Personnel: Nick Drake (vocals, guitar); Richard Thompson (guitar); John Cale (viola, piano, celesta, harpsichord, organ); Lyn Dobson (flute); Ray Warleigh (alto saxophone); Paul Harris , Chris McGregor (piano); Dave Pegg (bass instrument); Dave Mattacks, Mike Kowalski (drums); Doris Troy, Pat Arnold (background vocals).
After crafting a debut album full of beauteous, somber chamber-folk, Nick Drake pulled something of an about-face with the follow-up, BRYTER LAYTER. With a bright, sparkling production and orchestrations that occasionally border on Easy Listening, the framework is light and airy where FIVE LEAVES LEFT was dark and foreboding. The key, however, is that Drake's artfully expressed inner turmoil peeks through at every turn in the lyrics and in his understated-but-heartfelt vocal delivery.
"At the Chime of a City Clock" finds Drake facing existential despair at every turn, despite an almost-lugubrious string arrangement. Perhaps the crucial moment of BRYTER LAYTER occurs on "Poor Boy," where female backing vocalists literally mock the singer's anguished laments. Clearly, for as much as Drake's heart and soul were bared in every note of his music, he was self-aware enough to know that his disillusioned-romantic view of the world was one that put him on the fringes of society. Of course, some 25 years later, his early-1970s work would find a much wider audience, even though the initial era of the sensitive singer/songwriter had long since passed.
Professional Reviews
Entertainment Weekly (5/12/00, p.24) - "The exquisiteness of the first album is expanded upon in 'Hazey Jane I', 'Fly' and a genuinely optimistic love song, 'Northern Sky'..." - Rating: B+
Q (1/01, p.95) - Included in Q's "5 Best Re-Issues of 2000".
Q (6/00, p.76) - Ranked #23 in Q's "100 Greatest British Albums" - "...Few songwriters have given such perfect voice to the England of dreaming spires, tea cups and quiet desperation..."
Alternative Press (3/01, p.88) - "...With a voice paradoxically feather-light and grave, [one] of the most beautiful and melancholy albums ever recorded..."
Mojo (Publisher) (7/00, p.99) - "...Certainly the most polished of his catalog....[It[ begins to suggest a whole other tableau of unexplored possibilities....God, how damn confident it all sounds. He knew how good he was..."
NME (Magazine) (9/18/93, p.19) - Ranked #14 in NME's list of The Greatest Albums Of The '70s.
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Reviews
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Nick's last album before passing away, two years later, from an overdose of antidepressants. Often cited as taking his own life many believe he simply didn't know how little of the drug would kill him. Batling with insomnia and depression for much of his life Nick took the drug that took him to help him sleep and was actually back in the studio recording his forth album a ttht eimte of his death. As far as I'm concerended this album is a part of music history a must have for anyone collection. Don't download this albumn, buy the CD and it has pictures of Nicks hand written lyrics for the songs
The second of Nick's three albums. The introduction will grab you from the first note and you will soon realise that this is a man with a musical maturity beyond simple years of life. Perhaps a happier album than Nick’s others the melancholy sadness of the lyrics is counted by his compelling instrumental accompaniment. Nick paved the way for some great artists like Jose Gonzalez so do your self a favour bye all his albums and appreciate one of the beginnings of something great.
Nick Drake is one of the great tragedies of music in the last 50 years. He produced three masterpiece albums, this being the second of which, before he killed himself. This album contains more brilliant tracks written and sung by Drake's deep English voice and also contains some orchestral and instrumental compositions which are brilliant as well. WARNING: If you buy this album you will be compelled to buy his other two albums almost instantaneously.
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