With the recent rumblings and conversations going on about the music industry and low album sales, there’s usually no mention of talent. The one question I don’t really hear or see being asked regarding low sales is “What about the talent?”

It seems easier than ever before for less talented acts to get record deals. Don’t get me wrong when I bring up talent. There are quite a few new bands cropping up that I really like, but that’s just a small percentage of what’s actually being released each month.

The reason this thought even crossed my mind is because I’ve been listening to the recently released Jeff Buckley CD ‘So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley’. Now Jeff Buckley had talent. His voice, songwriting and musicianship were superb. He could probably get more out of his 4 track recorder than some engineers can produce in a flash studio.

His voice does to me what not many people today are able to do. He gives me shivers up and down my spine. His father was singer Tim Buckley and his voice does the same thing to me. The musician-like term for this is ‘feel’. I can ‘feel’ Jeff Buckley’s music.

Jeff Buckley’s mother Mary Guibert and Columbia Records have together released ‘So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley’. The release comes at the 10th anniversary of Jeff Buckley’s tragic death at the age of 30 in Memphis, Tennessee on May 29th, 1997. When listening to the CD, it’s hard to believe that he had only made one full album to his “exacting standards” – which was his 1994 studio debut ‘Grace’.

There are some songs off of ‘So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley’ that stand out for me though. “Last Goodbye”, “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over”, “Forget Her”, “Dream Brother”, “So Real”, “Mojo Pin”, “Je N’en Connais Pas La Fin”, “Grace” and especially, his version of “Hallelujah” (written by Leonard Cohen). Remember those shivers I was talking about? “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley is up there as one of my all time favorite songs – and I was happy to see it in amongst the fourteen tracks on the album, which includes originals, covers and live performances.

Of course, I know that there are some massive Jeff Buckley fans out there who love EVERYTHING that he did. Nothing wrong with that! Actually, I love the whole album and if you have any interest in Jeff Buckley and his music, then I highly recommend going out and purchasing this gem of a CD. The CD cover photo is gorgeous and the booklet is informative. A perfect addition to anyone’s music collection – especially if you’re just discovering Jeff Buckley and his music.

Watch Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah video (From YouTube: Live on a french TV show called Nulle Part Ailleurs shot in 1996 on channel 4):

Track Listing:

1. Last Goodbye (Grace)
2. Lover, You Should’ve Come Over (Grace)
3. Forget Her (Grace Legacy Edition)
4. Eternal Life (Road Version) (Grace Legacy Edition)
5. Dream Brother (Alternate Take) (Grace Legacy Edition)
6. The Sky Is A Landfill (Sketches)
7. Everybody Here Wants You (Sketches)
8. So Real (Live and Acoustic in Japan – previously only available as a Promo single)
9. Mojo Pin (Live at Sin-e)
10. Vancouver (Sketches)
11. Je N’en Connais Pas La Fin (Live at Sin-e)
12. Grace (Grace)
13. Hallelujah (Grace)
14. I Know It’s Over (Previously unreleased Smith’s cover from Sony Studios Radio session 1995)

More information: Jeff Buckley

By: Jenny May