Lorca

Tim Buckley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 1992)
• Original Release Date: 1970
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Ada
• ASIN: B000005ISE
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,384 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not as difficult as reviews would have you believe., December 8, 2003

By 

"keefrob" (Yonkers, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lorca (Audio CD)

This album, while a departure from Happy/Sad and Goodbye And Hello, isn't as difficult as some people would have you believe (from reading 30-year-old reviews by people who just didn't get it and believing that those reviews are gospel without actually bothering to listen to the songs and figure them out first).

For instance -- the first two songs (the first side on the original vinyl) are *not* free-form. "Lorca" has verses, and is based on a descending pattern in 5/4 where the minor key and the locrian mode on the same root are played off of each other throughout the first eight minutes of the song, in a droning mode. Nifty pun there -- "Lorca" with the locrian mode. It's not hard to follow once you figure out where the actual verses are, and once you do, it seems a lot shorter than it is.

"Anonymous Proposition" actually has a proper chord progression, but it sounds like the gestures moving from chord to chord are scripted (much like so called "freedom jazz" or "fire music"), so that the chord changes are implied. The scripted gestures happen in the voice as well. It's not hard to hear it, and once you figure it out, you will find that this song actually has verses too.

The final three songs *do* continue in the "Happy/Sad" mode, with strummed chords, verses and choruses and hooks, so if you like that stuff, especially the wilder stuff like "Gypsy Woman" this might be up your alley.

All in all -- don't believe the morgue files that tell you this album is "weird", "difficult", etc. Remember that the people who originally wrote those reviews didn't know how to comprehend the musical language that Buckley was speaking on the first side, what with "Lorca"'s polytonality and "Anonymous Proposition"'s gesture based structure. In fact this record would be a fine way to demonstrate how "fire music" or "freedom jazz" works and open up an entire new musical world for you ... and any record that has that sort of power is worth checking out.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tim Buckley - avant-garde contemporary song writing, September 21, 1998

By 

Michel Laverdière [e-mail] (Montréal (Québec)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lorca (Audio CD)

I remember the day I bought this album after listening thousands of time to the Happy/Sad and Blue Afternoon albums. It was a real cultural shock. The Lorca song with its contemporary approach and the exploration Tim Buckley was doing with his voice blew me away. For a young singer in his early twenties, one wouldn't expect such a mature understanding of song writing in avant-garde style as well as in romantic ballads like I Had A Talk With My Woman. Definitely worlds ahead of his time... a timeless musical statement.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE NARROW-MINDED., June 4, 2000

By 

WILLIE A YOUNG II "willow" (Houston, TX.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lorca (Audio CD)

For such a young man Tim Buckley possesed one of the most glorious voices in the history of pop music. His was an instrument capable of stretching far beyond the usual parameters of so-called mainstream pop. Over the course of his brief carrer, Tim did what a true artiste does, grow and evolve, and at the expense of true commercial success, follow his muse. The five pieces presented in this stunning song cycle are innovative and beautiful, yet sad and extremely haunting. The almost 10-minute title track is a careening, twisting, disturbing journey into the heart of a man totally obsessed with his love and devotion to his woman ('let her be your blood, don't feel ashamed, she's your home, when no one wants you'.), and his belief in the redemptive power of that love,('she'll give you life, when you're so tired.) "Anonymous Proposition" is yet another tour-de-force performance highlighted by some great upright bass playing. Not every song on "Lorca" is a slow moan-along, "I Had A Talk With My Woman" is a sprightly acoustic guitar based ballad and sports the albums' prettiest melody and more of Tim's shivery vocals. "Driftin'" is the darkest section of the record, with it's thin sounding mix and disquieting lyrics, it works to chilling effect. The closer is "Nobody Walkin'" and ends the album on a fairly high note with wailing banshee vocals, hard strummed acoustic guitars and electric piano, it's the fastest song here and a final confirmation that the real artistic center of this work is Tim's remarkable voice. Fans of light, fluffy, easily dismissable radio trash will be barking up the wrong tree if they expect more of the same from this LP. This is music without boundaries and not for the narrow-minded, this is one man's pain, insecurity and joy turned into brilliant art. If you're not familiar with Tim Buckley's work, I believe this is a great place to start. It may take quite a few listens before it really starts to unfold, but your patience will be handsomely rewarded. OPEN YOUR MIND AND HEART, YOUR EARS WILL DO THE REST!