Tim Buckley was complicated. Gifted with an incredible voice, immense musicality and a restless spirit, he made several uneven albums and traversed the genres of folk, rock, funk and jazz. Even his finest studio recordings were an acquired taste. Known these days as the deceased father of late singer Jeff Buckley, Tim’s erratic oeuvre was a byproduct of the psychedelic counterculture that blossomed in the ’60s and ballooned in the ’70s.
Lady Give Me Your Key consists of previously unreleased solo performances drawn from two early demo sessions. Half of these songs were re-recorded for his second album, Goodbye And Hello, while others were never heard until now. Stripped to its essence and forgoing the eclectic instrumentation Buckley often embraced, you can truly hear his expressive, powerful voice coupled with lyricist Larry Beckett’s arcane introspections. Naked and nearly innocent, the raw talent of Buckley is finally revealed.
—Mitch Myers
