One World

I never listened to John Martyn. This is the fun of this project, listen to new discovered music which can be over 40 years old. I am really happy I get to know this music. Very interesting and creative guitar style. Esoteric and experimental. Not sure if I like all the songs but interesting is the key word here. I was afraid I could not stand his voice, especially the first few lines on the first track are typical but got used to it quite quickly. Later it did remind me a bit of Ben Harper. Also for a moment I had to think about Nick Drake and after that I read that they were friends. Album needs more listens than just one as it is also not an easy listen and you cannot discover everything with one listen. The last track "Small Hours" is too long in my opinion and bit boring (altough I have read the opposite in some reviews). It seems that part of the album was recorded outside to get also outside nature sounds mingled in between. I will need a separate listen to discover those. Also curious for some other albums to learn more from him

70s singer/songwriter, not bad, not great didn't like his voice at the start, but it got better

Sympa mais trop chill

Sounds like an album that needs to be listened to more than once, played through twice and got a lot more out of the 2nd listen, could be a grower. Less immediate than the likes of Solid Air that has some great songs on it and I am fairly familiar with. Never heard any of these songs, this has a dub style production, in places with murky vocals, singing is reverbed all over the place. Couldn't Love You More and Certain Surprise go with a more straightforward approach though. Score could rise in the future with more listening. 6/10

An interesting and enjoyable album, but I'm more intrigued as to his other work that may or may not be more like the last track, which I found to be by far the best. I'm not a huge fan of some of the vocals, but they were pretty good on Can't Love You More. Can't help but feel like this is another bad starting point for an artist though.

Deep voice, beautiful lyrics, very romantic feelings and a graceful closure with the last song. I really enjoyed the trip. It was calm, but never boring.

Boring and immediately forgettable.

Love the genre medling and jazzy vocals very much my jam, will listen to more John

Cool!! Strong 7

I like some of these instrumentals a lot actual, but I can not stand the vocals. Sound like he chain smoked for years and is singing through a talk box sometimes. This would be a much better instrumental album.

I'm not a big fan of that 'jazzy' approach to vocal melodies. It too often feels like an excuse for not having an idea for a tune. I liked the stories about how they recorded outside and used a lake for the final mix on some of it. The stretchy last track is good. However, the overall floaty hippy vibe for John Martyn for me is always a bit spiked by the nagging knowledge that he could be such a colossal dick, especially to his wife Beverley. That hold post Les Cousins folk rock scene produced some amazing female musicians and songwriters who were real pioneers in terms of how women could operate in the music industry. But some of them certainly paid a price. Alongside Beverley Martyn see also Shirley Collins, Linda Thompson, Sand Denny, Gaye Woods, etc

No idea going into this one! The first song is a pretty funky and nice track with great guitar, bongos, bass, etc, but that voice is a little rough. This is one of those voices that just seems like it is actively hurting the singer and you want them to stop for their own sake. Second song is significantly slower, and less interesting. Vocals are like one big run one sentence, not my favorite. The third song is very tribal and has a really fun sound. The vocals are still interesting, kinda of like a worse Pharrell. Oh god and now the gravely voice is back. "Big Muff" kind of has a weird mixing on it, but fun sounds. This would a much better album just instrumental honestly. "Couldn't Love You More" is the most "normal" song and the best so far, but also probably the most boring. "Certain Surprise" is also really good, a great yacht rock track. The vocals are 100% reminiscent of Tadow. "Dancing" is actually the best song, just a simple but expansive song with fun atmosphere. "Small Hours" is a great soulful ending to the album, and lots of it was instrumental which is great. The added sounds of the coast were very fun as well. Overall, this was an interesting album, I didn't really enjoy the first half, but I did like the second half. I'd probably still give it a 2/5 because of the first half though. Favorite Tracks: Couldn't Love You More, Certain Surprise, Dancing Least Favorite Tracks: One World,

I know I've listened to John Martyn once before. He was an English singer-songwriter and guitarist who started in the Scottish folk scene before branching out into jazz and rock. He developed his own sound by feeding an acoustic guitar through a fuzzbox, a phase shifter, and an Echoplex tape delay effects unit. His particular idiosyncratic guitarwork would see commercial success with the release of Solid Air. We will touch upon this album later on my journey. For now, what's important here is that John's success from Solid Air and subsequent releases led to an extensive touring schedule in 1975, which ultimately burned him out. This, alongside his harboring hatred toward the music industry, his drinking problems, poor relationship with his wife, and the loss of two of his closest friends, led to John taking a year-long sabbatical to reassess things. Chris Blackwell, the founder of John's label, Island Records, invited him and his family to his home in Jamaica, and it proved to be a reinvigorating stay. Down there, John connected with some reggae musicians, including producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, and the two hit it off well in their shared use of echo effects. Upon returning home from the trip, John got to work on his next record, downplaying the acoustic guitar in favor of rock, world, and jazz fusion. Blackwell even offered to produce the record for him and booked a large array of musicians to play on it. That record would be known as One World. This is an otherworldly album. The multitude of guitar effects John dabbled in alongside the complex jazz-funk rhythms made for an ethereal sound that felt indebted to dub music. I know that some cite this record as a forerunner for trip hop in the 1990s, and I can certainly hear that on cuts like the squelching bed of tabla and Moog synths on "Smiling Stranger" and the reverb-heavy guitar juxtaposed with the soft bass and the shifting synths on "Big Muff". But even then, this album still feels unique, as John ebbed between jazz-dub trips and ethereal ballads, carried by his laid-back, bluesy singing that came off effortlessly in expressing themes of peace and universal love. He even toyed with a bossa nova sound on the upbeat "Certain Surprise", and the closing track "Small Hours" was such a gorgeous ambient piece, as John's Echoplex-reverbed guitar slid away gently amidst the subtle percussion and the sounds of geese honking in the distance. I hadn't even mentioned the session musicians on this record. Steve Winwood is prominently featured throughout and did a phenomenal job. But I also want to highlight George Lee's brief saxophone solo toward the end of "Smiling Stranger", Danny Thompson's gentle bass lines on "Couldn't Love You More" and "Certain Surprise", and Harry Robinson's sweeping string arrangements followed by Rico Rodriguez's tempered trombone solo on "Certain Surprise". I genuinely enjoyed my time listening to One World. It was such a rewarding album with such intricate detail that helped John Martyn rekindle his joy for music. John would continue in this experimental bent into the 1980s and would carry on with his career until his passing in 2009. What a legend.

Better than solid air for sure, still like half filler but the bass here is quite nice

아니 시발 하다하다CCM까지 가지가지

I'm not sure I recognize this artist or any of these tracks by name, so I'm going into this blind. This is odd and interesting, and I kind of liked it. I do feel like I need to listen to this again to develop a more complete opinion on it. So I think I'll add it to my list of albums to listen to again.

Not sure what to call this-- funk folk? Folk reggae? Whatever it is, I like it a lot. Some serious grooves on songs like "Dealer" and "Big Muff.' Can definitely tell he spent some time in Jamaica around the making of this album. Nice, wistful (if rough) vocals and guitar work from a virtuoso. This list has helped me discover Martyn who made some excellent music in the 70's.

Doesn't seem like the years were kind to John Martyn, sounding a lot gruffer and a lot darker subject matter than on Solid Air. Definitely more experimental and has mixed results for me, really liked some songs but others grew tiresome

After "Solid Air", which I had prior, I was really looking forward to this. But this one can not convince me in the same way, although it is almost a pleasant listen too. favourite: "Dealer", "Big Muff", "Certain Surprise" 3,5

did not like this one

I thought this was going to be a prog album, but it was british folk with the jazzier side of Yacht Rock. 3/5 for now, but can go higher

Its ok nothing mindblowing

Some nice touches, especially in the longer tracks "Big Muff" and "Small Hours", the other tracks didn't get me and the forced vocals of John Martyn is hard to get used to.

Dreary

I'm not sure that this album should be on this list, but I'm glad that it is. For reasons that I can't understand, I liked most of the tracks. "Dancing" sucked, and "Small Hours" had a haunting sound that I liked quite a bit. His voice is hit-or-miss, but grows on you....sort of. This was a nice inbetweener listen.

Pretty cool and unique. Not normally my jam though.

Really chill (and short) record. The pieces are very gentle and calming. I'm going to revisit this one again.

A bit of a mumbly singer, but there's something about the "cloudy" production on this album that I like.  That guitar sound is amazing too. It was so nice hearing the legendary Rico Rodriguez, pre-Specials, soloing on trombone on Certain Surprise.

Guy has an interesting voices, for sure. Semi-yacht rock?

'Small Hours' is properly beautiful and the rest is good too. Couldn't decide on the first two listens so I left it a couple months and went back to it and have decided it's great.

This was different enough that I could see the merit of including it.

Mumbly sort of pseudo yacht-rock. Its not bad, it's just forgettable.

Not really my thing but interesting and unique

I absolutely loved "Dealer". The rest is fine, but not all of it is really my taste. Great production all around though. It gets a high 3

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 Apologies to Emily bc I think I’m gonna hate this one, and the Phil Collins comparisons did little to comfort me. For once, I knew nothing about John Martyn going into this, though, like I said, some of his company seemed worrisomely cheesy to me. Thankfully, my takeaways, for the most part, range from neutral to favorable. Martyn’s got a super fun rasp, and his instrumentation is diverse and varied, even if it is a little dated. There’s some very of its time guitar that conjures Gabriel and Bush as well as Collins, but it’s balanced by the psychedelic atmosphere of this, which stays strong throughout. I always say diversity is our strength, but the diversity here is where I start to feel a little weakened. To Martyn’s credit, this album is nothing if not distinct—it’s got influences all across the board, and only some were bound to land with me (although one might argue I’d be on board for all of it if he was good enough…. just sayin’). Certainly, there was a bit much of the long, low crooning type of drama for me from the outset, though it wasn’t necessarily a barrier to entry for me when these songs get funkier. “Dealer” was kind of what I imagine “yoinky sploinky” means, bouncing around in a corny, proggy way (or maybe that’s just the white funk bass I’m discovering a distaste for). Speaking of which, God forbid a Scottish boy get a little Bossa Nova on “Certain Surprise.” To my immense surprise, Emily made a Cameron Winter comparison that had me thinking “pfff, no way” for the majority of the album, but lo and behold, “Certain Surprise” was actually a dead ringer (is Bossa Nova what Cameron was going for??). Unfortunately, I also feel like Jack Johnson and Ray Lamontagne have an odd lineage with songs like “Big Muff” (goofy ahh title), especially the latter’s more psychedelic ventures. Strangely, I think these African-inspired beats can just as much be traced back to Talking Heads. A timeline is beginning to assemble itself in my head: I wonder if this evolved out of the Peter Gabriel/Talking Heads Eno eras that explored a lot of that African percussion, then became diluted the further it got from Eno. Luckily for Martyn, this is a pretty early iteration, so it’s not thaaat much less successfully. “Dancing” sort of an interesting summary of the album: the rhythm is super corny but the background has a psychedelic cyclic quality that I really enjoy. These are exactly the qualities that have me so mixed on this album. I feel like I should hate it, but I honestly would listen to this again—I almost downloaded “Small Hours” because of the suddenly emotionally cutting soundscape, and if it had developed beyond its atmospheric scope, it would’ve been an easy keeper. Overall, 3 stars is a very self conscious and cautious rating—maybe we’ll see revisions to this in the future. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

I'm detecting notes of Seal?? And Phil Collins, who was apparently his friend?? Actually, I zoned out for a minute and realized this sounds kind of Cameron Winter-y too... I weirdly enjoyed Big Muff and definitely enjoyed Couldn't Love You More. One World was too corny for me. Small Hours was trippy and I loved the geese honking. Overall, some really good moments and some meh, but I'm glad I came across this once.

This is pretty good. Worth a replay.

Some of these songs were tough to get through but I enjoyed others. You can tell a ton of drugs were used while making this album and his first song hits voice sounds very haggard. 5/10 Top song Dancing

Don’t know this album very well. A blind spot in my John Martyn knowledge and collection. It’s a cracker! Small Hours is a top song.

[3/5] ambient funky experimental? saunter through a very short album full of ambiance but leaves me floating and feeling unresolved. only small hours caused me to feel something. 2.5. track notes: 1. an asthmatic the morning after a few too many bevvies 2. floating but so so 3. feel like i am from distant lands 4. this means something else in the current year, i can't take it seriously 5. lubby dubby 6. floating, easy listening 7. snake charming effect, one of the most interesting songs 8. this has been in my liked songs for a while. it breaks me down then starts building me up again, but leaves it unresolved at the end. nice ambiance at least

This was not good

Middle of the road album

Short but painful

Fine. Not as good as Solid Air (cover art wasn’t as cool either). His voice was more icky more of the time. I did like the last track though.

Another meh-music was interesting but vocals grated. At least it was under 40 minutes

I've had this looping in the background for a few hours. It's fun, jazzy, atmospheric, but it didn't captivate me enough to come back to it. 5/10.

fire but like lukewarm fire

ts sum freak shi

I'd never heard of John Martyn before today, but this was pretty alright. His gruff voice was a little off-putting at first, but the melodic guitar arrangements and emotional vocal delivery won me over in the end. Somewhat forgettable album, but enjoyable listen -- I listened twice. Three stars.

Poeeeeh, dit voelt als de eindbaas van alle progrock? Het is opzich wel funky, maar het is niet perse goed genoeg voor de lengte van het album? Ik had er iets meer van verwacht, dat is in elk geval duidelijk. De cover is best wel vet, het begin ook wel tof, maar het voelt als een hele hoop gepriegel dat gewoon niet echt ergens heen gaat... Geen vervelend album trouwens, en je hoort wel echt dat er hier een stel fantastische muzikanten aan het werk is. Maar het pakt me net niet helemaal. Behalve Small Hours dan, het laatste nummer van het album wat bijna 9 minuten duurt en heel klein blijft. Dat pakt me dan net weer wel. Interessant album dit, maar het mist voor mij helaas net dat beetje extra om een heel goed album te zijn. FAVO:Small Hours

Grandmas bedroom music, this is what a few of your parents were conceived to in the 70s or 80s

This one I might need another listen to really come to a conclusion about. I think overall I liked his voice and the tracks, but it didn't leave me with a strong impression overall.

not good not bad. overall very boring

Weirdly both pop music and experimental. I really enjoyed the overall sound and especially the last track.

Não sei se estou chato pra ouvir esse álbum ou só nunca será do meu gosto, um pouco cansativo de ouvir.

De temps en temps c'était bien, et d'autres fois c'était nul.

Strong A side, weak B side. Streaming has them flipped for some reason?

Pretty toothless stuff. You can't tell me that this album is in any way essential, while Ween's "Chocolate and Cheese" is not.

Not for me. 1/5

I enjoyed a few songs on this album: "Big Muff" and "Couldn't Love You More", for example, the latter being nicely put together. But songs like "Certain Surprise" and "Small Hours" just didn't work for me. Overall, I don't know if I would have included this album on this 1001 list, but I'm still glad I heard it.

Pretty & cool & pretty cool!

all i needed was to read the title of the album to know that it was a white guy dabbling in dub music... and honestly it was pretty chill... 3 stars, good job chap

A really interesting and unusual combination of jazzy folk, soul, and some ambient textures. Martyn is a strong and affecting vocalist, and songs like "Dealer" and the title track are great illustrations of how the full recipe can work. Look forward to exploring more of his catalog.

Nice

Won’t be coming back to this

Quirky

In my review of "Solid Air" by John Martyn, I described him as "an atonal Nick Drake" and while that album rated a 4 of 5 for me, this album stepped backwards. This album sounds more like one note which makes for a very bland vision of One World.

I can tell this album was well performed and skillfully made. But it didn’t really connect with me much.

yo not bad. Last couple songs were especially interesting

Nice tunes but not my style, thx!

sympa

interesting, growly, textured voice & funky groove. i don't ... really wanna let him in .. or smile at a stranger? but half of these songs are tender. why is this album sometimes tender, sometimes creepy? strange. fave song: small hours. 3.5

I'm not a fan of John Martyn's singing. It sounds far more like he's oozing than singing. Take that for what you will. That said, here his oozing works over layered tracks of jazz and funk infused singer-songwriter stylings that are musically interesting and occasionally compelling, but what stands out as exceptional are the lyrics they support. Martyn was an intensely gifted lyricist who seems to have not fully developed but would discover ways to express a theme, idea, stage of life or feeling in a single phrase that would cause intense identification with the listener. Given my own experience with his inconsistency as a songwriter, I can understand his frustration with listeners like me on "Dealer".

Overall: 7/10 This album feels like a dream. The instrumentation is weird and experimental, but it all blends together really well. John Martyn's gruff voice also goes well with this style of music. I think I might prefer his folk stuff to this, but this was such an interesting album to listen to. Fav Song: Dealer

Very, very pleasant. Martyn is clearly an exceptional musician, albeit a crap singer. Oh well, can't win 'em all. A couple stinkers and a couple all-timers, and Small Hours is a lovely and interesting finale (although...no way this can seriously be considered a precursor to trip-hop. Right?) Fave tracks: - Dealer - Smiling Stranger - Big Muff - Certain Surprise

Bit of a strange album, the musicianship is good but the album doesn’t really feel focused in any way, which leaves it feeling a bit flat

Second album proposé après 'Solid Air' que j'avais plutôt apprécié (noté 3/5 - très varié pour un classement folk). Même constat ici : grande variété des morceaux, quelques chorus intéressants et ... peu de folk dans cet album ! Je pourrais l'écouter de nouveau. Par contre j'apprécie un peu moins sa voix, et certains morceaux plus lents sont un peu ennuyeux, il ne rejoindra donc pas ma collection. =>3/5

2.5

Boooooring

2.5

Kinda boring album with a meh voice and a meh soundtrack. There really wasn't anything appealing for me. 2/5

I feel like I’d make this sitting alone in my room, except I’d never release it :/

Weird... but I kind of like it too...

Jøss, for en merkelig suppe av alt mulig rart. Veldig fascinerende og spennende. Ligner Antony and the Johnsons... bare bra.

Er så sykt at denne plata peaket på 54 plass på den britiske albumlista. Fin bakhistorie på Wiki og en en veldig bra plate. Han må jo ha inspirert folk som Sting og John Mayor.

Et litt kjedelig album helt til sistesporet Small Hours kommer og tar deg med på en reise.

Day 331 Surprised at the low marks for this, I thought it was a great album. Highlights One World Big Muff Small Hours

There's clearly some good guitar riffs and instrumentals on here but his voice kills it for me. I'm really not a fan of his voice. 6/10

Pastafrola.

algo super chill de cojones. la primera rola sonaba a lo que pensé que iba a sonar el disco x la portada pero el resto ya no. chulísima la rola protoambientosa del final. ocupo otra escuchada pa aclarar qué tanto me gusta todo pero de momento su buen tres

3/5 I like the funky parts the slow parts can get vert boring

The music was OK, but couldn't get over the mumbling vocals.

Okay. I expected some else. This was alright. Average for some nobody from Britain. Lots of those here.

This album never grabbed mein three listens to it. That fact along with some musical qualities that I dislike led to the low ranking. Martyn expanded his sparer English folk sound a great deal by this record. Kudos for embracing a new approach as jazz, dub and electronic all appear in some fashion. However, One World like many other 1970s albums includes effects on the instruments that create a blob of a sound rather than anything interesting to me. As a singer-songwriter type, Martyn cannot be expected to take these new devices into experimental territory, but he also does not use them as effectively as Joan Armatrading or Joni Mitchell. His singer alternates between a low growl on several of the opening tracks to a less tuneful Paul Simon later on the album. I cannot identify a low point, nor a high one as the songs blurred together in an undistinctive manner.

fart music

I was looking for something mellow, today, and this was mellow - but also pretty weird. Very dated, there were some foot-tappers but after a while I tuned out and the second half washed over me completely. His voice is pretty strange and felt like it was too low in the mix about half the time. Feels like some better production could have elevated this record.

His voice was unexpected. That said, the rest of the album just sort of faded into the background and even a few hours later I don't remember much of it.

Immediate first thought, “wow this mix is REALLY good”. But then the singer started… I guess his voice is really unique but it’s just so weird. It’s not my only gripe though, I found the music a bit dull in general. I enjoyed the last song more than I probably should. I really liked the ambience and I think it’s a great album closer.

I think in the last 1046 days, it's hard to think of an album that passed me by to a greater extent than this one did. That's not to say it wasn't nice, or pleasant (although occasionally I think his voice isn't), just that it was spectacularly unmemorable. Sorry!

Enjoyable and laid-back background music.

hippie shit

Not bad. Some interesting eccentric sounds but not my thing

Somehow made lounge music more hardcore than this snoozefest.

