This album is incredible, one of my favourites for sure. His guitar playing is very understated and subdued, but he’s one of the greatest guitarists I’ve ever heard. It’s virtually impossible to replicate his tone, phrasing, punctuation, perfect timing, odd time signatures etc. His producer (Joe Boyd) said that following his (Nick Drake’s) death, he had hundreds of artists seek him out in the hopes that he could make their guitar playing sound like Nick Drake’s. He said every one of them left dissatisfied, adding that he had nothing to do with how unique Nick’s sound was. He uses a bunch of different, unique tunings that he made up, which he would then staple melodies to in a very unconventional way. It’s crazy how many layered melodies there are in his songs, even after listening to him for years, I still find new intentional nuances and melodies I had never even heard before within all of his music. As a small example, there’s a point in his song “Which Will” on the last vocal line where the tone of his voice fades seamlessly into the tone of his guitar, something I haven’t heard anyone else do. I think with this album in particular, it’s interesting to listen to it through the philosophy of Absurdism, as it almost seems like he’s contemplating the true value of his life and the meaning within it, and whether or not it’s worth living for. When you look at it from that perspective, the lyrics become even more interesting, as almost all of them (especially the more vague ones) have double meanings within the same context (ie. Pink Moon could represent both rebirth and death). It’s also very touching that within that context, he seemed to end the contemplation on an incredibly optimistic, humble perspective/note on life and death. He was a truly phenomenal, one of a kind artist, and I feel like he’s so subtle in his artistry that it often takes a bit of time for him to grow on people (as he did for myself). I think he’s one of those artists whose music just becomes better and better the more you listen to it. I’m rambling at this point lol, but I appreciate this reaction a lot, so thank you. It was nice to hear your perspective : ) Ps, since “Place To Be” was one of your favourites, you’d probably enjoy his fingerpicked, home recorded version of it as well ( th-cam.com/video/rdGrGd3MKII/w-d-xo.html ). I don’t think I could choose one over the other, but they’re both beautiful.
What I get from this album is really an honest take on the perspective that a depressive has on society. In my lowest moments, I have felt like a failure, with a certain distaste for society, feeling like I am owed something from others, and yet a romanticism that I don't quite hold when my mood is up. It's an incredibly self aware, self effacing, and vulnerable album for me to listen to. Brutally honest, with haunting vocals and gorgeous guitar work. Pretty perfect when you're in the right mood if it speaks to you.
Thank you so much for doing this! I know I’m late, but thank you! I don’t know if you know about what happened to Nick, but it’s worth reading about. And if you haven’t already, I really recommend his album Bryter Layter! :) it’s much more upbeat, and uses a lot of orchestration and horns and such!
something worth mentioning: from the morning was the last track written for the album, and the last track he wrote. he played it for his mother before the album came out, and said he could “die happy” because it was his best. he died shortly after
not trying to be rude at all but i just wanna correct this since i'm a bit of a superfan of nick's work, but it was actually a while before he died- he finished recording for pink moon in march of 1971, and didn't die until november of 1974, although the time around when pink moon was recorded is especially notable as one of the last high points of his life before his sharp decline into the depression that killed him. haven't heard that bit about from the morning though- pretty cool if true, i'll have to look into that further! i'll also say since your comment makes it seem like you didn't already know, but pink moon was actually not the last music nick recorded! in july of 1974, just a few months before his death, he went into the studio for the first time since pink moon to begin work on a 4th album, and recorded 5 songs: voices, black eyed dog, rider on the wheel, hanging on a star, and tow the line (we have lyrics to 7 other songs from this time as well, 5 of which would've made up side 2 of the album, although unfortunately none of those were ever recorded as nick died before he could ever return to the studio and complete the album). i definitely suggest giving them a listen since they are among his finest work!
I can say that when I first heard this album, I was pretty underwhelmed after all the talk you hear around it. The short songs gave that feeling of "was that it?" most of the time. But after sitting with it for a while, I put it on and it all clicked. The intimacy and melancholy just stabbed me and now it's one of my favourite records. My personal fav album of his is Five Leaves Left, River Man iand Day Is Done are stunning pieces of music
As special as Pink Moon is, for me Bryter Layter is Nick Drake's best album or at least it's my favourite. I'm all about the beautiful orchestration on that record, it's a very different experience to Pink Moon.
