Nick Drake Appreciation - Album By Album & All Things Nick Drake*

Wow! That is magical. Hopefully the guy who was banging on recently about hating Nick and his depressing music hears this.

 

Yeah, but...now, go to my post in the "Ten Heroes" list, where I actually list Nick...and admit, he really doesn't belong on my list(!)...yet it starts off with...Scott Appel-!

 

So who has this....worth it? Likely not official?

Nick Drake Complete Home Recordings - Chris Adams

Nick Drake Complete Home Recordings Aug 6, 2019
I looked after Nicks belongings from 93 until 2000. This included Nicks Reel To Reel tape machine and tapes.
Back in 1996 Joe Boyd borrowed the tapes and machine, Boyd released Family Tree and used 20 tracks from these Recordings.
.I worked on the recordings using the latest digital technology, waves IDR ( increased digital resolution ). This process helps bring life to old analogue recordings that will be played back on digital systems.
These recordings are presented in the exact same order as they appear on the tapes and are complete. Some of tracks have several versions, tracks like "Fly" recorded the night that Nick wrote the song, probably early hours of the morning as you can hear the dawn chorus in the background.
I have decided it is time to make these recordings available. There are 52 tracks in total, they have been digitally remastered and available in the studio quality wav files. Using the latest IDR (** Increased Digital Resolution) technology. Crisp and beautiful, if you close your eyes you will think **Nick is in the room with you.

These are the cd's I put the tracks on. I have kept them safe for years.

 

I wonder if this is the same (I have a day gone by)...maybe this is not so HQ. 57 tracks & quite nice. Remastered would be great if it's true, and it seems to have man y different tracks than "a day gone by".

Very tempting.


.

 

I haven't heard Nick's originals of some of these, like "You and The Blossom"...I've only heard Scott Appel's fine cover "Blossom".

Damn! I want this!

 

Isn't Blossom on the official Family Tree CD, or is that a different song?

 

You are right...I just listened to it again. Thanks for the reminder. I am amazed just how beautifully Scott Appel covers this and other Drake tunes.

Blossom (track 6) listen to Nine Of Swords...Bird Flew By is also an amazing cover.

 

Well Ive been re-listening today his albums and I have to reconsider my opinion and maybe apologize for my comments days ago. I was wrong and altered

 

Thank you, Sear, for reconsidering Nick Drake, and I hope we can forget the slightly heated exchanges. Nick Drake fans are rather passionate! As you listen more to Nick, it would be interesting to hear what a relatively "new" fan like yourself thinks as you become more immersed in his music, and which songs or albums you are most taken with.

I always envy first-time listeners to Nick, or the first "wow" moment when Nick sinks into ones soul. Like a first love.

Cheers!
lk

 

Thank you. When was the first time you heard him?

 

I was actually late to the Nick world...2004. I bought the Fruit Tree box and was sold. The documentary "A Skin Too Few"was included; at a mere 47 minutes long, it is one of the best music biographies I've seen.

Watch here:

A Skin Too Few

 

Glad you like his music better now. Takes some doing to go back and reconsider and issue a statement. "Altered" I may use that.

Bought the Way To Blue comp on CD from the long gone shop Driftwood Music in Toronto. That was probably around 1996. Loved it right away. Even at the time I felt pretty ahead of the curve buying it. Can you imagine the mojo you would have had buying his records in the 70s?!

 

I have a friend who did...he was a DJ in California in the 70's and beyond, and discovered him right off. But then he had all kinds of record labels sending him their newest albums for airplay.

 

Keepin' Nick's music alive everyday...

 

Does it worth to buy the 2013 vinyl reissue of FLL?

I own the 2000s CDs and the Heaven in a wildflower 1985 LP

 

I have this one and it s quite good.

Bull Moose. Nick Drake Five Leaves Left

 

That would be a "Yes!"

 

Ordered the wav files... hopefully better quality than previous issues. I’ll share my impressions as soon as I listen to them

 

ok files has been sent my way this morning, currently at work so I have no way of reviewing or comparing to other sources, I don't think there's anything new, some tracks are mistitled, some may be duplicates or alternate versions... and some may be upgrades very useful post I know, a less vague post will follow...

 

Thanks! I’ve had some bootleg copies for a while but always felt like multiple generations away from any real source tapes. I had thought that he had recorded everything onto cassette but it seems there was a reel to reel in the family home

 

mmm, very uneven set, some are slight upgrades, but several tracks are repeated, sometimes with different titles and with slightly different speed. Also, the 1974 tracks are the issued versions, not the alternates already available in lesser quality.
All in all, a bit disappointed...

 

I had a thought that would be the case. I’m certain John (Wood) has these last 1974 sessions as it was only he and Nick present.

Also, as an engineer myself I’m not really convinced by the Waves IDR enhancements - it’s quite a long time ago and quite old technology.

 

Having said this, history (forgive my memory) recalls that Nick’s parents gave tapes to some travellers and fans who visited his family home and I think all these backing tracks, outtakes and rare versions are sourced from a tape that may have been made back in the 80s/90s. Please correct me if I’m wrong

 

on second thought this might be indeed a direct copy of what is available now, slightly better sound on many tracks, but still disappointed for the frequent repettion. As for the 1974 tracks, yes some unissued alternate takes were given to fans by his parents, and are not part of this set. These final takes might also be rough mono mixes which were in Nick's collection...

 

At one point I devoured the various home recordings collections, including Family Tree. Minus one or two instrumental pieces, I still think Family Tree is the best presentation of that material - properly curated and packaged.

And while you might want every note he ever recorded, since there are only three albums and one disc of studio outtakes, I kind of get the “Beatles Anthology” effect from any iteration of the home recordings - it’s all nice but at the end of the day, I’d rather just listen the studio albums.

Not saying they’re bad in any way - his multifaceted talent comes through loud and (mostly) clear. But the officially released albums are so perfect in their realization that even a peek behind the curtain doesn’t do them justice.