Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk
Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk is a compilation album by the American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, released by Columbia Records on May 26, 1998, a year after his death. It comprises recordings Buckley made with producer Tom Verlaine in 1996 and 1997, along with alternative mixes and demos. It was released after extensive negotiation with Buckley's mother, the owner of his estate, who feared that Sony, owner of Columbia, was trying to exploit his legacy. It received positive reviews. Recording and release. Buckley released his debut album, "Grace", in 1994. He began  recording his second album with the working title "My Sweetheart the Drunk" in late 1996 with producer Tom Verlaine. Unsatisfied with the results, Buckley discarded the recordings and went to Memphis with his band to start anew. On the evening of May 29, 1997, Buckley went swimming in the Mississippi River and accidentally drowned. As Buckley left no will, his estate transferred to his mother, Mary Guibert. Soon after Buckley's memorial ceremonies, Guibert learned that Sony was in the process of mixing and mastering the Verlaine recordings for release. This angered Guibert and Buckley's band, as Buckley had  not wanted to release them. Through her lawyer, Guibert sent a cease-and-desist letter to Sony. Sony had not made back its investment on its record deal with Buckley and was eager to release a new album. Guibert would allow them to release only material that was "worth using". They compromised on a double album, with the Verlaine recordings on one disc and Buckley's later demos on the other. Guibert did not allow Sony to polish the demos, saying: "If this was his body here and we were preparing it for his funeral, we would not put him  in a suit. We would put him in a flower shirt and some black jeans and his Doc Martens and leave his hair all mussed up." Reception. The album garnered positive reviews. Biographers and critics wrote that Buckley had been "reaching fruitfully in multiple directions". Biographers Dave Lory and Jim Irvin identified influence from Siouxsie and the Banshees on "Nightmares by the Sea" and "Witches Rave". "Los Angeles Times" cited John Lennon and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as references. Reviewer Steve Hochman compared the track "Everybody Here Wants You" to a "70s-ish soul experiment worthy of Marvin Gaye or  Al Green" while "New Year's Prayer" was linked to Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir". Track listing. All tracks composed by Jeff Buckley, except where noted. International (non-US) editions of Disc 2 include the bonus track "Gunshot Glitter" (Jeff Buckley) as Track 7 for a total of 21 tracks. The Japanese edition of Disc 2 also includes the bonus track "Thousand Fold" (Jeff Buckley) as Track 11 for a total of 22 tracks.