It's Never Over: Jeff Buckley's Only Album, Grace, Turns 30.

Grace, the album continues to influence the trajectory of lives and love.

Jeff Buckley, one of the most devestating artists of the 20th century, released Grace this week thirty years ago. After releasing his debut album in 1994, the album would gain the status of one of the greatest albums ever made, influencing artists for three decades after. What would come, he'd never get to experience or witness for himself. After a tragic accidental drowning in the Tennessee River, Buckley’s life and career were cut off while he was recording his second album My Sweetheart the Drunk. A tragic story for a tragic man who was the poster child for the 90s.

Recorded in 1993, Buckley secluded himself in Woodstock, New York, with his band of bassist Mick Grøndahl and drummer Matt Johnson, to make the album that would go on to be one of the most iconic albums of the 20th century. Buckley is a main point of inspiration for a decent amount of artists, having inspired songs and albums just from the influence of one album and the tragedy of knowing a once in a generation talent was taken from the world too soon.

A beautiful album from start to finish, Grace was an attempted love album that transformed into an album of an eternal flame of love that brought pain and regret. Buckley sings to his former lover in ‘Lover You Should’ve Come Over’, begging to give up his ‘kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder’, belting out how he constantly replays and relives the moments that haunt him whether it’s from the end of the relationship or the original beauty of their love. ‘A tear that hangs inside my soul forever’ and you fucking feel it. Your heart aches for the pain and sorrow that he so eloquently displays in such a naked and vulnerable way.

Grace has a mixture of covers and Buckley’s own compositions, and while 'Hallelujah' is his most famous, his covers of James Shelton’s ‘Lilac Wine’ and Benjamin Britten’s ‘Corpus Christi Carol’ perfectly blend in perfectly with the overall aesthetic of the album. Buckley’s renditions of each cover showcase his capabilities as an artist and as a musician. 'Lilac Wine', much like 'Hallelujah', is a bare cover that perfectly sounds like Buckley’s own writings.

Anyone born after 2000 will probably know Jeff Buckley from his cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’, which is Buckley’s most famous song. Buckley’s stripped down cover only features himself and a soft electric guitar. The cover was a stark contrast to Leonard Cohen’s original early recordings that were meant to showcase a ‘joyous’ gospel song. Buckley was inspired by John Cale’s version of 'Hallelujah', following the style of a stripped back, sorrowful song that feels like he might burst into tears at any moment while thinking of the love of his life. It’s ethereal, it’s gut wrenching, you can’t help but listen to the entirety of the song from start to finish. Buckley’s cover brought 'Hallelujah' a new life, sending the popularity of the song back up and bringing greater awareness to the sheer talent Buckley possessed.

Buckley's influence was unmatched. After praise from Led Zeppelin, David Bowie and Leonard Cohen, it was only the beginning of the long legacy Grace would leave behind. Rolling Stone named the album in its '500 Greatest Albums of All Time' with 'Hallelujah' holding a spot in Rolling Stone's '500 Greatest Songs of All Time'. His wikipedia page doesn't even list all of the artists that claim Buckley as an influence, but they have listed artists from Lana Del Rey to Taylor Hawkins.

Grace is 'so 90s', and yet is still beloved by teenage girls and 'musicphiles' to this day. The album wraps up the sound, the aesthetic and the overall sound of rock music at the time with likes of the Cranberries, Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins, yet Grace continues to change lives every single day when a teenage girl listens to 'Lover You Should’ve Come Over' and realizes that the feelings she feels can finally be put into words from the lyricist of the century.

I cannot put into words how deeply important and influential this album has been in my life. It feels almost insulting trying to describe one of the most beautiful albums of all time in my limited vocabulary. But I will say, Grace continues to shape how I view the world, how I feel when I'm in love, and continues to heal the soul from any heartbreak or sadness. I feel heard by Buckley when I listen to this album, almost as if the album was written for the overwhelming moments in the transition between black and white and adulthood. I was born 8 years, and I will never forget the moment my mom popped in her Grace CD she's had since 1995.

Jeff Buckley will always be missed, thank God we got an album and a half of pure perfection.