Record Roulette: Grace
Jeff Buckley emerged from the 1990s like a hundred-year-old songbird, with raw emotions, vulnerability, and the talent to match. Originally released on August 23, 1994, Grace would become Buckley’s Magnum Opus, but it wasn’t always a crowd favorite.
As I listen to the record, I can’t help but think “How could anyone not love him?” But timing is everything. Grace received incredibly mixed reviews, Pitchfork’s Dominique Leone recounting, “For all its swells of emotion and midnight dynamics, Grace was not a record to rally the post-grunge alternation. It made a jazz noise where a rock one was expected and a classical one where a pop one might have sold more records.”
The world wasn’t quite prepared for what Buckley had to offer at the time, but it is worth noting that Grace ranked #147 on Rolling Stone’s updated “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” in 2020. Although it is rightfully wedged between Blondie’s Parallel Lines and Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange, I often wonder if Grace sits on a pedestal because we are collectively mourning the loss of potential as the record transitions from a cult favorite to a mainstream must-listen nearly 30 years later.
Buckley would embark on an international tour post-Grace which lingered on for a good few years. Whether he was touring Europe with his band or going solo in New York’s East Village, Buckley was always performing in some capacity. He began recording his second studio album, For My Sweetheart The Drunk, throughout ‘96 and ‘97, with producer Tom Verlaine of Television. Unsatisfied, Buckley scrapped the project and began rerecording the album with his band in Memphis, until his untimely death on May 29, 1997.
I will not dwell on the details of his passing for fear of eclipsing his legacy- Buckley drowned in the Wolf River channel of the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tennessee. There was no alcohol or drugs involved, nor was it deemed a suicide.
His second album was posthumously released in 1998, effectively titled Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk. It contained his original recordings, along with various demos and alternative mixes. There’ve also been a handful of live albums released, including Mystery White Boy and Live at L’Olympia, but nothing comparable to Grace.
There’s nothing that comes close to the otherworldly beauty of Grace, and I don’t think there will be another album quite like it, at least not in this lifetime. No amount of critical acclaim will ever be enough- Grace is an essential listen, no contest.
Tracklist
“Mojo Pin”
Grace begins softly; Buckley eases you into the record slowly yet deftly. “Mojo Pin” is a preview of every element of Grace- delicate falsettos that turn to blinding rage, acoustic turns electric, the buildup of love and let down of heartbreak over roughly five minutes: “The welts of your scorn, my love, give me more.”
“Grace”
The title track is perhaps the most heartbreaking as Buckley ominously pleads, “Well it’s my time coming, I’m not afraid, afraid to die. My fading voice sings of love,” and, “I feel them drown my name.” It’s an easy track to hear, but hard to truly listen to. This would not be the only time Buckley predicts his demise on Grace.
“Last Goodbye”
You could say that every song on Grace is the same; Buckley sings to an unknown girl about how much his love for her hurts. You could definitely say that. But I won’t. “Last Goodbye” tricks you into believing it’s upbeat as he coos, “Kiss me out of desire, babe, not consolation.” Again, easy to hear, heavy to listen to.
“Lilac Wine”
“Lilac Wine” is one of three cover songs that Buckley makes his own on Grace. The first 40 seconds are reminiscent of Jonathan Richman’s spoken-word style vocals, not particularly musical but gut-wrenching all the same. He drifts in and out of the swoon of Nina Simone’s version and a Modern Lovers’ musing, and the instruments are simply following his lead. He leans into the sweet intoxication of Lilac Wine, gearing up for the second half of Grace.
“So Real”
In “So Real,” Buckley is convincing himself that the love he had was real (shocker). It’s not the lyrics that make this song, but the weighty guitar solo that takes over at 2:18 and abruptly vanishes at 2:39. Without the loss of control shared by the guitar and Buckley’s vocals, the song would not have the same effect. In another threatening allusion to his passing, he sings, “I couldn't awake from the nightmare, that sucked me in and pulled me under.” At times, listening to Grace makes you feel like he saw what was coming and was prepared; that he’d produced the album to comfort the listener posthumously. Realizing that he had no idea is even more jarring.
