The music of Nick Drake kind of seeped into my world bit by bit and song by song over the years. Either by compilations or movie soundtracks or journalists writing pieces about his work. But it was a recording of Northern Sky by Anna Burley of the Killjoys that really piqued my interest and got me to buy this album, Anna's version is brilliant and I'm still playing her recording God knows how many years since my friend and producer Craig Pilkington passed it onto me. I've been working with Craig and Audrey Studios since the mid-90s and Anna has sung on every Little Murders album since "We Should Be Home By Now". Hers is the voice that probably makes my voice on our albums a little more bearable to listen to. Especially when she is joined by some of the other great voices that I surround myself with. Bruce Minty, Mick Barclay and Chirpy to name a few. Craig is no slouch in the vocal department too.
So I bought Bryter Later and loved the atmosphere Nick Drake creates. Very English Autumn weather, the music and the imagery combining to place me in some other place and time. Sitting indoors while the sky drizzles down the outside window. I bought both his other albums. He only made three before dying in 1974. They are all great albums.
Northern Sky is still my favourite Nick Drake song. On the original, there is this kind of folk-pop breakdown at the halfway mark where the piano just lifts the song. It has this emotional impact that gets me every time.
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