When Nick Drake died in 1974 with only three albums, a handful of significant gigs, and one interview to his name, few could have predicted that he would posthumously become a legend. Consistently name-checked by musicians and revered by fans around the world, over the years the enigmatic, quintessentially English singer/songwriter quietly became one of rock's paradigmatic cult figures. In view of Drake's near mythical status, it's strange that almost 20 years passed before the release of the first tribute album comprising various artists' interpretations of his songs. Like most homage albums, Brittle Days is a mixed bag combining some inspired and some not-so-inspired work. Some artists here alter Drake's arrangements quite successfully. The Changelings, for instance, give "Riverman" an Eastern feel and the Swinging Swine provide a haunting, string-enhanced makeover of one of Drake's sparse, final recordings, "Voice From the Mountain." Equally successful is the Walkabouts' lazier, more mournful rendition of "'Cello Song." Nevertheless, the finest versions are those that capture the essence of the originals in simple arrangements. Guitar noise-mongers Loop take an uncharacteristically quiet acoustic approach to "Pink Moon," and Clive Gregson infuses "Northern Sky" with his more assertive, soulful voice while his piano does full justice to the moving, hymnal majesty of the song's melody. Unfortunately, many of the adaptations on Brittle Days are forgettable, or perhaps best forgotten. Nikki Sudden savages "Time Has Told Me" in a throwaway, rockist fashion that would have Drake turning in his grave, and Martyn Bates offers a misguided a cappella version of "Know." Given the quality of the material with which the artists were working, Brittle Days is surprisingly uneven. More surprising, perhaps, is the fact that, although both Drake's peers and subsequent generations of musicians have heaped accolades on his work, this album features few prominent names.
1. Changelings - Riverman
2. The High Llamas - At The Chime Of A City Clock
3. Loop - Pink Moon
4. No Man - Road
5. The Walkabouts - Cello Song
6. Shelleyan Orphan - Joey
7. Scott Appel - From The Morning
8. The Times - Fruit Tree
9. Martyn Bates - Know
10. Swinging Swine - Voice From The Mountain
11. Nikki Sudden & The French Revolution - Time Has Told Me
12. Tracy Santa - Fly
13. Clive Gregson - Northern Sky
14. Scott Appel - Hazy Jane
15. R. Stevie Moore - Riverman
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