If you Knew

I spent most of the weekend watching television, listening to music and I really didn't get much else done. During my music listening sessions I began to realize that many of artists begin to sound much like each other. And then I got to thinking about Jeff Buckley’s music and how he just stood right out like a sore thumb (in a good way).
He easily sticks out as one of the best lyrical, inspirational and musical geniuses that I’ve heard in a while. Undoubtedly mellow, yet contemplative and calming.

I must say that Jeff’s music succeeded in making me- a very tired worn-out rump- long for his voice and that’s saying a lot. Buckley’s ‘If you knew’, is a plethora of otherworldly beauty with higher meaning and substance. Every time this song plays on, it begs to be turned up loud. I love this singer for no reason other than that! I’m not obsessed with Jeff but he can be very hypnotic. Listen to this track below and I dare you to not appreciate him for his unique sound, clever musical combinations and exquisiteness. There are songs that are better, but this track is still worth listening to just to hear him sing the words-

‘I can't go on without you
Forever and a day
I need you here beside me
Forever and a day
and no-one else betides me
I love you, I love you.’

It's songs like these that make me feel like I’m closer to Him after each listen.

He was a trendsetter in a way, creating the music he wanted, which didn’t have many follow his lead. While some of his songs did gain lots of airplay with hits like “Grace”, which saw his popularity grow until his death, the others were only known for their sound, the music and arrangements by true fans who strived to keep his music alive. I am constantly struck by awe whenever I listen to a Buckley tune because he does such a great job of conveying emotions. Every lyric details the intimacy and ecstasy of love as well as the pain that can be attached to it, but love of what? Like a good works of art his life’s words are open to interpretation.

Eternal Life

This is a song by a person with quite possibly the best name ever. Jeff Buckley. Say that name aloud before listening to the song and you have won a free ticket to my heart. Really. From the first time I heard this song I’ve been in love with both it and the man that crafted it.

It’s just like Mr. Buckley, to make gorgeous music and fitting lyrics to go with it. For some reason this song has always reminded me of the true Jeff Buckley. Such a masterpiece, he was an amazing musician in a class of his own. Maybe it’s the line “You better turn around and blow your kiss hello to life eternal, angel” or maybe it’s this line “All I want to do is love everyone....” Whatever it is, the message of the song is the truth about roads men desire and the contradictions between what we hope and what happens and the social order. Jeff Buckley was able to convey just that. This song feels like truth to me, and I love the lyrics.

‘And tell me where is the love in what your prophet has said?
Man, It sounds to me just like a prison for the walking dead
And I've got a message for you and your twisted hell
You better turn around and blow your kiss goodbye
to life eternal angel...’

I feel if people besides the usual fans ever bought into this white guy then this song would be featured on all the greatest moments of our lives for the rest of time. I mean really, just listen to the man sing. The whole song is a sad and yet strangely hopeful message, after all we really have to do ‘is love’.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Jeff was the overall controlling genius of his music. And I really want his music and legacy to thrive. He’s a great song writer, could easily be signed by the best, and could make a killing if he were alive today. But enough on that, this song is gorgeous.

Dream Brother

Lately I have seen a rash of patients with the general symptoms of early boredom with new bands, searching for new sounds, and junk disguised as music making its appearance in many parties, social gatherings and discussions. After thorough research I have determined this growing deterioration of good music to be brought on by an overdose of bands that are named after something that a madman put together. Luckily a cure for this sickness has been found in the form of a sacrosanct individual from Anaheim, CA who referred to himself as Jeff Buckley. His track ‘Dream Brother’ is the perfect dose of Middle Eastern rock and modern rhythm that is sure to cure any and all music killers from here until the afterlife.
The song ‘Dream Brother’ hits close to Buckley’s personal life. He was deeply disturbed by his father's desertion of his mother that when an almost similar situation happened with his friend, he finds this song a means to convey his feelings.
The track has a power and mystical quality about it that one hardly ever discovers in all music. When I first heard this song, I was completely spellbound. The musical succession along with Jeff’s amazing voice has made me a bigger fan than ever before.
Careful with your dosages, though, as too much of Jeff Buckley has been proven to provoke uncontrollable flights of ecstasy, decreased perception and just beyond any mystical experience.

