This is basically a "Best Of" compilation album. What's amazing is--and this is assuming that the artistic purpose of releasing this is to showcase Jeff's songwriting skills-- is that it features three covers. That's either poor planning, or it demonstrates how amazing Jeff was at his craft: that he could take another's song and so completely, so convincingly make it his own.
Other than that, while a nice selection, what is the purpose of this album? Many Buckley fans tend to be completionists, and even those that aren't are bound to have all this material. At best it's redundant; at worst it's another stab at milking out the estate for all it's worth (Mary Guibert, I'm looking in your direction!)
Track listing (and the album where it originally appears):
01. Last Goodbye (Grace)
02. Lover You Should Have Come Over (Grace)
03. Forget Her (Grace Legacy Edition)
04. Eternal Life (Road Version) (Grace Legacy Edition)
05. Dream Brother (Alternate Take) (Grace Legacy Edition)
06. The Sky Is A Landfill (Sketches)
07. Everybody Here Wants You (Sketches)
08. So Real (Grace)
09. Mojo Pin (Live at Sin-é)
10. Vancouver (Sketches)
11. Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin* (Live At Sin-é)
12. Grace (Grace)
13. Hallelujah** (Grace)
14. I Know It's Over*** (WFMU's The Music Faucet, 1992)
* Edith Piaf song
** Leonard Cohen song
***The Smiths song
Get it HERE! (the password is BUTTERFLY)
Stereogum.com is also streaming the 14th track here.
For those even faintly interested in investing in some Buckley would be wise to skip So Real and go for Grace or Mystery White Boy instead. Umpteen posthumous releases aren't flattering on ANYone (coughcoughTUPACcough).
1 comment:
Mmmm... more Buckley love. Despite your *very* accurate summation of Guibert's likely motivation, it's always nice to see a Buckley getting some recognition. Though I'll admit to being partial to Tim over Jeff...
Speaking of Buckleys, thought I'd mention that there's a DVD being released in a few days that's all about Tim. Called My Fleeting House, it contains a lot of interview material, video footage that hasn't been seen before, and a couple of songs from his PBS Boboquivari appearance in beautiful, cleaned up format, rather than the low-quality, grainy bootlegs that have previously been available. From all the reviews I've read of it, it's supposed to be a truly wonderful release.
Anyhoo, thought I'd throw it out there. Whenever my favorite musicians get mentions, I just feel compelled to chime in. :) Carry on...
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