Nick Drake - Nick Drake: Under Review

A tale well told (already)

It’s brave of a company often over-reliant on peripheral footage of the artists they cover to attempt a documentary on one of whom no actual footage exists. Attempt it Chrome Dreams have, and it’s underwhelming. For its list of contributors the film has cast a wide net. The facts are slowly trotted out, but excellent insights are offered by childhood friend of Drake’s, Jeremy Mason, of Aix et al, and the recollections of folk luminaries John Renbourn, Dave Mattacks, Robin Williamson and even Ralph McTell are very welcome. But the A Skin Too Few flick trumps this, adding Nick’s sister, arranger Robert Kirby, mentor Joe Boyd and even Paul Weller. This, however, also falls into the trap of repeating irritating non-Drake incidental music between interviews, and over-egging every lyrical nuance. We get shots of sailors, lovers, cooks and, hilariously, an actual pink moon at one point. Extras are worse still, with a tarot reading for the late singer performed only semi-jokingly and a plug for the artist who painted the cover. Drake’s legend has, and will, run and run. With fewer and fewer opportunities for exclusives in his story, it might be better for us all to concentrate on living legends from now on.

2 stars 2 stars

Chrome Dreams/Sexy Intellectual | SIDVD 527

Reviewed by Jake Kennedy
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