Editing Nick Drake (section)

===''Five Leaves Left'' (1969)===
Drake recorded his debut album ''[[Five Leaves Left]]'' later in 1968, with Boyd as producer. He had to skip lectures to travel by train to the sessions in [[Sound Techniques]] studio, London. Inspired by [[John Simon (record producer)|John Simon]]'s production of [[Leonard Cohen]]'s 1967 album ''[[Songs of Leonard Cohen]]'', Boyd was keen to record Drake's voice in a similar close and intimate style, "with no shiny pop [[reverb effect|reverb]]".<ref name="b192">Boyd (2006), p. 192.</ref> He sought to include a string arrangement similar to Simon's, "without overwhelming&nbsp;... or sounding cheesy".<ref name="b192"/> To provide backing, Boyd enlisted contacts from the London [[folk rock]] scene, including Fairport Convention guitarist [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]] and [[Pentangle (band)|Pentangle]] bassist [[Danny Thompson]] (no relation).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Rosen |first=Dave |date= |title=Five Leaves Left |url=http://inkblotmagazine.com/rev-archive/drake.htm |url-status=dead |magazine=Ink Blot Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014082115/http://inkblotmagazine.com/rev-archive/drake.htm |archive-date=14 October 2007 |access-date=11 June 2023}}</ref>

Initial recordings did not go well: the sessions were irregular and rushed, taking place during studio downtime borrowed from Fairport Convention's production of their ''[[Unhalfbricking]]'' album. Tension arose as to the direction of the album: Boyd was an advocate of [[George Martin]]'s approach of using the [[studio as an instrument]], while Drake preferred a more organic sound. Dann observed that Drake appears "tight and anxious" on bootleg recordings from the sessions, and notes a number of Boyd's unsuccessful attempts at instrumentation.<ref>Dann (2006), pp. 59–60.</ref> Both were unhappy with arranger [[Richard Anthony Hewson]]'s contribution, which they felt was too mainstream for Drake's songs.<ref>Dann (2006), p. 60.</ref> Drake suggested his college friend Robert Kirby as a replacement. Though Boyd was sceptical about taking on an inexperienced amateur music student, he was impressed by Drake's uncharacteristic assertiveness and agreed to a trial.<ref>Boyd (2006), p. 194.</ref> Kirby had previously presented Drake with some arrangements for his songs.<ref name="Paphides1"/> While Kirby provided most arrangements for the album, its centrepiece, "[[River Man]]", which echoed the tone of [[Frederick Delius]], was orchestrated by the veteran composer [[Harry Robertson (musician)|Harry Robertson]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Chris |date=2007 |title=Review of Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/3g54/ |access-date=11 June 2023 |website=BBC Music}}</ref>{{listen
| filename     =
| title        = "River Man"
| description  = "River Man" is noted for its 5/4 time, harmonic changes and use of [[prosody (poetry)|prosody]]. An early solo acoustic version recorded in Drake's Cambridge college bedroom appears on the 2004 compilation ''[[Made to Love Magic]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fitzsimmons |first=Mick |date=2004 |title=Review of Nick Drake - Made to Love Magic |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/cnhj/ |access-date=11 June 2022 |website=BBC Music}}</ref>
}}

[[Post-production]] difficulties delayed the release by several months, and the album was poorly marketed and supported.<ref>Dann (2006), p. 133.</ref> In July, ''[[Melody Maker]]'' described ''Five Leaves Left'' as "poetic" and "interesting", though ''[[NME]]'' wrote in October that there was "not nearly enough variety to make it entertaining".<ref>Humphries (1997), pp. 101–02.</ref> It received little radio play outside shows by more progressive BBC DJs such as [[John Peel]]<ref>Boyd (2006), p. 197.</ref> and [[Bob Harris (radio)|Bob Harris]]. Drake was unhappy with the inlay sleeve, which printed songs in the wrong running order and reproduced verses omitted from the recorded versions.<ref>Dann (2006), p. 134.</ref> In an interview, his sister Gabrielle said: "He was very secretive. I knew he was making an album but I didn't know what stage of completion it was at until he walked into my room and said, 'There you are.' He threw it onto the bed and walked out!"<ref name="Paphides1"/>