Customer Reviews

Time of No Reply

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

firstly, I'll admit it - I'm an avid fan of Nick Drake's work - the three studio albums are the most directly emotional and beautifully melodic works I know.

a word to the wise, though - I certainly don't recommend this album as a starting point for anyone new to his work - much better to try the well-constructed "Way to Blue" compilation. This collection of offcuts and alternative versions was released to satiate the fans need to have everything that Nick ever committed to tape, so it has none of the coherence and polish of the main three albums. It also spans his entire career, and so there are jarring stylistic differences between the sing-song saccharin of "I was born to love magic" and the death-obssessed whisper of "Black Eyed Dog".

still, there's a rare magic in most of these off-cuts which makes it essential from a fan's point of view, and the sparsity and vulnerability of the later recordings is deeply affecting. Like Joy Division's Ian Curtis, Nick Drake converted his fragile mindstate brilliantly into music & words. The earliest work here is relatively weak, hence three stars, but I would still recommend it as the last chapter of a compelling story.

Time of No Reply is an album of studio outtakes and home-recordings that was first released on cd in 1986, as part of the Fruit Tree box set.

Drake fans will enjoy the little mistake, complete with a joke and laugh in "Mayfair," the alternate versions of "Man in a Shed" and "The Thoughts of Mary Jane" (both originally found on Five Leaves Left (1969)), and "Fly" (originally from Bryter Layter (1970)). ("Fly" was also seen/heard in the great film The Royal Tenenbaums). The last four songs here were recorded in 1972, two years after the classic Pink Moon album, and were the last songs Drake recorded in a studio ("Rider on the Wheel," "Black Eyed Dog," (as heard in the films Practical Magic, Serendipity and The Good Girl, among others), "Hanging on a Star," and "Voice from the Mountain").

Other highlights include the intriguing "Clothes of Sand," (most likely written about Drake's travels in sunny Morroco, where he travelled as a youth with a group of friends, and came across and met and played for none other than the Rolling Stones, at a random restaurant (the group was later mistaken for the Stones when they went to get their car fixed at a nearby mechanic. He didn't want money for the work, only their autographs/photos. Little did he know that (a) not only was it not Mick Jagger and the Stones he was talking to, but (b) the tall, quiet young Englishman in question, complete with guitar, was none other than Nicholas Drake, who would become increasingly famous in his own right as the years went on). Also hinting at these sunny travels is the haunting and pretty "Strange Meeting II." Finally, there is a somewhat down-hearted cover of Robin Frederick's "Been Smoking Too Long." (Fans should check out her website for more on Drake, she has a wonderful original song dedicated to him, called "Sandy Grey," which you can find there).

Long-time fans and newbies alike will enjoy this cd, and as with all of Drake's work, I highly recommend it.

As you've probably read on this page by now, Nick Drake produced some of the most beautiful, touching folk melancholia ever to come out of England (or possibly anywhere else). His entire output consisted of three albums while he lived.. a shame, since we can only wonder what else he might have produced if he hadn't overdosed on antidepressants in 1974. The only answer to that wondering has to be Time of No Reply, an assortment of demos and unreleased tracks dating back to before the beginning of his career. To the faithful this only confirms what was already the consensus: practically everything the man touched was golden. I'm giving this five stars, even though one track is nearly smothered by overdone orchestration and even though the quality of the earliest recordings is pretty bad. No sense skimping over technicalities when the offerings are so wondrous.

These songs are carried entirely by Nick's voice and guitar, the exceptions being the string-heavy "I Was Made to Love Magic" and a couple guests spotting "Thoughts of Mary Jane" and "Mayfair." That's it. A few of his earlier tracks suffered from overproduction, but here it's straight from the heart, as pure and (sometimes painfully) honest as possible. He spins out one lovely melody after another seemingly effortlessly, helped all along by his velvety singing voice. The words are simple and yet vivid enough to paint pictures of autumn leaves and bright stars. The music is mostly sad, yes, but it's the kind of sadness that leaves you a little better off for having gone through it.

Enough. If you know Drake's music already, chances are you're already hooked. If not, look up Five Leaves Left or the shorter Pink Moon and hear what a treasure you've been missing. There's a compilation (Way to Blue), but this stuff is so addicting that you'll probably just want them all anyway. It's melodic, beautiful and familiar as a friend you've known for years. Don't take my word for it - take a listen for yourself.

