Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ten years gone: cash cow marks a decade since the death of a genius, 29 May 2007
Unbelievably, it's a decade since great white hope Jeff Buckley wandered into the treacherous waters of the Wolf River, putting an end to the life and career of one of the most promising musicians to emerge during the 1990s.
He left behind one bewitching studio album - the pretty-much-peerless Grace, together with a brace of live EPs. His second album was still under construction, and the posthumously released Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk combined rough songwriter demos with more fully realised studio roughs. It showed a talent hungry to develop and evolve.
For an artist who has already been relentlessly packaged and repackaged since his death, this further anthology seems completely pointless. Grace is probably the best and most complete introduction to his work available: anyone who is drawn in that way is likely to swiftly collect the rest. Nevertheless, So Real is being marketed as an introduction to his music for those who've managed to stay out of the way of his mythos over the last decade, and the hagiographic liner notes from everyone from Rufus Wainwright to Brandon Boyd do their best to tell you what to feel.
It might get the attention of a few, but the only carrot on offer to existing fans is a rare live cover of the Smiths' I Know It's Over from a 1995 radio session at Sony Studios; placed last in the running order and designed to wring the emotions ("oh mother I can feel the soil falling over my head..."). With songs such as Sky Blue Skin (described by Buckley bandmate Michael Tighe as one of his greatest songs) still languishing in the vaults, it's hard to see why this live cover merited inclusion.
If you've never heard Jeff Buckley - go out and buy Grace. If you have - there's nothing new for you here. Considering how restless and mercurial a soul Buckley was, it's ironic in the extreme that in death he's been reduced to endless repetition.
Three stars only - not because the music isn't brilliant, but because this is such an unimaginative and cash-motivated release.
By: Clare O'Brien, Subba-Cultcha.com
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So Real and Simply Spectacular!, 13 Jun 2007
Firstly, I realise this album is seen by many Jeff Buckley fans a way to further line the pockets of record company bosses and I completely understand how people might be protective of the integrity and legacy of such an amazing artist, especially if his music has been a part of their lives for a long period of time. However, I'm going to share my opinions of this release from the prospective of someone who unfortunately didn't embrace Jeff's music until recently. I remember hearing of him first about four years ago but regrettably assumed that his untimely death had placed him on some kind of musical pedestal that perhaps he didn't deserve. A completely ridiculous assumption having not listened to any of his music, but trust me this is a mistake I have paid for, having deprived myself of such rare breathtaking beauty until now.
It was the spellbinding cover of Leonard Cohen's `Hallelujah' the video of which I saw for the first time only recently which finally convinced me that I had overlooked an artist with a voice of peerless beauty and songs which come as close to pure perfection as is possible in music. For those of you who haven't yet experienced the sound of Jeff Buckley's voice then enchanting, ethereal, truly exquisite are probably the best words to sum it up, however, words really do fall short of expressing the sheer beauty of what you will hear. I was literally frozen to the spot, completely mesmerised upon first hearing him sing. This album is a great introduction to Jeff's music, every one of the songs are amazing, more revelatory, more vivid with each listen. From the opening track `Last Goodbye' to the beautifully sorrowful cover of The Smith's `'I Know It's Over` this album is truly spectacular. Rather than being a makeshift greatest hits release with random tracks thrown in to make up the numbers, this comes across as a cohesive unit, with carefully placed songs which flow gracefully. This truly is a fantastic album in it's own right however, I do hope it only acts as a prelude to more extraordinary music, I have yet to discover.
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36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buckley newbies beware!, 11 May 2007
For the Jeff Buckley die-hards:
"Ahhh, the compilation album - Do I buy it or do I not?
I already have all the other albums - I like them all a lot.
The album has 2 songs I don't have - Will they be on iTunes? Probably."
I just think this is a bit of a pointless release.
As the Amazon review says - "So Real: Songs From Jeff Buckley' is targeted at those who are aware of Jeff's music and importance but have not, as yet, purchased any of his music."
But those new to Jeff Buckley should really just buy ALL the albums, not this snippets album. Buy them in this order:
Grace - you'll fall in love with it.
Live at Sine - you'll hear the influences and personality behind Grace.
Sketches... - you'll hear the album that would have been.
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![Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk [Extra tracks]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419Q05XW89L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