One world in a universe of billions and I ended up on one with this guy? I actually had a decent enough time for a little less than half of this then immediately wanted nothing more to do with it. I guess whenever I read that the artist is just the guys name, I assume the worst. This is like photo-jack Johnson or something. Harmlessly background. 2, but a high 2.

We need the option for zeros. Truly despicable to include this

Nice pop album.

The tracks have pleasant melodies, but they are rather forgetable.

Was rather boring 😴

Catchy. Got that funky pop style.

Never heard of this artist. But reading their wikipedia, sounds interesting. Some interesting tunes but a little slow for my ears.

Listening session: june 30th, while chilling at home Listened to before: no Thoughts: this didn’t stand out to me and at times I disliked the singers voice. Can’t really understand why this album made the list Favourite track: Certain Surprise

i don'llike how this guy sings

Nice and quick, but not setting anyone's world on fire.

2nd John Martyn album from the generator and I'm disappointed. I absolutely loved the first one and it was one of the biggest discoveries from this list for me. But this one's vibe was just off. The songs were maybe ok but lacked something that'd make them special like his other album 2/5

Melkonen sekasikiö. Kuunnellessa mietin että mikä kuvailisi tätä levyä. Menin sitte ruokapuolelle ja tästä voisi tulla mieleen raikas kesäsalaatti, jossa käytetään kastikkeena läskisoosia.

Siistiä vibeä paljon, etenkin viimesessä kappaleessa. Vokaalit oli taas vaan vähän luotaantyöntävät, paikoitellen menetteli ja toimi musiikkiin. Erikoista hönkimistä. One love ja jotain, en ehkä uusiks intoudu kuuntelemaan ainakaan tän perusteella.

Cool

Solid Air was an instant 5 for me. This one didn’t hit me quite in the same way, but I think it could get there. 3.5

A little dull. 2/5

Not quite like Solid Air which is very important to me - still cool but lacks the soul of what I know as John Martyn

Voice like a random drunkard, music is good

Day898 - probably would have been a better album all around if steve winwood did the singing too

Man, I really had no expectations going into this, but this was fucking great. I've never heard of John Martyn. As the album progressed, I found myself really appreciating his laid back, almost slurred style of singing, along with the eclectic and chill tracks. It feels inventive, but also catchy. Listening to "Certain Surprise," he almost has a Nick Drake-esque quality to his voice. These are the discoveries I love having from this project. I'm not surprised to see the negative reviews on this site for it, but I am disappointed that people seem to have dismissed "One World" simply for being British. The Brits are good at music. Sorry!

At least this British guy isn’t trying to ride The Beatles coattails. Instead he’s ripping off infinitely better African-American funk acts and sucking ass at it. This sounds like it would soundtrack a porno

meh

For sure some joe cocker vibes going on, he must have gotten that a bit... Update,more then just British joe cocker But some decent stuff in here, big muff is a bop. 3 +ish, bit too much easy listening tracks to kinda dilute it

Not bad

Big muff isn’t my thing

The first track was pretty terrible but the rest was fine.

This made me want to go listen to proggy music, but not this one. I was intrigued by the whole thing but never really connected. New name for me so good to know.

Kinda got into this weird little album. Especially the 1st song, Big Muff and Dancing. Smooth guitar playing and rough vocals gives it a nice texture, and it kinda rocks in an unassuming way. Reminds me a little of Dan Reader (check out Havana Burning, great song) in that it sounds like it was recorded in his bedroom, but in a good way? One too many downbeat noodling songs to hit greatness as an album, but I think I'll be listening to 'Dancing' all summer.

From the first track, I thought this like Steve Wynwood project and sure enough there he is in the credits! Need to go back and listen to Arc Diver again.

Side one of this album is really great, enjoyed the lowfi dub guitar trickery going on. Side two is slower and isn't fully my thing. Dancing is oddly catchy and my brain is telling me to enjoy it in a weird Christopher Cross artpop kind of way. Small Hours is good for a closer. I really would like that earlier vibe on that album for start to finish though. Otherwise not too bad, rest in power to the legend Lee Scratch Perry.

Сара 2,5 Марко 2,5

VERY hippy, feels like a summer night after an insane trip.

Aldrig hört talas om innan. Älskar skiten!

Vet inte vad jag förväntade mig men det var inte det här. Kul!

oklart?

Musik som får mig att känna mig lätt och sensuell med ett härligt drag genom linnebyxorna. Ja, som Sting helt enkelt.

Best Song: One World Yaaaawn. This just is kind of dull all around. I can barely make out what John Martyn is saying as well, which isn't great for a singer/songwriter. And, is there really a song called Big Muff. Wtf. 3/5.

Strasznie męcząca, zero energii w tych utworach.

Absolute garbage. I could easily have gone multiple lifetimes without hearing this and would be happier for it.

Wikipedia calls this Jazz-Funk and I'm just not seeing that

Es wirkt heute wie ein entspanntes, schimmerndes Echo seiner Zeit. Folk, Jazz und Dub fließen ineinander, getragen von Echoplex‑Gitarren und diesem offenen, fast luftigen Klang, der teils unter freiem Himmel aufgenommen wurde. Stücke wie „Big Muff“ oder „Dancing“ zeigen seine Experimentierfreude, ohne die Wärme zu verlieren. Das Album fühlt sich an wie ein freundlicher Gruß aus den 70ern: weich, atmosphärisch, leicht melancholisch und überraschend modern gedacht.

No thank you!

So forgettable that in the afternoon I had forgotten I had already listen to it in the morning

Wow, two John Martyn albums in three days! The algorithm continues to act in mysterious ways. Went from never hearing of this guy before at the beginning of the week to having consumed two full albums by him by Friday! I’ll say this…I am glad I got the earlier album first. It is really good and I have listened to it a lot just over the past few days. This album is….not as good. It’s not bad, it’s not a catastrophe or anything. It’s just certainly a step down from Solid Air. Firstly, he sounds extremely different. I read about him after getting the first album, and it seems like he lived hard for many years there, and it shows in his voice. In Solid Air he often sounds like Nick Drake or Donovan, but here his voice is pretty ragged from abuse. Throaty, gruff. I missed the sweetness and lightness of his voice from before. Similarly, he’s moving away from the folky vibe of the last album and experimenting more with an RnB sound to…mixed success I’d say. I’m not sure it really fits him. There’s less great songs here, and the best ones are the folkier ones, and the cool final track, which actually delves into some surprising drone/ambient vibes. Honestly, had I gotten this album first, it probably would have been a 2-2.5. I’m being generous because I’m now more familiar with Martyn and his work and what he’s capable of and what he’s doing with this album.

Dude sounds hammered in some parts which, you know what? I dig it.

