Review Summary: A stripped down, up-close and personal glimpse at the genius of Jeff Buckley, this album features an actual look at the personality of one of music's most iconic figures.
Jeff Buckley is the something of an enigmatic legend. Seemingly in the shadow of his cult-status father, he steered away from his father's image with his sole studio album Grace before an untimely drowning accident. He was young, a superbly talented vocalist, an accomplished guitarist, and admittedly quite a good-looking prima donna who strove to take the music world by storm (and did). And Grace is something of a masterpiece in itself; it's slick, gleaming and polished almost to a fault, with a collection of songs that Buckley would leave as his only mark excluding his posthumous collection of demos Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk.
However, before all of the studio precision of Grace and the tragedy following an ill-advised swim, there were the cafe days. Jeff Buckley played at cafes around New York before being signed to a major-label, and he had a regular slot at a place called Sin-é. He had an entire setlist recorded, releasing it in a 4 song EP before Grace came out. But now we have the whole thing, over 2 hours of live music, just Jeff and his guitar.
It's interesting to say the least. This album features a few of Buckley's original songs before they would appear on Grace, but stripped to just him and a guitar. It's an interesting alternate take on his music for sure, but the covers really stand out as a glimpse into the man himself. His set of covers spans many genres, and you can actually hear him constantly retuning his guitar for specific songs. His skill as a musician should not be underestimated; he seems to easily and fluidly sing and play multiple styles and improvises seamlessly, sometimes just for a joke. His banter with the audience shows his sense of humor, and the atmosphere is rather cozy, as if he knows the regulars in the audience.
His cover of a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan song is half-joke, half-serious, and brilliantly done. He plays a different version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah to the version on Grace, arguably superior. His versions of Strange Fruit, Dink's Song, and I Shall Be Released (which Bob Dylan never seemed to do justice) are all fantastic, and his Musical Chair's bit is a highlight of the monologues. While listening to the album, you get the sense that while Grace was Jeff Buckley the ARTIST, Live at Sin-é is Jeff Buckley the PERSON: eclectic, funny, enigmatic, and an unbelievable talent. This may very well be the defining piece for Jeff Buckley, although Grace is ultimately the go-to album for people new to him. This is Buckley's best.
