Album review: Grace

1.Mojo Pin 2.Grace 3.Last Goodbye 4.Lilac Wine 5.So Real 6.Hallelujah 7.Lover, You Should've Come Over 8.Corpus Christi Carol 9.Eternal Life 10.Dream Brother

Essential tracks: definitely Hallelujah, but the rest depends on what hits you hard

Grace 1994

I dont understand how this album has so few views in youtube!!! this generation f***ing sucks in terms of music!!

Alexis Pizarro

These kinds of albums bring back faith in music. However, there is always the other side of the story - somebody may get drowned to be appreciated. I will only add, that David Bowie called Grace his desert island album and that, I think, sums up this debut album well.


The main thing that should be remembered is that Jeff was only starting. This album sounds complete, but it's because he was a really talented dude. Listening to Grace is facing mature and well-produced songwriting, however it can be so, cause music circa 1994 was not at peak of it powers. There is nothing from that era worth to be compared to Grace in context of debut albums.

I don't mean this is the best album of 1994; there are few easy to find candidates for that spot - like Geek the girl (possibly the best rock album by a female artist). But I think, that Grace is, simply put, the most impressive/the best debut album of the year it was released. It's unmatched by anyone who tried recording neoclassic-rock album.

And speaking of music, all of it works truly well - especially in historical context. I mean, starting album on such a high note as Mojo Pin and ending it with another highlight Dream Brother, must have been appreciated by critics. Jeff Buckley's tragic death must have been noticed by a worldwide audience. Eventually, this album couldn’t have failed in becoming a commercial success.

There also is, on this album, the superb version of Hallelujah, but I will only say that it's one of very few recordings, that are worthy of being called the most resonant ever.

So finally, I wanted to skip comparison of Jeff with his father, Tim. But I believe that it needs to be mentioned. On his debut album Jeff makes his music in a manner that's similar to his father's, although they were composing different kinds of music. Jeff’s music is much more often hard-rocking. 

Tim Buckley, who died long before Jeff started recording, was a creator of a very ambitious psychedelia. Jeff's Grace is probably better than Tim's first two albums, but with his Happy Sad Tim has reached more advanced level than Jeff on his debut. Anyway, both of these fellows are recommendable artists, especially if you've already been liking one of them.

All things considered; Grace is one heck of an important debut album. Give it a try, because every true music lover should know it. It is also quite a lot fun to check out comments section under this album youtube link; that's what I can call it a mind-opening experience.

P.S. full album here