Fav song: Small Hours

never heard of this guy but damn i fuck with this sound. i did have the same initial "what the fuck is wrong with his voice" reaction as many others apparently had cos like, he does kinda sound like he'd been smoking cigs a pack at a time for years, but honestly it grew on me fast. if a woman had a voice this husky i'd melt. i'd probably be exaggerating if i said i'd never heard anything like this before but no obvious examples spring to mind right now. the fusion of blues, funk and all the other genres this album dabbles in feels seamless, the dub inspiration comes through clear, and the final track, "small hours", is hauntingly beautiful. it's almost a little jarring, hitting this melancholy 8+ minute ambient track after the funky energy of the rest of the album? but i love it. it took a few listens to get there but i think this deserves a 5. i fuck w/ this sound crazy. music is pretty awesome....

i liked that more than i thought i would. pretty fresh sounding for 1977.

The best word that comes to mind to sum up this album is "groovy." It's mellow and funky and clean. A great recommendation for the Cowboy Bebop lover in your life. I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. "Small Hour" was the favorite track. It's an experience.

wish it was an instrumental album

Sums up the 70s. Trying to invent new genres, mostly drug fuelled, and 90% if it not really hitting the mark. Fairly easy listening and blissfully short by 70s prog standards, but I won’t be playing again.

Just kind of passed by

Second album by this artist that I didn’t know before I started this project. I didn’t like it as much as the last one, but still enjoyed enough to give the same rating.

Was ready to hate this but at least it doesn't sound like Austin Powers music, pleasant listen

Ok

2.25

Better than Coldplay

Very cozy singer-songwriter record with strong jazz overtones. I was immediately captivated by the opening track "Couldn't Love You More". It sounds like something you'd sing by the campifire, but a very sophisticated campfire. I really liked this one, and I never hear of John Martyn outside the context of this book, so I'm not sure what exactly is his legacy. Probably should be more well konwn. Key tracks: Couldn't Love You More Certain Surprise Dancing

John Martyn’s One World is a fascinatingly uneven ride that ultimately takes a backseat to his masterpiece, Solid Air. The album excels in its brilliant production, serving up gorgeous, atmospheric moments like the hypnotic, jazz-fused spiritual psychedelia of "Smiling Stranger" and the beautifully ambient closer "Small Hours." However, it struggles to maintain a consistent thematic groove, often swinging between the brilliantly mixed but repetitive "Dealer," smooth folksy themes with curiously desperate vocals, and missteps like the jarringly weird "Big Muff." While there is plenty of sonic variety to appreciate—from acoustic tracks to danceable rhythms—the lack of cohesion leaves it feeling more like a disjointed experiment than a unified statement, earning it a solid 3/5.

Enchanting, soft yet... plunky, and beautiful. John Martyn has a raspy, tranquilized voice... that just glides over these bright yet calm... retro-sounding... bouncy... quasi-tropical (?) instrumentals. Like the most peaceful, fog-blurred vacation.

liked it!

-yeah idk, i just… couldn’t get into this. the whole thing felt sort of cheesy and overproduced, and i couldn’t remember what any individual song sounded like -his voice is interesting, i don’t think it’s for me but still cool to hear i guess. Solid Air was pretty good so i don’t think John Martyn is incapable of making good music. but this was not it to me -Favorites: Smiling Stranger, Big Muff

Musically very nice, vocally not great.

There’s probably other people who do this better, right? Dancing and one other were cool but a lot of this felt like an extra chore on top of the room cleaning i was doing.

2.5

Another weird and interesting album that is perhaps more weird than interesting.

Fun, creative, at times beautiful. It is just another flavor of the prog psyche rock umbrella but I liked it. Closing track was epic.

This album is bookended by what I think are two great songs and is otherwise far too up its own ass to take seriously. The whole middle of it is, like another reviewer pointed out, like music out of a porno. Martyn’s voice and singing style makes it sound almost gross; his mumbling not helping the obscene overuse of the wah pedal and the synths. That last song though, Small Hours, is really excellent. The heartbeat “beat” throughout and the subtle guitar work of reverb filled chords is really great. Even when he sings it feels like his voice is another instrument. That song alone puts it a point above where I think the rest should be. “Dealer” is just good fun; not the masterclass that Small Hours is, but still enjoyable to listen to.

I expected this album to be a snooze-fest, but it's not bad. Big Muff is a tune, plus there are some really ahead-of-it's-time post rock segments that are a delight to listen to

bleh

I find John Martyn albums interesting. His vocal styles can be a little quirky, or kinda mumbly, but the general vibe of the albums I've heard (and its only 2 so far) are unique and refreshing. This one is no exception. A solid 4.

This was fine. It definitely doesnt feel like an album from the 70s. Overall very mellow, but not what I needed to hear this afternoon. I should have listened to this in the morning.

With a voice like this, just give up music bro. Its like his voice is comming out of his ass. The song "I couldnt love you more" started prety aigth but then his awfull voice came and it just sound stupid. The whole album is just boring, weird and definitively not something you need to hear before you die. When he isnt singing, some instrumental part sounds decent (especially on the last 3 songs) so it saves it from being a 1/5.

305/1089 okay this cover looks interesting. the sound is groovy! the voice and whether it clicks for me is what’ll make or break this i think so i think there are parts of these songs that i REALLY like and then the rest is just nice, like i can see versions of these that i love hut they’re still nice. Dancing is a key example of this, it has some really nice parts in the verses/post-choruses but the chorus doesn’t quite match it for me an extended instrumental intro for the final track?? i am SO here for that a relisten might be needed fave: Dancing, Small Hours 76/100

2*

Listened Before? N What a weird listen. I'm not sure what any of it means, but between the porn guitars and the boob on the cover, I think the whole thing may just be one big innuendo. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Big Muff (duh)

i don’t really have much to say about this one. the sonic landscapes are nice and lush but it all kind of blends into the background for me

Yeah, not really for me. Felt a bit wishy washy and never captured my attention.

Pretty cool. You can hear a lot of subsequent musicians in this, from Newton Faulkner to Ahnohni in the vocal style.

I don't know that I'd seek him out for a listen, but it was kind of pleasant (except the last song).

Smooth and a little croony, a solid if forgettable album.

*1977. British singer/songwriter. *Pleasant, but not memorable. *Might give it another try, but probably not. RATING - 7/10

I really enjoyed "Solid Air" from Martyn, but this one lacked a lot of the best elements from that record, without replacing them with something of similar value.

Speak up man

This is an experimental sound for the 1970s and I appreciate it, even if the songs themselves varied. The inclusion of Yatch Rock, electronica and Jazz, with a little singer-songwriter mixed in left me curious from song to song. One World could have been a Thundercat song. Key tracks for me were Big Muff and the DMB-influencing Dancing. Though I liked the cosmic naturalism of Small Hours too. I would have never looked for this album, but I might now

Random thoughts: * I'm honestly not sure what to make of this one. Listened to it several times. * It clearly does not sound like something from the 70s. I'm guessing this was way ahead of it's time. * I would say I liked it overall and would definitely listen to it again. I think I probably need more of a dedicated listening session. * I remember there was another album of John Martyn on here and I was also in to that one. Hmmmm...am I a John Martyn fan? * Thanks for the discovery 1001. I'll be coming back to John Martyn.