You might enjoy the album "Only Myocardial Infarction Can Break Your Heart" by Matt Elliott. He's a (very) dark folk singer/songwriter, but that's his most approachable album with some almost jolly-sounding (relative to his normal gloom) songs. Very detailed guitar work. Matt Elliott is so gloomy it feels like some dark force unleashed him on the world and you half imagine him leaving a trail of dead audiences in his wake. I think he even apologised for his one album.
you should really try vashti bunyan's diamond day. similar feel but more instrumentation and i believe the same string arranger as nick drake's previous albums
Nick Drake had something very special and unique and warm, he has been one of my best friends for 12 years. I think Five Leaves Left would’ve been the best option to get into Nick, maybe Bryter Layter. Pink Moon feels sad to me, specially towards the end with “from the morning”, being on his headstone makes it more melancholic. And the documentary A Skin Too Few is absolutely beautiful too. I found your reaction to Godspeed You! Black Emperor and this is the second video I watch, I suscribed right when you mentioned The Microphones, haha. So now that’s three of my favorite albums. You should react to Sigur Rós if you don’t know about them. Hugs and high-fives from Mexico City ✌🏽
i can understand that you are not jumping on your seat... but remember that that was recorded in 1972... what is the amount of music that has been played in the while, that you had the chance to listen to but he did not... And how many of the thing that we were able to listen after 1972 was inspired, directly or indirectly, but Nick's music?
PLEASE listen to a record by the microphones. The glow pt 2. Is universally acclaimed, but the album “mount eerie” is so underrated and, frankly, some of the best songwriting I’ve heard
his guitar playing is amazing, he used a lot of strange tunings, i’ve heard that one of the few sets he played he gave up after having to tune so much between songs and ppl talking
Good lyrics come in time. If they were easy it would be country music or story songs. "Often, what is not instantly relatable holds the deepest meaning and value" - Amy Shafer
ALBUM SUGGESTION, idk if u do album suggestions but I got one. U need to react to Songs For The Perfect by Big Consequence. It’s extremely underrated but holy shit it’s like taking an acid trip without LSD, and it’s all one person, one 17 year old kid, his name is Gabriel Krolikowski, The Music is really cool and I think you’ll like it
Okay, yes I am almost 70 years old, old as dirt, but that also means I got to hear Nick's album back in the 70's and played them in the various "alternative" record shops where I worked. EVERY time we played anything by Nick at least one customer would ask about it and invariably buy it. So yes, I'm a HUGE fan and his music has moved me (and others) the many decades since. Nothing ever recorded has sounded like this. You do an INCREDIBLE DISSERVICE to him, his music and frankly, potential fans by slicing up and skipping through the song. You are not the only person that is guilty of this and I have turned them off immediately as well. This is precisely one of the reasons many young people today feed into the notion that they have VERY limited attention spans. Okay, yes, I sound like the old man yelling at the sea in the middle of the night. So be it........
COMPLETELY UNRELATED but you should probably check out autechre's elseq 1-5, its long but fucking amazing and i have very visceral (in a good way) reactions to pretty much every track
![[UNCUT] The Loyal Pin ปิ่นภักดิ์ EP.4 (4/4)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/d3l5rxl5CVo/mqdefault.jpg)
The most beautiful sadness is Nick Drake
This album is incredible, one of my favourites for sure. His guitar playing is very understated and subdued, but he’s one of the greatest guitarists I’ve ever heard. It’s virtually impossible to replicate his tone, phrasing, punctuation, perfect timing, odd time signatures etc. His producer (Joe Boyd) said that following his (Nick Drake’s) death, he had hundreds of artists seek him out in the hopes that he could make their guitar playing sound like Nick Drake’s. He said every one of them left dissatisfied, adding that he had nothing to do with how unique Nick’s sound was.
He uses a bunch of different, unique tunings that he made up, which he would then staple melodies to in a very unconventional way. It’s crazy how many layered melodies there are in his songs, even after listening to him for years, I still find new intentional nuances and melodies I had never even heard before within all of his music. As a small example, there’s a point in his song “Which Will” on the last vocal line where the tone of his voice fades seamlessly into the tone of his guitar, something I haven’t heard anyone else do.
