British folk-rocker Nick Drake died in 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants. In the brief 26 year of his life, he left behind three albums that earned him a cult following. During his lifetime, the lo-fi singer/songwriter was a reluctant live performer who didn’t get a chance to rise to the level of fame that some of contemporaries like Donovan enjoyed. A few years back, “Pink Moon”, one of Drake’s more popular tunes, was prominently featured in a commercial for Volkswagen’s Cabrio setting off a resurgence of interest in the lost folkie. By the end of the year, you can expect to see a wave of items including an upgraded version of the Fruit Tree box set, a new book and a DVD of the A Skin Too Few documentary hit the shelves in an attempt to re-introduce the music of Nick Drake to a new generation.
The album Family Tree, a compilation of raw homemade recordings made by the young singer/songwriter and members of his family, is meant for serious Drake collectors only. Those looking for an introduction to the artist’s bare melancholy music would do better to start with the albums Bryter Layter or Pink Moon but, once you have familiarized yourself with the ABC’s of Drake, you’ll want to come back to Family Tree. Besides early compositions that he wrote himself, Drake also covers songs from blues master Blind Boy Fuller and obscure American folkie Jackson C. Frank, whose own troubles with depression closely mirrored Drake’s
Though the recordings are far from professional, you can hear doors squeak open and shut and even Drake, himself talking on some of the tracks, there were already signs of a musician in the making. As a singer, Nick Drakes vocals were light and airy and he was already developing his signature gentle lilt and bluesy phrasing. His voice may not have been strong enough to faithfully reproduce the power of the American-based blues tunes that were entrancing and inspiring a generation of young Brits but, he was able to convey the worn down emotion of the music like few others.
Nick Drake was a loner at heart and he was always best singing his own lonesome, yet lovely tunes. His autobiographical song “They’re Leaving Me Behind” is the true treasure of Family Tree though there are other breathtaking moments like his take on the pastoral traditionals “Winter is Gone” and “All My Trials” which he performs with his sister Gabrielle. It’s fitting that the disc’s last song “Try to Remember” is written and performed by Drake’s mother, Molly. While the sad song laments happy times gone past, it can also be taken as a plea for remembrance and recognition of a son and his music gone too soon. |