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JEFF BUCKLEY Grace (1994) Tracklisting: Mojo Pin/Grace/Last Goodbye/Lilac Wine/So Real/Hallelujah/Lover,You Should've Come Over/Corpus Christi Carol/Eternal Life/Dream Brother Rating (Out of 10): 9 It's hard to avoid the hype surrounding Jeff Buckley. Go into any music store and the Jeff Buckley section will be full to the brim of cds even though he only managed to complete one studio album during his short lifetime. Maybe its the idea that such a talented musician was taken from us so suddenly preventing him from realizing his potential that draws the record companies to release material recorded before his death, or maybe and most probably, they're just cashing in on the myth and sympathy that surrounds his name. The fact that he was extrememly talented as a singer songwriter and musician is indisputable, but the majority of his appeal is undoubtably down to the tragic circumstances of his death. His accidental drowning under the influence of alcohol at the age of 30 mirrors the death of his father, Tim Buckley, in similar circumstances at the age of 28. The incredible amount of romantic sentiment injected into the myth of the two men in undeniable, but there's no doubt that the talent is also there in gallons. 'Grace' is a highly introspective, emotive, evocative album; the sort of thing to go to sleep to after a hard day at work. It is an album that I have heard criticised as being dull and boring; but to say that is to completely miss the quality of emotion and sheer intensity that is the focal point of the album. The opening track 'Mojo Pin' sees Buckley display the vocal talent he inherited from his father. Incredible vocal control and ability to use his voice as an instrument is evident thoughout the entire album. And while Jeff may not have as strong a voice as Tim, the wide range and ability to use different vocal styles to convey different emotions is definitely present. Although tracks such as 'Last Goodbye' and 'Eternal Life' show Buckley's talent as a songwriter, the two most outstanding tracks on the album happen to be covers. J. Shelton's 'Lilac Wine' is an absolutely gorgeous song, and shows off Buckley's vocals to a tee. Indisputably, the piece de resistance of the album is Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. While the original is excellent, Buckley takes it to new heights, turning it into something huge, anthemic and hymn-like. It is a song of such gargantuan nature that it almost overpowers the rest of the album, making the other tracks seem small and insignificant in comparrison. But Buckley has carefully crafted 'Grace' to fit around 'Hallelujah', complimenting it beautifully. With 'Grace', Jeff Buckley definitely managed to leave a huge imprint on the world before his untimely death. Any recordings released posthumously don't quite manage to reach the high level of perfection he gained with 'Grace', and in a way it is a shame that anything else was released at all. It makes you wonder if he would have ever managed to equal it if he had recorded another album. But one thing is for certain, if he were alive he would be considered one of the best singer-songwriters around. And in a way, he still is. Send A Comment BACK TO INDEX BACK TO MUSIC REVIEWS INDEX |