I think with this album in particular, it’s interesting to listen to it through the philosophy of Absurdism, as it almost seems like he’s contemplating the true value of his life and the meaning within it, and whether or not it’s worth living for. When you look at it from that perspective, the lyrics become even more interesting, as almost all of them (especially the more vague ones) have double meanings within the same context (ie. Pink Moon could represent both rebirth and death). It’s also very touching that within that context, he seemed to end the contemplation on an incredibly optimistic, humble perspective/note on life and death.
He was a truly phenomenal, one of a kind artist, and I feel like he’s so subtle in his artistry that it often takes a bit of time for him to grow on people (as he did for myself). I think he’s one of those artists whose music just becomes better and better the more you listen to it.
I’m rambling at this point lol, but I appreciate this reaction a lot, so thank you. It was nice to hear your perspective : )
Ps, since “Place To Be” was one of your favourites, you’d probably enjoy his fingerpicked, home recorded version of it as well ( th-cam.com/video/rdGrGd3MKII/w-d-xo.html ). I don’t think I could choose one over the other, but they’re both beautiful.
Uuuhhh his guitar playing is super complex
What I get from this album is really an honest take on the perspective that a depressive has on society. In my lowest moments, I have felt like a failure, with a certain distaste for society, feeling like I am owed something from others, and yet a romanticism that I don't quite hold when my mood is up. It's an incredibly self aware, self effacing, and vulnerable album for me to listen to. Brutally honest, with haunting vocals and gorgeous guitar work. Pretty perfect when you're in the right mood if it speaks to you.
this album and Five Leaves Left are amazing. Bryter Later is also really great.
Nick Drake was just excellent in general.
It's so beautiful. Keep in mind this was released in 1971. 19 frickin' 71! There was nothing else like this then. It is and will remain timeless.
Thank you so much for doing this! I know I’m late, but thank you! I don’t know if you know about what happened to Nick, but it’s worth reading about. And if you haven’t already, I really recommend his album Bryter Layter! :) it’s much more upbeat, and uses a lot of orchestration and horns and such!
Wooow I love Nick Drake, I'm so glad you reacted to him, this album is perfecttt
something worth mentioning:
from the morning was the last track written for the album, and the last track he wrote. he played it for his mother before the album came out, and said he could “die happy” because it was his best. he died shortly after
not trying to be rude at all but i just wanna correct this since i'm a bit of a superfan of nick's work, but it was actually a while before he died- he finished recording for pink moon in march of 1971, and didn't die until november of 1974, although the time around when pink moon was recorded is especially notable as one of the last high points of his life before his sharp decline into the depression that killed him. haven't heard that bit about from the morning though- pretty cool if true, i'll have to look into that further!
i'll also say since your comment makes it seem like you didn't already know, but pink moon was actually not the last music nick recorded! in july of 1974, just a few months before his death, he went into the studio for the first time since pink moon to begin work on a 4th album, and recorded 5 songs: voices, black eyed dog, rider on the wheel, hanging on a star, and tow the line (we have lyrics to 7 other songs from this time as well, 5 of which would've made up side 2 of the album, although unfortunately none of those were ever recorded as nick died before he could ever return to the studio and complete the album). i definitely suggest giving them a listen since they are among his finest work!
Recorded in two evenings.
Hearbreakingly beautiful yet uplifting for eternity.I can imagine ghost string orchestras in my head.
“Now we rise and we are everywhere” is on his headstone. Great review
the vinyl pressing for this is amazing :) one of my top 5 favorite albums
I love this Nick Drake album but Five leaves Left is my absolute favourite. Keep up the good work, really enjoy your content and album reviews 😎👌
one of my favourite albums ever, breaks my heart and calms me down every time
Great reaction! Please do his other two albums!
Fruit Tree from Five Leaves Left is easily in my top 10 tracks of all time, it’s a great album also.
This album means so much to lot of this people in this comment section.
I’m no different, thank you for the review :)
Great album, great reaction video!
I can say that when I first heard this album, I was pretty underwhelmed after all the talk you hear around it. The short songs gave that feeling of "was that it?" most of the time. But after sitting with it for a while, I put it on and it all clicked. The intimacy and melancholy just stabbed me and now it's one of my favourite records. My personal fav album of his is Five Leaves Left, River Man iand Day Is Done are stunning pieces of music
As special as Pink Moon is, for me Bryter Layter is Nick Drake's best album or at least it's my favourite. I'm all about the beautiful orchestration on that record, it's a very different experience to Pink Moon.
