Treasury

While there was no shortage of Nick Drake collections on the market by 2004, the options for Drake fans with high-end stereo systems and/or SACD players was pretty limited (that is to say non-existent) before the release of A TREASURY. A hybrid disc remastered in Super Audio Surround Sound, it offers 15 cuts from the Drake catalog; considering that he only released three official albums, that's a healthy chunk of the British singer/songwriter's oeuvre.
With unprecedentedly crisp quality, we're given masterfully orchestrated folk-rock ("Hazey Jane II," "Northern Sky"), bleak, strikingly minimalist, haiku-like solo-acoustic pieces ("Pink Moon," "Black Eyed Dog"), and lush, mournfully elegant ballads ("River Man," "Way to Blue"). Throughout, Drake's hushed, breathy voice, nimble Joao Gilberto-meets-John Fahey guitar work, and hauntingly beautiful lyricism shine through, making it clear why this doomed troubadour's slim repertoire has been revisited so many times over the years.