Music Milestones, 1969: Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left

A singer/songwriter prodigy from the British folk scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Nick Drake failed to find a significant audience such as that of his peers Sandy Denny and Bert Jansch. Drake’s reclusive persona and his aversion to the stage certainly contributed to his commercial failure, which in turn drove him through a downward spiral that may have been the cause of his untimely death. Although Drake’s musical career was short and unsuccessful, he managed to release three landmark records that aged remarkably well and influenced many artists after his demise. Five Leaves Left is the first record released by Drake, and sets the stage for the dramatic and melancholy sound present throughout his scant discography. “Way to Blue” is a song that deals with uncertainty and hope, where Robert Kirby’s string arrangement renders Drake’s voice all the more poignant. In “’Cello Song”, Claire Lowther’s cello and Rocki Dzidzornu’s congas provide a laudatory atmosphere to Drake’s eulogy for a girl. “Fruit Tree” addresses the elusive nature of fame, a subject that would ironically concern Drake’s own path until the end of his short career. “Man in a Shed” is perhaps my favorite track in Five Leaves Left, a bittersweet love song with fine piano and bass accompaniment:

Music Milestones, 1968: The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat

The Velvet Underground were way ahead of the curve in the late 1960s, which helps explain the modest commercial success during their lifetime. However, the Velvets’ following grew over time and they were hugely influential after their demise, becoming a central reference for all the bands that emerged during the punk and post-punk eras. As Brian Eno famously said, their debut record The Velvet Underground and Nico may have only sold 30,000 copies in its early years, but "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band". Indeed, their approach to music, which consisted of adding avant-garde elements to abrasive rock and roll songs, while an oddity in their time, proved truly groundbreaking. Although my favorite record by the Velvets is their debut, I choose White Light/White Heat to review because here they take the experimentation displayed in their first record to new heights. “White Light/White Heat” starts off the record at fervent pace, with a piano line reminiscent of the earlier “I’m Waiting for the Man”. “The Gift” combines Lou Reed’s spoken word piece told in a blank voice by John Cale on the left speaker, with an entertaining instrumental on the right speaker. In “Lady Godiva’s Operation”, the British myth is perverted by a tale of a botched surgery of said legend, accompanied by a very hummable guitar tune. “I Heard Her Call My Name” heralds the arrival of punk and heavy metal music, where Reed’s rabid singing is surrounded by a copious amount of distortion. The record closes with “Sister Ray”, a one-take full-on jam named after Ray Davies of the Kinks. “Here She Comes Now” stands quietly amidst the frenzy in White Light/White Heat:

Music Milestones, 1967: Leonard Cohen – Songs of Leonard Cohen

In my view, Leonard Cohen is first and foremost an accomplished poet and novelist. Indeed, Cohen garnered critical acclaim for his literary work well before delving into music, and was a late bloomer in the 1960’s folk scene. Cohen’s musical path is therefore quite distinct from other singers/songwriters such as Bob Dylan or Simon & Garfunkel, who quickly rose to pop stardom early in their lives. Despite his late musical debut, I think that Cohen made good use of his experience to write songs with greater depth and lyrical quality than those by his peers. Songs of Leonard Cohen is my favorite Cohen record. Here, Cohen’s singing and guitar playing are harmoniously complemented by a string section and backing vocals, which help create a musical environment that perfectly accommodates his masterful lyrics. “Suzanne”, an awe-inspiring song filled with symbolism, opens the record with a mystical tale about an acquaintance of Cohen. “Sisters of Mercy” tells about the so named muses and the wonders that they work upon their subjects. “So Long, Marianne” is perhaps the most upbeat song in the record, albeit in a bittersweet way. In “Teachers”, Cohen seeks teachers of the heart, who turn out to teach love in somewhat cruel ways. “Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye”, a beautiful parting song, should be a fine introduction to Songs of Leonard Cohen: