Nick Drake’s third and final studio album, Pink Moon, is a masterpiece of quiet intensity. Released in 1972, it strips away the arrangements of his earlier records almost completely, leaving little more than Drake’s voice, acoustic guitar and, on the title track, a brief piano overdub. The result is intimate, stark and astonishingly beautiful.
At just under half an hour, there is nothing wasted. Pink Moon opens the record with eerie calm, Place To Be carries one of Drake’s most affecting melodies, while Things Behind The Sun, Parasite and From The Morning reveal just how much emotional and musical depth he could create with such minimal ingredients. His intricate guitar playing provides all the movement the songs need, while that soft, almost weightless voice pulls you closer.
Initially overlooked, Pink Moon has grown enormously in stature since Drake’s death and is now widely regarded as one of the defining singer-songwriter albums of its era. There is sadness here, certainly, but also warmth, beauty and an extraordinary stillness. A small record that somehow feels enormous.
TRACKS:
- Pink Moon
- Place To Be
- Road
- Which Will
- Horn
- Things Behind The Sun
- Know
- Parasite
- Free Ride
- Harvest Breed
- From The Morning
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