Five Leaves Left

by Nick Drake

Overview

It's little wonder why Drake felt frustrated at the lack of commercial success his music initially gathered, considering the help he had on his debut record. Besides fine production from Joe Boyd and assistance from folks like Fairport Convention's Richard Thompson and his unrelated bass counterpart from Pentangle, Danny Thompson, Drake also recruited school friend Robert Kirby to create most of the just-right string and wind arrangements. His own performance itself steered a careful balance between too-easy accessibility and maudlin self-reflection, combining the best of both worlds while avoiding the pitfalls on either side. The result was a fantastic debut appearance, and if the cult of Drake consistently reads more into his work than is perhaps deserved, Five Leaves Left is still a most successful effort. Having grown out of the amiable but derivative styles captured on the long-circulating series of bootleg home recordings, Drake imbues his tunes with just enough drama -- world-weariness in the vocals, carefully paced playing, and more -- to make it all work. His lyrics capture a subtle poetry of emotion, as on the pastoral semi-fantasia of "The Thoughts of Mary Jane," which his soft, articulate singing brings even more to the full. Sometimes he projects a little more clearly, as on the astonishing voice-and-strings combination "Way to Blue," while elsewhere he's not so clear, suggesting rather than outlining the mood. Understatement is the key to his songs and performances' general success, which makes the combination of his vocals and Rocky Dzidzornu's congas on "Three Hours" and the lovely "'Cello Song," to name two instances, so effective. Danny Thompson is the most regular side performer on the album, his bass work providing subtle heft while never standing in the way of the song -- kudos well deserved for Boyd's production as well. ~ Ned Raggett

Product Details

Release Date:	05/06/2003
Label:	Island
UPC:	0042284291521
Rank:	53708

Tracks

1. Time Has Told Me
2. River Man
3. Three Hours
4. Way to Blue
5. Day Is Done
6. Cello Song
7. The Thoughts of Mary Jane
8. Man in a Shed
9. Fruit Tree
10. Saturday Sun

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nick Drake   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Danny Thompson   Guest Artist,Bass
Richard Thompson   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Tristan Fry   Vocals (Background),Vibraphone,Drums
Rocki Dzidzornu   Congas
Clare Lowther   Cello
Kwasi "Rocky" Dzidzornu   Congas,Percussion
Tristam Fry   Drums,Vibraphone
Paul Harris   Piano

Technical Credits

Robert Kirby   String Arrangements,Bass Arrangement,Arranger
Joe Boyd   Re-Release Producer,Producer
Keith Morris   Photography
Simon Heyworth   Mastering
John Wood   Supervisor,Engineer,Remastering
Cally   Design,Art Direction,Coordination
Harry Robinson   Arranger
Nick Drake   Composer
Stella MacPherson   Lyric Transcription