Fruit Tree tells the sonic tale of a hugely talented, sensitive musician, from his days as a wide-eyed hopeful/student making his way into the folk club circuit, to the fallen son who fell prey to that most common of artistic predators, depression. From the country to the city, from hope to despair and dreams and days, to shadows and light, you will find it all here. And all in his own words.

The box set includes all three albums released during Nick Drake's lifetime, and the fourth, a posthumous effort, Time of No Reply. All four cds are excellent, with their own nuances and flavor, and luckily, if you buy the box set, you won't have to face the difficult task of choosing a favorite.

This music is beyond beautiful. As others have said, it is ethereal, haunting, touching, priceless. Art on the scale of Van Gogh or William Blake. Timeless and comfortable, modern and jarring. A handful of contradictions, a million grains of sand. In short, genius.

Nick Drake's first album, Five Leaves Left, was released in 1969. In a chilling coincidence, in November 1974, five years after this album was released, he would, at age 26, leave this earth. 5LL is a classically-infused album, with a sleepy and melodic feel. It includes the classic "Time Has Told Me," the brilliant and wispy "Cello Song," the playful "Thoughts of Mary Jane," the incredible/heavy and foreboding "Fruit Tree" (surely this song has at least some part to play in the growing cult following of Drake.. it is eerie to hear him sing so clearly about post-humous fame), and the gorgeous, piano-infused "Saturday Sun."

Bryter Layter (released in 1970), was composed and recorded in London. During the making of this album, Drake was living alone in an old Georgian apartment in Hampstead. In true artist style, the lonely, cold flat came complete with sweeping ceilings, but little creature comforts to speak of, and only one stark and lonely light, hanging from the rafters. This album was titled after a common weather forecast in England at that time, "Cloudy now, brighter later." Bryter Layter was meant to carry Drake forward onto fame. It was extravagantly arranged, with many sonic layers. When it failed to sell, a depression began seeping into Nick. From 'Poor Boy,' a deceptively jazzy number: "Nobody knows/ How cold it grows/ And nobody sees/ How shaky my knees/ Nobody cares/ How steep my stairs/ And nobody smiles/If I cross their stiles." Standouts include the beautiful 'Northern Sky' (Serendipity Soundtrack), the playful and meandering 'Hazey Jane (I&II)', the gorgeous 'Fly' (Royal Tenenbaums soundtrack) and the revealing and poetic 'At the Chime of A City Clock.'

Pink Moon (1972) was recorded alone (with only the sound engineer) in two midnight sessions on consecutive nights, with only one overdub (Nick's own piano playing on the title track). This album, with only Nick's voice and incredible guitar playing, is Nick "distilled" and its purity and immediacy is breathtaking. (Many prefer this album to all others, if I had to pick a favorite, I'd probably agree. But Bryter Layter? Hmm, never mind, I can't pick a favorite. They are all amazing, in their way.) The songs here range from the numbness & lack of emotion of 'Know', to the beautiful and lulling, "Place to Be," to the mesmerizing guitar-driven 'Things Behind the Sun,' to uncanny prophecy (the haunting, ethereal and incredibly beautiful 'Pink Moon,' brought to long-lost fame by the 2000 VW commercial.)

(The commercial gains poignancy when one realizes that one of Nick's passions, besides music, was driving, especially at night. He also loved nature, the seasons, the sun and moon. He would spend hours looking up at the stars at night, according to his father. Ironically perhaps, the commercial is somehow a fitting reflection of Nick's essence, and perhaps explains in part why it's 1-2 punch of music and image fit together so well and caused so many to be so stirred by a mere 30 seconds of exposure to this haunting musician.)

The last album in the set, Time of No Reply, (compiled after Drake's death), includes four songs from Nick's final recording session in 1974. (The haunting Black Eyed Dog and the sad Hanging on A Star are standouts here. Contrary to the recording of Pink Moon two years earlier, Drake was unable to play guitar and sing at the same time at this session, as he was too depressed). Also included on this last album are studio outtakes from the '69 (5LL) sessions, and several home recordings, which had been saved by Nick's father Rodney on a whim. (Thank you Rodney!) (Included are 'Mayfair,' 'Strange Meeting II,' and alternate takes of 'Man in a Shed,' and 'Fly.') And so Nick's legacy was complete, with these four works of brilliant, haunting art.

But Drake fans will be cheered to know that the music is not quite over, yet. His sister Gabrielle is planning to release an album tentatively called "Family Tree" sometime in the next year, with recently acquired outtakes from Nick's (sunny/happy) time in Aix (France, in 1967) and other unreleased material, as well as a couple of songs from Nick's talented mother, who was also a songwriter, Molly.

As others have said, it is definitely worth getting the box set, as the minute you sit down and listen, really listen, to this young man's art, you will be transfixed, and want to hear all you can. Fruit Tree includes complete lyrics to all songs on the set, and a nice little booklet with a mini-biography by Arthur Lubow (from 1978), and some nice photos. Recent box sets should also be the re-mastered ones as well. (5LL, Bryter Layter, and Pink Moon were re-mastered in the last couple of years. Time of No Reply has yet to be re-mastered, since it is more difficult to do this with a non-studio/half home-recorded album.) Pop in these cds and let Nick brighten your (northern?) sky... Amazing!

