Nick Drake "Pink Moon" - an alternative study

Although a sizeable proportion of his work was released posthumously, Nick Drake's third studio album "Pink Moon" was released two years prior to his untimely death in 1974 owing to a Tryptizol overdose. Word has it that Drake was actually making at least a psychological comeback before the eventuation of what his family maintains was an accident.

a timeless moon...

Nick Drake's Pink Moon is roughly thirty minutes long. It's worth can't be measured in minutes. How does one measure the pure poetry of a young man's last stand. Time can't reflect a sadness darker than the deepest sea. A lone voice and single guitar have never said more. Pink Moon is timeless...

Haunting pieces played on acoustic guitar

Released in 1972, this wonderful (yet short 28'29") album of acoustic music by English singer/songwriter Nick Drake is haunting and sad, yet is also quite hopeful. Based on what I have read, the album was recorded in a mere 4 hours, which was spread across two sessions that each started at midnight and lasted until 2 am. Instrumentation on the album is sparse, and apart from Nick's husky and warm voice, the only instruments used include acoustic guitar (very unusual tunings are used), with rare sprinkles of acoustic piano here and there. Nick's acoustic guitar playing is quite good and alternates folk-like strumming with some virtuosic, right-hand finger picking (some of Michael Hedges quieter, delicate, and less busy pieces come to mind). The piece Know is fairly interesting because it features a repeated four note pattern on the acoustic guitar over which Nick sings - this "minimalist" approach stands in stark contrast to the comparatively more involved playing on the other pieces. A quick glance through the lyrics suggests a lingering sadness and hints of self doubt, although the music itself and the attention that went into crafting each piece suggest that Nick loved his music very much. This remastered CD features pictures of Nick, along with the lyrics and photos of his original notes made during the writing process.Sadly, this was to be his last album before his untimely death in 1974 of an overdose of antidepressants. Other studio albums by Nick Drake include Five Leaves Left (1969) and Bryer Later (1970), which feature a wider variety of instruments and are not as stripped down as Pink Moon. Very highly recommended.