Search - Various Artists :: Sing a Song for You: Tribute to Tim Buckley

With source material like this, how can you go wrong? Like Nick Drake, Tim Buckley had a body of work that survived not only the ignominy of commercial oversight but also his own untimely death to live on in the imagination and influence of a new generation of artists and music lovers. The fruit of that influence is realized on Sing a Song For You, a two-CD collection of Buckley covers from a wide range of contemporary artists. The holy trinity of Tim Buckley's appeal were his amazing voice, which could swoop its way through multiple octaves; his lyrical strength and formidable songwriting skills; and his incessant experimentation with new forums and formats for his musical vision. Though Sing a Song For You lacks the first of these, it has the last two in mighty doses. Many of the tracks on these two CDs rely on the power of the original songs; others grasp Buckley's improvisatory spirit and recast them in new and startling light. Brendan Perry's (Dead Can Dance) version of "Dream Letter" is sparse and interpretive, riding on Perry's haunting voice. Mike Johnson's "I Woke Up" drops the original's light jazz breeze for a loose and dark arrangement. The Lilys amp up "Strange Feelin'" with a joyful, crazed-rock vibe. Though Sing a Song for You will be of great interest to fans of the collected artists and Tim Buckley aficionados eager to hear his material in alternative settings, those who seek an introduction to Buckley's lyrical might and sweet vocal pyrotechnics should check out his early trilogy of albums, Tim Buckley, Goodbye and Hello, and Happy Sad. --Tod Nelson