blog post Tonight on Appetite for Distraction: Leif, Jeff and the Year, 1994

I went on a quest today inspired by my Tour Diary guest Leif Vollebekk. The Montreal singer/songwriter is described as sounding like Patrick Watson and Jeff Buckley. This is interesting since Watson is often described as sounding like Buckley. I think both comparisons are apt, but it got me to thinking: how was Jeff Buckley’s sound described?

Grace – Buckley’s most successful and only-full release – came out in 1994. Finding original reviews proved difficult. Since the singer died in 1997 there are lots of flowing posthumous tributes, but reading the words inspired by that first or second listen – nada.

But what I did find is the Best Of lists for 1994, and gosh – what a year that was for break out acts. It’s fun to look now and see the bands that made their impact on the next generation of artists. Buckley had a lot of competition that year.

Here are some highlights from the British magazine Select’s Top 50 Albums of that year: Oasis – Definitely Maybe; Blur – Parklife; Portishead – Dummy; Green Day – Dookie; Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral; Beastie Boys – Ill Communication; Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain; and of course – Buckley’s Grace, but coming in near the bottom at 41.

Mixed in with these folks are a bunch of bands that just didn’t last – not them, or their sound. Anyone recall Bandulu, Depth Charge or Therapy? (actually, I do remember Therapy?, but it was because my friend was living in Dublin at the time and sent me their CD.)

A look at 1993 and 1995, the bands and the releases were not quite as strong. The muses must have really been busy that year!