One of the greatest tragedies of the 00’s was the loss of the prolific and incredibly talented musician, Jeff Buckley. It is a wonderful thing that Buckley was able to gift us with Grace before his untimely death. The album was released in 1994 and remains relevant 26 years later. The longevity of the album is evidence of its incredible quality, especially in Buckley’s vocals and musicality. Lilac wine and Corpus Christi Carol are two of my favourite songs on the album; they have a unique intimacy to them that characterises Buckley’s style. The iconic cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is perhaps the most celebrated song on the album, and certainly not without reason.
Hallelujah opens with delicate and sparse guitar melodies. Buckley’s voice is subtly woven into the song to create a piece that evokes emotion in me on every listen. Although Cohen’s genius brought the song into existence, Buckley’s version breathes life into Hallelujah in the most heart-rending way. It is this propensity to draw out such private emotions in its listeners that makes Grace the masterpiece that it is.
Corpus Christi Carol is a beautiful rendition of a Middle English hymn, popularised by Benjamin Britten’s arrangement. This piece is evidence of a great musical depth in Buckley’s work and is said to be a dedication to a school friend of Buckley’s who first drew his attention to the piece. Buckley’s incredible vocal range is especially clear in this piece. The song is sung in a choral, liturgical style which is in strong contrast to the contemporary style of the rest of the album. It is a gentle rendition, crafted in Buckley’s signature vocal-driven style.
Lyrically, Lilac Wine is written in a free verse or prose style. The music follows the shape of the words and has a subtle introduction, varied body and satisfying conclusion. There is something soothing about listening to this song and something intriguing about its singer. This song reveals Buckley as a writer as well as a musician. “Lilac wine is sweet and heady like my love” is the refrain that is repeated in this song. The comparison of wine to his lost love is so beautiful in its content and its execution that it is once again very difficult not to be moved by this song.
The introduction of Lover, You Should’ve Come Over is mainly comprised of a rich organ sound. The sound subtly runs through the rest of the song, creating a unique, memorable sound. The choral gospel song that enhances moments in the song creates an epic feel that is part of the song’s continued relevance. Buckley’s raw vocal and alternative rock guitar and drum accompaniment makes for a contrast that somehow blends beautifully. My favourite lyrical phrase in this song is “My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder”. Buckley infuses a large sound with personal lyrics and this makes for a cleverly crafted track.
Grace is a beautiful, varied album that has long outlived most other releases from the early 90’s. It has shaped my personal musical tastes and musicianship and I have no doubt that it has done so for many others.
