Nick Drake | WAY TO BLUE: THE SONGS OF NICK DRAKE | CD

Tributee: Nick Drake.
Personnel: Neill MacColl (acoustic guitar); Kate St. John (accordion, oboe); Zoe Rahman (piano); Danny Thompson (double bass); Martyn Barker (drums).
Audio Mixers: Jerry Boys; Joe Boyd.
Liner Note Author: Joe Boyd.
Recording information: Barbican, London (01/10/2010); Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre (01/10/2010); Barbican, London (11/15/2011-11/16/2011); Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre (11/15/2011-11/16/2011).
Photographers: Krystle Warren; Mark Winpenny; Lisa Hannigan; Marilyn Kingwill; Robyn Hitchcock.
Edited down from performances in London, Melbourne, and New York City, the 15 tracks that populate the lovely and inspiring Way to Blue: The Songs of Nick Drake feel far more intimate than the live tag would suggest. Drake's original producer, the venerable Joe Boyd, wanted to recapture the intimacy of Drake's recordings while maintaining the late singer/songwriter's evocative spirit, so any instances of applause have been removed, resulting in a set that feels both wildly unpredictable and incredibly reverent, with highlights arriving via Vashti Bunyan's beautiful, Robert Kirby-arranged rendition of "Which Will," Lisa Hannigan's haunting and spare version of "Black Eyed Dog," and Robyn Hitchcock's kaleidoscopic retelling of Pink Moon's spooky "Parasite." ~ James Christopher Monger

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop
• Released: 04/16/2013