This album is a gift that you will have to listen to twice to understand its musical hidden treasures. Original vocal that is not necessarily meant for you to hear the lyrics, although they are not bad too.

Lots of variety and it stays interesting for the most part, but not as good as Solid Air. 3.0/5.0: Good

this was incredibly cool

this is another one of those where I think I enjoy it more in its historical context than to actually listen to but it was a fine time Small Hours punches above its weight class here though

L: 6 M: 8 F: 6 O: 7

Psychedelic yacht rock, I can dig it

Meh. It sounds like an early effort at a 1 man band + resampling. Couldn’t get into it & it became annoying. A 2.

p381. 1977. 2 stars. Not his best work. See "Solid Air" for that, which is also on the list. This strays into hippy-ish noodling with no focus far too much, and he sounds half-cut on most of the tracks.

Moody, good. I'll listen again -

A real pet peeve of mine is when an album has rad cover art but dull music. See also: The Healer by John Lee Hooker, most Weezer albums.

4/10: music - 🌊😎☀️, vocals - 🚬💊🧟 I liked some the soundscapes of this album, but I really didn’t vibe with the whole Lemmy-meets-Louis Armstrong-meets-Nick Drake delivery of John Martyn’s vocals. I can hear the influence on later, better music but my god do I wish this was an instrumental album. Also, calling a song ‘Big Muff’ is absolutely hilarious.

Chill

Pleasant, but nothing amazing.

**One World** (1977) is widely regarded as the creative apex of John Martyn's career—a record where the Scottish singer-songwriter fused folk, jazz, reggae, and dub into a seamless, emotionally raw soundscape. Recorded during a turbulent period of marital collapse and substance abuse, the album channels personal chaos into sonic innovation, making it one of the most forward-looking records of the late 1970s. --- ### **Production & Sound** The album was produced by Chris Blackwell at Island Records' rural studio in Theale, Berkshire. Blackwell's role was crucial; Martyn later admitted he had lost confidence in his own judgment and entrusted Blackwell to select the final tracklist from extensive sessions . The production is defined by Martyn's pioneering use of the **Echoplex** tape delay unit, creating cascading, dub-influenced guitar textures that were virtually unprecedented in British folk-rock. Perhaps the most famous production choice was recording **"Small Hours"** outdoors at night beside a lake, using the water's natural surface as a reverb chamber and capturing ambient sounds like geese and wind . This wasn't mere gimmickry—it created an organic, immersive atmosphere that critics later compared to ambient music pioneers. The sessions also featured **Steve Winwood** on keyboards and bass, and a collaboration with dub legend **Lee "Scratch" Perry**, who co-wrote "Big Muff" after a breakfast encounter involving animal-shaped teacups . --- ### **Musical Style** *One World* is effectively split into two distinct halves. **Side One** is experimental and rhythm-driven: "Dealer" opens with a muscular Moog synth bassline and heavy percussion, while "Smiling Stranger" layers tabla, saxophone, and strings into a brooding, exotic soundscape . "Big Muff" is the clearest reggae/dub fusion, with Perry's influence audible in the reverb-drenched bass and Martyn's vocal "performing abrupt disappearances" across the stereo field . **Side Two** retreats into introspective balladry. "Couldn't Love You More" is a stark acoustic plea featuring Winwood's organ, while "Certain Surprise" incorporates Latin-tinged rhythms and trombone . The closing "Small Hours" is largely instrumental—an eight-minute meditation of delayed guitar figures and ambient natural sounds that builds to a brief, heartbreaking vocal before dissolving back into atmosphere . --- ### **Lyrics & Themes** The lyrics reflect Martyn's psychological state in 1977: estranged from his wife Beverley, struggling with addiction, and deeply cynical about the music industry. He described the business as "a totally heartless industry, which is dependent on falsehood for its survival" . - **"Dealer"** addresses addiction directly with cynical defiance: *"Well, I cannot be your lover... And I will not be your friend"* - **"One World"** offers a paradoxically isolating vision of global unity—Martyn stated the theme needed no explanation: *"regardless of political boundaries it is one world whether you like it or not"* . The realization leaves him "cold and lonely" . - **"Couldn't Love You More"** is a devastating love song to Beverley: *"If you laid all night in the rain for me, I couldn't love you more"* - **"Dancing"** reveals the insecurity of the musician's life, fearing his partner's infidelity while he's on tour - **"Small Hours"** distills the album's emotional core—love as both ruin and redemption: *"They say you'll be my ruin, but I just don't care / 'Cause I love you so"* --- ### **Influence & Legacy** *One World* is frequently cited as a **proto-trip-hop** record. Its dubby, echoing soundscapes and emphasis on atmosphere over structure directly influenced **Massive Attack**, **Portishead**, and the broader Bristol scene of the 1990s . Jah Wobble called "Smiling Stranger" "one of the great moments in dub" , while Simon Reynolds noted that "Small Hours" anticipated the Durutti Column and Factory Records' post-punk experimentalism . The album also bridged Martyn's earlier folk period with the slicker, more pop-oriented direction he would pursue on *Grace and Danger* (1980) . Despite reaching only #54 in the UK charts upon release, it has grown in reputation to rival *Solid Air* (1973) as his definitive work . --- ### **Pros** | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Sonic Innovation** | Pioneering use of Echoplex, outdoor recording, and dub techniques created a template for trip-hop and ambient music decades later | | **Emotional Authenticity** | No pop-music artifice; lyrics confront addiction, marital collapse, and isolation with brutal honesty | | **Musical Range** | Seamlessly moves between aggressive funk-rock, reggae-dub, acoustic balladry, and ambient soundscapes without losing cohesion | | **Vocal Performance** | Martyn's slurred, jazz-influenced delivery functions as an instrument, conveying weariness and wounded soulfulness | | **"Small Hours"** | Frequently cited as one of the most beautiful recordings in his catalog—a masterclass in ambient guitar and natural sound design | | **Collaborations** | Steve Winwood and Lee Perry add genuine musical weight rather than celebrity window-dressing | --- ### **Cons** | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Vocal Accessibility** | Martyn's slurred, smoky delivery can be off-putting to first-time listeners—some critics compare it to "an old man on quaaludes" | | **Production Datedness** | The Moog synth and certain rhythmic choices firmly anchor parts of the album in the late 1970s, which some listeners find cheesy or indulgent | | **Uneven Pacing** | Side One's experimental density contrasts sharply with Side Two's acoustic introspection; the shift can feel disjointed to some | | **"Smiling Stranger"** | Some critics consider this track overcrowded or meandering, with its multitude of instruments (tabla, sax, strings, Moog) failing to cohere | | **Commercial Obscurity** | Despite critical acclaim, the album was a commercial failure, suggesting its challenging sound limited its contemporary reach | | **Lyrical Opacity** | Songs like "Big Muff" are deliberately silly (born from Perry's teacup humor), which can undermine the album's otherwise serious tone | --- ### **Verdict** *One World* is a masterpiece of wounded introspection and sonic boundary-pushing. It captures an artist at his most vulnerable and most adventurous, translating personal crisis into music that feels simultaneously timeless and ahead of its time. While the production choices and vocal style may require patience from modern listeners, the album rewards deep engagement with its rich emotional landscape and groundbreaking sound design. It stands not just as John Martyn's finest hour, but as a missing link between British folk, Jamaican dub, and the electronic music that would dominate the following decades.