All nonsense aside I love this track simply for the way it makes me feel. A lighter creature in a very bitter world. In some artists this clever mix of such western and eastern music elements would’ve been much criticized but with ‘Dream Brother’ it feels as if you’re really getting the best of both worlds.

When it comes down to it, a music artist that solely relies on guitars you either get garage based disaster or you find that within this setting true brilliancy shines all the way through. In the case of this artist it’s easy to hear the talent that lies behind his music. From track to track Buckley flips through well written lyrics with a sense of quiet urgency that never leaves your mind, and yet never becomes a frustrating distraction. There is a delicate and faultless poise to be heard.

If I die and go to paradise, this is the tune I want played while I wait in the queue at the pearly gates. I know it’s a sad song about someone who has just parted with a lover. But the idea of consuming lilac wine to bring back memories of love is beautiful, in the most affective sense. You can actually FEEL this song; see it, the whole thing.

Though Jeff Buckley didn’t originally write it, it's quite evident that he was the one accountable for painting this extraordinarily dramatic image for the listener. This is magic contained in a little over six amazing minutes, people.

If you didn’t know this by now, I’m a huge fan of Jeff Buckley and this track illustrates a great point about this artist. He makes every song he ever sang relevant to everyone. And with that he had a gift for making each thought, each emotion, each song apply in some unique way to each and every one of us that has had the pleasure of hearing his music. Here’s to hoping that there will be more artists like him who produce some real music.

Ever since this blog was created I’ve received a lot of email thanking me for the musical introduction. If you are new here and new to Buckley’s music you must hit the player below every post here on DWB and treat yourself to listening to one of the most talented singer songwriters that has ever set foot on this planet. As a reminder, if you can’t view the player that should be visible in each post of ‘Days with Buckley’ please hit the reload/refresh button.

Thinking about it, Jeff Buckley was one of the best kept secrets in the American music scene and I still feel that way today. Do me a favor, do Jeff Buckley a favor, do the music scene a favor, or do your girlfriend a favor and listen to Jeff Buckley. And make sure you tell your friends about him.

And that’s it. The track I’m uploading today is titled ‘Lilac Wine’.

There might be some of you who will disagree with me on my choice of music or artist even going as far as to delete me from your to-read-blog-list}, but in the end you’ll see the wisdom of my good judgment.
Until my next post, so long. I’ll keep posting as long as you all continue to listen to good music. If you’d like to see more write-ups or listen to more of Buckley’s music please feel free to go through the archive.

Everybody Here Wants You

2008- Here we are again at the end of another year. This year we certainly got some mixed reviews music-wise, but from my point of view, I did pretty well…. I discovered some mind-blowing talent, that someone cannot just write-off either if they haven’t listened to his music. He was enough reason why 2008 was a good year to launch a music blog. Not the easiest acts to write about but whatever music he left behind will last us all for decades. However enough of that, the 2008 ship is going to sail out and 2009 will be pulling into the harbor in a few more days.

The song that has made it on today’s post has a mix of uniqueness, substance and addictive appeal which, at the end of the day, means, surviving the new music at EC constantly. If there was a list of Top Discoveries I had to create then Jeff Buckley would settle at first place. That said; let's take a moment to silently pay our respects.........

……………


……………


Awesome, thanks.

Moving on, I’ve had the most amazing time writing and reviewing Jeff Buckley’s music, but this statement doesn't mean these write ups aren't over-- so, no worries.

This track has the right amount of pleasantness and grit. The intriguing blend of the ethereal and rustic. "Everybody here wants you" takes you to a moment on the brink of something just out of reach, amid wistful moments that fly by like blurred headlights. It exemplifies a certain quality in his music that is so difficult to pinpoint. His lyrical sensibilities with slicker, more stylized instrumentation- This song specifically, is a really great groove plus a good balance of bass and lighter, flickering sounds.

