He was like an apparition. Here one minute, gone the next. But today, this apparition continues to cast its shadow on contemporary music as majestically as it has always done. Three albums and twenty-six years on this earth were all it took for Nick Drake to turn the folk music movement on its head. The genre - at first sight, sparse - was to become invigorated by this gentle voice and little-boy-lost look, as well by his magnificent musical arrangements. But Nick Drake was never to enjoy these accolades in his lifetime. At the time, critics were mostly unaware of his three unique studio albums. These misconceptions about him were to magnify his depressive personality and his almost autistic communication..…
Nick Drake's first album, Five Leaves Left, was released in September 1969 on the Island label. Right from the outset, the album propelled British folk music to new heights of lyricism and melancholia that had rarely been reached before. However, there was a folk scene at his side supporting the young songwriter in his recordings, and among the fellow musicians were Richard Thompson from Fairport Convention, and Danny Thompson from Pentangle. The music was lifted by the sublime strings orchestrated by Robert Kirby. Can you still call it folk? Chamber folk, maybe? It doesn't matter... with this dreamlike hybrid blend Nick Drake imposed his own style, but not yet his own name: whilst not exactly negative, critics considered this first pressing to be no more than nice, and interesting...
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