It’s an absolute tragedy that Jeff Buckley only released one studio album in Grace before his tragic death in 1997. Buckley was truly a one-of-a-kind musician with vocal range for days, a sense of haunting melody, unmatched songwriting prowess and stellar guitarmanship.
Hence, it’s a godsend that the Buckley estate is preparing a massive 25th anniversary reissue of his sole studio release.
The Jeff Buckley estate are preparing a 25th anniversary digital reissue of Grace, featuring bonus tracks and demos, culminating in over 50 tracks.
Buckley’s back catalogue will be made available to stream online, featuring never-before-heard recordings, bonus tracks and four complete live albums. This will culminate in over 50 Buckley tracks made available come August 23rd.
In addition, Grace and his two posthumous releases, Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk and the live album Mystery White Boy, will be reissued with further international bonus tracks, including a demo of Sky Blue Skin, recorded in his final studio session in 1996.
Buckley’s distinct sound was a product of his range of influences. He cited revered Pakistani sufi singer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as “his Elvis” but also greatly admired artists such as Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Furthermore, David Bowie famously stated that Grace was his “desert island” record.
Jeff Buckley’s legacy would’ve lived on, regardless of this reissue. To quote the opening line of his track Eternal Life, “Eternal life is now on my trail“, eerily accurate of his music legacy. However, the world is a better place with more Buckley music.
August 23rd is the date, the 25th anniversary of Grace.