The bass alone is enough to grab anyone by the heart, but then his voice kicks in, the song builds in the chorus and you're just finished. It's a great way to spend five minutes. Loosely retro, just a bit bluesy, but ultimately timeless.

Just Like A Woman

Here we march toward the end of the year. Let this track by Jeff Buckley be the rhythm that guides you. A lot of his music are of the slow burn variety. They’re steady, consistent, and they get better the longer you listen to them. This is one of those tracks that serve as a perfect finish for 2008. The song titled ‘Just Like A Woman’ build into a sort of classic rock and strumming guitar that actually sounds better than that random string of words I just used to describe it.
What I can’t get over with Buckley’s music is that it impresses me with the amount of energy that’s somehow crammed into each and every song. Seriously, go ahead and press play and you’ll be left with your mouth hanging open. Somehow this track proves that you can add even more awesome to a Buckley track. If you’re only going to download, listen, stream or meditate on one song this month this should be it.

It’d be fair to say that this year I’ve been all about Jeff Buckley. And deservedly so. He makes fabulous music and the number of artists that have been influenced by his music are equally impressive. That’s right, I’m posting this track and you’re going to love every second of it. You’re welcome by the way. I like this track because it says so much about this woman he sings about...I wish I was that woman.

I really wish there were as many Jeff Buckley songs to post about each and every day. In the past two weeks since my return I’ve been crazy busy with work which doesn’t really allow me to indulge in pleasures such as writing about music I love.
Due to all this, what with learning a new process and the politics at work, not to mention the lovely December tradition of Christmas, I haven’t been able to sit down and breathe. I’m hoping next year’s pay check will allow me the freedom to do a lot more traveling, snagging a new laptop {Mac or Sony} and getting my game back on track. Until then make sure you check out my sidebar as there are blogs I recommend with all my heart. Seriously. Enjoy the run up to the Christmas season. I’ll bring you musical presents as soon as I can.

‘She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
And she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl.’

Happy Holidays and wait with bated breath for my return.

Sorry for the slow posting over the last month or so because I had to take a much needed vacation.
While I was in Nagaland I found myself telling my family and friends about Jeff Buckley’s music, almost continually. I had started writing about his music just a over a few months ago and if you are part of the few people which access Days with Buckley then you certainly know by now that I will not lead you astray. I am not a corporate entity seeking to stuff myself full of your hard earned cash. I am a music fan seeking to promote the music- Buckley’s music, that I find to be compelling.

Now that I have stolen your attention with my clever banter and obvious intellectual superiority I must encourage you to listen to the track titled ‘Hallelujah’. After drifting through this track an almost countless number of times I have come to appreciate this song, more and more. The lyrics are stunning, what the mood and the song evoke is simple and elegant, and it might be the best of Buckley’s music on DWB.

I’m not entirely sure how to sum up this song. In short it is a delightful journey through what modern rock should be. This isn’t glam, this isn’t eighties resurgence, this isn’t something that immediately calls to mind some departed period. This is modern music as it was meant to be heard. For those of you still trying to imagine what Buckley sounds like let me take another crack at it. If you took your favorite bits of contemporary music and the vulnerable side of blues and jazz, blended those together with talent from every great artist in the world since evolution then you might be getting close to understanding the complex nature of this artist.

Seriously now dear reader, this track is amazing but it is just a taste of what awaits you when you listen to an entire Buckley album. Every single song sung is worth listening to both for their individual merit as well as what they become when spread over thirty two minutes of glorious music.
That being said I’m posting a brilliant song that should tide you over until I return with another entry on Buckley. Maybe it can serve to save your weekend.

