Jeff Buckley Grace - How Fate Led Me To It.

The only music magazine that I have ever paid any real attention to in my time as a music nut is Mojo. I collected it for years and years, until housing back copies just became impossible. In my typical hoarding fashion I refused point blank to throw the old ones way, so the next option was to stop collecting it altogether since I couldn't afford to buy a mansion. It has never once stopped me rushing to Asda to stand defiantly at the magazine counter reading it from cover to cover, before putting it back, buying some chewing gum and leaving satisfied.

At a time in my life when I was getting heavily into music (the late 90's) I used to scour the album releases and reviews in Mojo to see if there was anything in there I fancied chancing. That was, of course, after I had first taken the chance on one of their glowing reviews and stumbled upon the classic Grace, by the unheard of Jeff Buckley. Things are quite different now, of course, since he is a household name - and not, I'd like to think, just because of his early and tragic death. His massive popularity these days is down, primarily, to the exceptional quality of this, his only completed studio album in his short lifetime. There have been several scrappy, money-spinning releases from his estate since Jeff's death in 1997 - releases that have remained inconsequential in the shadow of Grace. Many giants in music have spoken about Buckley fondly with regards to Grace; Jimmy Page of Led Zep fame said it was his favourite album of the decade, Bob Dylan considered Jeff to be "one of the great songwriters of the decade," and David Bowie was quoted saying the album was in his top ten desert island records. It has sold more than 2 million copies world wide, came #13 in Q Magazine's Greatest Albums Of All Time poll, #2 in Australia's program My Favourite Album, and #1 in Mojo's Modern Rock Classic Of All Time poll.

The highlights? Well, to be honest, there is nothing separating the ten tracks. In my opinion this is one of the strongest albums ever made. There are no weaknesses whatsoever. The sumptuous Mojo Pin is like a trickle of honey down the throat to open the album, followed by the thriving title track Grace, which displays Buckley's unimaginable vocal ability. Last Goodbye is a driving guitar riff embraced by a meaningful lyric, Lilac Wine a gorgeous, whimsical day-dreamer, and So Real a thumping, atmospheric anthem with some delicate, mysterious moment; once that snare is struck inviting the chorus the band certainly give it some. Hallelujah - Buckley's now iconic cover of Leonard Cohen's masterpiece - has to be one of the most beautiful cover versions ever recorded. Lover, You Should've Come Over is the album highlight - a brilliant lament that sears musically. Buckley's voice on this track is reminiscent of the amp on Spinal Tap - it goes up to eleven. Corpus Christi Carol is beautiful and haunting - and once again Buckley's extraordinary vocal is incredible. Operatic even. Eternal Life, remiscent of U2's sound on Achtung Baby, is sharp and rocking. The album concludes with the progressive Dream Brother, a rousing end to a fabulous record.

The world really is a lesser place without this marvellous talent. His father, Tim Buckley, was an immense talent. Obviously Jeff retrieved the genes. My eye was drawn to that review in Mojo - someone somewhere knew that Grace would touch me. Rest In Peace, Dream Brother.