CMJ Grace review

October, 1994

By Steve Ciabattoni

Jeff Buckley

Grace

Columbia

Jeff Buckley's voice is the most moving goddamn instrument to come along in rock since Sinead O'Connor's impassioned cry. On Grace, Buckley soars into falsetto trills and cathartic moans recalling the jazz-rock of his father (the late Tim Buckley), with a little of Robert Plant's Zeppelin bravura thrown in. In its ten songs, Grace paints Buckley as an artistic, provocative young performer, able to draw upon classic rock's poetic spirit while avoiding a dated "freedom rock" vibe. As a songwriter, Buckley roams comfortably between soulful hippie-folk and a crushing hard rock sound, suggesting he's got as many records by Faith No More as he does by his dad. Strong and eclectic as his songs are, it's the album's cover versions that directly reveal Buckley's boldness of talent. Case in point: It takes more than a little gumption to do a solo guitar/vocal version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and do it in jaw-dropping, Cohen-topping fashion. From that track, to the roaring acid blues of "Mojo Pin," to an angelic rendition of Benjamin Britten's "Corpus Christi Carol," Buckley delivers all the songs with spirit. His passionate, bohemian mindset enables him to conjure comparisons from Soundgarden to Joni Mitchell and let all his influences fly in this stunning collection of songs.

DATALOG: Release date: Aug. 23. First single "Mojo Pin." Video for "Grace.

FILE UNDER: Dazzling debuts.

R.I.Y.L.: Pearl Jam, early Van Morrison, Led Zeppelin's III.

R.I.Y.L.: RECOMMEND IF YOU LIKE