scruffian

Recently I bought two Jeff Buckley albums: Mystery White Boy and Live At L’Olymia. I haven’t listened to them enough to review them yet so I thought I could review his first album Grace.

Then I thought about it some more and realised that I don’t really like CD reviews. Whate people usually do is a track by track analysis comparing it to other bands and then when you get the CD it sounds nothing like you expected from the review, so I am not going to try that.

Then I thought about writing something about Jeff Buckley’s short life and untimely death, which is quite interesting, but has been done before a lot of times. Instead I wrote what is below, which is original at least, if a little opinionated.

I think one of the problems is that music is such a personal thing and it sounds different to everyone. Rebekah really likes Jeff Buckley, maybe more that me. I think music affects people in different ways and that is why people like different music, but that is more to do with the people than the music.

Most people try and define what kind of music they like by the sound of the music. This is also called the genre. Some people like dance music, some people like punk, some people like metal etc. It seems that what people like about these genre’s is the way that the music sounds.

I do agree that the way the music sounds is important but I think there is more to it than that. Content is incredibly important. For example, the song, Feeling Good has been covered a lot of times and in a lot of different ways, from a slow jazz version by Nina Simone to a rock metal version by Muse. I think this demonstrates that it is the song itself which is good or bad, not the style in which it is done. When I listen to new music I try to hear the good bits in it, whatever style it is in.

That’s not to say that I enjoy listening to all music, far from it. In fact I think when you start to listen to the quality of the music, and how it is affecting you, you realise how much rubbish music there is, of all genres.

However, sometimes you find something truely good, like Jeff Buckley. I remember getting back froma day’s riding one day and Rebekah was sitting inside reading a book by the fire with Jeff Buckley on. I came in and just sat and stared at the fire and listened until the CD stopped. There’s not many CD’s I can listen to without doing anything else, but this is one of them. If you are open to new things then listen to Jeff Buckley. He has written some of the most beautiful music that I have ever heard.

i have been getting up at 5:30 and leaving by 6 in the morning to get to work early and miss the traffic. the journey is just over an hours, which coincidently is the length of this cd. it is perfectly suited to listen to at that time in the morning, as it is quiet and the sun rises. not only that but it’s really good.

i must have listened to it every day for at least a week if not more. i remember when i say them play in oxford. people laughed at him because they thought he was singing out of tune, but i think it sounds amazing. if you like this you’ll love radiohead. (not necessarily the other way round i’m afraid.)

oh, and i forgot to mention. they are from iceland so i can’t understand a word they sing.