(Refresh the page if you are unable to detect the player)

Lover you Should've Come Over

I’ll be honest; I’m not your typical city-bred South Indian kid. And by that I do mean I don’t listen to copious amounts of hip hop, rap, electronic and r&b. Now don’t get me wrong, while I was in college I definitely went through a phase where I couldn’t get enough of hip- hop, all that gangsta rappin and everything surrounding the east coast vs west coast rap. At some point during my undergrad days I just stopped listening to everything with a clever rhyme. Now don’t read too much into what I’m saying here. I still love the occasional album by Neyo, Chris Brown or Nas. I’ve occasionally been caught watching ‘Yo Mama’. Sometimes I listen to Ryan Seacrest’s top 40. But I’m done digesting everything on that scene.
I am infatuated with a particular someone but haven’t had the guts to even strike up a conversation with him. Let me simply say that every time I ready myself to say hi to him my nerves take over me. I freeze, contort myself to look absolutely mean and walk on by. I’m struggling to find a piece of land to put my feet on right now. So I take refuge in Buckley’s music, especially the track ‘Lover You Should’ve Come Over’.
What makes this track even more impressive, and what proved to be the deciding factor in me posting it here today, was that this song encompasses the magic of Jeff Buckley and has worked to calm my mind and heart as I attempt to stumble my way into a getting a hold of my feelings for this new guy.
Honestly, after listening to this track you can rest assured that this is what profound lyrics, written by a truly independent musician, are supposed to sound like. It always amazes me to discover the quantity of talent and creativity in this artist. I said it awhile ago, and I will reiterate it here again. Jeff Buckley is the best performer I have ever heard. Now, and somewhat to hedge my bets, I don’t mean that he is the most technically or vocally gifted person to ever tickle the ivories. Nor does he possess more talent in his ten fingers and voice than anyone else who has ever lived. What I do mean is that Buckley is the most consummate performer to ever sing. When he takes the stage you can’t help but feel the energy that he exudes. He is, after all, the best performer I have ever heard.

I Know We Could Be So Happy Baby

Rock geniuses don’t get much more unassuming than Jeff Buckley. He was one of the great rock success stories of the 90’s. His music was a deeply melodic alternate reality, full of sing-along choruses and inscrutable lyrics. As a songwriter, Buckley proved you don't have to understand a song to love it. And though that divine power may still be under investigation, one thing is for sure: Buckley still rules.

Why does his music still appeal to me today especially when a medium like the internet, renders a lot of music that could stray you away? I think it's a number of things. Part of it is a desire for authenticity. And I guess this is why Buckley’s music is fallen in love with every single day. I guess it’s also the way that he expresses himself, wholeheartedly knowing and feeling the lyrics. And when he sings those songs it really feels like you're the only one who understands them.
This review typically tells you less than nothing. What you need to know is this: ‘I know we could be so happy baby (if we wanted to be)’ is a very good track. Aside from being a darkly beautiful song — it’s just the difference in the delivery. The delivery is more dynamic. There's more of a range melodically.

When I listened to his songs I’d always imagined that he looked tall and thin and artistic, kind of soft around the edges. There were pictures of him that showed off his messy hair and diffused aura, but he was also masculine in all the best ways, with lean, strong arms, a biggish nose, full lips and deep-set dark eyes whose performances made the perfectly crafted, heartbreaking songs seem even more precious. This song is about, well, being unsatisfied, but it also makes being unsatisfied sound breathtakingly romantic. Buckley must be called the master of rock, and it's hard to argue otherwise. There may well be no better aural advertisement for pain and love together, than songs like this. Music like this has more power to corrupt than the strongest parental advisory sticker advocates ever dreamed. It has the ability to push you out the door on an ordinary night, make you have one for the road, inspire you to kiss strangers. With Buckley on in the background, plenty of not-so-smart things seem like wonderful ideas.

And if this smoldering antihero hadn’t left us so early, he still would have owned the alternative world by default. The stars of the rock scene are about as asexual a crowd as have ever made music. If Buckley were alive today, he’d be the last guy left still standing at the party. After everyone else has passed out or puked on your shoes, there he is, a little bleary, smiling sadly. With all those lyrics about longing and frustration, he’d be the one you take home.