Like if ZZ Top did yacht rock in the 80s.

This does sound like the 70s to me, in that the musicality is quiet, subdued, and smooth. I prefer louder and more raw and did not enjoy this.

ich fand nur die letzten beiden songs okay. seine stimme gefällt mir nicht

Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: Warm, hazy, and completely immersive. Feels like music drifting in from another room late at night. Loose and atmospheric, but emotionally direct in a quiet way. Favorite Track: “Small Hours.” That guitar tone feels endless. It’s less like a song and more like slowly sinking into a mood.

The last song was a vibe

The music on this album was surprising and amazing. The vocals were unique.

One World es una obra maestra del minimalismo y la atmósfera que ha envejecido bien, manteniéndose como una propuesta vanguardista y atemporal. El álbum destaca por ofrecer una sensación de paz y fluidez absoluta, convirtiendo la escucha en un súper viaje de introspección y expansión mental. La interacción entre la guitarra acústica con efectos y los sutiles sintetizadores se percibe con una naturalidad asombrosa, como una conversación entre amigos fluida y sin pretensiones. La voz de John Martyn, arrastrada y expresiva, es el pilar central de la obra; utilizada casi como un instrumento de viento, su interpretación desborda fuerza y calidez, y es definitivamente lo que le da la calidad al álbum. A través de melodías largas y profundas como la hipnótica "Small Hours", el disco se consagra como una propuesta conmovedora, cruda y real, ideal para una reflexión solitaria en el silencio de la noche. Una genialidad artesanal que cura el espíritu.

This one is definitely a vibe. Smooth as silk!

Not really for me

The last song Small Hours was very chill. My favorite track.

Nothing here for me

I had never heard of John Martyn until around a year ago. I listened to "Solid Air" after reading a Sunday Review on Pitchfork. I wish I would have heard of Martyn before. His voice is great but what really stands out is how he is unafraid to be very weird and different from other singers of his ilk and time. I think "Solid Air" is slightly better but this is a tremendous album.

Pop rock sans originalité

Sympa

Pas trop ma came

This is enjoyable enough, but it isn’t something I’ll revisit

I liked the one world song a lot. Overall its a pretty good album. Nothing crazy though.

Some really cool and different songs on here and while John’s voice is definitely unique, I can’t see myself coming back to this very often

Nice singing and pretty instrumentals, but this was just OK to me. I probably wont remember anything about this album after today.

No me gustó, no sentía en que momento acababa la canción y cuando comenzaba otra. Muy aburrido.

Boring.

I had previously heard John Martyn's Solid Air as part of this exercise but I had not heard this album before. It's a bit of a departure from that album. In particular, the ambient nature of the recording process and songs are quite apparent. I don't mind having heard this once, but not sure I would come back to it.

This is the first album that I had 0 context for. I was completely unaware of this record. I really enjoyed the instrumental textures and overall vibe of the record. I don't feel as strongly about the songwriting. I wouldn't think of these as "songs" in the traditional sense, but more "emotional outpourings". I'm very glad to have discovered it. I'll definitely be giving it more listens in the future.

aburrido

Ok

I had never heard of this album until just now. I'm pretty surprised that I hadn't. I can't figure out for the life of me what made this fall through the cracks while Don Henley and Sting etc had big careers in the 80s. Maybe it was just because of low overall output? There's something nice about the way it was recorded, I guess because it was before the compression battles. It wasn't a life-changing find but the fact it came out in 77 and then kind of sounds like everything that came out the decade after. I'll have to read more about John Martyn.

It was alright

Clearly inspired by Nick Drake. Some nice tunes on here, very soothing and groovy. His voice is not always my cup of tea but overall this is a nice find!

Kind of reminds me of Bozz Scags singing with the guitarist from Funkadelic. It's pretty good stuff, with some nice variety. Not too energetic but not lethargic, great to listen to at work or when doing activities at home. I will be adding this to my favorites so I can put it on the HiFi at home for another more detailed listen. I'm sure it will be worth it.

I've never heard of this before. It was an interesting listen. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but I didn't mind it

Kann man schon mal hören

Pretty forgettable. Not bad, but just didn't stay with me in any way.

First full sitting of a John Martyn album. Must say so much better than expected. Quality chilled stuff and this fella can sing. 4.2/5.

A lot of these reviews were negative, but I think they’re wrong. 4

Who made this list??

Pretty cool album and glad John Martyn's on my radar now. Got some Caamp singing vibes and liked the dreamy, airy parts. Lot of creative sounds with some experimental artsy songs.

This was one weird album, meandering, peculiar vocals, strange subject matter, and odd instrumentation. It meandered from being an awful album, to a half-decent one, then good, then back to awful again, often in the space of a single track. I'm so unsure how to rate this that I'm just going to award it an average three stars and move on with my day.

Loved it. Small Hours especially. Hauntingly beautiful and so far ahead of its time.

One World It takes a while to get attuned to this I think, but once on its wavelength it's an excellent listen, mixing folk, rock, jazz, dub, ambient and his excellent gruff-slurry vocals to make a singular and atmospheric record. Dealer, although good, is possibly one of the weaker songs, and for me the album really starts with One World, with its jazzy, spacey ambience, with an Eddie Hazel feel to the guitar. Smiling Stranger has a vaguely ominous feel and I love the ‘Eastern’ flavoured strings, reminding me a bit of the Moonlight Mile string arrangement. Big Muff and Couldn’t Love You More, split between the end of side 1 and the start of side 2 are the centrepiece of the album, both recalling some of Solid Air in the slinky, wah wah groove and the delicate, heartfelt folky spaciness. Certain Surprise also reminds me a little of Solid Air, I love the organ, strings and horns, and Dancing is also great, carried by an excellent riff. Small Hours is the most obviously ambient-influenced and ambient influencing track, with a lovely melody and a graceful, swelling sense to it. I thought this was great, an excellent, atmospheric and striking album, and a 5. 🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍 Playlist submission: Couldn’t Love You More

An album that takes a while to adjust to, with some effective mood pieces which outweigh continuing grating elements. There's an overriding lounge element to the album, sometimes annoyingly, especially humming all the sibilance such that it becomes "zweet 'Zertain Zurprize'". More positively there's a continuing undercurrent of ambience that increases in effectiveness as the album progress and culminates in the excellent 'Small Hours' - what could be a showcase for guitar pedals, is actually slowly built into an Eno-worthy atmospheric masterpiece.

Excellent album for a Sunday morning- very chilled. Bonus fact, my mother in law used to gig with JM back in the day. Favourite track: Small Hours

I expected folk rock. What I got was half an album of interesting musical compositions with a weak grating voice and half an album of folk rock.

