Buckley's 1966 debut was the most straightforward and folk-rock-oriented of his albums. The material has a lyrical and melodic sophistication that was astounding for a 19-year-old. The pretty, almost precious songs are complemented by appropriately baroque, psychedelic-tinged production. If there was a record that exemplified the '60s Elektra folk-rock sound, this may have been it, featuring production by Elektra owner
Jac Holzman and
Doors producer
Paul Rothchild,
Love and
Doors engineer
Bruce Botnick, and string arrangements by
Jack Nitzsche. That's not to diminish the contributions of the band, which included his longtime lead guitarist
Lee Underwood and
Van Dyke Parks on keyboards.
Buckley was still firmly in the singer-songwriter camp on this album, showing only brief flashes of the experimental vocal flights, angst-ridden lyrics, and soul influences that would characterize much of his later work. It's not his most adventurous outing, but it's one of his most accessible, and retains a fragile beauty. ~ Richie Unterberger