2016 - May You Never The Essential John Martyn @320
Looking for a fix of John Martyn or interested in a taster before digging deeper, this is certainly a worthwhile purchase. A no frills, 3CD package giving us four hours of music covering chronologically his Island Years from 1967 to 1990 ( including his two albums with Beverley Martyn) all for the princely sum of five pounds sterling. I've not checked in detail but I think all releases are represented here with a "Why?" number of alternate takes, "from the Island Years," release. I've read elsewhere, that not all of this is essential, stronger material has been omitted, I agree with that sentiment, but all the obvious big hitters are included albeit dispersed, such as Bless the Weather, May You Never, Solid Air, Couldn't Love You More, One World which I suggest more than justifies its bargain price.
Disc 1 takes us from his solo acoustic folk beginnings on London Conversation with a little blues incorporated along the way, through those albums with his wife culminating with classic tracks from Bless the Weather and Solid Air. Along the way there is a little hint of the Incredible String Band on track 1.7 and Fairport on Stormbringer, produced by Joe Boyd. I do appreciate the peaceful aspect of this disc in the early morning.
.Disc 2 Solid Air to Grace and Danger, where he develops that lazy half intoxicated, half asleep tone to his vocals, which reminds me of seeing him around the time the One World album (where I signed out till now) came out and I remember by the time the gig was finished there was a sea of empty cans around his feet. The anomaly is for a hard living man he wrote some remarkably gentle material.
Disc 3 Grace and Danger to the Apprentice."Oh Oh," we are into the eighties, has he lost his way, it's not all bad but it's a long way from 1967, we are definitely heading for a more commercial sound, adult contemporary one could say, with synths coming being particularly prevalent but the voice is the same fortunately if a little coarser. I mean Acid Rain (Andy Leyden mix) and Tight Connection sound like a blatant attempt to get people onto the dance floor 80's style to John Martyn. This sound to keep him relevant probably seemed a good idea at the time but really this was not the true John Martyn. Fortunately some credibility is maintained with Angeline and Love of Mine, the real John Martyn is still bubbling under the surface notwithstanding the production. A mix of ballads, danceable music with a sprinkling of schmaltz al la Baby Please Come Home. Sapphire he does sound rather like Michael McDonald.
For those that don't know John Martyn this gives a pretty good cross section of his career, from early folk days to the synth laden eighties. I personally prefer the darker music of the seventies lapped up by the lonely and depressed. It's part of my national psyche after all. One may have to wait a little longer here for the gold nuggets to show themselves but the wait is worth it. I'm sure there are Best of's out there for those who want a quick fix. CD's 1 and 2 are undoubtedly the stronger discs which show him at his creative peak, disc 3 influenced by others, to me sounds like an obvious attempt to push him onto the dance floor to find commercial success. Dependent on ones view of eighties production sounds I leave it to the listener to judge whether this sound was a success. Commercially I think we can safely say it failed.
I think it worth a mention of the veritable Who's Who who produced and worked with John Martyn on these releases, amongst the many Al Stewart, Joe Boyd, special mention Danny Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Richard Thompson, members of Mighty Baby, Greenslade, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood, Bobby Keys, Liam Genockey, Phil Collins, Dave Pegg and Alan Thompson now of the Martin Barre band to name but a few.,(RateYour Music)
Thanks a lot Andy!! (´◡`)
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