TIM BUCKLEY

— First review of this album —

While living In NY for a while and having renewed with pal and lyricist Larry Beckett, Tim hung out at all the folkies' local points and soon got engagements like this one. And we are between the first album's release and the second being a few (my guess is 7) months away from the release of the magnificent G&H. Tim is playing alone here as was still normally the case and his singing is the normal folk kind, but you can hear his unusual power, yet unexplored. So most of this set comes from the debut, but you'll quickly notice four tracks that really stand out from the rest of the set list, stupendous tracks that will propel G&H to national attention.

If tracks like Song for Jainie and What You Do are regulars from his recent debut album, the set features also a bunch of never-heard elsewhere tracks, which were mostly run-of-the-mill stuff tha will never see further work on them past this period. So these 5 curiosities end-up rather deceiving if you were hoping for real gems. Along with the charming Dolphins, the anti- Nam track I Can't See You or No Man Can Find The War, the amazing I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain is certainly one of the stunner of that night, witnessed by a rather small crowd. Sonically speaking, the sound is good considering this sat for almost 40 years on a reel to reel tape. Hardly essential to the Buckley casual fan, but to the enthusiast, no doubt this reissue was 2009's major event.

Lorca is the fifth full-length studio album by American experimental folk rock artist Tim Buckley. Tim Buckley had intentinally begun to explore experimental ideas on this two last albums Happy Sad (1969) and Blue Afternoon (1969) ( mostly on the former) in an effort to move away from his more traditional folk rock roots. With Lorca his transition to an experimental artist is complete. While never denying his roots Tim Buckley takes you on an very different journey with Lorca.

There are only 5 songs on the album, but most of them are pretty long. The album starts with the eerie sounding title track. The most avant garde song on the album. Haunting vocals and experimental use of instrumentation but still with a folky edge. Anonymous Proposition is if possible and even more inaccessible track with Tim Buckley´s fantastic vocals in focus. What he does with his voice in this song is simply amazing. I Had A Talk With My Woman takes us back to more familiar ground with its bluesy folk rock style and the same can be said about Driftin´ ( this one is rather experimental though) and Nobody Walkin´. Great songs but not as experimental in style as the first two songs on the album. As on the previous albums the instrumentation is mostly acoustic and the use of drums is limited. There are a few more electric instruments used on this album than usual though. The main instruments are acoustic and electric guitar, organ, upright bass, electric piano and congas.

The production is excellent. Organic and full of presence. It´s like standing in the room with the band.

If Happy Sad and Blue Afternoon were beautiful melancholic trips, Lorca is the frightingly bad acid trip. It´s dark and emotional, twisted and at time even unpleasant. Tim Buckley really challenged himself on this release and it´s hard to believe that Lorca was actually recorded simultaniously with Blue Afternoon. They share some similarities both the addition of avant garde ideas and experimental vocal styles really set Lorca apart from Blue Afternoon. A 4 star rating is deserved. A very dark and unique album this one.

Blue Afternoon is the fourth full-length studio album by American experimental folk rock artist Tim Buckley. Blue Afternoon was recorded in a very busy 4 week period in 1969, where the very different sounding fifth studio album Lorca (1970) and some material that ended up on the sixth studio album Starsailor (1970), were also recorded. The album was released in the 24th of November 1969 through the Herb Cohen and Frank Zappa owned Straight Records label.

Blue Afternoon is generally considered Tim Buckley´s last folk rock album before he went on to avant garde/ experimental/ jazzy territories. His last album Happy Sad (1969) already showed great changes to his sound with several experimental tracks and a bit curiously Blue Afternoon is actually a much more straight folk rock album than its predecessor. Tim Buckley´s unique and emotional vocals are the center of attention and the instrumentation is pre-dominantly acoustic as usual. The real strength in the music is, in addition to the emotional vocal delivery, the strong melodies. But the clever instrumental performances are also very enjoyable. The most experimental track on the album is the ending song Train. My favorites on the album are the dark and mellow Chase the Blues Away, River and Cafe.

The production is warm and organic. It´s like standing in the room with the musicians.

