The Making of Five Leaves Left – A Window Into Nick Drake’s Creative Soul
- Paul Fitzgerald
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 31
Few debut albums carry the quiet gravity of Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left. Released in 1969, it’s a record that seems to exist outside of time—fragile yet confident, melancholic yet luminous. Now, over half a century later, The Making of Five Leaves Left invites us into the rooms where those songs were born, offering an unprecedented glimpse into Drake’s process, artistry, and the world that shaped him.
A Treasure Trove From the Archives
This newly released box set—available in both 4-CD and 4-LP formats—chronicles the creation of Five Leaves Left from early 1968 demos to the final master tapes. It’s not simply a collection of rarities; it’s a carefully sequenced journey through Drake’s evolution as a songwriter and performer.
Across 30 previously unheard recordings, we hear songs in their raw, unvarnished form—guitar and voice alone—before they blossom into the arrangements that would define his debut. Early takes of “Time Has Told Me” and “Mayfair” are stripped of ornamentation, letting the natural grain of his voice take center stage. It’s as though we’re sitting cross-legged on the floor of his Cambridge college room while he plays.
The Cambridge Reel: A Personal Time Capsule
One of the most captivating inclusions is a reel of home recordings made at Caius College in Cambridge. These aren’t sterile studio artifacts—they’re living moments. Drake introduces songs casually, sometimes stumbling, sometimes pausing, always deeply present. The imperfections make them human, and the intimacy makes them unforgettable.
Here, you sense the difference between listening to a finished album and being a witness to creation. The former is polished and permanent; the latter is alive, mutable, and fleeting.
Sound & Curation With Purpose
What sets this release apart is its curatorial restraint. The producers avoided a “dump everything” approach. Instead, each inclusion feels deliberate, illuminating either a shift in Drake’s arrangements, a glimpse of his personality, or a turning point in the album’s development.
The set concludes with the original album, remastered from the 2000 mastering sessions, preserving both warmth and clarity. Hearing the finished work after traveling through its making feels like standing before a completed painting having watched every brushstroke.
More Than Music: The Box Set as Artifact
The physical presentation matches the music’s care. The 60-page hardcover book—printed on eco-friendly textured paper—features essays by Neil Storey and Richard Morton-Jack, alongside session notes, photographs, and first-hand recollections from collaborators like Joe Boyd and Robert Kirby. It reads as both a scholarly record and a love letter.
This is not just packaging—it’s context, grounding Drake’s ethereal work in the tangible world of studios, friendships, and quiet determination.
Critical Praise & Legacy
Critics have embraced the release with enthusiasm:
Pitchfork awarded it 9.0/10, calling it “a trove of uncluttered renditions that strip away production to reveal the essence of Drake.”
The Line of Best Fit gave a rare 10/10, praising its “judicious and respectful” curation.
But perhaps the truest measure of success is that it makes you want to play Five Leaves Left again—not just as background music, but with the same attention you’d give a dear friend speaking.
Final Thoughts
The Making of Five Leaves Left is more than a box set—it’s an act of preservation and generosity. It lets us trace the quiet courage of a young artist finding his voice, and it offers moments of connection that feel startlingly present for something recorded over 50 years ago.
For longtime Drake devotees, it’s essential. For newcomers, it’s an invitation to not just hear Nick Drake, but to know him.
Verdict:
10/10 – A definitive archival release, tenderly assembled and emotionally resonant.
