I love Drake's music. He's one of my absolute favorites. But if there's one fly in the ointment for me regarding his music, it's the string arrangements. I generally like them, but sometimes they get to be a bit much, and I long to hear the songs without the strings. Thus, I've created these all-acoustic versions.
As with the "Five Leaves Left" acoustic album, I'm able to make this due to a number of alternate versions of the songs. Four of the performances here are alternate versions done by Drake. Two are officially released ("Bryter Layter" from "The John Peel Session" and "Fly" from "Time of No Reply"), and two are from bootlegs. Five more songs come from stripped down or single channel mixes of the exact same performances as on the official "Bryter Later" album. (Thankfully for this project, there were some extreme stereo mixes with all the strings in just one channel.)
That leaves just one song - "Sunday." The reason I'd delayed posting this album is because I couldn't find a good acoustic version of "Sunday," which is a song with lots of strings and production. Rather than skip the song, or not post this album at all, I've decided on a rather radical solution: I'm using a 2019 cover version of the song that I found on YouTube. This is something I just came across today, by Lior Seker & Naama Shalev, who I presume are merely talented amateur musicians. They perform a flawless version of the song, with one of them playing flute and the other guitar.
Drake's guitar parts were extremely intricate and precise. Since this is an instrumental, in my opinion, it sounds exactly how Drake would have played the song if he'd done it with a flutist and without all the strings. I honestly couldn't have asked for anything more ideal. If you didn't read this text or study the song list, you'd probably never realize it was someone other than Drake playing the song.
If you want to be a purist and keep this to only actual Nick Drake performances, then just remove the last song.
01 Introduction [Instrumental] (Nick Drake)
02 Hazey Jane II (Nick Drake)
03 At the Chime of a City Clock (Nick Drake)
04 One of These Things First (Nick Drake)
05 Hazey Jane I (Nick Drake)
06 Bryter Layter [Instrumental] (Nick Drake)
07 Fly (Nick Drake)
08 Poor Boy (Nick Drake)
09 Northern Sky (Nick Drake)
10 Sunday [Instrumental] (Lior Seker & Naama Shalev)
https://www.upload.ee/files/15111064/NickDr_1970_BryterLaytrAcoustic_atse.zip.html
For the "Five Leaves Left Acoustic" album, I was lucky to find an outtake of the album cover photo session, and I used that for the cover art. I didn't have that luck this time around. I wanted to keep the art to something very similar to the official "Bryter Layter" cover, yet different. In the official cover, Drake's face is obscured by dark shadows. So I used Photoshop to lighten his face, and some of his body, to create my own alternate cover. I also added in the word "Acoustic" just below the album title.
Went looking for acoustic versions of "Bryter Layter" and found this. Great work and prefer the stripped down versions to the original. Thanks very much
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. :)
DeleteHello. I discovered your site a few weeks ago and love what you are doing. Thank you. I bought Bryter Layter in 1971 in the Woolies sale after having heard Hazey Jane I on the Island sampler Bumpers. It is my favourite Nick album and the one I always turn to (except track Black Eyed Dog which I think is stunning). I was reluctant to listen to your version initially. In Joe Boyd's book whitebicyles he says "...is one of my favourite albums, a record I can sit back and listen to without wishing to redo this or that.". But he also adds "... when the album was finished, Nick told me he wanted to make his next record alone - no arrangements, no sidemen, nothing" so it appears Nick might have preferred an acoustic version. Did you notice you changed the track sequence? So I listened to your version a few times and then compared it to my original vinyl rip. I must say I enjoyed it, particularly hearing his breathing on Northern Sky! I wasn't too sure about At the Chime of a City Clock which seemed to still have the strings but the sax at about 1:30 is virtually missing. I love that sax break. Only negative is that Poor Boy & Hazey Jane I sound a bit too thin - are they demos? I'll leave them for a while and try again in a few weeks!
ReplyDeletep.s. love the Richard Thompson albums. I was tidying up my PC music and discovered a download called 'Before Joe could pull the trigger' DIYE46. Seen it?
Thanks again
D'oh! You're right, I did have the songs out of order! I have no idea how that happened. I just fixed it. Thanks a ton for pointing that out.
DeleteSome of these alternate versions aren't perfect, but we're lucky to have any alternates at all.
I haven't heard of that RT album. What's on it?
The back cover says "This CD contains the original tracks of one of Richard's most beloved albums plus as a bonus some rare demo versions and unreleased tracks. But Richard didn't like the product of original producer Gerry Rafferty and did the whole thing all over again by leaving no brick unturned with new producer Joe Boyd. Linda is here sometimes swapping the vocal part with Richard, different instruments were used, lyrics were changed, etc. etc. Enjoy and listen - Make up your own mind and find out which versions you like the most from "Gerry shout out the lights before Joe could even pull the trigger!". This link has some info
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bootlegzone.com/album.php?name=DIYE46§ion=122&login=bitlomanas&pass=9dbb40d076c4df840899d7f16de0f206
Track listing is
Don't renege on our love (5:19) --
Back street slide (4:26) --
Walking on a wire (5:14) --
Listen to the wrong heartbeat (3:09) --
Shoot out the lights (4:58) --
Shame of doing wrong (4:15) --
I'm a dreamer (4:09) --
Modern woman (3:09) --
Just the motion (6:14) --
The wall of death (3:26) --
Jealousy (2:25) --
Love is back for business (2:46) --
How I wanted to (4:33) --
Small town romance (3:36) --
Listen to the wrong heartbeat (3:15) --
Wall of death (3:21) --
Modern woman (3:24) --
Walking on a wire (4:46) --
You need someone (2:40).
I have uploaded the 256 mp3 files to my site at http://http://westhamstats.info/RichardThompson%20-%20Before%20Joe%20could%20pull%20the%20trigger.zip
John
Oh yeah, thanks. I'm familiar with those recordings under the name "Rafferty's Folly." It's interesting to hear the differences, and thanks for the link, but I prefer the versions on "Shoot Out the Lights."
DeletePlease post new link :)
ReplyDeletePaul, hello. In a number of your posts you mention a site and/or app you use for searching/downloading music. What was it please? Thanks, John
ReplyDeleteI've seen him mention 'Soulseek' if that's what you mean ..
DeleteThanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteplease post a new link :)
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteLove what you are doing - but sadly the link didn't work for me - could it need a refrezh?