Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake released Five Leaves Left in the summer of 1969. The title references a cautionary note printed on cigarette rolling paper packets. This detail reflects the somber and transient quality found throughout the record. Each composition displays a focus on private reflection and specialized acoustic guitar tunings.

The arrangements incorporate orchestral strings and rhythmic patterns borrowed from jazz. These elements move the music away from typical folk conventions of the period. Working with Island Records, the studio session captured a delicate and close atmosphere. This work serves as an example of the specific British folk movement during the final years of the sixties.