An adventurous collection of sessions recorded for the BBC, Once I Was highlights Tim Buckley's far-flung musical palette. The sad and wonderful cover of Fred Neill's "Dolphins," the lengthy and complex "Hallacinations/Troubadour" and melancholy pair "Morning Glory" and "Coming Home to You (Happy Time)" present Buckley's astounding ability to do the musical loop-de-loop - soaring to great heights before swooning to darker, anguished places. Offering a nice balance of solid musicianship with songs that range from mellow folk to blues romps and progressive jazz tunes, the disc reminds us why this introspective singer/songwriter still has the power to shock us some 25 years after his death.
(True North)Tim Buckley
Once I Was
BY Christopher WatersPublished Jul 1, 2000
