4. 'Five Leaves Left' by Nick Drake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2jxjv0HkwM I've taken the opportunity
previously to discuss my love for Nick Drake, but just in case you missed it, I'll briefly recap. Born in 1948 and dead by age 26, Nick Drake recorded only three studio albums, but that small output has changed more lives and shaped more musical opinions than most others can claim in their entire lifetime. While his final album, Pink Moon, is arguably the most influential, his debut was every bit as good, and a vital album to own for any folk music fan or aspiring guitar player. His lyrics are powerful and moving, and are left ambiguous enough that it's very easy to cast your own interpretation onto them. They show a stunning insight into the mind and soul of a man who was damaged, both from depression and a vast assortment of mental ailments. Nonetheless, there's a peculiar happiness that comes with listening to his music. Finally, his guitar playing was simply brilliant. He used inventive guitar tunings in a way that allowed him to play chords that would be physically impossible in normal tuning, and he mixed this with intricate finger picking patterns that to this day leave countless guitarists scratching their heads trying to duplicate.
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