Easily
Tim Buckley's most underrated album,
Happy Sad was another departure for the eclectic Southern California-based singer/songwriter. After the success of the widely acclaimed
Goodbye and Hello,
Buckley mellowed enough to explore his jazz roots. Sounding like
Fred Neil's Capitol-era albums,
Buckley and his small, acoustic-based ensemble weave elegant, minimalist tapestries around the six
Buckley originals. The effect is completely mesmerizing. On "Buzzin' Fly" and "Strange Feelin'," you are slowly drawn into
Buckley's intoxicating vision. The extended opus in the middle of the record, "Love From Room 109," is an intense, complex composition. Lovingly under-produced by
Jerry Yester and
Zal Yanovsky, this is one of the finest records of the late '60s. ~ Matthew Greenwald