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{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
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{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
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| recorded = 1970
| recorded = 1970
| venue =
| venue =
| studio = [[Sound Techniques]], London
| studio = [[Sound Techniques]], [[London]]
| genre = {{hlist|[[Folk music|Folk]]<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Albums |magazine=[[Disc and Music Echo]] |page=19 |date=13 March 1971}}</ref>|[[folk-pop]]<ref>The following sources label the album "folk-pop":
| genre = *[[Folk music|Folk]]<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Albums |magazine=[[Disc and Music Echo]] |page=19 |date=13 March 1971}}</ref>
*[[folk-pop]]<ref>The following sources label the album "folk-pop":
*{{cite web|last=Barker|first=Emily|date=25 October 2013|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 200-101|url=https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-200-101-1426258|access-date=10 October 2020|website=[[NME]]}}
*{{cite web|last=Barker|first=Emily|date=25 October 2013|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 200-101|url=https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-200-101-1426258|access-date=10 October 2020|website=[[NME]]}}
*{{cite web|last=Raggett|first=Ned|title=Pink Moon – Nick Drake {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pink-moon-mw0000315191|access-date=10 October 2020|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>|[[chamber folk]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Terich |first1=Jeff |title=Review: Nick Drake - Tuck Box |url=https://americansongwriter.com/nick-drake-tuck-box/ |website=[[American Songwriter]] |date=21 January 2014 |access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref>}}
*{{cite web|last=Raggett|first=Ned|title=Pink Moon – Nick Drake {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pink-moon-mw0000315191|access-date=10 October 2020|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
*[[chamber folk]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Terich |first1=Jeff |title=Review: Nick Drake - Tuck Box |url=https://americansongwriter.com/nick-drake-tuck-box/ |website=[[American Songwriter]] |date=21 January 2014 |access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref>
*[[folk rock]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Unterberger|first=Richie|author-link=Richie Unterberger|title=Great Moments in Folk Rock: Lists of Author Favorites|website=Richieunterberger.com|url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/turnlists.html|access-date=January 26, 2011}}</ref>
| length = 39:09
| length = 39:09
| label = [[Island Records|Island]]
| label = [[Island Records|Island]]
Line 29: Line 31:
== Content and production ==
== Content and production ==


Like ''[[Five Leaves Left]]'', the album contains no [[solo (music)|unaccompanied]] songs: Drake was accompanied by part of the British [[folk rock]] group [[Fairport Convention]] and [[John Cale]] from [[The Velvet Underground]], as well as [[Beach Boys]] session musicians [[Mike Kowalski]] and Ed Carter.<ref>[https://sfbgarchive.48hills.org/sfbgarchive/2007/09/27/bryter-layter-nick-drakes-gabrielle-drake-sheds-little-light-her-late-sibling/ Bryter layter: Nick Drake's Gabrielle Drake sheds a little light on her late sibling]. ''SF Bay Guardian Online''. 27 September 2007.</ref> Arranger [[Robert Kirby (musician)|Robert Kirby]] says that Drake intended the instrumentals to evoke ''[[Pet Sounds]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=An interview with Robert Kirby|url=http://www.nickdrake.com/Robert_Kirby_Q__A.html|accessdate=22 March 2014}}</ref> Initially scheduled for release in November 1970, with UK promotional copies being sent out at the time, dissatisfaction with the artwork meant that the album was held over into the New Year.<ref name="Drake, Gabrielle 2014"/>
Like ''[[Five Leaves Left]]'', the album contains no [[solo (music)|unaccompanied]] songs: Nick Drake was accompanied by part of the British [[folk rock]] group [[Fairport Convention]] and [[John Cale]] from [[The Velvet Underground]], as well as [[Beach Boys]] session musicians [[Mike Kowalski]] and Ed Carter.<ref>[https://sfbgarchive.48hills.org/sfbgarchive/2007/09/27/bryter-layter-nick-drakes-gabrielle-drake-sheds-little-light-her-late-sibling/ Bryter layter: Nick Drake's Gabrielle Drake sheds a little light on her late sibling]. ''SF Bay Guardian Online''. 27 September 2007.</ref> Arranger [[Robert Kirby (musician)|Robert Kirby]] says that Drake intended the instrumentals to evoke ''[[Pet Sounds]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=An interview with Robert Kirby|url=http://www.nickdrake.com/Robert_Kirby_Q__A.html|accessdate=22 March 2014}}</ref> Initially scheduled for release in November 1970, with UK promotional copies being sent out at the time, dissatisfaction with the artwork meant that the album was held over into the New Year.<ref name="Drake, Gabrielle 2014"/>


== Reception ==
== Reception ==
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}}
}}


Contemporary reviews were mostly positive. In ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]'' Jerry Gilbert called the album "superb" and said, "On their own merits, the songs of Nick Drake are not particularly strong, but Nick has always been a consistent if introverted performer, and placed in the cauldron that Joe Boyd has prepared for him, then things start to effervesce." Gilbert praised the "splendid arrangements" of Robert Kirby, and said that the songs "take time to work through to the listener, with help from the beautiful backing which every track receives".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gilbert |first=Jerry |title=Albums |magazine=[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]] |date=13 March 1971}}</ref> Lon Goddard of ''[[Record Mirror]]'' was also impressed by Drake's guitar technique and Kirby's arrangements, and "Nick isn't the world's top singer, but he's written fantastic numbers that suit strings marvellously. Definitely one of the prettiest (and that counts!) and most impressive albums I've heard ... Happy, sad, very moving."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Goddard |first=Lon |title=Reviews |magazine=[[Record Mirror]] |page=19 |date=20 March 1971}}</ref> "The Disc Panel" in ''[[Disc and Music Echo]]'' stated that Drake "sings his own very personal songs in a strange, deep vaseline voice, probably more suited to crooning, accompanied at times by really funky backing" and called the record "an extraordinarily good hefty folk album".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Albums |magazine=[[Disc and Music Echo]] |page=19 |date=13 March 1971}}</ref> However, Andrew Means of ''[[Melody Maker]]'' described the album as "late-night coffee'n'chat music" and said, "This is a difficult album to come to any firm conclusion on", stating that the reaction depended on the listener's mood and that "the 10 tracks are all very similar – quiet, gentle and relaxing."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Means |first=Andrew |title=Nick Drake – ''Bryter Layter'' |magazine=[[Melody Maker]] |page=16 |date=13 March 1971}} Reprinted in [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-New-Musical-Express-IDX/IDX/History-of-Rock/TheHistoryOfRock1971-OCR-Page-0041.pdf#search=%22drake%22 ''The History of Rock: 1971''] (2016). [[Time Inc.]] p. 41. Retrieved 14 May 2020. Via – World Radio History.</ref>
Contemporary reviews were mostly positive. In ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]],'' Jerry Gilbert called the album "superb" and said, "On their own merits, the songs of Nick Drake are not particularly strong, but Nick has always been a consistent if introverted performer, and placed in the cauldron that [[Joe Boyd]] has prepared for him, then things start to effervesce." Gilbert praised the "splendid arrangements" of Robert Kirby, and said that the songs "take time to work through to the listener, with help from the beautiful backing which every track receives".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gilbert |first=Jerry |title=Albums |magazine=[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]] |date=13 March 1971}}</ref> Lon Goddard of ''[[Record Mirror]]'' was also impressed by Drake's guitar technique and Kirby's arrangements, and "Nick isn't the world's top singer, but he's written fantastic numbers that suit strings marvellously. Definitely one of the prettiest (and that counts!) and most impressive albums I've heard ... Happy, sad, very moving."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Goddard |first=Lon |title=Reviews |magazine=[[Record Mirror]] |page=19 |date=20 March 1971}}</ref> "The Disc Panel" in ''[[Disc and Music Echo]]'' stated that Drake "sings his own very personal songs in a strange, deep vaseline voice, probably more suited to crooning, accompanied at times by really funky backing" and called the record "an extraordinarily good hefty [[Folk music|folk]] album".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Albums |magazine=[[Disc and Music Echo]] |page=19 |date=13 March 1971}}</ref> However, [[Andrew Means (writer)|Andrew Means]] of ''[[Melody Maker]]'' described the album as "late-night coffee'n'chat music" and said, "This is a difficult album to come to any firm conclusion on", stating that the reaction depended on the listener's mood and that "the 10 tracks are all very similar – quiet, gentle and relaxing."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Means |first=Andrew |title=Nick Drake – ''Bryter Layter'' |magazine=[[Melody Maker]] |page=16 |date=13 March 1971}} Reprinted in [https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-New-Musical-Express-IDX/IDX/History-of-Rock/TheHistoryOfRock1971-OCR-Page-0041.pdf#search=%22drake%22 ''The History of Rock: 1971''] (2016). [[Time Inc.]] p. 41. Retrieved 14 May 2020. Via – World Radio History.</ref>


''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'' called the album "certainly the most polished of his catalogue".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Chapman |first=Rob |title=The feast of St Nick |magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |page=99 |date=July 2000}}</ref> ''[[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]]'' called it "[one] of the most beautiful and melancholy albums ever recorded".<ref>{{cite magazine |date=March 2001 |magazine=[[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]] |page=88}}</ref>
''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'' called the album "certainly the most polished of his catalogue".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Chapman |first=Rob |title=The feast of St Nick |magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |page=99 |date=July 2000}}</ref> ''[[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]]'' called it "[one] of the most beautiful and melancholy albums ever recorded".<ref>{{cite magazine |date=March 2001 |magazine=[[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]] |page=88}}</ref>


In his book ''Never a Dull Moment: 1971 – The Year That Rock Exploded'', [[David Hepworth]] described the song "At the Chime of a City Clock" as "the perfect soundtrack for the dispensing of a cup of tea in a polysytrene cup, marrying sound and image in a way that made me unsure whether I was watching a commercial or actually in a commercial".<ref name="Hepworth">{{cite book |last=Hepworth |first=David |author-link=David Hepworth |title=Never a Dull Moment: 1971 – The Year That Rock Exploded |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k3_tCgAAQBAJ|place=New York |publisher=Henry Holt and Company |year=2016 |page=47 |isbn=978-1-62779-399-5}}</ref>
In his book ''Never a Dull Moment: 1971 – The Year That Rock Exploded'', [[David Hepworth]] described the song "At the Chime of a City Clock" as "the perfect soundtrack for the dispensing of a cup of tea in a polystyrene cup, marrying sound and image in a way that made me unsure whether I was watching a commercial or actually in a commercial".<ref name="Hepworth">{{cite book |last=Hepworth |first=David |author-link=David Hepworth |title=Never a Dull Moment: 1971 – The Year That Rock Exploded |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k3_tCgAAQBAJ|place=New York |publisher=Henry Holt and Company |year=2016 |page=47 |isbn=978-1-62779-399-5}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==

In 2000, ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' placed ''Bryter Layter'' at number 23 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 100 Greatest British Albums Ever! |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=165 |date=June 2000 |pages=59–93}}</ref> It ranked at number 14 in ''[[NME]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the Greatest Albums of the '70s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Glitter Ye Not! The Greatest Albums of the '70s |magazine=[[NME]] |date=18 September 1993 |pages=18–19}}</ref>
In 2000, ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' placed ''Bryter Layter'' at number 23 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 100 Greatest British Albums Ever! |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=165 |date=June 2000 |pages=59–93}}</ref> It ranked at number 14 in ''[[NME]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the Greatest Albums of the '70s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Glitter Ye Not! The Greatest Albums of the '70s |magazine=[[NME]] |date=18 September 1993 |pages=18–19}}</ref>


Line 58: Line 59:


In 2003, the album was ranked number 245 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |issue=937 |pages=83–178 |date=11 December 2003}}</ref>
In 2003, the album was ranked number 245 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |issue=937 |pages=83–178 |date=11 December 2003}}</ref>

The guitar Drake holds on the album cover is owned by [[Nick Laird-Clowes]] of [[The Dream Academy]], whose "[[Life in a Northern Town]]" was written as an elegy to Drake.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2024 |title=The Dream Academy's Nick Laird-Clowes talks to SDE |url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/interview/sde-talks-to-the-dream-academys-nick-laird-clowes/ |website=SuperDeluxeEdition |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
⚫
*The cover of the North American version of the 2003 album ''[[Akuma no Uta]]'' by Japanese metal band [[Boris (band)|Boris]] pays tribute to ''Bryter Layter''.
*The song "Fly" was featured in [[Wes Anderson]]'s 2001 film ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]'' and appeared on its [[The Royal Tenenbaums (soundtrack)|soundtrack]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-14 |title=The Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack is the film dork's secret musical weapon |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-royal-tenenbaums-soundtrack-is-the-film-dork-s-secr-1798255439 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=The A.V. Club |language=en}}</ref>
*The song "One of These Things First" was featured in the 2004 film ''[[Garden State (film)|Garden State]]'' and on the [[Grammy Awards|Grammy Award]]-winning [[Garden State (soundtrack)|soundtrack]], compiled by [[Zach Braff]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2004 |title=The Garden State Soundtrack |url=http://www.gardenstatesoundtrack.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060630170620/http://www.gardenstatesoundtrack.com/ |archive-date=30 June 2006 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=gardenstatesoundtrack.com}}</ref> The song was also used in the 2008 film ''[[Seven Pounds]]'' starring [[Will Smith]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Seven Pounds (2008) - Soundtracks - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0814314/soundtrack/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |language=en-US}}</ref>
⚫
*The song "Northern Sky" was featured in the 2001 film ''[[Serendipity (film)|Serendipity]]'', was frequently featured in the [[NBC]] series ''[[This Is Us]]'', and was chosen as a track by [[Sue Perkins]] whilst on [[BBC Radio 4]] programme ''[[Desert Island Discs]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 2017 |title=Desert Island Discs, Sue Perkins |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08x4rzj |access-date=16 September 2018 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>
⚫
*''Bryter Layter'' features prominently in the 2020 novel ''Summer'' by the Scottish author [[Ali Smith]], when the character Grace hears ''Bryter Layter'' ("pretty flute, very 1970s") being played on a cassette machine in a church, leading to a conversation about Nick Drake with the carpenter.


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==

{{track listing
{{track listing
| headline = Side one
| headline = Side one
Line 89: Line 100:


== Personnel ==
== Personnel ==
Album credits adapted from ''Bryter Layter'' liner notes.<ref>''Bryter Layter'' liner notes. Nick Drake. UK: Island Records, 1971. ILPS9134</ref>
Nick Drake performs vocals and guitar, except where indicated otherwise.


* [[Nick Drake]] – vocals <small>(2–5, 7–9)</small>; acoustic guitar; electric guitar <small>(8)</small>
* "Introduction"
*: Nick Drake&nbsp;– guitar
*: [[Dave Pegg]]&nbsp;– bass
⚫
*: [[Dave Mattacks]]&nbsp;– drums
*: [[String instrument|Strings]] [[arrangement|arranged]] by [[Robert Kirby (musician)|Robert Kirby]]
* "Hazey Jane II"
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
*: Dave Mattacks&nbsp;– drums
⚫
*: [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]]&nbsp;– lead guitar
*: [[brass instrument|Brass]] arrangement by Robert Kirby
* "At the Chime of a City Clock"
⚫
*: [[Ray Warleigh]]&nbsp;– [[alto saxophone|alto sax]]
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
⚫
*: [[Mike Kowalski]]&nbsp;– drums
*: Strings arranged by Robert Kirby
* "One of These Things First"
⚫
*: [[Paul Harris (musician)|Paul Harris]]&nbsp;– piano
⚫
*: Ed Carter&nbsp;– bass
*: Mike Kowalski&nbsp;– drums
* "Hazey Jane I"
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
*: Dave Mattacks&nbsp;– drums
*: Strings arranged by Robert Kirby
* "Bryter Layter"
*: Nick Drake&nbsp;– guitar
⚫
*: [[Lyn Dobson]]&nbsp;– flute
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
*: Dave Mattacks&nbsp;– drums
* "Fly"
*: [[John Cale]]&nbsp;– viola and [[harpsichord]]
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
* "Poor Boy"
*: Ray Warleigh&nbsp;– alto sax
⚫
*: [[Chris McGregor]]&nbsp;– piano
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
*: Mike Kowalski&nbsp;– drums
⚫
*: [[P. P. Arnold|Pat Arnold]] and [[Doris Troy]]&nbsp;– backing vocals
* "Northern Sky"
*: John Cale&nbsp;– [[celesta|celeste]], piano and [[Electronic organ|organ]]
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
*: Mike Kowalski&nbsp;– drums
* "Sunday"
*: Nick Drake&nbsp;– guitar
*: Ray Warleigh&nbsp;– flute
*: Dave Pegg&nbsp;– bass
*: Dave Mattacks&nbsp;– drums
*: Strings arranged by Robert Kirby


