Rating: 
Summary: Dream Brothers indeed
Review: I have waited a long time for a book such as this one, but was worried about the integrity of the author of a topic so dear to my heart. My reservations were, as it turns out, unfounded, particularly when I discovered that Jeff's mother, Mary Guibert had been consulted and had given the author numerous interviews and access to her most private life, and her most precious son's memory. David Browne approaches the life stories of Tim and Jeff Buckley with the utmost respect and reverence. I am so grateful for this insight into Jeff's life in particular, although reading the book just brings home all over again how much of a thorough tragedy his loss has brought - both to the music world, and the world at large. I get the distinct inpression that Jeff Buckley was always IN this world, but not OF this world. I just thank the higher powers that he left behind his most precious gift to us - his music.
Rating:
Summary: This is it.
Review: I heard about Jeff back in '94 through a mutual friend and started to listen to GRACE. His music soon became a part of me and I'd hear first hand accounts of "Jeff stories" through my friend. When Jeff died, part of me died along with him. I find it hard to hear his voice or look at photos, or my bootleg videos of shows he did--heckled by screaming girls. I picked this book up as soon as I saw it, but had left it on my bookcase to rot--I didn't want to open old wounds--and read someone eles's judgment of Jeff's life. After weeks had gone by, I picked it up (hesitantly--expecting the worst--and a lot of pain to resurface) and I couldn't put it down. I am amazed that David Browne has done his homework so thoroughly, so carefully, so objectively. He keeps his personal feelings out of it--and uses his journalistic sensibilities to tell the story of Jeff and Tim--the good, the bad, and yes . . . even the ugly. There is no sugar coating, no pandering, no sap. A factual account that was hard to put down--an excellent read, and regardless of whether you are aware of Jeff's magnificence as a musician--this book will at least get you to pick up his music--and judge for yourself. You'll fall in love with it--guaranteed. One last thing, in the future, there will be many, many more books--authorized and unauthorized, about Jeff's life. The leeches will continue to feed. But rest assured, David Browne does NOT fall into that category, and I believe he has written THE definitive account of a life extinguished prematurely--and it seems this was a labor of love for him, researching his subject matters (Jeff and Tim) so thoroughly over the past three years. Read it.
Rating:
Summary: This is it.
Review: I heard about Jeff back in '94 through a mutual friend and started to listen to GRACE. His music soon became a part of me and I'd hear first hand accounts of "Jeff stories" through my friend. When Jeff died, part of me died along with him. I find it hard to hear his voice or look at photos, or my bootleg videos of shows he did--heckled by screaming girls. I picked this book up as soon as I saw it, but had left it on my bookcase to rot--I didn't want to open old wounds--and read someone eles's judgment of Jeff's life. After weeks had gone by, I picked it up (hesitantly--expecting the worst--and a lot of pain to resurface) and I couldn't put it down. I am amazed that David Browne has done his homework so thoroughly, so carefully, so objectively. He keeps his personal feelings out of it--and uses his journalistic sensibilities to tell the story of Jeff and Tim--the good, the bad, and yes . . . even the ugly. There is no sugar coating, no pandering, no sap. A factual account that was hard to put down--an excellent read, and regardless of whether you are aware of Jeff's magnificence as a musician--this book will at least get you to pick up his music--and judge for yourself. You'll fall in love with it--guaranteed. One last thing, in the future, there will be many, many more books--authorized and unauthorized, about Jeff's life. The leeches will continue to feed. But rest assured, David Browne does NOT fall into that category, and I believe he has written THE definitive account of a life extinguished prematurely--and it seems this was a labor of love for him, researching his subject matters (Jeff and Tim) so thoroughly over the past three years. Read it.
Rating: 
Summary: It happens every time...
Review: I was barely halfway through this book when, livid with annoyance, I threw it across the room. Perhaps if I had not let my excitement get the better of me and skipped the Preface I would not have been so ill prepared for the disillusionment which was in store for me: a biography about Jeff Buckley which knew it had to make mention of his father. Because my appreciation for Tim Buckley is so great I suppose it had never occurred to me that the book might not quelch my Tim Buckley thirst. I sometimes felt Brownes' discussion of Tim was insensitive. I eventually did pick the book up off the floor and finished it but not without a slight feeling that I had been jilted. If the discussion of Tim Buckley had payed half as much respect to his musical choices as it criticises some of the other choices he made in his life I might not have minded that his mind and character were explored so little. The book is well written and contains a great deal of information but is not all that a Tim Buckley fan might hope for... All in all, it's worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: Details, details, but where's the soul?
Review: I'm a huge fan and I did devour and enjoy the book but I must admit that I felt a bit of a sour taste in my mouth as I did. I think that because the author was not a friend of his, facts were gathered and given (he did a good job of that for sure), but, it seems like the soul, the heart, the magic was missing out of a person that I know was magical. (just listen to his music to know that!) The ending was especially a bit lurid, kind of painting Jeff out to be mentally disturbed and doing weird things. Not that I knew him any better than the author, but I'm guessing that Jeff was always doing funny, weird things, it was his personality, not some personality disorder that made him wander into a river and get lost forever. I'm glad the book was written from the standpoint that it is an amazing story and the connections between him and his father absolutely uncanny.