Yard of Blonde Girls

Ever since the birth of music as a medium, there has been passion-drenched music. But truly passionate music that doesn’t give into corniness or porniness is much trickier to pull off. As such, there has been only a handful of such music. Many have been lost to time; others aren't publicly available. But I’ve found one such artist I’ve longed loved to love. As always, I encourage feedback in the comments section over my selection of music.

So let’s get on with it. The track of Buckley’s I’ve chosen today is ‘Yard of Blonde Girls’. Originally written by two sisters belonging to two different bands. Buckley’s cover, of course is most well known and the one that’s remembered.
There's something strangely hypnotic about this song. Is it the never-ending, slow-motion feeling? Or the fact that the lyrics remains strangely fixated on the girls who are untouched by ‘this world of lies’.

You've got three more weekends left, and you're already sick of that song that’s made it to the top of the charts. May I suggest this as your end-of-summer soundtrack? The single’s hummable melodies and lingering harmonies, shadowed by layers of strange instrumentation, create a lush sound that you want to crawl into, like a hammock. It doesn't sound like any other artist but just so trademark Buckley with his personal brand of abstract sexuality slathered all over this song.

‘Yard of Blonde Girls’ maybe an odd title but it’s like one of these songs essential just for people who are wandering past that may or may not be listening.

If You See Her Say Hello

Jeff Buckley emerged in New York City's ultramodern music scene in the 1990's as one of the most extraordinary musical performers of his generation.

Listen to the track ‘If you see her say hello’ — and my heart just stopped, typing that — long after music is delivered directly via the boom box into a candy-colored chip in my brain, the haunting song will endure.

Originally sung by Bob Dylan, Jeff performed this live at Sin- é.

His music is obsession, and obsession is music. As long as he is there to seduce and ravage, I will listen to be seduced and ravaged. As long as his music plays, there will be rock-star fantasies; as long as he morphs into something god-like, there will be secret languages to learn and guilty pleasures to defend. This song is about relationship with music, and relationships' relationship to music. And because I couldn't resist, I’ve written it here.

This song, slightly differing in lyrics from the original is just as striking - I have to say that under better recording conditions, Jeff Buckley's version would've probably drowned out Bob Dylan's completely. Jeff Buckley certainly couldn't create a more impressive avant-rock resume. Strange things happen when Jeff Buckley opens his mouth to sing. One moment he's like a white blues singer with a sound straight out of the Mississippi; the next, a jazz singer whose flexible voice dives and soars through pained memories. The last thing he sounds like is his age. The buzz is pretty immediate after you’ve listened to his stuff and it makes him all the more enigmatic and mysterious and I guess it’s what adds to my fascination with Buckley and his music.

New Year's Prayer

It’s October, which means that we should be entering the cold beery haze that leads to Christmas but sometimes, especially during the afternoons, it feels as though we’re well into the depths of summer. And that, in turn, means that if Eveline the heartbroken was writing this introduction, it’d include a “sigh” and at least one remark about how the world and it’s men have gone to dogs.

Since its Blissful Eveline doing the job though, you’ll just have to settle for one of these:

Yup, the world hasn’t left me completely torn apart. And all things considered, I think that works out a little better.

In any case, after a slight delay caused by my need to catch up on some sleep, it’s time once again for the man in all his brilliance- and here’s what struck me this week…

While I can appreciate the genius of many great sounding upcoming artists, I have to admit that there are few who match up to Buckley.

Believe it or not, I’m not going to make any value judgments about this track tonight, because in this rare instance, I feel like it’s my duty to provide facts instead of opinions to make you a more well-informed listener. With that in mind, I’d just like to point out that the ‘Live at Sin-é (pronounced as shin-ay) which originally came out in 1993 is a live EP that captures the complete understanding of a Jeff Buckley concert. The Sin- é was a cafe that featured the launch of several music careers. New Year's Prayer’ was a poem written by Jeff Buckley and Sin- é was the location that Jeff Buckley felt right at home and in effect it was there that he gave some of his most glorious work till date.

