been listening to his stuff a ton lately, and I recommend you get to know this guy as well. It's basically the most beautiful music of all time. Not sure where to start? Spotify playlist included, here are my 10 favorite tracks from him:
10 Introduction
4 of Nick Drake's 31 songs were instrumentals. This one kicks off Bryter Layter, but honestly sounds like the beginning of the first day of your life.
9 Thoughts Of Mary Jane
I try not to think about the double−entrendre in this title... I myself am pretty sold on this song once I hear that flute part in the beginning.
8 Time Has Told Me
This might be Nick's most familiar song. I can't remember my first time hearing this song because I feel like I might have heard it throughout my whole life. Plus: I LOVE the lyrics.
7 Which Will
Many of Nick's songs basically just mention girls he has a crush on but he's too shy to talk to. This song is conversational. But definitely nothing wistful. It's actually a painful pin to the heart.
6 One Of These Things First
This song could be a Bible for people who believe in reincarnation. Yet somehow, Nick reaches for an even more personal and romantic concept.
5 From The Morning
The last song from his last album. I say, as an album overall, Pink Moon is the most depressing album of all time, and yet... this song always makes me smile.
4 Hazey Jane I
This Bryter Layter track lives up to the grandeur and beauty that "Introduction" sets us up for.
3 Northern Sky
I'd like to think this is equally a love song as much as it is a song of rebirth. And living in Logan UT, it's hard not to think of this colorful "Northern Sky" when watching the sky turn pink at sundown.
2 River Man
Whether musically or lyrically, I think this track would fit nicely on any of Nick's 3 albums. He pulls all of his strengths out for this track. The textures, the mysticism, the clarity, etc.
1 Pink Moon
I gotta admit, there's nothing quite like hearing this opening acoustic guitar strum. A 2−minute song with 22 seconds of piano and 25 words in it somehow leads us to ultimate self−introspection.
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