I too, as some other reviewer said, feel very haunted now that I have read this. Though he is long gone and I never knew him personally, who he was haunts me now. It's an incredible story with a tragic ending but leaving a lot of beauty behind.
Please read A Wished for Song by Merri Cyr which is only available online right now. That book for sure eulogizes Jeff in a much more beautiful way than this one does, but then again, this was not written by a friend. I do appreciate the author's attempts at not sensationalising and rumorizing Jeff's tragic end and tribulations. He was human, like us all, but his magic made him seem divine.
Rating:
Summary: Details, details, but where's the soul?
Review: I'm a huge fan and I did devour and enjoy the book but I must admit that I felt a bit of a sour taste in my mouth as I did. I think that because the author was not a friend of his, facts were gathered and given (he did a good job of that for sure), but, it seems like the soul, the heart, the magic was missing out of a person that I know was magical. (just listen to his music to know that!) The ending was especially a bit lurid, kind of painting Jeff out to be mentally disturbed and doing weird things. Not that I knew him any better than the author, but I'm guessing that Jeff was always doing funny, weird things, it was his personality, not some personality disorder that made him wander into a river and get lost forever. I'm glad the book was written from the standpoint that it is an amazing story and the connections between him and his father absolutely uncanny.
I too, as some other reviewer said, feel very haunted now that I have read this. Though he is long gone and I never knew him personally, who he was haunts me now. It's an incredible story with a tragic ending but leaving a lot of beauty behind.
Please read A Wished for Song by Merri Cyr which is only available online right now. That book for sure eulogizes Jeff in a much more beautiful way than this one does, but then again, this was not written by a friend. I do appreciate the author's attempts at not sensationalising and rumorizing Jeff's tragic end and tribulations. He was human, like us all, but his magic made him seem divine.
Rating:
Summary: R.I.P Buckleys....
Review: I've enjoyed the music of Tim Buckley since I was introduced to it in Art college, quite a few years ago now. It just came from a different, vital place. When Jeff came along, I like many others I'm sure, just thought...'Ah!...The son of...' though was very affected by his music none-the-less, it was exciting and a phenomenon unto itself.
Anyhow, I just finished reading this book, and as I sit here listening to 'My Sweetheart the Drunk', I just want to say to Columbia records and all others that were less than positively involved with Jeff Buckleys work...WAKE UP!!!!!. Unpredictable as he may have been, I got so tired of reading how so-and-so was 'less than happy' at what they heard on first demo's etc. His genius oozes from every note, however well recorded...utterly untouchable, what an astonishing talent!
In terms of a book review...I guess I'm saying I was affected by this book, I learnt something about a couple of musicians that matter, and the time spent reading is lingering via musings and the revisting of theirs and a lot of other music that has mattered to me...never a bad thing!
Rating:
Summary: definitive?... maybe
Review: Interesting enough book. One guy was an excellent singer and inventive guitarist who seemed to constantly be in the right place at the right time (Tim). While the other guy (Jeff) turned out to be the most amazing singer/song writer the world has ever seen. A big statement after just 1 studio album, an EP and a couple of posthumous releases? Maybe. But there can be no doubting he was in a word... brilliant. The fact that they both had awkward upbringings and died tragically and completely inappropriately is secondary to the fact that they both contributed enormously to their craft. Particularly Jeff. This book does put this into perspective, and is cleverly constructed. Excellent story. Own it.
Rating:
Summary: It will suffice...
Review: It seems as if David Browne wrote this book thinking it would be the only major biography of Jeff and/or Tim Buckley. If it is, it's a very good one, and worthy to stand alone. The structure of the chapters takes a little getting used to, but ultimately it works very well. It seems risky to include so much about Jeff's grandfather early on--I was nearly turned off by this drawn-out account of someone who is neither Jeff nor Tim. But this isn't a fatal flaw. Some other review tells of being "haunted" by Jeff and Tim after reading the book, even thought they hadn't listened to much of their music. This is a great description for the experience of reading the book: both subjects (Jeff in particular) were somewhat spectral, otherworldy in nature. And Browne depicts this very effectively, without any conscious effort to do so. He merely wrote about something he loved, and it shows.
Rating:
Summary: Not serious literature, but....
Review: Ok, this book is no serious piece of literature, but it is extremely interesting. If you're interested in Tim or Jeff Buckley (or even just music in general), get this book. Considering both subjects are no longer with us (damn shame), it is certainly not a first-hand account of either of their lives, but it does provide a chronology of both artist's lives and careers, as well as their influences, musically and otherwise. I cannot put this book down. It interchanges between Tim and Jeff's experiences, so it is sometimes confusing to remember which bassist played for whom, or which one of them wrote songs with so and so, but I am warming up to the format. The interesting fact that they had similar career progression is certainly noted given how the author laid out their stories. If you're not a stickler for grandiose authorship, and you're interested in learning more about the Buckleys, this book will not disappoint.
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