... Grace is his only completed studio album, but what an album it is! Its influences are incredibly diverse, combining elements of Radiohead (circa The Bends, OK Computer), Led Zeppelin, and Van Morrison, fusing rock, jazz, gospel and folk into an intense musical experience.
Every track on ... Read review
Here's what they say about Jeff Buckley: "He died too young". Here's why they say it: ... more
Grace is simply one of the most amazing things you can do with your ears and a little digitally-encoded disc. He inherited the voice of his father, the legendary Tim ...
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Here's what they say about Jeff Buckley: "He died too young". Here's why they say ... more
it:Graceis simply one of the most amazing things you can do with your ears and a little digitally-encoded disc. He inherited the voice of his father, the legendary Tim Bu...
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Here's what they say about Jeff Buckley: "He died too young". Here's why they say it: ... more
Grace is simply one of the most amazing things you can do with your ears and a little digitally-encoded disc. He inherited the voice of his father, the legendary Tim ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Here's what they say about Jeff Buckley: "He died too young". Here's why they say ... more
it:Graceis simply one of the most amazing things you can do with your ears and a little digitally-encoded disc. He inherited the voice of his father, the legendary Tim Bu...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Here's what they say about Jeff Buckley: "He died too young". Here's why they say ... more
it:Graceis simply one of the most amazing things you can do with your ears and a little digitally-encoded disc. He inherited the voice of his father, the legendary Tim Bu...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Here's what they say about Jeff Buckley: "He died too young". Here's why they say it: ... more
Grace is simply one of the most amazing things you can do with your ears and a little digitally-encoded disc. He inherited the voice of his father, the legendary Tim Buckley--seven octaves, each of them only just enough to cram his big feverish dreams into--but his music was all his own. Think Van Morrison's Astral Weeks on drugs--but then drugs could give some kind of comfort, and there's no comfort in Grace; just constant flux between crippling despair and an almost violent joy. When "Last Goodbye" unfolds it's third different middle-eight of Bollywood strings and Buckley's ecstatic scatting, it's hard to believe an ordinary human could have had a hand in something so extraordinary. --Caitlin Moran
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Advantages: Jeff's amazing voice; great song writing ability; emotionally powerful Disadvantages: absolutely none
...the Mississippi and sadly drowned. Grace is his only completed studio album, but what an album it is! Its influences are incredibly diverse, combining elements of Radiohead (circa The Bends, OK Computer), Led Zeppelin, and Van Morrison, fusing rock, jazz, gospel and folk into an intense musical experience.
Every track on this album is truly amazing, and from the haunting opening of the very first track, Mojo Pin, it’s obvious ... ...Hallelujah. In terms of production, Grace has thankfully been kept raw enough to retain the genuine feel of the music but not so untouched that it shows its age.
The album as a whole is very melodically driven: Buckley is capable of weaving extraordinarily beautiful melodies seemingly from nowhere and nowhere is this more apparent than on the 7 minute epic, Lover You Should’ve Come Over. The gentle opening reveals a soulful, ... more
The world of pop music is filled with good singers capable of holding a decent tune but truly great singers are a very rare phenomenon. However, every now and then, you hear a singer who has the type of voice that reaches deep inside you and seems to speak directly to your soul. For me, Jeff Buckley is just this type of exceptional singer. He possesses a staggering seven-octave range, a falsetto to make Thom Yorke green with envy, and the ability to sweep from rich depths of sound to soaring heights. But great singing isn’t necessarily about having a great voice (though there’s no denying that Buckley does), it’s about truly conveying unflinching emotion through your voice and this is something that Buckley does superbly.
This immense talent makes Jeff’s death in 1997 all the more heartbreaking. After his band had just landed at Memphis airport to record his second album following a long spell of writer’s block, Jeff went swimming in the Mississippi and sadly drowned. Grace is his only completed studio album, but what an album it is! Its influences are incredibly diverse, combining elements of Radiohead (circa The Bends, OK Computer), Led Zeppelin, and Van Morrison, fusing rock, jazz, gospel and folk into an intense musical experience.
Every track on this album is truly amazing, and from the haunting opening of the very first track, Mojo Pin, it’s obvious that this is something special. Buckley’s voice floats, half singing, half whispering, over a gentle guitar before flowing seamlessly through elaborate chord progressions, building to a frustrated and tortured chorus.
