Caught in the Carousel

Christopher O'Riley

Second Grace: the music of Nick Drake
World Village

Christopher O'Riley

Having previously delved into hallowed ground for his interpretations of music by Radiohead and Elliott Smith with acclaimed success, solo pianist Christopher O’Riley wisely makes a reverent foray into the discography of the influential yet elusive singer-songwriter Nick Drake. But Second Grace is more than just a watered-down Nordstrom’s compendium of Drake’s repertoire. O’Riley’s adaptations simultaneously remain faithful to the intent of the original pieces while also bending to suit the contours of the piano and its player. All of the 14 tracks here, culled from Drake’s holy trinity plus the posthumously-released codas, are treated with a ginger and delicate veneration, as are the ample and analytical liner notes explicating each tune. O’Riley’s renditions somehow manage to wordlessly summon the spirit of Drake’s voice into the room with all of its nuances: fragile, feeble, humble, haunting, shy, spare, lilting, uplifting.

Even though these songs are not verbatim replications of Drake’s work sans lyrics, one still cannot help but compare the offspring to their predecessors. (And indeed, those unfamiliar with the Nick Drake catalogue will do themselves a disservice—not to mention a sleight to both artists—by beginning with O’Riley without having done their homework.) “Rider on the Wheel” is like a folksy springtime stroll, and “Fly” a reflective hammock respite. “Hanging on a Star” remains both tenuous and effervescent as it mimics the long, warbling eek of Drake’s first high note and then tumbles into a fluttering trill. O’Riley accurately describes “Harvest Breed” as “the falling of a leaf,” and he tucks it into the body of his own album like a master of scrapbooking. “Joey” succeeds because it takes its time to allow a kind of narrative to unfold, much like the lyric version. And “From the Morning” is undeniably the perfect ending to both O’Riley’s and Drake’s albums, lingering and reverberating into the future like the proverbial Walt Whitman under your bootsoles at the prophetic end of the poem “Song of Myself.”

One thing that does get lost in the translation on Second Grace, regrettably, is Nick Drake’s angst and depression. O’Riley’s “Parasite” loses the sense of self-deprecation by leaning generously on major-scale tones; and the loneliness on Drake’s “Place to Be” defies duplication. Also, tinkering with the tempo undermines the spirit of the original in some spots; for example, O’Riley’s “Pink Moon” is a hint too zealous, while slowing down “One of These Things First” sacrifices Drake’s jazzy playfulness. However, the pendulum swings the other way, too: O’Riley’s dramatic ending to “Three Hours” outshines the ambling conclusion to Drake’s wayfarer tune; also, O’Riley’s “Bryter Layter” medley and his “Northern Sky” tribute both sound more focused and forceful than their carefree, campfire counterparts. Overall, the pianist blends together an eclectic sampling into a seamless whole, and does true justice to this legendary folk troubadour.

--Mark Cabasino