Mojo Pin is a heartbreaking, heartfelt and stupendously evocative track from the perspective of someone begging their previous partner to come back as they’ve descended into drugs in order to stay happy in their absence. The performances —vocal, bass, drums and guitar—, as well as the production that ties them together are just immensely on point; in a way that creates an incredibly hypnotic experience.

Mid-High 9.

Grace: here, the lyricism is simply great and wondrously poetic. It details a deep pain at the moment of separation from a partner; moreover, it uses this hurt and time apart from a loved one as a metaphor to convey a sense of strength and deep, all-encompassing love. Instrumentally, this cut most definitely boasts absolutely mind-boggling composition and performances; however, the approach to production and mixing (although pristine in execution) does disappoint in terms of decision-making. The added effects and low/buried vocals get in the way of Jeff Buckley’s incomprehensibly fantastic belting, especially towards the end of the track when the energy is picked up. This can be better understood when comparing the studio version to something like the Live at BBC Late Show rendition of the song.

Mid 9.

Last Goodbye is essentially one of the most straightforward cuts on the album. Lyrically, it’s a poetically written breakup track with some hard-hitting lines sprinkled here and there. Instrumentally, the bass sticks out as one of the most alluring aspects of the cut, and the vocal continues to be top-notch. However, it’s a tad long-winded and without any interesting idiosyncrasy, it loses the energy and evocativity towards the end.

High 7.

Lilac Wine is a whimsical and dreamy allegory for substance abuse (specifically, alcohol) in the face of hardship and painful love — and is similar to “Mojo Pin” in approach to these themes. Sonically, the ambience is on point in terms of intimacy and vocal quality. It’s quite an intimate auditory experience, and I can almost perceive the closeness of Jeff Buckley’s voice and feel his emotions. However, the song itself is slightly uninteresting, despite how well adorned or performed it may be.

Mid 7.

So Real comes from a place of grief, beautifully showcasing what goes through the mind of someone reminiscing about a past lover — truly heartfelt and candid. Instrumentally, the guitar arrangements are a dazzling thing to bask in, waiting for the chorus to be brutally introduced by a fantastic snare tone and more of Jeff Buckley’s baffling vocal ability. Additionally, the emotional climax at the tail end is nothing short of wildly applaudable. There is almost nothing about this track’s spotless simplicity that isn’t charming, except for maybe the short, blaring guitar solo.

Mid-High 9.

Hallelujah is a simply quintessential cover with legendary status of a song which already has fantastic lyricism; one which beautifully juxtaposes love and beauty with life and pain in a commendably nuanced manner. The instrumental is dark and anxious at first, before entering the downcast and melancholic emotion for the rest of the cut. Overall, it’s a simply pristine track with a slightly overly relaxed approach.

Low-Mid 9.

Lover, You Should’ve Come Over is quite a sorry and regretful look at Jeff Buckley’s past. He realises how he’s erred in his past relationships, but aches in this newfound maturity — evocatively expressing how much he wishes to go back to his *lover*; someone for whom he’s actually willing to risk it all, but drove away in poor judgement. Moreover, the bridge has some of the most gut-wrenchingly powerful lines. On the other side, the instrumental has a focused and straightforward ballad-like tone. However, this by no means makes the cut dull; in fact, it’s due to this simplicity and wholeheartedly honest approach that Jeff Buckley is able to deliver one of his most impressive vocal performances; though not a flashy one, it’s definitely among the most emotive. The intimacy and emotion that are felt here are most definitely of the highest degree.

Mid-High 9.

Corpus Christi Carol is a wholly unexpected inclusion to the record; a cover of an old, middle-age-England song telling the story of a falcon that takes the speaker’s “mate” into an orchard. This “orchard ground” seemingly represents the afterlife, as there is a bleeding knight and a stone representing Christ’s grave. Interestingly enough, instrumentally, there were no efforts to make it sound any less olden — which is honestly an unanticipated stroke of genius. To have such a song, with melodies as interesting as they are here, interpreted by a singer like Jeff Buckley is a gigantically fortunate occurrence.

Mid-High 9.

Eternal Life is a rage piece directed at a multitude of different aspects Jeff Buckley shows a distaste for. Specifically, bigotry and prejudice —such as in the form of racism— as well as the systems that create and foment these. Moreover, there is quite a bleak metaphorical use of life as a threat, as *eternal life* is described as “on [his] trail”. The euphoric instrumental is dark, moving, and also very fitting with the bitter emotions being expressed. The main bass riff and piercing guitar arrangements, along with the furious vocals, are all filled to the brim with energy.

Low-Mid 9.

Dream Brother is another masterpiece-level song where Jeff Buckley pours his heart out as he begs his friend not to leave his child behind — drawing a heartbreaking comparison to how Tim Buckley left Jeff. It’s a message that is as painful to listen to as it is artfully written. Instrumentally, we’re treated to a dark and foreboding guitar arrangement full of sombre emotion. Moreover, the drumming on this track is also some of the most impressive and creative on the record. Structurally, the song does a wholly commendable job of building up tension so as to turn the chorus into a massive delight by the time it dawns on you.

High 9.

Forget Her is a bonus track that won’t affect scoring. This cut is a rather heartfelt track in which Jeff Buckley attempts to forget a past love, though it seems to be unsuccessful and in spiteful retrospection — as he also regretfully admits that “she was heartache from the moment that [he] met her”. It also happens to be another truly strong addition to the tracklist from an instrumental perspective, with an unforgettable chemistry between the guitar and organ arrangements.

Mid 9.