Pink Moon

Simply put, this is some of the most intimate and haunting music I've ever heard in my life. It is also one of my favorite albums of all time. I had read an article in 1990 which mentioned one of Nick Drake's songs and piqued my interest in his music. For some reason his name stuck in my head for a few years even though I wasn't able to find any of his CD's in stores at the time. I found "Pink Moon" in a store in 1995 and bought it immediately, excited that I finally found something by Nick Drake. This CD runs about a half hour, and the night that I bought it I literally listened to this album at least 6 or 7 times for what ended up being hours. I just couldn't get over it; his voice so hushed yet so expressive, the otherwordly tunings on his guitar, the impressive and powerful finger picking style evident on each song...it still amazes me today. I really believed at the time (and was probably right) that this was one of the best kept secrets in music, and until the Volkswagon commercial which featured the song "Pink Moon", it was. Nick Drake had struggled with mental illness and depression in the years preceding this release and the lyrics, desperate and depressing as they can be, give an insight into his mind that apparently no one close to him was able to achieve. The surprise is that the end of the album features the more optimistic "From The Morning", which Nick's parents chose to quote on his gravestone. "Pink Moon", an introspective, all acoustic album with no instrumental backing aside from a brief piano solo in the title track, didn't help Drake's already suffering record sales, and his depression increased until his death from an overdose of anti-depressants in 1974. His biography made me more aware of why this album didn't sell more copies until recently, explaining that with bands like Roxy Music dominating the airwaves at the time, "Pink Moon" was not exactly going to take the world by storm and seemed decidedly uncommercial. The fact that this was Nick Drake's final album (out of only three he released) is a sad fact, but thank God this was made. My CD collection is nearing 2,000 and this album has remained one of my top five favorites for the past ten years. Definitely a "desert island" disc.

Like, and not like, ROBERT JOHNSON's Blues, PINK MOON is NICK DRAKE's masterpiece for the fan of Folk Rock, but this record Rocks not, yet is quite Bluesy. The unusual and spare guitar, with NICK DRAKE's unique tuning, is reminiscent of the great American Blues artists like JOHNSON and SKIP JAMES, and yet, it is something else, something other, something more. These short songs are constructed of DRAKE's idiosyncratic guitar and melancholy lyrics that are not quite circular, but softer, more introspective and I'd dare say "organic," and only because NICK DRAKE is so... different. And also because his expressions are all Earthy: morning moon sun stars ...Yet like the Blues, these tunes have deeply personal themes borne of individual pain. Not really Orpheus wooing Eurydice with a guitar (as the Rolling Stone Album Guide calls it) it's more rustic than that, Celtic, but still timelessly dreamy, ethereal, and yes, a bit spooky, PINK MOON is an artist fully realizing his potential and expressing it. Ephemeral, romantic, insidiously charming, alluringly poetic, PINK MOON is the record that music lovers eventually find, will find, should find, in their dreamscape. Unforgettable and indescribable, this soft, lilting record is of a voice not really like anyone you've heard before, and won't hear again, unless you know or have known the dark angel murmuring in your dream night.

Many call this album stark, depressing, and disturbed. Yes, there are elements that are deeply sad, stark, and depressed, but I find most of the music beautiful, haunted, and beguiling. The title track is justifiably a Drake classic, and despite being used in a car commerical, I still love the song. The commercialisation of the song didn't hurt the integrity of it. Drake's music is like that. It's completely in its own universe than nothing can ever damage it. It's so pure and so unique. Nothing can poison it in the eyes of those who love this man's work. This is the most stripped down album Drake ever did. It's just his voice, his guitar, his songwriting, and a touch of piano in the title track. That's all that's really needed. Despite the fact that his other albums have beautiful instrumentation (including appearances by Richard Thompson and John Cale), the stripped down quality of this recording really enhances it. I'm not going to say if this is my favorite Nick Drake album, but ultimately, it doesn't matter with him. All 3 of his albums are so unique and special there's no need to divide them up. They are like chapters in a book, all contributing to the greatness of the man himself. I miss Nick Drake quite a bit, but the albums will remain.

I found this artist quite by accident. He has a unique voice and I love every song that he's recorded I only wish we could have had more music from him. I was only a child when he recorded this music. But I don't know why it just speaks to me. Perhaps my mother played his music when I was a child and I just don't remember it and that's why I like his music now? I did Google his name and learned more about his mother and sister quite the interesting family I don't think his death was a suicide I think it was an accident.. I would love it if they made a movie about his life. I'm sure he's up in heaven giving everyone up there fabulous concerts.

This is a fantastic record and arrived in pristine condition! It’s a fave 👌🏻

Si tenemos que hablar del servicio de amazon, que tal vez sea lo que más le importa a la gente que anda viendo las opiniones, tan solo aclarar que ha sido excelente. Tardó tres días en llegarme, tal y como estaba previsto (a pesar de que siempre me lo habían traído un día antes de la fecha estimada... me tenían mal acostumbrado) muy bien empaquetado y en perfectas condiciones. La edición, simplemente una maravilla. Es un gustazo ver la letra de las canciones escrita por el propio Nick Drake, por no hablar del póster, que agradará con creces a cualquier fan del compositor. La caja del vinilo es magnífica, ya no sólo porque, sin duda, contenga con creces la mejor portada de Nick, sino porque la nueva edición respeta a la original y muestra una calidad impresionante. El vinilo de 180 gr suena también de lujo, gustándome más esta remasterización que la vista anteriormente en "Bryter Layter". El disco en cuanto a contenido supone la despedida final del cantante. A diferencia de sus dos anteriores trabajos, tan sólo contamos con la guitarra y voz de Drake para conmover, enamorar y transmitir tanto con tan poco. Las letras alcanzan aquí el rango más poético del guitarrista a través de una temática triste y reflexiva. Todo para dotar a este disco de una fragilidad sin igual. Poderoso, cautivador y único. Sobran adjetivos para catalogar la que considero la obra maestra del compositor y un obligado indiscutible en cualquier top de la música contemporánea. Mires por donde lo mires, Nick Drake supone el mayor grado de belleza que la música puede alcanzar. Y es en "Pink Moon" en donde se despide. Su final ya lo sabemos todos. Mucho más que recomendable. Imprescindible, y esta edición se agradece mucho.

有難う

Fantastic album well worth it.

Listened 2 this 2day ,got the same RUSH as the first time(JVC QL-7TT,Sumiko Blackbird MC,Sony TA 86B PRE 4phono head,ADCOM GFP-750 PRE,,Direct , ADCOM 555AMP,,PSB STRATUS GOLD spks and record and stylus LAST TREATMENT ... I asked Tony who owned RECORDS ON WHEELS(old school bus used 2 sell vinyl) what was interesting and he slapped this in my hand. Listening @ home I fell in love with this talent ...SO ETHEREAL it blew my sox off ..hot damn ! THIS 180gm slab o vinyl cannot be faulted as beautiful as ever,no ,snap.crackle or pop...nice LP . 2BAD THEY DID NOT COVER THIS GEM WITH A DECENT SLEEVE,CHEAP FINISHED PAPER,GOOD JOB I JUST BOUGHT SOME MOFI... COVER DISTORTED FROM SHRINK WRAPPED 2 TIGHT...2 ME ITS A GOOD BUY REGARDLESS............ addendum: I missed the free download that was included...BUT ... I just read the sticker on the front carefully ... MEA CULPA ... free download of album in four formats ... 2Cool !!! change my recommendation 2 REALLY GOOD BUY !