His seventh album. Folk / Folk Rock. Interesting vocals. Dealer is quite a funky opening track, it sounds like it's performed by Whisper from Live & Let Die at times. Big Muff is a hell of a title for a song, the lyrics could be construed as a guy who's at his wit's end with muff addiction 😃 The album as a whole was unremarkable until Small Hours which is very cool.

Vage stem heeft die gast, 2 reten

This was tolerable, but I'd never listen to it again. It felt like a collection on B sides really, 2.5/3

Number: 104 Date: 04/16/2026 Artist: John Martyn Album: One World Year: 1977 Genre: Experimental Folk Pop Familiarity: None Notes: Before: ======= Another new to me, 2 days in a row. Hmm, that would be an interesting statistic to track. During: ======= This is reminding of Young Jesus who is a contemporary artist that I have recently discovered and really like. Reading about him in Wikipedia, looks like the dude was pretty prolific and well respected by many popular artists. 4 Dealer 4 One World 3 Smiling Stranger 3 Big Muff 4 Couldn't Love You More 3 Certain Surprise 4 Dancing 3 Small Hours ----------------------------------------------------- 3.41 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 3 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4 composite rating

idk

Not great

No conecté per niente, no lo conocía al tipo. Lo instrumental está buenísimo, pero no me terminó de cerrar. Certain surprise está bueno.

This is certified old man music. The thickest silver ponytails jamming to this. Sounds like your friends cool dad.

Meh, bad voice generic riffs

Decent 2,5

Second album from an artist I’d never heard of before this project, and I enjoyed it again. It’s pretty easy listening, but there’s some interesting stuff in it that makes it enjoyable. It’s another 4/5

This was about as exciting as watching "Survivor: One World". Oh, longtime U.S. "Survivor" fans know what I'm talking about. When one watches that season, one starts to wonder how that show is a product of the same show that gave us "Pearl Islands". We only have one world, so don't waste too much of it with quiet easy listening music. Favorite Track: "Small Hours".

Another in my collection that I haven't played I years. Perhaps not my Favourite John Martyn album but one that worth a listen

good 👍

Soft and mellow kind of rock record. Not bad. Especially liked the closing track. 3.4/5.0

Amazing, loved the album as a whole experience. Interesting vocals, very creative album, so many different styles, all of them sound fresh. It reminded me of PiL and Slowdive

Decent 70's funk that I can't say i disliked but was nothing special. 6/10

I love some John Martyn but first time hearing this. Loved the dubby, spacey feel of songs like Big Muff. Also best geese on a record before or after Cameron Winter.

Calming and strange and occasionally the vibes are very reminiscent of Portishead. I dig.

Chill as hell, but also sadly a bit forgettable. I would listen to some of the songs again some time though.

Honestly a very chill album. There's not much to say, it was just a nice listen. But there's nothing that stands out to me specifically, so.

Easy Listening

Okay I guess.

Odd songs. I liked the song towards the end about dancing or whatever, the follow up was good too. Not my slice, though.

Small hours was a ride. Very feels based

I think this one just came at the wrong day. Didnt make a big splash

Hmm

Not as bad as the other reviews made it out to be, but it was certainly boring. I enjoyed Dancing and that was about it.

oh, well, lovely harmonies, however, Martyn can hardly sing.

This album...wasn't very good. It was mostly inoffensive, but its just kind of not good either. I don't need to listen to John Martyn or particularly One World again.

2.5 stars, I would say. Starts off strong. It's an interesting album with some cool vibes. Some of it is obviously sappy but some moments you can transcend that. Some moments you wallow right into it.

Decent enough album, probably won't ever listen to it again though

This album is very simplistic, but in a refreshing way. I absolutely love the fact that they recorded it in nature to give it such an immersive and natural effect. Each song starts out extremely engaging, but kinda goes on a little too long every time, making them feel empty in the end. Beautiful content though.

I didn't know it was possible to sing as if you're falling asleep while in terrible pain

Always nice when I get a totally unfamiliar artist and album. There are layers here, lots of interesting soundscapes emerging on this record, anchored by a mournful, sometime haggard voice. Kind of reminded me of JJ Cale at times, but with more atmospheric tendencies. I liked the funkier tracks, but the slower ones lost me a bit. Kind of bordering on easy listening, but with enough panache to keep it engaging. I'm gonna go 3/5 here. Nothing groundbreaking for me, but a nice smooth listen.

Not sure why but I didn't find this album anywhere near as compelling as other John Martyn stuff to which I've listened (Solid Air, mostly) but, let's be honest, his worst beats most people's best.

Abysmal production, sounds like gargling hot asphalt

Never heard of this artist, but liked the album. Very 70s groovy vibes. Big Muff reminded me of Seagulls, Stop It Now for some reason.

Big Muff!! Fave track: Big Muff

So yeah uhhhh Big Muff, sure, why not. 3/5

First time out for this album. A very nice surprise, a unique voice, and some very haunting chords.

I don‘t know. I like some Echo effects on the guitars, but that’s about it. The Album is often described as esoteric or ambient, I think it’s pretty boring.

Mal sm rabila, da sm se spomnila - prejšnji mesec sm že dobila njega! Ker zanimiv začetek ("Dealer"), sploh ne dojamem glasbila (mogoč Moog sintesajzer, je creditan za prvi komad). Tip zveni totalno hripav sicer. Ne spomnim se, kakšen je bil vokal na albumu prejšnji mesec. Sj ni resen z naslovom "Big Muff"?! Je pa kle Lee Perry tudi creditan, k ga js primarno od Beastie Boys poznam, lol. So far bi rekla, da mi je ta album manj ljub, kot Solid Air prejšnji mesec. "Certain Surprise" mi ma ful louge vajb. Pa niso mi všeč vokali, k zanalašč ne izgovarja lepo. "Dancing" mi je kinda kul? Razen vokalov. Zadnja, "Small Hours" je ful atmosferična - se mi zdi, da v ozadju slišim neke goose sounds?

Good album. It's hard to find a bad album from the 70s.

Meh.

Haven’t heard of this before. Intrigued by the mermaid (merMAN?) on the cover. Overall really enjoyed this one, it surprised me! If you think you could go for a late-night 70s, psychedelic-yacht rock album then this is one worth spending time with. Four stars only because I found Big Muff awkward in the middle.

One album from 1977 that you should keep in your rotation.

It is what is.

outro reaally saved this from being a one

Quite beautiful.

Wasn't horrible but wasn't memorable either.

That was a weird album, very difficult to badge a specific genre. I actually quite enjoyed it. The vocals weren't always great, he had a tendency to start sounding a bit slurry/pissed - maybe he was, in which case, fair play to him!

No será nada que me haya volado la cabeza, pero me sorprendió para bien. ↑: Dealer, Couldn’t Love You More, Certain Surprise ↓: –

# Album Name: One World # Artist: John Martyn # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Crispy voice. Nice use of instruments. Has quite a groovy feel. A very enjoyable album. # Top Tunes: Dealer / big muff / love you more / small hours # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 🌊🧜🐠 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 😌💭🏝️ Rating: 🌍🌎🌏(🌍)/5