While Buckley may be known now principally for his voice, he was originally a guitarist – skills which are reflected superbly here with intricate guitar work. On every track, Buckley’s voice and the guitar take centre stage, a sincere combination that proves equally effective on the rockier tracks like Eternal Life or So Real, and the more introspective tracks like Lilac Wine, Last Godbye, and Hallelujah. In terms of production, Grace has thankfully been kept raw enough to retain the genuine feel of the music but not so untouched that it shows its age.
The album as a whole is very melodically driven: Buckley is capable of weaving extraordinarily beautiful melodies seemingly from nowhere and nowhere is this more apparent than on the 7 minute epic, Lover You Should’ve Come Over. The gentle opening reveals a soulful, soft, pained, vulnerability that truly made my spine tingle. It has the kind of stunning openness that is so beautiful but somehow heartbreakingly sad at the same time. This is far and away the highlight of the album for me, and I’d go as far as to say that no song I’ve ever heard has touched me in the same way as this.
However, while the album is awesome melodically, lyrically it displays a luminous beauty and a sincerity that is rare. It’s hard when listening to the title track, Grace, not to find the lyrics prophetic:
There's the moon asking me to stay, Long enough for the clouds to fly me away, Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die, My fading voice sings of love, But she cries to the clicking of time, of time.
The combination of such poetic lyrics with such hauntingly beautiful music is utterly devastating in its emotional effect.
While Buckley’s own song-writing is superb, the album’s three covers are equally exciting, allowing him the opportunity to really make his own individual stamp on the songs. Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is a fantastic song, but was always marred by Cohen’s rather monotone voice. Jeff Buckley’s recording really brings out the melancholy feel of the song, adding two extra, far darker, verses. The simplistic accompaniment of an acoustic guitar allowing Buckley to really invest emotionally in the song and I have to admit that the first time I heard this, I was reduced to tears. The cover of Elkie Brooks’ Lilac Wine may have been a surprising choice, but is given a gorgeous and intoxicating beauty. I was slightly more doubtful about the recording of Benjamin Britten’s Corpus Christi Carol, suspecting that it was chosen simply as a vehicle to showcase Buckley’s falsetto. However, the effect of Buckley’s voice accompanied by only an acoustic guitar proves devastatingly effective and he transforms the song into a powerful emotional climax.
The album closes with Dream Brother, an Indian infused track which has a similar feel to the opener, Mojo Pin, bringing us full circle. An insistent, throbbing drum beat drives the album to a dreamy, swirling close.
You’ve probably realised by now that I absolutely adore this album. It’s certainly not one that’s got instant appeal; like most great albums it takes time for your appreciation of it to really grow, but it has a beautiful and haunting appeal. It’s not an album to be put on as background music, it demands your full and focused attention, taking you on an emotional journey and leaving you feeling utterly breathtaken. Every track is truly exceptional and it’s easy to see why so many regard this as a modern masterpiece. Although it was released in 1994, it shows no signs of ageing, maintaining a really timeless feel. In fact, I can’t think of an album released since that I would rate more highly. It would be impossible for me not to recommend this album: any self-respecting music fan should have it in their collection (and at around £5 in most shops, it’s the bargain of the year).
Advantages: Buckley's voice is amazing Disadvantages: There can't be more
For years, my former flatmate kept telling me I should listen to “Grace”, the one studio album Jeff Buckley released before his premature demise. For years, I resisted, in much the same way as I have stubbornly resisted her calls to listen to Radiohead and Beck. After all, what I had heard of those I hadn’t enjoyed and if they were symptomatic of her musical tastes, then I could quite happily survive without ever hearing Jeff Buckley.
Another reason ... ...Cobain. Cobain is another musician who dies too young and his music has been revered ever since, despite not actually deserving it. Would we still be talking about Nirvana with such regularity had he still been alive and the band had just split up? Somehow, I doubt it. Knowing that Jeff Buckley had also been taken from us too soon made me wonder if the album really was as good as my flatmate used to tell me or if she was speaking too well of the ...
