As it turns out, Gary Lucas' contributions to many of Jeff Buckley's shining moments amounted to much more than just giving him an outlet to unleash his velvet-savage croon fronting the pre-Grace quartet Gods & Monsters, or helping him along with his songs. In fact, the music for some of Buckley's signature tunes like "Grace" and "Mojo Pin" was almost completely composed by Lucas. As the posthumous releases continue to mount for Buckley, I wonder if the kinds of revelations left are the ones like this that could as likely deflate his legacy as procure the myth. Buckley was an artist, and his leftovers are being deftly distributed in a style similar to other late legends like John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon (oddly Kurt Cobain has thus far not enjoyed the same extended eulogy)-- and there will doubtlessly come a day when only the bottom of the barrel remains. The good news is that Songs to No One does not mark that day.
Buckley had come to New York from California in 1991 with his girlfriend and soon found himself in an artistic community far removed from the cutthroat competition of LA. He met former Captain Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas at a benefit for Buckley's late father and soon joined Lucas' rock project Gods & Monsters. Buckley supplied lyrics to several of Lucas' instrumentals, including the aforementioned pair that eventually became centerpieces of Buckley's only completed album. But Gods & Monsters never really got off the ground outside of New York, largely due to a growing tension between Buckley and Lucas. When Buckley refused to sign an agreement regarding his loyalty to the project, they effectively called it quits. Songs to No One features two of their songs, plus several more recorded privately by Lucas and Buckley, as well as a few other solo and duet performances.
The highlight of the collection, and one of the finest Buckley performances outside of Grace, is the first track, a cover of Edith Piaf's "Hymne a l'Amour". Recorded at Lucas' residence, the track ebbs and flows on a mystical drone, transforming a quaint melody into an alluring raga. The looped guitar figure provides just enough rhythmic structure to support Buckley's already stunning voice. Lucas' soaring string-scapes supply the heady atmosphere, and the overall effect is not unlike something Buckley's dad would have committed to tape circa 1970's radical Starsailor. Similarly, the spare versions of "Mojo Pin" and "Grace" (featured twice on this set: once as a studio demo with band; once as a live duet) demonstrate that these guys had merely to find the right band and producer-- the songs themselves were almost fully formed.
The Gods & Monsters tracks showcase the rock star barely inside Buckley, as both "Cruel" and "Malign Fiesta (No Soul)" forgo subtle phrasing for aggressive pounce. The former track is pretty grungy, like a cross between Stone Temple Pilots and Buckley's own "Eternal Life". Lucas' twangy lead keeps it out of the gutter, though even he can't salvage the peppy, sub-Jane's Addiction snort of the latter song. ("You're 24 years old and still don't know which way the wind blows." Hmm.) Fairing better is the version of "She is Free" with downtown avant-jazz group Sex Mob. This track was constructed "Free as a Bird"-style, with the band supplying their new backup to Buckley and Lucas' 1992 rehearsal tape. Sure, it seems a little creepy, but Sex Mob's tasteful roots-groove provides a smooth tapestry for Buckley's soulful strains. Similarly, Bill Frisell provides guitars after-the-fact to "Satisfied Mind".
Other than Lucas' considerable contributions, what strikes me about this set is Buckley's already remarkable range of expression. Although some of the songs (particularly the G&M; numbers) would seem ill-suited to his strengths, Buckley dove into each performance as if it was the only one he would ever give, and manages to make all of this music his own. On the title track, an upbeat pop number that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Paul Simon's Graceland, Buckley implores the object of his affections to "know this song for always", yet "show this song to no one". Perhaps due to the vigor that went into these performances (and who knows what other ones that remain), that last request seems impossible now. Hopefully, any future installments have as much to offer.
