R. Lister | Palo Alto, CA United States | 12/15/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"firstly, I'll admit it - I'm an avid fan of Nick Drake's work - the three studio albums are the most directly emotional and beautifully melodic works I know.a word to the wise, though - I certainly don't recommend this album as a starting point for anyone new to his work - much better to try the well-constructed "Way to Blue" compilation. This collection of offcuts and alternative versions was released to satiate the fans need to have everything that Nick ever committed to tape, so it has none of the coherence and polish of the main three albums. It also spans his entire career, and so there are jarring stylistic differences between the sing-song saccharin of "I was born to love magic" and the death-obssessed whisper of "Black Eyed Dog".still, there's a rare magic in most of these off-cuts which makes it essential from a fan's point of view, and the sparsity and vulnerability of the later recordings is deeply affecting. Like Joy Division's Ian Curtis, Nick Drake converted his fragile mindstate brilliantly into music & words. The earliest work here is relatively weak, hence three stars, but I would still recommend it as the last chapter of a compelling story."
Drake outtakes & home recordings = a great album...
eurotrashgirl | 05/22/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Time of No Reply is an album of studio outtakes and home-recordings that was first released on cd in 1986, as part of the Fruit Tree box set. Drake fans will enjoy the little mistake, complete with a joke and laugh in "Mayfair," the alternate versions of "Man in a Shed" and "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" (both originally found on Five Leaves Left (1969)), and "Fly" (originally from Bryter Layter (1970)). ("Fly" was also seen/heard in the great film The Royal Tenenbaums). The last four songs here were recorded in 1972, two years after the classic Pink Moon album, and were the last songs Drake recorded in a studio ("Rider on the Wheel," "Black Eyed Dog," (as heard in the films Practical Magic, Serendipity and The Good Girl, among others), "Hanging on a Star," and "Voice from the Mountain").Other highlights include the intriguing "Clothes of Sand," (most likely written about Drake's travels in sunny Morroco, where he travelled as a youth with a group of friends, and came across and met and played for none other than the Rolling Stones, at a random restaurant (the group was later mistaken for the Stones when they went to get their car fixed at a nearby mechanic. He didn't want money for the work, only their autographs/photos. Little did he know that (a) not only was it not Mick Jagger and the Stones he was talking to, but (b) the tall, quiet young Englishman in question, complete with guitar, was none other than Nicholas Drake, who would become increasingly famous in his own right as the years went on). Also hinting at these sunny travels is the haunting and pretty "Strange Meeting II." Finally, there is a somewhat down-hearted cover of Robin Frederick's "Been Smoking Too Long." (Fans should check out her website for more on Drake, she has a wonderful original song dedicated to him, called "Sandy Grey," which you can find there).Long-time fans and newbies alike will enjoy this cd, and as with all of Drake's work, I highly recommend it."
Alas Nick, we barely knew ye.
spiral_mind | Pennsylvania | 07/19/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As you've probably read on this page by now, Nick Drake produced some of the most beautiful, touching folk melancholia ever to come out of England (or possibly anywhere else). His entire output consisted of three albums while he lived.. a shame, since we can only wonder what else he might have produced if he hadn't overdosed on antidepressants in 1974. The only answer to that wondering has to be Time of No Reply, an assortment of demos and unreleased tracks dating back to before the beginning of his career. To the faithful this only confirms what was already the consensus: practically everything the man touched was golden. I'm giving this five stars, even though one track is nearly smothered by overdone orchestration and even though the quality of the earliest recordings is pretty bad. No sense skimping over technicalities when the offerings are so wondrous.These songs are carried entirely by Nick's voice and guitar, the exceptions being the string-heavy "I Was Made to Love Magic" and a couple guests spotting "Thoughts of Mary Jane" and "Mayfair." That's it. A few of his earlier tracks suffered from overproduction, but here it's straight from the heart, as pure and (sometimes painfully) honest as possible. He spins out one lovely melody after another seemingly effortlessly, helped all along by his velvety singing voice. The words are simple and yet vivid enough to paint pictures of autumn leaves and bright stars. The music is mostly sad, yes, but it's the kind of sadness that leaves you a little better off for having gone through it.Enough. If you know Drake's music already, chances are you're already hooked. If not, look up Five Leaves Left or the shorter Pink Moon and hear what a treasure you've been missing. There's a compilation (Way to Blue), but this stuff is so addicting that you'll probably just want them all anyway. It's melodic, beautiful and familiar as a friend you've known for years. Don't take my word for it - take a listen for yourself."
A bit short on production, but...
Ralph Jas | Delfgauw, the Netherlands | 02/08/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"... what ripping yarns this man spins! Although Nick Drake died in the early seventies, his music is still alive today. The last four songs on this CD are his last recordings, and I think the track 'Black Eyed Dog' from these four is as haunting as music can get. It sends shivers down your spine and you are almost ashamed to 'listen in' on a man's utter despair. The home recordings lack the brilliance of official releases, but the songs are beautiful enough to make you wish Nick would have been able to record them in a proper studio. Any man that can keep a dry eye while listening to this CD is devoid of human emotions. This CD is not for the newbie, but for anyone who can't get enough of Nick's beautiful songs. Buy and enjoy."
A must have for Nick Drake fans...
B. Bowman | Jersey, United States | 11/28/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This a great collection to have for Nick Drake completists. I will have to say that I agree with the other reviewer who said that this is not a great starting point for those unfamiliar with his work, but for fans of his other work this is essential. Previously unissued studio outtakes like "Joey" and "Clothes of Sand" are unearthed treasures. "Clothes of Sand" is also one of my favorite of Nick Drake's songs; it's haunting lyrics make it sound like an outtake from the "Pink Moon" sessions, although it wasn't. "Joey" contains a slight guitar mistake towards the end (which is why it wasn't released), but overall it too is a great song with a haunting melody. Also noteworthy are the home recordings Nick recorded in 1969 at his parent's home in Tanworth in Arden. "Fly", "Been Smoking Too Long", and "Strange Meeting II" are included from Nick's home tapes. Although they are obviously not of the sound quality of studio recordings, the performances are great. The lyrics to "Been Smoking Too Long" were written by a friend of Nick's, and even though he didn't write them himself it's interesting to hear him sing about drug use. Enough is known about Nick Drake to confirm that he experimented with drugs, but no one really knows how much of a factor drugs were in his increasing depression and withdrawal from others in the last few years of his life. "Strange Meeting II" is not available on other CD's and is a really good song. Another rarity is the lilting "Mayfair" (a studio track), which Nick apparently wrote for his mother Molly. This lighthearted song is really an oddity, as is Nick mumbling a joke about the instrumental break and giggling during the song. The last four songs Nick recorded are the last four songs on this disc, and offer a glimpse into his fragile mental state. Nick openly sings about his depression in "Black Eyed Dog", one of his most haunting songs. His voice doesn't sound as strong on these songs, and I read that in the studio he was unable to play guitar and sing at the same time as he always had in the past and had to record the guitar and vocals separately. Nonetheless, each song is really strong and its a shame that he died before recording the rest of what would have been his fourth album. Overall, this is a really good collection and if you are a fan of Nick Drake it is one you should own."