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2016
Tim Buckley - Lady, Give Me Your Key: The Unissued 1967 Solo Acoustic Sessions (Future Days/Light in the Attic)
By
Chuck Foster
A
year after Tim Buckley delivered his 1966 eponymous debut on
Elektra Records, the label asked for a followup album, as well
as a standalone single. Excited by the challenge of a non-album
45, Buckley holed up with best friend/songwriting partner Larry
Beckett to create two perfect sides. The single idea was quickly
scrapped in favor of the sophomore album, relegating the intimate
demos to near-mythical status. For the very first time, those
sessions see the light of day, coupled with an acetate of other
demos recorded later in New York City for the upcoming Goodbye
and Hello LP.
Roughly
recorded with only Buckley and his guitar, Lady, Give Me Your
Key offers a glimpse into what the singer-songwriter would
sound like if he were playing in your apartment without the
added production of strings or rock instrumentation to get
in the way. The first half, culled from the single demo, show
the LA troubadour at his most passionate and confident, though
very rooted in the folk-blues of the time. Of the seven songs,
only three would make it to Goodbye and Hello, allowing the
others to fade into obscurity. While not all of the material
boasts equal strength, it’s still miles ahead of what
was happening in popular music at the time.The acetate, on
the other hand, sports a different vibe. Here, the songs become
more progressive a la Donovan and Roy Harper, while Buckley’s
strong, yet tortured voice would become the blueprint for
Arthur Lee’s on Love’s 1967 LP Forever Changes.
Only three of these compositions would make it to the forthcoming
album, leaving the remaining three to stand as priceless treasures
that have remained in obscurity for nearly fifty years.
Tim
Buckley went on to explore different musical styles, alienate
his fans and die of a drug overdose in 1975, leaving everyone
to stand and scratch their heads in confusion. This, however,
offers a snapshot of the tortured folk singer in his raw,
vibrant, vulnerable youth. Hear him again for the first time.
2016
Chuck Foster/igtakeover.com
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