He gets everything right in this song, and that’s what I LOVE about it.

Forget Her

As I was looking through some pictures that were taken a long time ago of the man I wanted to marry when I was 21, I had Buckley’s tune ‘Forget Her’ playing in the background. This particular song filled me with both an aching as well as intoxication. Jeff Buckley’s music is powerful and it sort of corresponded with what I was feeling at the time- the longing: even during its most intense, layered crescendos, it has a restraint that's like running on tiptoes, and you want to give chase. Even though the song is about disappointment, the tempos force hope into the nostalgic images of missed connections with someone whom you once loved wholly. " she was heartache from the moment that you met her. My heart is frozen still as I try to find the will to forget her, somehow. She's out there somewhere now," sings Buckley over magical guitars and drums. Not for nothing has he been put on the pedestal as one of the greatest voices I have ever heard in my life.

Over Buckley’s lifetime, he’s written lyrics that are kind of open, so people can read something into it and relate to it. What's important to me is the emotion that he sings with and that’s what draws people to his music.

Alternative rock doesn't get any better than Jeff Buckley. He is everything the Rolling Stones warned you about. One of those with deeply melodic music, full of sing-along choruses and enigmatic lyrics. Take it from me ‘Jeff Buckley will change your life’.

So Real

All music is not created uniformly- and certain types of music are best for certain people. That’s my theory.

My musical tastes vary from 80’s rock music to country to old-school hip hop to the latest in alternative rock music. This was the outcome of my short stint as a radio jockey (as they fondly call it here in India), at a local radio station. I had to update my mind to different types of music and regular readings of Rolling Stone magazines. Back then my own musical explorations were put on hold by the demands of keeping up with the ever-changing favorite songs of audiences.

Buckley’s sound crosses genres and borders. Truly, he has lacked well-deserved recognition in his time but his unique styling and strong evocative voice rich with emotion have sure won over music lovers in a heartbeat and has set him apart from tradition and style. He’s the artist that defies description –or at least short descriptions. To me, he’s a fine example of excellently crafted music.

My pick for this post is ‘So Real’. If there was an entry in the dictionary under ‘musical genius’, Jeff Buckley’s name would be there instead of the definition.
I’ve uploaded the acoustic version of Jeff Buckley’s ‘So Real’ in my first blog so this one will just be the original. The entire album is an incredible, deep and complex work and if ‘Grace’ was the first track you fell in love with then ‘So Real’ should be the second. It had me clamoring for more.

Rotating melody and spontaneity, Buckley treats the songs as templates to weave in and out of time, chord changes and expectations. Buckley’s genre-crossing guitar and full-toned vocal fluency have generated timeless pieces of music that are as diverse as possible yet lush, full and richly textured.

I've been obsessed with my search for music and if there is one artist worth listening to and mentioning about, then it’s Jeff Buckley. I have to admit that I’ve known about him for quite some time but just haven’t gotten to his music until now. Tomorrow I’m heading to the music store to get myself his albums and if you're a silly fan like me, you'll consider it worth it. I don't know what to write in order to explain his captivating and passionate music. But after listening to ‘grace’ one can recognize the great and amazing talent Jeff Buckley possessed. His music spells passion, magnetism and talent beyond bounds. ‘Grace’ is one of the very best albums I've ever heard. It’s fundamental for any fan, fanatical or casual.When I finally found him, I was 11 years late. Nevertheless, I'm excited to finally discover this gifted guitarist, singer and song writer. He’s a genius (I believe so).

Lyrically, Jeff Buckley’s music floats between the quasi- religious and the out-and-out hippie-ish but for the most part it’s simple and straightforward songwriting. Buckley’s voice is the key to the songs; mellow and dark, introspective and mature.

So I dig Jeff Buckley’s music. It exists; it’s wonderful but not really known by the masses. We see the rise of music blogs such as this one. It’s Jeff Buckley’s music for Jeff Buckley lovers. I’m going to end this post with the name of the group I just joined on Facebook- ‘The World Needs More Jeff Buckley’.