Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the finest debut albums of all time., 14 Dec 1999
By A Customer
Jeff Buckley was best described by Bono from U2, as "a pure drop in an ocean of noise". Wheh you listen to "Grace", you can see exactly what he meant.The first thing that hits you is Jeff's amazing voice, an instrument of true wonder, he could falsetto to such beauty that it inspired the likes of Thom Yorke from Radiohead to reach new vocal heights on their 95 album The Bends. He could also sing more deeper emotional tones, forever leaving the listener with a thrilling guessing game of where he would take them next. Grace is also enriched by the wonderful songs and arrangements that Jeff used to showcase his unique voice, songs full of love and regret, loss and salvation. It is hard to put into words the deep emotional connection this album brings to the listener. It is now a standard cross to bear for every new singer-songwriter feted by the music press, to be called Jeff Buckleyesque, it is an unfair term, as nobody could ever match his insightful songwriting and vocal talent. There are some songs on Grace that are simply unmatched in modern rock history. He was with us only for a short space of time until his untimely death in 1997, but Grace will ensure that his genius will never be forgtten. Grace is an album that should be in everybody's home. A pure drop indeed.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Precious, Precious Silver and Gold...", 30 Dec 2003
Jumping in staight at the deep end: If you do not own this album, and consider yourself a music fan , then you need to seriously part with your cash NOW.Jeff Buckley was blessed with one of the most beautiful voices ever heard in the world of music, blending melancholy and sadness with uplifting spirituality in the sound of a note. That is the only way I can possible describe the sound of this man's voice, as he can capture all human emotions in one solitary note. Many will highlight his encapsulating cover of Cohen's 'Hallelujah' as the standout track from 'Grace' (which I cannot question as it is amazing.) However, Buckley is far from a one trick pony as tracks such as 'Last Goodbye', 'Mojo Pin' and 'Lover You Should've Come Over' (recently covered by Jamie Cullum) offer inspiring lyrics and forever memorable melodies. His use of guitar is subtle but yet mindblowing, with beautiful use of both riffs and melody. And the orchestration does not over-complicate, but underscore his powerful vocal talent. This album is quite simply perfect, capturing the beauty of Opera, the zest of Rock'n'Roll, and the musical perfection of many a Classical score. It is a fitting tribute to a man who died in such tragic circumstances.
It saddens me that this iconic album is always seen in highstreet stores priced below £10. This album is priceless (forgive the cliche.)
'Mystery White Boy' also highlights his talent, offering a live performance from the tour of the same title.
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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The most beautiful thing I've ever heard, 31 May 2003
Forgive me if I can't complete this review with excesses of Jeff-love gushing, because this is probably my favourite album of all time.
We'll start with the voice, shall we? Jeff Buckley has not only inherited his father, Tim's, earth-shattering range, but his incredible emotion and soul, also. It doesn't hit you immediately, as the opening song, 'Mojo Pin', is quite a slow-burner, and the volume and tone build up gradually to reveal a genre-transcending vocal.
The combination of genres is very important on this album, in fact, and although Buckley's influences seem to stretch from traditional folk to the bluesy heavy rock of Led Zeppelin (whom he stated he listened to as a child), his voice carries him through.
The title track, 'Grace', could be described as an uplifting death-plea! - "If it's my time coming, then I'm not afraid." Opening with 'magical guitarness', it has fantastic melody and rhythm, and the squealing climax is completely overpowering.
To have three covers on an album of ten may not appear to be a particularly good advert for Jeff Buckley's immense songwriting talent, but he truly conquers other people's songs in a way that makes you instantly forget other versions. 'Lilac Wine' is so sensitive and emotional. The musical arrangement really fits the lyrics: "sweet and heady, like my life." The vocals on Britten's 'Corpus Christi Carol' is jaw-dropping. How can he sing like that?! But, the most famous of the covers, and deservedly so, is 'Hallelujah'. This could be seen as the album's masterpiece: truly grand and wonderfully charged with the darkest of emotion.
On 'So Real' and 'Eternal Life' we see more of Jeff Buckley's rock side. The latter is delightfully angry - "sounds to me just like a prison for the walking dead" - and the tension is created dramatically through harsher guitars than you expect. The strong/gentle contrasts in 'So Real' run the risk of being manic, but Buckley is merely lost in the emotion, as is the listener. The final track, 'Dream Brother', is a delightfully trippy finale, that acts to calm you down after what has inevitably been an amazing tumult of emotional and musical journeys.
'Last Goodbye' and 'Lover, You Should've Come Over' are my two favourite songs on this album. Both are fairly laid-back pop-rock tracks, and, as ever, the vocal control and melodic construction is fantastic. However, the lyrics really stand out here, with a graceful poetry: "the tear that hangs inside my soul forever", "kiss me out of desire, baby, and not consolation". These are true and deeply moving epics. Buckley speaks to the universal experience of love, and it truly feels like he's singing straight to your soul.
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