Live
tribute album from a series of legacy concerts, curated by Drake's
producer Joe Boyd. Features Vashti Bunyan, Robyn Hitchcock, Danny
Thompson and more!
Tribute albums are
quite often hit and miss affairs. The temptation for artists to make
something new of a nigh-perfect back catalogue can occasionally
result in startling re-interpretations. More often than not the
results can do neither the original artist or the re-interpreting one
any favours. Taking too much artistic license with tempo, mood,
lyrics, or covering a song ironically being the worst crimes.
Thankfully there's no
such heinous sins committed here. Way To Blue (The Songs Of Nick
Drake) benefits from being put together with care and taste by
Drake's producer Joe Boyd. Rather than giving each artist a song and
letting them get on with it, this album benefits from being a live
album. It's the culmination of a series of concerts that Boyd has
staged globally over the last few years, the recordings here being
edited highlights from nights in Melbourne and London.
By using a core group
of musicians sympathetic to the nuances and valence of Drake's songs,
along with vocalists that don't copy Drake's singing, the results
show just what a fine songwriter Drake was. It's previously been
difficult to imagine anyone tackling this songbook with any
authority, such was Drake's ability as a performer of his own
material. Somehow through Boyd and his carefully chosen team of
musicians they've cracked it.
With the tempos largely
unchanged and arrangements by both Drake's friend and arranger Robert
Kirby, and the legendary cor anglais player Kate St. John, the cream
of Drake's catalogue is both respectful towards the original versions
as well as highlighting new possibilities. For songs thought of as
quintessentially English, the re-interpretations surprisingly lend
themselves to hints of Americana. Take for instance the gospel
flavour of Krystle Warren's take on Time Has Told Me. Or the sad
pedal steel and harmonica embellishments on Scott Matthews'
impassioned version of Place To Be.
Scritti Politti's Green
Gartside delivers a poignant version of Fruit Tree. Robyn Hitchcock
proves himself again to be a skillful interpreter with his softly
almost psych take on Parasite. Lulac's Zoe Rendell is one of the
major revelations with her icy Things Behind The Sun. Drake's
contemporary Vashti Bunyan adds her distinctive hushed vocals to a
baroque version of Which Will, with strings and harmonium taking the
place of Drake's intricate guitar. Underpinning many of the tracks is
the familiar double bass of Danny Thompson who played on Drake's
original recordings. On the instrumental version of One Of These
Things First, Thompson really gets to shine, cementing his reputation
as one of the finest musicians this country has produced.
On a personal note it
would have been delightful if this album had included a version of
Northern Sky, it being my favourite Nick Drake song. But there again
there's always the hope of it appearing on a volume two. Until then
this will do nicely. An album that's worth your money and then some.
