Expanding on what Garry Shrum wrote about, one of the records from the Back to Frank’s Place Collection that made me stop cataloging, see it, and hold it in my hands was a rare copy of Nick Drake’s debut LP, Five Leaves Left. With a pink label on the disc, this UK pressing is hard to find, and it’s in great condition.
I’m not going to pretend that I was listening to Nick Drake back in the 1970s or 1980s. I was born in 1979 and was raised on Solid Gold, Kids Incorporated, and Friday Night Videos, so there was no way I could hear the audio odyssey that Nick made on his three proper LPs. Thanks to the Volkswagen commercial and some very high praise written by various publications that I trusted, I checked out his material as college wrapped up for me. And the music hit me hard, and it’s made a lasting impact on me. The strings on Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter are some of the finest I have ever heard on a record, and they usually reduce me to jelly when I hear “River Man,” “Fruit Tree,” and “Thoughts of Mary Jane.”
As much as I’m pro digital remastering for CDs and MP3s, hearing vinyl in a room remains a special experience. Whoever winds up as the winning bidder, I hope you enjoy this golden piece of audio.