Blue Afternoon is a great album by Tim Buckley, full of warmth and dark emotions. The fact that Blue Afternoon, in addition to album material enough for one album more, was recorded in just four weeks is also quite the achivement. A 3.5 - 4 star rating is deserved.

Happy Sad is the Third full-length studio album by progressive folk rock artists Tim Buckley. With Happy Sad, Tim Buckley takes a big step away from the commercial folk pop/ rock of his first two albums and enters the world of experimental and progressive folk rock. The basis in the music is still in blues and folk though. A darkness, that was only hinted at on the first two albums, has crept into the songs on Happy Sad. Best examplified in the songs Love From Room 109 At The Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway) and Dream Letter. While those two songs are my favorites on the album all songs are actually of high quality and I really enjoy how this album sounds. The 12:19 minute long Gypsy Woman needs a mention too for its hypnotic and tripped atmosphere. It´s basicly one long jam. The music may seem a bit inaccessible at first listen but the melodies grow and most songs are actually quite simple even though some of them features some great arrangements.

The music is pre-dominantly acoustic. Acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, vibes, marimba and congas are the instrumental foundation. Add to that some electric guitar leads and of course Tim Buckley´s strong and emotional vocals. He is such a powerful and distinct singer. His emotional delivery deeply touches me every time I listen to his performance on this album.

The production is organic and there´s a live feel to the album that´s fascinating.

I´ve been a bit in doubt about what to rate Happy Sad but since it still grows on me with every listen my rating is 3.5 - 4 stars. I like the development in Tim Buckley´s sound since the debut. The first two albums are good but this is where I would start for evidence of innovative and progressive behaviour.

Tim Buckley's debut is absolutely wonderful, his marvelous voice combined with the soft soothing melodies and romantic themes make of this album an very pleasant listening.

Mixing folk with rock n roll, this varies between cheered up song and beautiful ballads with orchestral arrangements and mysterious melodies. This is generally fantastic, Tim's wonderful voice, the music's charm, the mysticism, everything, it's great, but... not prog! in any way... this is simple folk music and doesn't have almost any characteristic of progressive music, so, in general i would give this 4 or 5 stars, but since it is not prog i can't consider this essential for prog music or and addition to prog collection, i give this 3 stars.

Goodbye and Hello is the second studio album from American folk/ rock artist Tim Buckley. I found his debut album rewarding but not really to my taste and I´ll say the same about Goodbye and Hello.

The music is American folk/ rock. It´s dominated by the strong vocals from Tim Buckley and it´s only because of those vocals that this music is interesting. The music isn´t very interesting without the vocals. Compared to the polished debut there are a couple of more interesting tracks on Goodbye and Hello. Carnical Song, I Never Asked to Be your Mountain, the title track and my favorite on the album Pleasant Street needs a mention. Tim Buckley´s vocal performance on the latter is nothing but outstanding. Had all songs on the album been like this I would have given this album a higher rating.

The musicianship is good and as mentioned Tim Buckley´s vocals are outstanding. He sounds like a young Roy Orbinson at times but with a much more varied style.

The production is very professionel and well crafted considering the time when this album was released.

Goodbye and Hello is a step forward from the good but a bit too polished debut album. It seems that there´s a greater freedom to experiment even though Goodbye and Hello is also a very polished folk/pop/rock album for the most part. 3 stars is my rating. I think there´s a lot of promise on this album and I´m gonna look forward to listening to more albums from Tim Buckley.

Changing all the time

Having turned his back on virtually guaranteed success and popularity when he metamorphosed from a folk singer/songwriter to an avant-garde musician, by 1971 Tim Buckley found himself bankrupt and at a personal low. His albums were increasingly obscure, alienating the rapidly diminishing number of fans who stuck with him as he challenged their patience further. Buckley's problems were compounded by an increasing dependency on booze and drugs, although these must have offered temporary immunity from the depressive nature of his broken marriage and estranged son.

Having dabbled briefly with an abortive career as an actor, Buckley decided to have another stab at achieving commercial success, this time through experimenting with a bluesy R&B style rather than reverting to the folk of his early albums. The result is something altogether more upbeat and energetic than we had become accustomed to.

