In the thirty plus years that have elasped since Nick Drake recorded his final masterpiece “Pink Moon,” a long list of artists have dared to pay homage to his hugely influential work. But alluding to an artist is very different than channeling his or her essence directly. With Drake, however, because of his distinctive finger picking and gentle vocal style to do so would normally be to fail shamefully by comparison.

Alexi Murdoch appeared seemingly out of nowhere, was championed by tastemaker Nic Harcourt and got songs played on “The O.C.” and in “Garden State.” From his very first recording he couldn’t help but revisit Drake’s elegant pasture in a slightly modern context. Even the title of his first full length “Time Without Consequence” refers to Drake’s own unreleased compilation album “Time of No Reply.” With a similar seeming slow and somber folk style Murdoch has tread on this hallowed ground and walked away a faithful and effective disciple - perhaps the only artist I have ever heard deserving of this long flickering torch.

“Time Without Consequence” is Drake draped in a much richer sound. There is of course the guitar and piano at the center of it all, but there are also some wonderfully warm loops made of tambourine and hand claps, and a few songs that even provide quiet electric guitar groove backdrop. In the end what you get is a less syrupy sweet David Gray mashed with a male Beth Orton, resulting in what will no doubt become one of the most under-appreciated classics of our time.