Over the course of twenty one tracks, Wings: The Complete Singles 1966-1974 showcases just why Tim Buckley became such an icon even though He never lived to see his 29th birthday. Remarkably prolific though those eight years, Buckley released 10 single recordings (9 double sided) to radio and stores and one two track single which was strangely not released by his label at the time (Elektra Records) and that record thus represents the previously unreleased portion of this compilation.
Tim Buckley may have been known more as an "album artist" than as a "singles artist," but this new collection is perhaps the perfect one disc, easy to digest look into the dynamic talent than anything else previously released through the years (or, at the very least, a great primer to his body of work). The album runs the gamut of sounds from early tracks like the opening twangy rock of "Wings" to rollicking piano based Folk rock like "Pleasant Street" to the inventive sounds of "So Lonely," and still fresh rollicking sound and lyrical bravado of "Move With Me." "Nighthawkin'," The B-side to "Move," feels like it could've fit on any record from The Rolling Stones to Charlie Daniels in the late 60s and Early 70s and been a massive hit and it still works today, especially with Buckley's stellar vocals.
Wings: The Complete Singles 1966-1974 is vibrant. It shows what music was and certainly could be again, if the artists are allowed to "be" and create outside of commercial pressures. There needs to be talent, sure, but Tim Buckley is always inventive on these songs. B side "Stone In Love" feels like a lost Zeppelin song at times while his version (a rare cover in his catalog of tracks) of Fred Neil's iconic folk song "Dolphins" is the song's seminal version. It's a vocal tour de force and its B Side feels worthy of any good Southern Rock boogie band. "Wanda Lu," the Final A side from his life, is a great tribute to Buckley's abilities and a fitting final coda for a fantastic collection of tunes.
Note: The CD version of this album also includes a fantastic set of liner notes from Pat Thomas in which we hear from frequent Buckley collaborator Larry Beckett where he discusses each of the songs on this project, many of which he co-wrote or collaborated in some way.
0 Comments