Bryter Layter by Nick Drake

Bryter Layter, Nick Drake's second album, came out on Island Records on March 5, 1971, two years after Five Leaves Left, and it's the most dressed-up he ever let himself get. Joe Boyd produced it at Sound Techniques, wrapping Drake's acoustic guitar and hushed, sleepy voice in a proper band, and there are stretches where it sounds almost like a sophisticated pop record, all autumn light and late-night jazz.

That was the last time he had company. On Pink Moon, the next and final studio album, Drake would sit alone with his guitar. Here the other musicians flatter him, and "Northern Sky" is the one to hear. Few people noticed at the time, and Drake, never keen on playing live, did little to change that; the audience found him later, after his death.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.