The opening "Move with me" is a southern rock number in the best traditions of The Band and their peers, with a strong brass arrangement and female backing vocals. The song is clearly designed as a potential hit single (lyrics notwithstanding), but it is a highly enjoyable foot-tapper nonetheless. "Get on top" moves deeper into funky territories, the sexually explicit lyrics guaranteeing this would NOT be released as a single. Here, we are a significant distance away from the nearest haven of prog, thus the song will only appeal to those in these parts with a specific diverse musical taste. Fans of the likes of Marvin Gaye for example may well be impressed with what they hear here.

"Sweet surrender" alters the mood again, this time moving us into a more reflective mood with a fine string arrangement. Buckley uses his full vocal range here, causing the song to sound like a duet! "Nighthawkin'" has a bit of the Zappa's to it in the rambling narrative and semi-spoken vocals. "Devil eyes" returns us to the blues rock, the funky jazz rhythm allowing Buckley to improvise vocally. The otherwise bland track includes some nice Booker T like organ.

At a shade over 7 minutes, "Hong Kong bar" is the longest track here. The song is much lighter than the rest of the album, being primarily acoustic. It retains the funky element though, the guitar picking and drawled vocals being of the swamp rock type. The song is more in line with the understated numbers which Buckley presented when he turned his back on his folk roots, but it drags somewhat, especially towards the end.

The album closes with "Make it right", a more commercial and accessible number with a strong Motown like string arrangement.

In retrospect, it is perhaps obvious when listening to this album that Buckley would not find the commercial success he needed though it. Here, he is reaching out to a whole new audience (once again) while potentially alienating those who had stuck with him thus far. Those who enjoy the funky R&B which this album is heavily influenced by may well find this album to be highly enjoyable. Prog fans, and even those who appreciate Buckley's previous works, should however approach with caution.

This is American folk rock artist Tim Buckley´s debut album. It was released through Elektra in 1966. Produced by The Doors producer Paul Rothchild & Jac Holzman this album has a very nice production.

The music is pretty basic folk rock and the big attraction here is Tim Buckley´s distinct Roy Orbinson like vocal style. He has a very impressive voice and if you think of the fact that he was only nineteen when this album was released he has a very mature voice. The music allthough simple and sometimes a bit too greased in string arrangements is actually very enjoyable IMO. The song that stands out the most and the only song on the album which can be deemed progressive is Song Slowly Song. Tim Buckley strays a bit from the simple folk rock format on this song and shows signs that he was much more than your usual folk rock singer. There is a chord progression in I Can´t See you which is also a bit out of the ordinary but you probably wouldn´t consider it progressive.

Tim Buckley is one of those musicians/ persons with a larger than life charisma and it really shines through in his music. He has assembled a great lineup for this album. The drummer is for example Billy Mundi ( Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention).

I had heard about Tim ( and his son Jeff) Buckley before reading about him here on Prog Archives but I never listened to his music. Allthough this album hasn´t convinced me of his genious yet it´s a very enjoyable album and I´ll rate it 3 stars. I´ll most definitely work my way through his discography to search for that genious I can sense is there.

Life's what you make it

No sooner had Tim Buckley started to achieve commercial success with his second album "Goodbye and hello", but he set about seemingly turning his back on everything which had served him well thus far. Any hints on "Goodbye and hello" of Buckley wishing to move on from his folk singer roots were merely skimming the surface of the ambitions he apparently held in other styles.

Part of the reason for the fundamental change in Buckley's style was the departure of his writing colleague Larry Beckett who went off to join the army. Buckley set about recording this album in 1968 (still only 21 years old), although it was not released until 1969. At best, the album received a mixed reception from both the fans, who sought more of Buckley's fine folk songs, and by the record label, who struggled to spot the potential hit singles. The album did find commercial success though, entering the US top 100 albums chart, but history does not record how many of those who bought the album got what they were hoping for.

