Jeff Buckley's first (and only while he was alive) full-length album released in 1994 by Columbia records. An ecletic mixture of straight-up rock, indian tablas, dreamy flowing meandering guitars and that beautifully angellic voice of a choir-boy who can sing with real emotion. His voice has been described as similar to Van Morrison's in its amazing range and portrayal of feeling, but is a lot sweeter. For me, it is an album that is always highly emotive and emotional and has helped me through many an ugly breakup with its dwindling and resigned yearnings for love and lost love.
The album starts with the dream-like Mojo Pin, an obvious drug reference, in his own words "a euphenism for a dropper full of smack you stick in your arm". The floating, fluid guitar lines create a smack-dream-like atmosphere as his delicate voice floats atop. The song builds to a Led-Zeppelin-like crescendo as Buckley wails over the top. With lyrics such as "touch my skin to keep me whole" we realise from the onset that he is a deeply passionate and spiritual lover, and sets the ethereal and achingly lovelorn tone present through much of the album.
The next track, Grace, the true range and raw emotional power contained within his voice are revealed in this soaring track once again dealing with love and loss. It is one of the darker, moodier songs on the album, marking Buckley's penchant for writing and singing about death and sorrow: "And the rain is falling, and I believe my time has come, it reminds me of the pain I might leave behind."
Perhaps his most well-known track is to follow. The only single released off the album, Last Goodbye is a song of breaking up and lost love with a simple acoustic guitar progression overlaid with some lush strings. It also features a very catchy and classic rock bass line. The lyrics are about those feelings we have all felt at some stage during a breakup…like the feeling you get when you realize you’ve seen your lover for the last time, no matter how much you want to see them again. This is sort of the ‘obligatory rock ballad’ of the album, so as such it great, but not the greatest on the album.
Lilac Wine is the first of the cover songs on the album originally performed by James Shelton. Buckley's rendition is quiet and moody, he sings shakily in a voice tinged with pain as simple, quiet guitar chords and strings glide along behind him.
In So Real a haunting flanged guitar swirl in the background as Jeff recalls an outing with a former lover in a yearningly reminiscent tone. The near-breakdown into chaotic noise in the middle of the track represents the frustrated anger one feels shortly after the end of relationship and the wish it was still there.
What follows is perhaps the most spiritual song I have ever heard. This cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is very simple. Jeff and a finger-picked guitar. Very, very effective and intricate guitar work lays the basis for Jeff’s soaring voice to almost bring us to tears. In my opinion, it is even better then the slightly monotonous original version. One of the most powerful moments on the album.
My personal favorite track, Lover, you should've come over is a hopelessly romantic song filled with yearning and lust. Jeff’s lyrics are tender and touching and backed by some very simple yet interesting chord changes. It continues the proclivity of the album towards death and all things somber, as he “looks out on the funeral mourners”. A lot of introspection is also present in the song; the kind you get when you are dumped and ask ‘was it all my fault? What could I have done differently?’ As the song builds to a heart-wrenching crescendo, Jeff wails and pines over the top in a touching and empathetic display of unrequited love (listened to this track a lot after my most recent breakup). Another one of the most powerful songs.
Corpus Christi Carol is a remake of an old hymn by Benjamin Britten. Buckley at his choirboy finest. Another track with just his quivering voice and a simple guitar motif behind it. Perhaps the weakest song on the album (in my opinion), but it still has its place. The angelic, innocent qualities of his voice are displayed in this one.
The most ‘rockingest’ track on the album, Eternal Life is an outburst at all things bad and evil in this world, such as "the man that shot Martin Luther King, World War II, slaughter in Guyana and the Manson murders." A Led Zeppelinesque guitar riff comes crashing down and Buckley wails lines such as “did you really think this bloody road would pave the way for you?” A fine rock tune, but not his best work.
The albums closer Dream Brother features Jeff playing a pulsating tabla amidst a swirling, lucid atmosphere created by the guitars that builds into a dreamy rock song. Very dreamlike and lucid.
Technically, this is a fantastic album. Many original and interesting ideas are put forward. Amazing guitar work, especially when you consider he played most of it while singing at the same time. He combines influences such as Van Morrison, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Led Zeppelin and others just as diverse into a very ecletic mix that is also injected with his own style. There are many interesting chords and chord progressions used throughout the album, such the one present throughout Lover, you should’ve come over. Although perhaps a tad over produced in parts, on the whole the production is great, with swirling string overlays, fluid guitars and solid bass and drums.
But the real strength of Buckley’s work lies in his truly amazing voice. Unequalled by anyone in recent times, the range and power it contains it as times mind-blowing. He goes from almost whispered, shimmering trembles to screaming, howling wails. And it is all packed with emotion. You can hear the pain and desire in his voice. His lyrics are tortured and heartfelt, and we can relate to them. He finds words for feelings we can’t articulate.
A defining album of the 90s.
Technical Notes:
- Produced, engineered & mixed by Andy Wallace
- "So Real" produced by Jeff Buckley, engineered by Clif Norrell, mixed by Andy Wallace
- "Corpus Christi Carol" & "Dream Brother" additional engineering by Clif Norrell
Personnel: