NICK DRAKE : PINK MOON
This week is the 40th anniversary of Nick Drake’s third and final album, Pink Moon. It was recorded live in four hours during two midnight sessions in October 1971 at London’s Sound Techniques by the legendary John Wood.
Released on Island Records February 25, 1972, the eleven-track album is only 28 minutes long. But it’s 28 minutes of some of the most graceful, poetic, and introspective music cut to vinyl. Featuring Drake’s intimate vocals and guitar (piano was added to the title track) it is very personal stuff. This is melancholic music to listen to at midnight… And one of my favorite records of all time.
Upon finishing Pink Moon, Drake withdrew from live performance, promotion, and recording, retreating to his parents’ home in rural Warwickshire, England. On November 25, 1974, Drake died from an overdose of amitriptyline, a prescribed antidepressant. He was 26 years old. Nobody flew their flag at half-mast or featured his eulogy on prime time TV that week.
This is one of those “you get it, or you don’t†records. I think it’s more accessible than Astral Weeks by Van Morrison, but not by a whole lot. Never big sellers before or for decades after his death, Drake’s albums have remained in print thanks to Witchseason/Island Records producer Joe Boyd (the man also responsible for championing some amazing records, including Fairport Convention Unhalfbricking and John Martyn Bless The Weather). In 2000 the haunting title track was used in a Volkswagen commercial. Within a month more Drake records were sold than in the previous 30 years.
Here’s how I ranked side one on several pressings of Pink Moon in a recent shootout:
1. -1U Original UK LP: To me this has the least veiled and most natural sounding midrange. Since this album’s sound (like most of Nick Drake’s output) is mostly midrange this is important. This pressing produced the most organic and satisfying long term listening experience for me. Later ‘70’s and later 80’s UK reissues often have the same lacquer number and sound very similar, just cut on thinner vinyl.
2. -3 Original UK LP: This was a surprise in some ways, although it has always sounded good to me. Again it is very natural sounding with excellent high-end extension, although everything is presented on a slightly smaller soundstage than the UK original.
3. Hannibal CD (not the remaster): A little removed from the above but again very natural and engaging.
4. Simply Vinyl LP: Big soundstage, but slightly antiseptic in presentation. However there are no apparent veils and it has a more analog than digital presentation (even if it is rumored to have been sourced from CD).
5. Japanese Universal LP: On first listen, this pressing is very impressive – big, detailed, engaging, but eventually I became aware of a mechanical quality that created problems for my long term listening pleasure.
6. -4U Original 3LP UK Fruit Tree Box LP: Unfortunately this cutting was too veiled for me to enjoy completely.
7. Island Remaster CD: Like the Japanese Universal LP, it is impressive initially, but ultimately failed to satisfy me on repeated listening.
See Randy’s Audio/Music Evaluation System Here.
(Cover Illustration: Michael Trevithick)
(Photograph by Tony Evans, 1971)