Jeff Buckley
Mystery White Boy

THE REVIEW

An angel descended to earth, a voice from another world, a pure soul, extremely sensitive, music that comes from the heart, from deep within, that digs into you and after listening leaves you amazed and dumbfounded, almost unable to believe that someone can reach such heights, you just can't believe it..

This was Jeff Buckley.

This live released in May 2000 at the behest of his mother Mary Guibert and guitarist Michael Tighe enhances all the qualities of this artist who, if he were still with us, would deserve the top step of the podium without discussion for ability, technique, vocal range, interpretation, and whatever else comes to mind..

It begins with "Dream Brother", the piece starts softly, quietly, an almost imperceptible guitar arpeggio, then drums and bass join in, everything flows slowly and envelops you in a magical and cathartic spiral, before Jeff’s voice comes in, softly... accompanying the rest at the same volume.. He always starts softly, then, as the piece grows, finds the courage to explode into impossible, inhuman, otherworldly high notes. The piece is performed to perfection and Jeff is astounding.

It continues with the more lively "I Woke Up in a Strange Place", where Jeff's voice becomes more irreverent and boisterous, yet always unique. Definitely well executed. "Mojo Pin", the third track, leaves you stunned just for the initial vocalization, where you understand that this man had almost total control over his instrument, (and also over the other... let’s not forget he played the guitar while singing, and how he played it!). The piece is identical to the original on 'Grace'. The wild scream clears immediately afterward, moving to an almost divine purity and a vocalization that would make the best opera singers envious. "Mojo Pin" was written after a dream the artist had, and there could not be better music and voice to describe it. Immense..

We move on to "Lilac Wine", a cover written by Jack Shelton, and here Jeff sends shivers down your spine with how he interprets the song, perhaps better than in his studio performance with Grace. It leaves the listener incredulous and speechless when it ends.. The fifth is "What Will You Say", a hypnotic and lilting piece, where, as usual, all the instruments build up as the song evolves, exploding with Jeff into a piercing and implausible high note. Very beautiful and engaging.. "Last Goodbye" is executed with masterful skill and exquisite technique, Jeff plays with the notes and the registry shifts so skillfully as to give you goosebumps. Everyone follows him and follows the notes of his magical guitar as if they were fused with him into a single instrument, they are no longer a band of distinct elements, they are one person..

"Eternal life" begins with a distorted guitar that recalls Hendrix's virtuosity, then launches into the artist's most electric, grunge piece if you will. Beautiful, played a tone above the original, intense.. The voice is intentionally rough, he could also do this with his strings, roughening it and adding a bit of vitriol, only to clean it and return to warble among the stars, bouncing from one to another.. The musicians are great, especially the drummer who gives his best here.. We get to "Grace" and what can we say? The initial interlocking arpeggio of the two guitars is sublime, everything flows like a river that, little by little, due to the beating rain, swells and overflows its banks, devastating in the intensity of the execution. Perfect. The final high note, although not as long as the studio version (but the note reached is the same..) leaves you incredulous and what he does after even more so. It ends with a nightingale-like vocalization that honestly, after using his voice like that, seems impossible.. But He succeeds where human nature stops..

"Moodswing Whiskey" is the strangest track on the record but fills this live well. "The Man That Got Away", a splendid voice and guitar, and "Kanga-Roo", with a spine-chilling finale, are two covers that Jeff performs masterfully and without flaws. The record ends with "Hallelujah/I Know It’s Over", moving, practically almost identical to the recorded version on 'Grace', except in the finale, needs no comments, but should just be listened to with the heart..

12 tracks, how long a record should be.. Twelve gems that convey where he had reached and where this small but immense man with his voice and his guitar could have gone if the Wolf River hadn't taken him.

Goodbye Jeff, pure soul with an angelic voice, play and sing with your father Tim, finally you’ve been reunited and will be together forever, even if not in this world..