;Additional musicians
⚫
'''Production'''
* [[Dave Pegg]] – bass <small>(1–3, 5–10)</small>
⚫
* [[Dave Mattacks]] – drums <small>(1, 2, 5, 6, 10)</small>
* [[Robert Kirby]] – string arrangement <small>(1, 3, 5, 10)</small>; brass arrangement <small>(2)</small>
⚫
* [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]] – electric guitar <small>(2)</small>
⚫
* [[Ray Warleigh]] – alto saxophone <small>(3, 8); flute (10)</small>
⚫
* [[Paul Harris (musician)|Paul Harris]] – piano <small>(4)</small>
⚫
* Ed Carter – bass <small>(4)</small>
⚫
* [[Mike Kowalski]] – drums <small>(3, 4, 8, 9)</small>
⚫
* [[Lyn Dobson]] – flute <small>(5, 6)</small>
* [[John Cale]] – viola, harpsichord <small>(7)</small>; celeste, piano, organ <small>(9)</small>
⚫
* [[Chris McGregor]] – piano <small>(8)</small>
⚫
* [[P. P. Arnold|Pat Arnold]] – backing vocals <small>(8)</small>
* [[Doris Troy]] – backing vocals <small>(8)</small>

⚫
;Production
* [[Joe Boyd]] – producer
* [[Joe Boyd]] – producer
* [[John Wood (music producer)|John Wood]] – engineer
* [[John Wood (music producer)|John Wood]] – engineer
Line 158: Line 138:


== References ==
== References ==
⚫
*The cover of the North American version of the 2003 album ''[[Akuma no Uta]]'' by Japanese metal band [[Boris (band)|Boris]] pays tribute to ''Bryter Layter''.
*The song "Fly" was featured in Wes Anderson's ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]''.
*The song "One of These Things First" was featured on the Grammy award-winning [[Garden State (soundtrack)|''Garden State'' soundtrack]], compiled by [[Zach Braff]]. The song was also used in the 2008 film ''[[Seven Pounds]]'' starring [[Will Smith]].
⚫
*The song "Northern Sky" was featured in the 2001 film ''[[Serendipity (film)|Serendipity]]'', is frequently featured in the show ''[[This Is Us]]'' on NBC, and was chosen as a track by [[Sue Perkins]] whilst on [[BBC Radio 4]] programme [[Desert Island Discs]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Desert Island Discs, interview in July 2017|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08x4rzj|accessdate=16 September 2018}}</ref>
⚫
*''Bryter Layter'' features prominently in the 2020 novel ''Summer'' by the Scottish author [[Ali Smith]], when the character Grace hears ''Bryter Layter'' ("pretty flute, very 1970s") being played on a cassette machine in a church, leading to a conversation about Nick Drake with the carpenter.

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


Latest revision as of 08:45, 6 December 2024

Bryter Layter
Studio album by
Nick Drake
Released5 March 1971[1]
Recorded1970
StudioSound Techniques, London
Genre
Length39:09
LabelIsland
ProducerJoe Boyd
Nick Drake chronology
Five Leaves Left
(1969) 		Bryter Layter
(1971) 		Pink Moon
(1972)

Bryter Layter is the second studio album by English folk singer-songwriter Nick Drake. Recorded in 1970 and released on 5 March 1971 by Island Records, it was his last album to feature backing musicians, as his next and final studio album, Pink Moon, had Drake perform all songs solo.

