Edited down from performances in London, Melbourne, and New York City, the 15 tracks that populate the lovely and inspiring
Way to Blue: The Songs of Nick Drake feel far more intimate than the live tag would suggest.
Drake's original producer, the venerable
Joe Boyd, wanted to recapture the intimacy of
Drake's recordings while maintaining the late singer/songwriter's evocative spirit, so any instances of applause have been removed, resulting in a set that feels both wildly unpredictable and incredibly reverent, with highlights arriving via
Vashti Bunyan's beautiful, Robert Kirby-arranged rendition of "Which Will,"
Lisa Hannigan's haunting and spare version of "Black Eyed Dog," and
Robyn Hitchcock's kaleidoscopic retelling of
Pink Moon's spooky "Parasite." ~ James Christopher Monger