Day is Done moves me to tears and I can’t explain why.
WOW i did not expect you to react to this album :0
I love this. There’s some things about Nick Drake that I think you don’t get, but doesn’t matter. Love that you’re at least
checking him out.
You might enjoy the album "Only Myocardial Infarction Can Break Your Heart" by Matt Elliott. He's a (very) dark folk singer/songwriter, but that's his most approachable album with some almost jolly-sounding (relative to his normal gloom) songs. Very detailed guitar work.
Matt Elliott is so gloomy it feels like some dark force unleashed him on the world and you half imagine him leaving a trail of dead audiences in his wake. I think he even apologised for his one album.
This album was recorded at Nick's home over 2 days.
you should really try vashti bunyan's diamond day. similar feel but more instrumentation and i believe the same string arranger as nick drake's previous albums
Nick Drake had something very special and unique and warm, he has been one of my best friends for 12 years. I think Five Leaves Left would’ve been the best option to get into Nick, maybe Bryter Layter. Pink Moon feels sad to me, specially towards the end with “from the morning”, being on his headstone makes it more melancholic. And the documentary A Skin Too Few is absolutely beautiful too.
I found your reaction to Godspeed You! Black Emperor and this is the second video I watch, I suscribed right when you mentioned The Microphones, haha. So now that’s three of my favorite albums.
You should react to Sigur Rós if you don’t know about them.
Hugs and high-fives from Mexico City ✌🏽
i can understand that you are not jumping on your seat... but remember that that was recorded in 1972... what is the amount of music that has been played in the while, that you had the chance to listen to but he did not...
And how many of the thing that we were able to listen after 1972 was inspired, directly or indirectly, but Nick's music?
I've always preferred his first 2 albums over pink moon, but this album is undeniably sweet.
PLEASE listen to a record by the microphones. The glow pt 2. Is universally acclaimed, but the album “mount eerie” is so underrated and, frankly, some of the best songwriting I’ve heard
I’ve actually already heard them and The Glow Pt. 2 is my favorite album ever :)
@@snowy6301 awesome man you’ve got great taste
his guitar playing is amazing, he used a lot of strange tunings, i’ve heard that one of the few sets he played he gave up after having to tune so much between songs and ppl talking
I like your reactions, you're picking all the good albums too. Please do Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.
00:04-00:07 not very hard to believe, but now you have your chance: enjoy it!😁
Good lyrics come in time. If they were easy it would be country music or story songs. "Often, what is not instantly relatable holds the deepest meaning and value" - Amy Shafer
ALBUM SUGGESTION, idk if u do album suggestions but I got one. U need to react to Songs For The Perfect by Big Consequence. It’s extremely underrated but holy shit it’s like taking an acid trip without LSD, and it’s all one person, one 17 year old kid, his name is Gabriel Krolikowski, The Music is really cool and I think you’ll like it
Okay, yes I am almost 70 years old, old as dirt, but that also means I got to hear Nick's album back in the 70's and played them in the various "alternative" record shops where I worked. EVERY time we played anything by Nick at least one customer would ask about it and invariably buy it. So yes, I'm a HUGE fan and his music has moved me (and others) the many decades since. Nothing ever recorded has sounded like this. You do an INCREDIBLE DISSERVICE to him, his music and frankly, potential fans by slicing up and skipping through the song. You are not the only person that is guilty of this and I have turned them off immediately as well. This is precisely one of the reasons many young people today feed into the notion that they have VERY limited attention spans. Okay, yes, I sound like the old man yelling at the sea in the middle of the night. So be it........
if he put the entire song in the video would get taken down for copyright
Have you ever listened to Doolittle by Pixies?
Yes I have! Fantastic album
You should react to Swans - Soundtracks For The Blind and Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks
Also Caligula by Lingua Ignota
Mostly just ust a guitar and his voice. No major production, very little other instrumentation. Quite a feat to deliver such an affecting album.
Please react to Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want
COMPLETELY UNRELATED but you should probably check out autechre's elseq 1-5, its long but fucking amazing and i have very visceral (in a good way) reactions to pretty much every track
Promo'SM 😥