Bryter Layter

Bryter Layter is Nick Drake’s second album after Five Leaves Left (1969). It was recorded during the course of 1970, in the Sound Techniques studio in London, and released on March 6, 1971.

As with Five Leaves Left, Drake worked with John Wood as the engineer, Joe Boyd as the producer and Robert Kirby as the arranger of the brass and string segments.

Other collaborators include members of Fairport Convention, John Cale, and Beach Boys' musicians Mike Kowalski and Ed Carter, as well as Paul Harris, who also contributed several parts to Five Leaves Left and also regarded an important figure in British Folk music scene, shaping the sound of John and Beverly Martyn albums. The sound of Bryter Layter seems a little more polished and poppier than on Five Leaves Left, probably to attract a wider audience since his debut wasn’t a commercial success.

Although Bryter Layter was again not sold well, it is regarded as one of the best albums of all time by several publications, including:

#23 of the “100 Greatest British Albums Ever” (Q, 2000).
#14 of “The Greatest Albums of the ‘70s” (NME, 1993).
#245 of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time” (Rolling Stone, 2003).

In one of his rare interviews (published in Sounds, March 13, 1971), Drake told journalist Jerry Gilbert:

I had something in mind when I wrote the songs, knowing that they weren’t just for me. The album took a long time to do, in fact, we started it almost a year ago. But I’m not altogether clear about this album – I haven’t got to terms with the whole presentation.

Drake already withdrew from live performances during the time of the album’s release, saying in regards to promotional gigs for the album:

I don’t think that would help – unless they were done in the right way. I’m just not very sure at the moment, it’s hard to tell what will turn up.