"Tim Buckley" by TIM BUCKLEY - October 1966 Debut Album on Elektra Records in Mono and Stereo with Previously Unreleased (January 2011 US Rhino-Handmade 2CD Reissue with Bruce Botnik Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Old Love...New Love..."

 

There are those who call Tim Buckley's music 'magical' whilst others dismiss his Jazz style arrangements and vocal gymnastics as 'grating' or even 'nonsense'. I'm firmly in the first category (he was a bona-fide genius and true innovator). And despite its reputation as a good 'beginning' or lesser work (even amongst rabid fans) - I'd argue that there's genuine beauty to be rediscovered on his 1966 self-titled debut album "Tim Buckley" - reissued here in grand style and with great respect by Rhino Handmade of the USA. Here are the aural highs and lows...

 

USA released 11 January 2011 - "Tim Buckley" by TIM BUCKLEY on Rhino Handmade/Elektra RHM2 526087 (Barcode 603497947874) is an Expanded Edition 2CD Deluxe Edition of his 1966 Debut Album on Elektra Records that plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 (69:37 minutes):

1. I Can't See You [Side 1]

2. Wings

3. Song Of The Magician

4. Strange Street Affair Under Blue

5. Valentine Melody

6. Aren't You The Girl

7. Song Slowly Song [Side 2]

8. It Happens Every Time

9. Song For Jainie

10. Grief In My Soul

11. She Is

12. Understand Your Man

Tracks 1 to 12 are the STEREO version of his debut album "Tim Buckley" - released October 1966 in the USA on Elektra Records EKS-74040. Tracks 13 to 24 are the MONO Mix on Elektra Records EK-4040

 

Disc 2 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (53:01 minutes):

1. Put You Down

2. It Happens Every Time

3. Let Me Love You

4. I've Played That Game Before

5. She Is

6. Here I Am

7. Don't Look Back

8. Call Me If You Do

9. You Today

10. No More

11. Won't You Please Be My Woman

12. Come On Over

Tracks 1 to 12 are by THE BOHEMIANS (his first group) and are Demos recorded 8 November 1965 in Anaheim, California. The line up was: TIM BUCKLEY - Vocal and Rhythm Guitar, JIM FELDER - Bass, LARRY BECKET - Drums and BRIAN HARTZLER - Guitar.

 

13. She Is

14. Aren't You The Girl

15. Found At The Scene Of A Rendezvous That Failed

16. Wings

17. My Love Is For You

18. Song Slowly Song

19. Song Introductions by Larry Beckett

20. I Can't See You

21. Birth Day

22. Long Tide

Tracks 13 to 22 are ACOUSTIC DEMOS recorded during the summer of 1966 in Anaheim, California with Buckley on Vocals and Guitar. LARRY BECKETT provides Lead Vocals on two songs - "Found At The Scene Of A Rendezvous That Failed" and "Birth Day" and the Intro to "Song Slowly Song" (all other vocals by Tim Buckley).

 

The presentation is lovely. An over-sized outer card wrap (rustic cardboard effect) is held in place by a ribbon on the rear. Opening the three-way fold out card sleeve gives you a 5" card repro of the album artwork on the left with a mock-up Elektra Records "Previously Unreleased' sleeve in the centre and on the left - a 20-page oversized booklet with superbly informational liner notes by American Writer THANE TIERNEY (with the overall project handled by Mason Williams). But the big news for fans is the gorgeous sound and the new extras.

 

Remastered from original tapes by original Engineer BRUCE BOTNICK - both mixes of the album reveal lovely detail. There's hiss for sure but it's natural - Botnick has allowed the recordings to breath and the feeling of intimacy is so pronounced as to make you double take (no compression nor loudness). I also couldn't believe how good the straight-out-of-your-speakers Mono mix sounds - so punchy and full of power. "Strange Street Affair Under Blue" sounds so Doors in Mono - while the ethereal and trippy "Song Of The Magician" and "Song Slowly Song" both 'feel' better in Stereo.

 

After cutting his chops on stage - Tim Buckley was only 18 when he was contracted to Elektra Records (allegedly the same day they signed The Doors). The Doors connection continued by having Paul Rothchild and Bruce Botnick as Producer and Engineer respectively. Tracks like the jaunty "Song For Jainie" and "I Can't See You" show a level of songwriting maturity that is spine tingling. The guitar phrases in "I Can't See You" even sound a little like Jeff Buckley's "Grace". But it's the pretty tunes like "Valentine Melody" and "Song Slowly Song" that move you - where his amazing octave range is given flight. The lovely "Wings" also benefits from the string-arrangements of JACK NITZSCHE while "Aren't You The Girl" has VAN DYKE PARKS on various keyboard instruments.

 

The liner notes explain that the Demos on CD2 are just that - crudely cut demos (courtesy of The Bohemians). There are wobbles, dips and instruments buried way back in the mix of the November 1965 session - but historically it's extraordinary stuff to be hearing after all these decades. "I've Played That Game Before" is new, but far prettier is "Here I Am". Thankfully the second batch of personal demos features a far warmer recording and therefore ups the intimacy. Over and over - his voice strikes you. "My Love Is For You" is ok - "Birth Day" is awful and "Long Time" is nice.

 

So there you have it - gorgeous remasters of the original album - with both mixes warranting inclusion - and some nice new songs on CD2.

 

He would go on to greatness with "Happy Sad" (March 1969 USA), the beautifully languid "Blue Afternoon" (November 1969) and "Lorca" (June 1970) and the beginning of the end for me with the mostly unlistenable Jazz Avant Garde "Starsailor" (November 1970) only to spend years in the Seventies trying to play unsuccessful catch up (Tim passed June 1975, very young). And on 17 Nov 1966 - Tim and his wife Mary would bring a son into the world called Jeffrey Scott Buckley, who would also go on to musical greatness - his stunning debut album "Grace" from August 1994 - and life sadness too, just like his mercurial father. But this is where the 'Buckley' legend begins.

 

My only wish is that Rhino Handmade makes good on the rumour that "Happy Sad" and "Blue Afternoon" will both follow in this lavish series. What a thought...

 

PS: check out my review for "The Complete Album Collection" by Elektra/Rhino from October 2017 that contains the fabulous "Works In Progress" CD compilation (Disc 8 of 8). Originally issued October 1999 by Rhino Handmade in the USA-only as a stand-alone limited edition CD - this peach has 16 superbly remastered Studio Outtakes dated from May 1967 through to July 1968 and highlights Buckley and his crew in the very best light...