Drake, Nick: Five Leaves Left

CD, Island 2000 (1970)

Track list: Time Has Told Me - River Man - Three Hours - Way to Blue - Day Is Done - 'Cello Song - The Thoughts of Mary Jane - Man in a Shed - Fruit Tree - Saturday Sun

Five Leaves Left is an album full of beautiful, melancholic folk songs. The arrangements are elegant and where Nick Drake's acoustic guitar is complemented with other instruments, it's done with great effect. Just listen to the dramatic sadness of the strings in "Way to Blue", for example. While I find Drake's later offering, Bryter Layter, a bit better with it's richer sound, Five Leaves Left is a very strong album too. ****