“Hallelujah”
“Hallelujah” is everyone’s first introduction to Jeff Buckley. His rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” undeniably outshines the original. With all of the unhinged emotions felt throughout Grace, Buckley reels it in for a moment to capture “Hallelujah” like stained glass in an empty church. Cohen may have written the haunting song, but it will always be attached to Buckley in a bittersweet lament to what could have been.
“Lover, You Should’ve Come Over”
“Lover, You Should’ve Come Over,” is a precise serving of Buckley’s soul on a silver platter. The lyrics speak for themselves: “My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder… She is the tear that hangs inside my soul forever.” No notes.
“Corpus Christi Carol”
A hymn is not unsuitable for Grace. Buckley’s interpretation of “Corpus Christi Carol” was inspired by Janet Baker’s version, introduced to him by a childhood friend. Here he ropes you back into those empty church pews with his echoing falsettos, reminding the listener not to get carried away by the distress of heartache. The hymn has no set-in-stone interpretation, but Buckley saw it as, “a fairytale about a falcon who takes the beloved of the singer to an orchard. The singer goes looking for her and arrives at a chamber where his beloved lies next to a bleeding knight and a tomb with Christ's body in it.”
“Eternal Life”
The lack of transition from a delicate hymn to the muddy grit of “Eternal Life” gives you momentary whiplash, much like the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”. He offers an opposing perspective, angrily screaming, “Tell me where is the love in what your prophet has said? Man, it sounds to me just like a prison for the walking dead.” Admittedly not my favorite, but a necessary addition to the more vulnerable side of love we’ve heard so much about.
“Dream Brother”
“Dream Brother” takes notes from The Doors’ “The End” and turns it on its head. Again, Buckley inadvertently alludes to his death, singing, “Your eyes to the ground and the world spinning round forever, asleep in the sand with the ocean washing over.”
“Forget Her”
“Forget Her” is a posthumous addition to Grace, but no less crucial to the record. Here, he finally comes to terms with losing the one he loves: “Don’t fool yourself, she was heartache from the moment that you met her… I think I’ve forgotten her now.” He’s bitter but has reached acceptance in the five stages of Grace.
Honorable Mention: “The Other Woman- Studio Outtake- 1993” from Grace (Legacy Edition).
Although not included on the original release, this Nina Simone cover is on par with “Hallelujah”, in that Buckley takes a moment to breathe, and then produces some of the most achingly beautiful vocals you’ve ever heard.
Grace is not a casual listen. The ideal environment would be a beach cottage with French windows open after a summer storm, but that’s not realistic. I’d recommend a solo listen at least once- but do not simply hear the music, really listen. Take the record into your bones and feel every emotion being thrown at you. Then, and only then, can you share it with everyone you know. If you cherry-pick songs for a playlist, you’ll probably find yourself unwittingly singing the praises of Grace to anyone who might lend you an ear. Or maybe that’s just me.
Hopefully, I’ve provided enough context for a thorough understanding of each track, but I won’t insult Buckley by insinuating that Grace can’t speak for itself. At the end of the day, this album will find you when you need it most. Your first listen will not be your last; like a cosmic boomerang, Grace continues to skim the surface of relevancy with each new generation, only seeking out those who are ready to listen.
Listen to Grace on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or Pandora
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Leone, Dominique. “Jeff Buckley: Grace: Legacy Edition Album Review.” Pitchfork, 22 September 2004, https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/995-grace-legacy-edition/. Accessed 20 April 2023.
McCabe, Sean, and Jonathan Bernstein. “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – Rolling Stone.” The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – Rolling Stone, 22 September 2020, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/frank-ocean-channel-orange-2-1063085/. Accessed 20 April 2023.
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