Record Label: Bryter Music/Tsunami Label Group
Genre: Folk
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

Right before the film Garden State came out, I started to get into Nick Drake’s music. Then he had “One of These Things First” on the soundtrack and his popularity skyrocketed even more. I don’t think it was until one of my London vacations when I became a huge fan. I decided to check out “Bryter Layter” on the plane flying over there, and then I couldn’t stop listening to Nick Drake since then. A day doesn’t go by where I don’t listen to at least one of those tracks from that album. Nick Drake was a brilliant folk singer and sadly left this world way to early.

After Nick’s death in 1974, fans began to crave more music from the Drake family. They were hoping the Estate would unveil unreleased material from the vaults. Some hardcore fans would go to the place where Nick lived & died and wanted to know more about him and his music. Drake only released three albums and all this material on “Family Tree” has never been heard before (at least I think?). There has been a lot of bootlegs and other home recordings released, but don’t think any of them had these songs on it. That’s what makes this album so great. The Estate wanted to give fans the proper release with the proper audio quality. All of these songs were recorded before “Five Leaves Left,” which was his first full-length album. The majority of these songs were recorded in the 1960s at his home, and in lo-fi. So if you’re expecting super crisp sound, this isn’t it. But for being recorded on cassettes and reel-to-reel recorders, this material sounds excellent. Unlike Nick’s other albums, “Family Tree” features some of his family singing and playing with Nick. His mother sings “Poor Mum” and “Try To Remember” and his sister Gabrielle sings with her brother on “All My Trials.” Also, Nick Drake tries out some covers of Bob Dylan, Blind Boy Fuller, and Jackson C. Frank. I believe that’s the first time you hear Nick doing someone else’s material. If there is anything that this album tells us, it’s how talented the Drake family was at music, especially how much of a fantastic songwriter Nick was.

Besides the “Family Tree” album, Nick Drake fans will also see the release of an upgraded Fruit Tree Box Set which includes all three studio albums, a new book, and a new documentary DVD called “A Skin too Few.” If you are a fan of Nick Drake’s music like myself, you’ll be a fool not to pick up this album! I’m just curious how much more music is in the vaults because I want to hear more.

Bottom Line: For being dead since 1974, Nick Drake sure recorded a lot of great music in his young age!
Notable Tracks: They’re Leaving Me Behind, Winter Is gone, Strolling Down the Highway, Been Smoking Too Long, Tomorrow is a Long Time, My Baby’s So Sweet
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