Soho_Black 05.12.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Grace - Jeff Buckley
Advantages: Jeff Buckley's voice. Disadvantages: none
To me, 'Grace' is one of those albums that can stand the test of time. There is something to love in almost every single song on the album. Jeff Buckley had an amazing voice, ranging easily over 5 octaves, and he put his heart and soul into every song. One of his most famous songs - Hallelujah, deserves a whole review on its own really. The lyrics of this song have been wildly debated, yes, there has even been sites started up, dedicated to talking ... ...I could put the lyrics of the full song on here for you to see for yourself. Although, the credit for the lyrics can not go to Jeff Buckley, as this song was originally written by Leonard Cohen. What Buckley did though, was bring the song to life, sing it with passion and meaning, with only a simple guitar tune to go with it, something Cohen never managed to do in my opinion. The raw emotion that you get from this song is due to the fact that Buckley ...
lizzy8 28.04.2005 (18.06.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Grace - Jeff Buckley
Advantages: Great songs, incredible voice Disadvantages: There was never a second album proper
...If there was any justice, Grace would do just that. It’s not that I don’t like Led Zeppelin; in fact, they’re one of my favorite bands. But Grace is simply majestic.
The first thing you notice is Jeff's voice. You have to hear it to believe it; it’s truly one of the greatest voices in the history of rock. Every note he sings has the sort of soaring quality that even the greatest singers only manage when they sing falsetto. ... ...lovesick nightingale”. “Mojo Pin” opens the album; a dreamy showcase for Jeff’s singing and a great song in itself. But the title track, “Grace”, which comes next, is something else. A soaring chorus and wonderfully melodic guitars are the highlights. Robert Plant of Led Zepp said that this song actually made his hairs stand on end.
The third song, “Last Goodbye”, is quite possibly the greatest thing ...
thegrinder2k 28.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Grace - Jeff Buckley
Advantages: A good mix of covers and original material, some fine singing Disadvantages: I don't dig Eternal Life, not many memorable musical moments
...not the case with Grace (and I'm guessing his studio recordings in general). Jeff Buckley doesn't go for straightforward chords and chord progressions, and some of the song structures are complex, at least for my attention span! I guess there are not that many memorable moments in Grace for me. ...
scream4bruce 23.10.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Grace - Jeff Buckley
Advantages: Lyrically and Musically enchanting Disadvantages: Only one album from one so talented
'Grace'
Label - Columbia.
Released - 1994.
I was reading a magazine article recently about Mark Greaney the lead singer of 'JJ72' who was doing an interview. He was asked who his musical influences were to which he replied Jeff Buckley. Now believe it or not I had never heard of Jeff Buckley until this point but made a mental note and thought no more about it. A few days later I noticed Jeff Buckley again in the sale section of my local record ... ...the magazine article I had read, I decided to buy it not knowing what to expect, parting with a fiver in the process. Was it a fiver well spent or not ??
Before I review the album I ought to give you a little background on the artist himself. Not knowing much about him personally I have been doing a little research and was more than a little surprised at what I found !
Jeff Buckley was the son of Tim Buckley, a legendary sixties folk singer who ...
WormThatTurned 06.02.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Grace - Jeff Buckley
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Grace - Jeff Buckley"
Advantages: Grace, buckley, sensational voice and lyrics, an extra song Disadvantages: Not as good as the anniversary edition, little new appeal
This expanded version of Grace has all the original Grace tracks and "Forget her". It was released 10 years after the original Grace was released, and is veiwed in negative light by Buckley fan's as it was basically put out after the far superiour legacy edition.
The opening track is Mojo pin a track co-written by Gary Lucas and JeffBuckley from there "Songs to no-one 1991-1992" album (which I've reviewed on here). A song with only a lil change in the time from which it was originally written, and it keeps Buckleys' impressive vocals that go from slow soothingly amazing to chasing like a panther through the opening line of the chorus:
"Precious, precious silver and gold and pearls in oyster's flesh"
The song keeps the original lyrics that shoot images into your head right through, a great opening track to a very memorable album ...
Advantages: A must have album, fantastic price Disadvantages: Jeff isn't here to release studio albums rather than live ones
especially when you can never see this guy live for yourself. However mystery white boy has enough to like though I think the Live at L'yompia is a slightly better option in terms of comparisons between the two cds.
Overall, there is now so much material from jeffBuckley out there that without knowing much about it you could easily end up with the music that was only released as a bonus for the fans but not his best work. Grace is the only way to start to look at his music. This package is ideal though the add on live CD is a welcomed bonus. For those who like this they should 'sketches for my sweetheart the drunk', decent recordings of what would have been the follow up to Grace. This album whenever I have recommended it to others it has gone down well so I would do nothing different on here. ...
Advantages: Powerful song structure and the voice of an angel. Disadvantages: Eventually, it comes to an end.
It was the song 'Hallelujah' (a cover of a Leonard Cohen song / poem) that originally got me into JeffBuckley. Since then, I have musically fallen in love with all of Jeff's music.
