Nick Drake - 'Magic' (Island)
5/5
By: Toby L
There was a sterling series of lines in 'I Wish', Graham Coxon's promo-tune for his debut-LP, 'The Sky Is Too High', but none more poignant than... 'I wish I could bring Nick Drake back to life...'
His sentiments are echoed by some of the most prestigious names presently parading in popular and alt-music (and motion-picture - perhaps bemusingly, Brad Pitt is soon to be narrating a Radio Two documentary on the musician's affecting career). Yes, Drake's influence extends to the most obscure of avant-garders (would Lambchop or Tindersticks sound quite the way they do if Nicky boy hadn't set the precedent?), right through to the most straight-ahead composer-merchants (REM, for one), and is all the more iconic for it.
Yet, 'Magic' is the first, official Nick Drake single-release - a re-jigging of one of his earliest compositions. Bizarre it should be awarded to us so late on - a mere 34 years after its original recording - but no less beauteous and harrowing is it; Drake's unique hum washing against a plinth of gentle percussion, wistful guitars and mournful piano. It's the very depiction of serenity, where the jerking of a tear has never felt so obligatory, or as joyous.
Artists in this article: Nick Drake
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