North County Times, November 25, 1994
By Dan Bennett
Submitted by Sai
It's more than lineage that makes Jeff Buckley stand out from the new pop sensations who surround him.
The provocative young vocalist, who performs at 8 tonight at the La Paloma Theatre (220-TIXS) in Encinitas, mixes a bluesy rock edge with a wailing, haunting voice, sounding only slightly like his cult-favorite father, Tim. The senior Buckley was a maverick troubadour of the '60s, moving effortlessly from folk to modern blues before he died of a drug overdose in 1975.
Jeff Buckley barely knew his father, in fact, meeting him only a week before he died. But even if their styles were different, the plaintive expressiveness of their music is similar.
Evidence can be found on "Grace", the full-length debut offering from Buckley on Columbia Records after a frenzy of major labels surrounded the 27-yesr-old singer in an attempt to sign him.
"It was a chase that kept me up nights," Buckley said in a telephone interview. "It was a worry because I knew how life in the buisness could change you. I'm happy with the choice I made, but now I'm encountering a new phenomenon in the loss of my anonymity. That's been another strange experience."
The signing came after several years of Buckley playing to dedicated crowds in the East Village, garnering a reputation as one of the earthiest, most alternative sounding artists on the New York circuit. Buckley cut his teeth on modern folk-rock mavericks such as the Knitters and Golden Palaminos, as well as various ethnic sounds, relying early on electric music, acoustic ideals and sonic emotion to carry his message.
The songs on "Grace" are barren, poignant and soul-baring. Buckley, seemingly ignorant of his powerful presence and matinee-idol looks, often reaches out in his music as an insecure, sometimes desperate partner in ended or never-consummated relationships.
"Eternal Life" and "Lover, You Should've Come Over" showcase the Buckley extremes, from advocator of all-together -now spirituality, to remorseful romancer. Many of the same tendencies can be found on "Live at Sin-e," the four-song CD Buckley released last year, featuring a free-form jazz and blues mix.
"I encourage and ask for improvisation in the different forms of music we do," Buckley said. "In fact, it's not so much improvisation as reinterpretation at a moment's notice."
Just because Buckley is on the road, he hasn't stopped writing.
"I have to," he said. "The need inhabits my body. I'm insatiable about writing even when some days it's not the best thing for me."
Riding high on intense critical support and showing an eagerness to explore new avenues, Buckley appears to be heading in disparate and artistically rewarding musical directions.
"I'll just go where the songs take me," Buckley said. "I know there are so many new ideas that haven't even occured to me, and it's going to take more time and maturity for me to channel them. I'll just let it happen and try not to rush it too much."
By Dan Bennett
Submitted by Sai
It's more than lineage that makes Jeff Buckley stand out from the new pop sensations who surround him.
The provocative young vocalist, who performs at 8 tonight at the La Paloma Theatre (220-TIXS) in Encinitas, mixes a bluesy rock edge with a wailing, haunting voice, sounding only slightly like his cult-favorite father, Tim. The senior Buckley was a maverick troubadour of the '60s, moving effortlessly from folk to modern blues before he died of a drug overdose in 1975.
Jeff Buckley barely knew his father, in fact, meeting him only a week before he died. But even if their styles were different, the plaintive expressiveness of their music is similar.
Evidence can be found on "Grace", the full-length debut offering from Buckley on Columbia Records after a frenzy of major labels surrounded the 27-yesr-old singer in an attempt to sign him.
"It was a chase that kept me up nights," Buckley said in a telephone interview. "It was a worry because I knew how life in the buisness could change you. I'm happy with the choice I made, but now I'm encountering a new phenomenon in the loss of my anonymity. That's been another strange experience."
The signing came after several years of Buckley playing to dedicated crowds in the East Village, garnering a reputation as one of the earthiest, most alternative sounding artists on the New York circuit. Buckley cut his teeth on modern folk-rock mavericks such as the Knitters and Golden Palaminos, as well as various ethnic sounds, relying early on electric music, acoustic ideals and sonic emotion to carry his message.
The songs on "Grace" are barren, poignant and soul-baring. Buckley, seemingly ignorant of his powerful presence and matinee-idol looks, often reaches out in his music as an insecure, sometimes desperate partner in ended or never-consummated relationships.
"Eternal Life" and "Lover, You Should've Come Over" showcase the Buckley extremes, from advocator of all-together -now spirituality, to remorseful romancer. Many of the same tendencies can be found on "Live at Sin-e," the four-song CD Buckley released last year, featuring a free-form jazz and blues mix.
"I encourage and ask for improvisation in the different forms of music we do," Buckley said. "In fact, it's not so much improvisation as reinterpretation at a moment's notice."
Just because Buckley is on the road, he hasn't stopped writing.
"I have to," he said. "The need inhabits my body. I'm insatiable about writing even when some days it's not the best thing for me."
Riding high on intense critical support and showing an eagerness to explore new avenues, Buckley appears to be heading in disparate and artistically rewarding musical directions.
"I'll just go where the songs take me," Buckley said. "I know there are so many new ideas that haven't even occured to me, and it's going to take more time and maturity for me to channel them. I'll just let it happen and try not to rush it too much."
No comments:
Post a Comment