I first was introduced to Nick Drake's music in 1980, when I was in college. I had always enjoyed folksy, offbeat, and/or acoustic music (and have the Tom Rush, Tom Waits, Syd Barrett, and Joni Mitchell albums (vinyl) to prove it). My girlfriend introduced me to an album of his that must have been the compilation that came out before Pink Moon, because it had songs from his first two albums on it. Needless to say, I was blown away. Well things didn't work out and whenever I would find myself in a record store I would ask for Nick Drake. I couldn't describe his genre too well, and no one had heard of him. I couldn't even find a listing for him in the catalogs of the day.

One day, in 1995, I was in a record shop and decided to glance at its box set collections (which I hardly ever do). My jaw dropped when I saw this set up on the wall. The next thing that dropped was my credit card on the counter.

As a non-musician, what strikes me most about Nick Drake is that even as a 20 year old, his stylings, arrangements, vocals, lyrics, and guitar work are impeccable. Even now, I think that I would take two notes from Nick Drake that would make me cry over any 10 minute guitar solo in the world. He was that good. Every time I listen, it's a new experience.

Fast forward to 2000. I am winding down my lunch hour and wander into a downtown Indy coffee shop for a cup 'o' mud to take back to the office. Playing overhead is "One of These Things First". I say to the guy behind the counter (tatoo, nose ring--you get the picture), "So, you like Nick Drake, huh?" The guy was floored and could barely stammer, "YOU know about Nick Drake???!!??" "Sure," I replied, "listened to him all the time back in college."

For me, in a way, Nick Drake was kinda like an old friend, lost after 15 years. And the coffeeshop thing kinda proves that Nick Drake has, can, and will always appeal to people who appreciate good music, whether a grunged coffeeshop 20 something or a 40 something middle aged overweight suit. If that isn't "timeless", what is?? ;)

Nick Drake was one of those rare artistic geniuses that had the ability to perfectly convey his emotions in his medium. Like a Mozart, he was unheralded (for diferent reasons) during his lifetime. Unlike Mozart, he left only a little bit of his talent for us to experience. And it's all right here.

It's just too damn bad that a friend for whom I bought this set, after listening to it, called me and lamented, "You didn't tell me he was DEAD!! There's NO MORE??"

Buy this set. The ONLY thing you will regret is that there is no more.

First discovered Nick Drake when the Island "Introduction to.." compilation was issued, with a modest fanfare. I have never been so immediately struck by a musician and his songs. They never, ever, fade and in common with the greatest compositions, you can listen again and again and always hear them as fresh as the first time - how this happens, I just don't know, but it does. I recently stopped off in Tanworth-in-Arden (Nick's home and the site of his memeorial stone - he was cremated)- it was a beautiful sunny autumn morning, and in looking at the Drake family graves (his mother and father are also buried there) I realised that the essence of Nick's art is that it was a musical embodiment of the beauty of England - an England that is now gone forever - it could not have come from anywhere else.

The BBC recently produced a 30 minute documentary on his life which was not as sombre as Patrick Humphries' biography (which I still enjoyed - you just can't write about Nick's life and make it upbeat, unfortunately). Gabrielle Drake (his actress sister) was interviewed and read some of the letters he had sent her from his time at Cambridge University. Incidentally, in a way, I can understand her not wanting to be interviewed for the biography - she apparently has given many interviews over the years to would-be biographers, all of which have come to nothing. This probably seemed like another one. Interestingly, the programme also featured a home recording of Molly (his mother) singing a childrens' song. The source of his unique talent was clear.

I guess the only thing I can add is that I have recommended Nick to probably, hundreds of people - once they've listened, no one has ever been baffled as to why. If the house caught fire, God forbid, I would save this set of CDs ahead of any others. Buy it - you will NOT be disappointed.

Short of some opera and Beethoven, Nick Drake is the only composer to fill my heart with such emotion. I was first introduced to his poetry by an ex-boyfriend. (He was in Boston and I was in Atlanta- to this day "Northern Sky" makes me cry....). The melodies, the pure emotion that pours from Drake's voice- he sings with such an innocence, and yet with such pain. I listen to him on an autumn day and suddenly, I am not alone. I don't recommend Nick Drake to everyone- like a favorite novel or poem, I don't want to cheapen him by sharing the secret with people who wouldn't understand- but if you have a poet's heart or are moved by the simple beauty of the world, you must listen to this music. You will be changed.

I have loved Nick Drake since 1986 or 1987, when I read a review of the boxed set and decided to give it a try. His music, more than any other music I have heard, strikes me as similar to the romantic poetry of the 19th century...not so much in terms of the lyrical quality, but in its fragility and portrayal of love and beauty. Each of the disks in this set is wonderful. My favorite is probably "Five Leaves Left", as I think it is the most consistent, but "Bryter Later" has my two favorites: "Northern Sky" and "At the Chime of a City Clock". This is music that would console me when I felt alone, and led me (eventually) to see the great beauty in the world. There is a fragility to this work, the fragility of a wounded man who loves deeply and feels the need to speak of this love. I wish that I could hear these songs again for the first time. I hope that many more people will take the opportunity to do so. There are a few artists who I feel have released as much beautiful music as Nick did, but no-one whose music is so consistently wonderful.