... what ripping yarns this man spins! Although Nick Drake died in the early seventies, his music is still alive today. The last four songs on this CD are his last recordings, and I think the track 'Black Eyed Dog' from these four is as haunting as music can get. It sends shivers down your spine and you are almost ashamed to 'listen in' on a man's utter despair. The home recordings lack the brilliance of official releases, but the songs are beautiful enough to make you wish Nick would have been able to record them in a proper studio. Any man that can keep a dry eye while listening to this CD is devoid of human emotions. This CD is not for the newbie, but for anyone who can't get enough of Nick's beautiful songs. Buy and enjoy.

This a great collection to have for Nick Drake completists. I will have to say that I agree with the other reviewer who said that this is not a great starting point for those unfamiliar with his work, but for fans of his other work this is essential. Previously unissued studio outtakes like "Joey" and "Clothes of Sand" are unearthed treasures. "Clothes of Sand" is also one of my favorite of Nick Drake's songs; its haunting lyrics make it sound like an outtake from the "Pink Moon" sessions, although it wasn't. "Joey" contains a slight guitar mistake towards the end (which is why it wasn't released), but overall it too is a great song with a haunting melody. Also noteworthy are the home recordings Nick recorded in 1969 at his parents home in Tanworth in Arden. "Fly", "Been Smoking Too Long", and "Strange Meeting II" are included from Nick's home tapes. Although they are obviously not of the sound quality of studio recordings, the performances are great. The lyrics to "Been Smoking Too Long" were written by a friend of Nick's, and even though he didn't write them himself it's interesting to hear him sing about drug use. Enough is known about Nick Drake to confirm that he experimented with drugs, but no one really knows how much of a factor drugs were in his increasing depression and withdrawal from others in the last few years of his life. "Strange Meeting II" is not available on other CD's and is a really good song. Another rarity is the lilting "Mayfair" (a studio track), which Nick apparently wrote for his mother Molly. This lighthearted song is really an oddity, as is Nick mumbling a joke about the instrumental break and giggling during the song. The last four songs Nick recorded are the last four songs on this disc, and offer a glimpse into his fragile mental state. Nick openly sings about his depression in "Black Eyed Dog", one of his most haunting songs. His voice doesn't sound as strong on these songs, and I read that in the studio he was unable to play guitar and sing at the same time as he always had in the past and had to record the guitar and vocals separately. Nonetheless, each song is really strong and it's a shame that he died before recording the rest of what would have been his fourth album. Overall, this is a really good collection and if you are a fan of Nick Drake it is one you should own.

I've recently discovered Nick Drake and when I bought his first album, Five Leaves Left, I never thought I would buy this posthumous release made of all the studio outtakes available from his brief recording career, plus a few home recordings. But after having bought the three "regular" albums, well, I just had to have this one too because his music is so great, both depressing and healing. And this album is as good as the three others. Most of the songs are acoustic ; "I was made to love magic", the only one who actually was arranged with an orchestral backing, is wonderful. Listen to it. Listen to Nick Drake's music.

I really hate the tinsel involved in Nick Drake's first 2 albums. To me these outtakes and Pink Moon stand as the real music of Nick. No cheesy orchestration, just pure guitar and voice. the fact that there is no production actually makes this music better.

My favourite tracks on this posthumous compilation include the title track, I Was Made To Love Magic with its elegant orchestra and the heart-wrenching Fly as his most achingly beautiful song (although I prefer the version on Bryter Layter). For obvious reasons, it calls to mind another melancholy masterpiece, the song Firefly by American Music Club.

This graceful take of The Thoughts Of Mary Jane is embellished by Richard Thompson's electric guitar, but the album's real classic is Black Eyed Dog, a chilling listening experience. It's like a momento mori, the most magical dance of anguish between his voice and the guitar.

Covered by World of Skin on their Ten Songs for Another World album, that version is now available on Swans' Various Failures 1988 - 1992 compilation in all its blood-curdling glory. Overall, Time Of No Reply is a great album, but I prefer Bryter Layter and Five Leaves Left where more instruments create a denser sound. Still, one cannot have too much of Drake's enchanting music.

Everything on this album is incredible, with the exception of Made to Love Magic, which I think has too cheesy of a chorus. Only other complaint is that for a lot of the songs, the acoustic guitar is given a weird chorus effect which I didn't really like, but that's not really a big problem.

The last four songs on the album are probably my favorite of Nick Drake's entire career. It's a shame he didn't get around to finishing an entire 4th album.

Of course it doesn't sound like an album, it sounds like a compilation; an excellent one. Nick Drake could do no wrong. If you don't own any of his albums, buy Fruit Tree. The booklet has his story, pictures, etc.