I must admit that I came late to Jeff Buckley. I heard him for the first time in December 1997, after he had tragically drowned in Memphis. I was in my homeland of Australia for a seven-week visit after two and a half years away. A friend and I were on a weekend-long road-trip. She asked if I had heard of Jeff Buckley, and when I said I hadn't, she slipped Grace into the CD player.
From the first notes of Mojo Pin I was transfixed. Here was music from an unknown entity that immediately touched me in the same way as U2 and Van Morrison! Every song was a revelation. I was amazed by his superb vocal range and ability to alternately whisper and scream. Here was music containing raw passion mixed with moments nothing short of sublime.
Needless to say I bought Grace at the next available record store and played it ceaselessly for weeks on end. Years later I still listen to the album at least once a week. Songs such as Last Goodbye and Lover, You Should Have Come Over were particularly poignant at the time, as I had recently gone through a difficult break-up. The album is a seamless work of art, one that you experience rather than listen to. The power of Buckley's music is so great that it is impossible to listen to Grace as background music: Buckley pulls you into his world and takes you on a journey that is sometimes joyful, sometimes painful, yet always beautiful.
Three of the songs on the album are covers, yet Buckley truly makes them his own. Lilac Wine showcases Buckley's glorious voice, as does Corpus Christi Carol and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Buckley's performance of Hallelujah is truly remarkable. His vocal range, control, and passion are simply stunning. If you are not moved and transfixed by his rendition, I doubt that any work of art could move you. Just one listen to Jeff's version of Hallelujah has been enough to turn many people into dedicated fans.
Not only is Jeff Buckley's voice constantly astounding, his guitar-playing is simply stunning. From the delicate strumming of Lover, You Should Have Come Over to the grunge and Zeppelinesque power chords of Eternal Life, Buckley can play the entire range. If that's not enough, his lyrics constantly reach poetic heights rarely found in modern music.
Buckley constantly wrestles his demons in song, and possessed a constant awareness of the fleetingness of life:
There is no time for hatred – only questions
What is love?
Where is happiness?
What is life?
Where is peace?
Where will I find the strength to bring me release?
Whether you seek beauty, angst, or both, Grace is for you. In fact, I would go so far as to call it a modern masterpiece, made even more important by the tragic early loss of it's creator. Buckley reminds me a lot of John Keats, in that he was incredibly gifted, yet cut short in his prime. One can only imagine what he might have created if he had lived longer. And somehow, like Keats, he seemed to be aware of his fate (just listen to Eternal Life).
If you do not own a copy of Grace, I urge you to acquire one immediately. Grace is surely one of the greatest albums ever to be recorded in America. Do yourself a favour and get to know Grace intimately.
"I weep for Adonais - he is dead!" - Percy Bysshe Shelley
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