'Grace' was the only studio album brought out by Jeff himself, who was the only son of cult folk singer / songwriter Tim Buckley. Jeff was determined not to be simply a sum of all of his creative influences (including The Smiths, Led Zeppelin, and Nina Simone), but wanted to create his own unique style, and this breathtaking fusion is present on 'Grace'. From the moving 'Mojo Pin' to the emotion of 'Lilac Wine', and from the heartfelt sigh at the beginning of 'Hallelujah' to the philosophical questions of 'Eternal Life', the album is perfect.
Ten years and one day after the release of the original 'Grace', the re-mastered 10th anniversary edition was ...
Personnel: Jeff Buckley (vocals, guitar, harmonium, organ, dulcimer, tabla); Gary Lucas, Michael Tighe (guitar); Loris Holland (organ); Matt Johnson (vibraphone, drums, percussion); Mick Grondahl (bass); Misha Masud (tabla). With GRACE, his first full-length statement as a bandleader, songwriter-guitarist Jeff Buckley sets out upon a road less travelled, avoiding the safe and predictable in favor of the ecstatic and the personal. Not that such obvious influences as the Beatles and Led Zeppelin have disappeared from this young talent's music. Buckley's voice is an exquisite, malleable instrument, and from his daring vaults into the upper registers to his long, enraptured middle-register ornaments and moans, he suggests the breakthroughs of a young Robert Plant or Van Morrison. Songs like "The Last Goodbye" (with its coy slide intro and ragaish string backgrounds) and "Lover You Should've Come Over" (with its late Beatles harmonies and Edith Piaf vocal ornaments) are powerful evocations of failing relationships ("too young to hold on, and too old to just break free and run"). "Lilac Wine" and "Hallelujah" feature his glassy translucent guitar and poignant vocals in mystical, folkish settings, while "Dream Brother" achieves an almost Doors-like melancholy. Elsewhere, Buckley showcases his new band's power on "Mojo Pin" and "Eternal Life," which draw upon blues imagery and metaphors to create a subtle, hard-rocking atmosphere.
Album Reviews
Q (10/01, p.86) - Ranked #14 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime" Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.55) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's." Q (12/99, p.82) - Included in Q Magazine's "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s." Entertainment Weekly (Spring 2000, p.166) - Ranked #3 in EW's "Top 10 albums of the '90s" Mojo (1/95, p.50) - Included in Mojo's "25 Best Albums of 1994" - "...Audacious, adventurous, often tear-jerkingly beautiful and spiritually rousing, GRACE has it all..." New York Times (1/5/95, p.C15) - Included on Stephen Holden's list of the Top 10 Albums Of '94 - "...The year's most impressive solo debut." Village Voice (2/28/95) - Ranked #23 in the Village Voice's 1994 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll. NME (12/24/94, p.22) - Ranked #21 in NME's list of the "Top 50 Albums Of 1994." NME (8/12/00, p.28) - Ranked #12 in The NME "Top 30 Heartbreak Albums". Rolling Stone (11/3/94, p.101) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...Buckley's got huge ears and an even bigger record collection: He jumbles jazz, R&B, blues and rock references with such apparent nonchalance that he can seem like a showoff..." Spin (10/94, p.111) - Highly Recommended - "...If Buckley continues to evolve in the direction that GRACE indicates, only good things can result..." Musician (11/94, pp.87-88) - "...a faultless expansion of Buckley's solo shows in New York clubs..." Q (9/94, p.98) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...This is no pretty folk LP, it's a powerful album of unlocked emotions, poetry and drama, where ringing guitar and driving drums mix with swaying spartan tenderness and almost awkward rhythmic changes..." Melody Maker (8/13/94, p.34) - Recommended - "...It's a voice that leaps tall buildings in a single bound, smells of sex and Chanel and never stoops to showboating..." NME (8/13/94, p.44) - 9 (out of 10) - "...Just for once, the child of a star looks capable of transcending the family legacy. From here on in, the sky's the limit..." Entertainment Weekly (8/26-9/2/94, p.112) - "...a dreamy and original set of songs....Too good to be true..." - Rating: A+
Titles on disc 1
1.
Mojo Pin
2.
Grace
3.
Last Goodbye
4.
Lilac Wine
5.
So Real
6.
Hallelujah
7.
Lover You Should've Come Over
8.
Corpus Christi Carol
9.
Eternal Life
10.
Dream Brother
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