Various Artists Poor Boy: Songs of Nick Drake
Songlines Recordings
2004
Singer/songwriter Nick Drake passed away 30 years ago, but his time-defying songs have gained their iconic stand only after his early death at only 26 years old. Though he released only three albums during his lifetime (1969's Five Leaves Left , 1970's Bryter Later , 1972's Pink Moon ) and another posthumous compilation ( Time of No Reply , 1986) that contained his final sessions and unreleased material surfaced after his death, his songs defined the gloom and doom era of British folk scene of the early seventies. His songs are still being interpreted by diverse artists such as Lucinda Williams (”Which Will,” Sweet Old World , 1992), Brad Mehldau (”River Man,” Songs: The Art of the Trio, Vol.3 , 1998), Calexico (”Clothes of Sand,” Aerocalexio , 2000) and Andy Bey (again “River Man,” Shades of Bey , 1998), all testifying to the endurance of Drake's legacy.
Poor Boy does not aim to be another nostalgic tribute that supposes to explore the chilling, sad beauty of Drake's songs, as an “icing on the cake,” or matching up Drake's rich musical ideas “in the musical cliches of the moment,” to quote Songlines label head and Poor Boy Producer Tony Reif. Reif wanted to elaborate on Drake's legacy, in order to suggest new perspectives and sometimes even abstractions of these songs, detaching the new interpretations from the bleak original versions, referencing them only briefly and stretching them into new terrains, but always honoring Drake's spirit.
Poor Boy was initiated five years ago after a tribute concert that was held in Vancouver, and this disc presents fourteen interpretations of Drake's songs by local musicians from the lively musical communities of Vancouver and neighboring Seattle, with one exception by Ian Masters (and his Friendly Science Orchestra), who resides in Japan. Some of the artists, like jazz vocalists Kate Hammett-Vaughan and Danielle Hebert or singer Jason Michas, confessed that they only became familiar with Drake's songs after they were asked to contribute to this project. Half of the songs in this tribute are performed by female vocalists, stressing the feminine side in Drake's writing.
The opening song, “Cello Song,” sets the atmosphere. The pure folky vocals of Aiko Shimada are backed by the guitars of Bill Horist, imitating Drake's odd tunings, with programmed pulsating percussion by Tucker Martine. Kate Hammett-Vaughan transforms “Clothes of Sand” and “Poor Boy” into dark jazz standards, abandoning the upbeat bossa nova of the original “Poor Boy” version, and backing pianist Chris Gestrin and bassist Simon Fisk suggest an instrumental free improvisation on themes of “One of These Things First.” Gestrin performs “Three Hours” with singer/songwriter Jason Michas, demonstrating again how Drake's distinct phrasing and the myriad musical influences that he absorbed can enable so many re-interpretations of his songs. The beautiful vocal duet of Robin Holcomb and Veda Hille on “Hanging on a Star” follows the fragility that Michas suggested. Clarinetist Francois Houle elaborates Holcomb and Hille's version of “Road” with a tasteful clarinet collage.
Tony Wilson arranged a 14-minute haunting suite suite with the only original composition here, ”For Nick,” integrating it with themes from Drake's instrumental “Horn,” backed tastefully by Francois Houle on clarinet, Brad Turner on trumpet, Jesse Zubot on violin, Peggy Lee on cello and Dylan van der Schyff on drums and percussion, culminating in a gentle funky performance of the short song “Know” by Danielle Hebert. Ian Masters' seemingly indifferent vocal delivery of one of Drake's soul searching songs, “Parasite,” with spooky background sounds created by Ishigami Kazuya, drains the song from its melancholic sentiment but floods it with unsettling feeling. Singer/songwriter Jesse Sykes performs a dreamy version of “River Man” and multi-instrumentalists Ian Moore and Eyvind Kang transform the original atmospheric “Black Eyed Dog” into an atmospheric Indian raga, with sitar, tremolo guitar and Randal Dunn's loops.
Sometimes it's too cerebral, leaving out other songs that seek such interpretations (”Time Has Told Me,” “Pink Moon” or even “Which Will”), but Poor Boy offers a thought-provoking perspective of Drake's legacy that clearly transcends his era and sometimes even his melancholic image
Aiko Shimada : voice
Bill Horist : acoustic & elecric guitars, electric bass, arrangement
Tucker Martine : programmed percussion
Clothes of Sand
Kate Hammet-Vaughan : voice
Chris Gestrin : piano
Ron Samworth : electric guitar
Simon Fisk : double bass
One of These Things First
Chris Gestrin : piano
Simon Fisk : double bass
Three Hours
Jason Michas : voice
Chris Gestrin : prepared piano & percussion
Jesse Zubot : violin
Filippo Gambetta : accordion
Dylan van der Schyff : drums & percussion
Hanging on a Star
Robin Holcomb : voice, piano
Veda Hill : voice, accodion
For Nick/Horn/Know
Danielle Hébert : voice
François Houle : clarinet
Tony Wilson : electric guitar, arrangement
Brad Turner : trumpet
Jesse Zubot : violon
Peggy Lee : cello
Dylan van der Schyff : drums & percussion
Poor Boy
Kate Hammett-Vaughan : voice
Chris Gestrin : piano
Ron Samworth : electric guitar
Simon Fisk : double bass
Fly
Mike Dumovich : voice, electric guitar
Bill Horist : acoustic guitar
Aiko Shimada : voice
Parasite
Ian Masters : voice, nylon 6-strings guitar, ukelele, taishyogoto, saw
Ishigami Kazuya : flute thing, field, storm, stretched bell, low tone
Road
Veda Hill & Robin Holcomb : voice, piano four-hands
François Houle : clarinet
Things Behind the Sun
Sam Mickens : voice
Bill Horist : acoustic & electric guitar, arrangement
River Man
Jesse Skykes : voice
Tucker Martine : drums & percussion
Laura Veirs : acoustic guitar
Eyvind Kang : viola, double bass
Black Eyed Dog
Ian Moore : voice, sitar, acoustic guitar, tremolo guitar, harmonium
Eyvind Kang : viola, electric bass, piano
Randall Dunn : loops, mix processing
From the Morning
Mike Dumovich : voice, electric guitar
Les alboumes hommages sont trop souvent inégaux. Pire, ils servent parfois de caution à des falsificateurs. Les repreneurs s'imaginent grandir à l'ombre des défunts, s'octroyer des lauriers et se penser en continuateurs d'une oeuvre qui bien souvent les avale.
Pas ici.
L'immense Nick Drake est magnifié.
Et cet alboume est une oeuvre à part entière.
Créative, belle & lumineuse.
Les nombreuses écoutes n'assèchent pas la richesse de cet hommage.
Les multiples écoutes n'arrivent pas à lasser le passant.
Chaudement approuvé. L'émotion pure n'est pas à dédaigner.
3 titres en passant (bonne écoute & surtout soutenez les artistes, achetez les alboumes !)
Cello Song
River Man
Black Eyed Dog
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