Content and production

[edit]

Like Five Leaves Left, the album contains no unaccompanied songs: Nick Drake was accompanied by part of the British folk rock group Fairport Convention and John Cale from The Velvet Underground, as well as Beach Boys session musicians Mike Kowalski and Ed Carter.[6] Arranger Robert Kirby says that Drake intended the instrumentals to evoke Pet Sounds.[7] Initially scheduled for release in November 1970, with UK promotional copies being sent out at the time, dissatisfaction with the artwork meant that the album was held over into the New Year.[1]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[10]
Pitchfork9.7/10[11]
Q[12]

Contemporary reviews were mostly positive. In Sounds, Jerry Gilbert called the album "superb" and said, "On their own merits, the songs of Nick Drake are not particularly strong, but Nick has always been a consistent if introverted performer, and placed in the cauldron that Joe Boyd has prepared for him, then things start to effervesce." Gilbert praised the "splendid arrangements" of Robert Kirby, and said that the songs "take time to work through to the listener, with help from the beautiful backing which every track receives".[13] Lon Goddard of Record Mirror was also impressed by Drake's guitar technique and Kirby's arrangements, and "Nick isn't the world's top singer, but he's written fantastic numbers that suit strings marvellously. Definitely one of the prettiest (and that counts!) and most impressive albums I've heard ... Happy, sad, very moving."[14] "The Disc Panel" in Disc and Music Echo stated that Drake "sings his own very personal songs in a strange, deep vaseline voice, probably more suited to crooning, accompanied at times by really funky backing" and called the record "an extraordinarily good hefty folk album".[15] However, Andrew Means of Melody Maker described the album as "late-night coffee'n'chat music" and said, "This is a difficult album to come to any firm conclusion on", stating that the reaction depended on the listener's mood and that "the 10 tracks are all very similar – quiet, gentle and relaxing."[16]

Mojo called the album "certainly the most polished of his catalogue".[17] Alternative Press called it "[one] of the most beautiful and melancholy albums ever recorded".[18]

In his book Never a Dull Moment: 1971 – The Year That Rock Exploded, David Hepworth described the song "At the Chime of a City Clock" as "the perfect soundtrack for the dispensing of a cup of tea in a polystyrene cup, marrying sound and image in a way that made me unsure whether I was watching a commercial or actually in a commercial".[19]

Legacy

[edit]

In 2000, Q placed Bryter Layter at number 23 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.[20] It ranked at number 14 in NME's list of the Greatest Albums of the '70s.[21]

It was voted number 306 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[22]

In 2003, the album was ranked number 245 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[23]

The guitar Drake holds on the album cover is owned by Nick Laird-Clowes of The Dream Academy, whose "Life in a Northern Town" was written as an elegy to Drake.[24]

[edit]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Nick Drake

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Introduction"1:33
2."Hazey Jane II"3:46
3."At the Chime of a City Clock"4:47
4."One of These Things First"4:52
5."Hazey Jane I"4:31
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."Bryter Layter"3:24
7."Fly"3:00
8."Poor Boy"6:09
9."Northern Sky"3:47
10."Sunday"3:42

Personnel

[edit]

Album credits adapted from Bryter Layter liner notes.[29]

  • Nick Drake – vocals (2–5, 7–9); acoustic guitar; electric guitar (8)
Additional musicians
Production

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Label Format Catalogue
United Kingdom 5 March 1971 Island LP ILPS 9134
May 1987 CD CID 9134
26 June 2000 IMCD 71

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Drake, Gabrielle, Nick Drake: Remembered for a While, Little, Brown and Company, 2014.
  2. ^ "Albums". Disc and Music Echo. 13 March 1971. p. 19.
  3. ^ The following sources label the album "folk-pop":
  4. ^ Terich, Jeff (21 January 2014). "Review: Nick Drake - Tuck Box". American Songwriter. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  5. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Great Moments in Folk Rock: Lists of Author Favorites". Richieunterberger.com. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  6. ^ Bryter layter: Nick Drake's Gabrielle Drake sheds a little light on her late sibling. SF Bay Guardian Online. 27 September 2007.
  7. ^ "An interview with Robert Kirby". Retrieved 22 March 2014.
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  15. ^ "Albums". Disc and Music Echo. 13 March 1971. p. 19.
  16. ^ Means, Andrew (13 March 1971). "Nick Drake – Bryter Layter". Melody Maker. p. 16. Reprinted in The History of Rock: 1971 (2016). Time Inc. p. 41. Retrieved 14 May 2020. Via – World Radio History.
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  24. ^ "The Dream Academy's Nick Laird-Clowes talks to SDE". SuperDeluxeEdition. 21 February 2024.
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  29. ^ Bryter Layter liner notes. Nick Drake. UK: Island Records, 1971. ILPS9134
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