Another posthumous collection from the art-rock Tupac
Before his tragic drowning in Memphis 10 years ago, Jeff Buckley had only released a so-so live EP and a supremely accomplished album. During the intervening decade, however, his discography has grown to include a grab-bag of unfinished and discarded tracks as well as several live releases. Now comes So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley, a redundant repackaging of fan favorites, alternate takes and the obligatory unreleased, unremarkable track—in this case, a far-too-sincere take on The Smiths’ “I Know It’s Over.” This track is obviously for the late singer’s adoring cult, but Buckley novices are still better off purchasing Grace in its entirety and skipping the preposterous “road version” of “Eternal Life” and the lackluster acoustic reading of “So Real” in this collection. Grace remains Buckley’s one true long-form artistic statement, which means it will always be the best entrée into his myth and music.