The first thing we notice about "Happy sad" when comparing it to its predecessors, is the length of the tracks. There are just six songs on the album, two of which are over 10 minutes long. The opening "Strange feelin'" is a melancholy, understated affair, quite unlike anything on the previous albums. According to Lee Underwood, the song was inspired by Miles Davis' "All blues". The following "Buzzin' fly" sounds a bit more familiar, being an older song of Tim's which he adapts here into a 6 minute, relatively upbeat number. Buckley actually sounds rather like Glen Campbell, the song having a slight country twinge. Even here though, the song is extended from the simplistic type of Buckey's first pair of albums, mainly through an adventurous arrangement.

"Love From Room 109 At The Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway)" is the first of the 10+ minute songs. Here, we revert to the moodier, minimalist style, the piece drifting along with Tim appearing to improvise vocally at times. The song is a rather dense affair, which will appeal to those who enjoy the later work of Talk Talk and Mark Hollis (for example). Indeed, the parallels with the way Talk Talk later migrated from their pop foundations to a minimalist band are interestingly similar. The sea sounds were reportedly added to disguise a buzz on the recordings.

"Dream letter" is Tim's more conciliatory approach to his estranged wife, the lyrics being altogether less abrasive than his previous epistle to her "I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain". It is clear here that Tim is now missing his son Jeff considerably. The second of the very long tracks is the 12 minute "Gypsy woman". This is primarily an excuse for a lengthy jam, with little evidence of a strong underlying composition. It has the feel of one of Traffic's long live indulgences, with Buckley adding what sound like made up as you go vocals as an additional instrument. As someone with a general aversion to jazz, it does not rock my boat much at all.

The album closes in more conventional fashion with the short "Sing a song for you". This song is more in keeping with what appeared on the previous albums, and is therefore rather out of place here.

Depending on your perspective, this album is either a fine example of proto prog experimentation, or a self indulgent ramble by a highly talented singer-songwriter. There is no doubt that Buckley's desire to stretch himself was not simply a drug induced fantasy, but a genuine musical ambition. Tim is to be admired for his willingness to turn his back on commercial appeal in order to pursue his vision. The downside is that such a quest does not necessarily result in something that is actually enjoyable. For me, that is where this album largely fails, I simply do not like it.

Yester-days

Tim Buckley lost no time in following up his delightfully straightforward debut, returning to Los Angeles in early 1967 to work with noted producer Jerry Yester. Yester was well versed in the sophisticated pop of bands such as The Turtles, with a keen ear for a strong song. Buckley was already starting to push back against his singer/songwriter, folk troubadour image both visually and in terms of the songs he was writing.

The result was an album which only took a month to record, but which was put together at significant expense and with great attention to detail. At this stage, Buckley still had the full belief of Elektra records behind him, so the inclusion of a 14 piece orchestra and almost unlimited studio time was not an issue for them.

The album opens with an exploding bomb introducing "No man can find the war", an undisguised protest song with lyrics which, although still relevant today, are very much of their time. While the songs are generally similar to those on the first album, the pop elements are already starting to be suppressed, with songs such as "Pleasant street" having a moodier feel. The lead guitar work on the track is more overt, while Buckley flexes his vocal dexterity. "Hallucinations" continues the darker atmosphere, with spacey effects and psychedelic references.

By this time, Tim was already separated from his wife and son (Jeff), a situation reflected in the open lyrics of "I never asked to be your mountain". The main fury of the song though is in Buckley's thrashing of his 12 string guitar. The song conveys the full power and majesty of Buckley's unique voice.

The focal point of the album is the epic (almost) 9 minute title track, which weaves its way through various time signatures and melodies, a song where it seems Buckley has thrown in everything he can think of. In some ways, this is Buckley's "American Pie", but it lacks the catchy chorus of songs such as that, leaving a rather impenetrable ramble through an obscure story. The album closes with the heavenly "Morning glory", with angelic choirs and lush orchestration, lovely song.

While "Goodbye and hello" lacks the immediate accessibility of Tim's debut, it generally remains an album of fine individual songs. The hints are there of the path Buckley would choose to follow, but at this stage he is still largely committed to working with his record label to secure commercial success. Overall, there is a sophistication to the music here which was missing on the first album but both are delightful in their own ways.