One World

Somehow I had never heard of Mr. Martyn before. I'll definitely listen to more of his music in the future.

Interesting album, enjoyed the listen, would probably listen to more from Martyn

Nice. Ahead of its time sonically speaking, with a few catchy hooks and a lot of interesting moodpieces. Besides, I can't help feeling *One World* fares slightly better than *Solid Air* today. Oddly enough, it's songs from that latter record that have the largest number of streams on Spotify--they are indeed very nice cuts, but as far as whole albums go, *Solid Air* still sounds like a patchy affair to my (limited?) ears. Conversely, *One World* offers something that's both adventurous and cohesive in terms of sound and songwriting. I did a quick search online to see if I could buy this album. It seems it is extremely hard to find today, and this in any format. Bummer. Chances are that I'll be less inclined to revisit it if I don't own a physical copy of it. Still, I'm including it in my list of essential records. This is where this app is pretty useful. It can help you single out albums that deserve to be a little more popular than they already are. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: less than 700, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

John Martyn was ever one of the most questing of the folkies, and on this album there's nary a hint of music associated with the real ale brigade. True, the spinning, swirling Echoplex guitar and slurred vocals heard on Solid Air are still in place; but if this isn't quite as accomplished as his best album, it's more expansive. Alongside some slightly New Wave touches we have a kind or soul-folk on 'Certain Surprise' and, perhaps most gorgeous of all, whalesong guitar on the meditative 'Small Hours', underpinned by a subtle heartbeat percussion. Lovely stuff. I hope Solid Air is on this app.

Another album by a British musician I had never heard of. This was definitely an interesting discovery! I would characterize this as soft, mellow, experimental prog-jazz-folk-rock? Whatever it is, it's cool, and I like it. Very cool guitar playing. I would absolutely listen to this again. Love the album art too.

Had never heard of John before and really liked this one, will be revisiting!

"One World" is the seventh studio album by Scottish guitarist and singer Iain David McGeachy known professionally as John Martyn. The album was recorded outdoors at Island record owner Chris Blackwell's (also the producer) Berkshire Farm. Martyn had become disillusioned with the music industry but was revitalized after a prior trip to Jamaica and meeting and playing with various people including Lee "Scratch" Perry who co-wrote a song appearing on the album. Also appearing on the album are musicians Steve Winwood (various instruments), Danny Thompson (bass), Hansford Rowe (bass) and Rico Rodriguez (trombone). This music style is very unique incorporating various guitar effects including echoing, heavy bass, Moog synthesizer and influences from dub music and Lee Perry. It sounds like a mixture of pop, jazz, experimental and world music. This album is credited as originating trip-hop. "Dealer" begins things and right away there's a lot going on. Prominent bass. The Moog synth. Reverb guitars. Flutes. Martyn's scratchy voice. Kind of funky and World music sounding. I think obviously about a drug dealer. "Smiling Stranger" is another "big" sounding song. Guitar with the effects. Sax and strings are also added. Never trust a smiling stranger. "Big Muff" was co-wrote with Lee "Scratch" Perry and we have reverb heavy guitar. A great groove with the bass. The second side is love song focused. "Certain Suprise" is samba-esque and very smooth jazz. More strings and a trombone. "Dancing" was the only single and has a swinging rhythm. A plea to his wife and sounds like latter-day Peter Gabriel. The nearly nine-minute "Small Hours" concludes the album. Very ambient. You hear water. You hear geese sounds. More of his echo guitar. Very chill. This is my first venture into John Martyn. A lot going on musically and the future influence is apparent. A great sounding and orginal album. Recommended for anyone willing to venture into jazz, ambient, dub, world and other experimental musical styles.

a couple of the last songs were pretty groovy

bardzo przyjemne, zwłaszcza Certain Surprise

Pretty intriguing overall. Varied and complex

Pero

What a surprise. I love the mellow production and vocals, paired with all kinds of different sounds, and the ambience peace at the end. All in a perfect run time.

Some really lovely stuff on here, from early on in his time, an album I definitely wouldn't have heard if it wasn't for this.

Chill

Very interesting work. Rare to see someone’s 7th record on here. Also had heard of the song recorded across a lake before but hadn’t heard it

Percussion!

I had never heard of John and didn’t know what to expect. Clearly dated but a cool mix of guitar, funk, psychedelic. Enjoyed it.

Such a unique album, nothing immediately stood out but I didn't feel the need to skip a single song. I should definitely give it some more listens in the future.

Man, I loved hearing this album. I knew and loved the tracks Couldn't Love You More, and Small Hours already, but it was excellent to hear all the album cuts. Dude's voice was a jazz instrument, and his playing acoustic-like-it's-an-electric guitar playing is pioneering and totally cool too. Gonna deep dive his catalogue now. THIS is the reason I'm on this listening journey!

Kindoff unique slow rock

Zzzzzzzzvvvvrrrrrr ZzzzzzzzGgggguuuuuuudddd ZZZZaaaallllbbbmmmmmzzzz

folk hop, flute bop

Ordagrant cheelin

good!

I liked this not as much as the other John Martyn though

áhugaverð plata

Wild, interesting album from someone I knew nothing about.

Rock, pop. Extrañamente interesante.

good at work listen

I like everything going on except the vocals. They sound weak and winded. Like the guy just ran 6 flights of stairs to get to the studio. Big Muff is a good tune. I am really torn on this album, but I think there is enough here to merit me coming back to it.

So breezy, smooth, and creative. Loved it!

This was really cool to find. I've never heard of this guy. Seems super ahead of its time and influential.

For the first time in this project, I was very positively surprised by an artist I had never heard of before. This is very intriguing to listen to, with its wild mix of different styles and his very unique voice.

Dangerous, psychedelic yacht rock that morphs into early post-rock by the end? I'm a fan.

I hadn't listened to John Martyn before, a really great discovery. Textured sound, many layers and influences, takes you to unexpected places, ahead of his time. Will definitely explore more of his work

Very interesting, like early Sade and precursor to elevator music but in a good way.

Funky Af. Small hours. Wow. Excellent.

Unusual combo of funk, jazz, blues, and Dr. John. Dude can noodle, too. Dig it.

Soulful, and funky. Great voice. Nice diversity of songs.

Funky Joe Cocker

Love it. Completely new to me. Mixing blues, jazz, reggae, and world beat. And all the sweet guitar riffs and effects. My only criticism is I’m not in love with his voice. Maybe it would grow on me. 4.0

I rly fuck w this, hes showed up in music recommendation sites when i enter music i like but ive never rly given him the time, but today i did (funnily enough i was looking at this album specifically before i checked here lmao) yeah pretty poggers pogchamp imo, listened to it twice today and plan to listen more

Distinctly generic until Small Hours, which hits different from the rest of the album and drags this sucker out of the muck.

I wasn't sure I liked this album at first but it has some really delightful moments and I think that if I listened to it more I would get into it. I can see how this artist might have contributed to the musical styles of artists I listen to regularly today.

A chill, jazzy, moody album. I like the instrumentation more than the vocals, but the low growly vocals ain't bad either.

Really interesting, as ever for John. Worth the price of admission for the final track "Small Hours" alone.

Pretty good

false

i really loved it, he has a great voice

So good. Lovely to listen to

Este es el tipo de Jazz que si me gusta, no tan experimental, nadie quiere sobresalir y a buen tempo. Solo conocía Dealer que no sabía que se llamaba así.

Very chill, peaceful, and natural-sounding. Lovely background music.

Good album went a bit too 70s funk for my liking for this style. Some instrumentation felt a bit too forced especially earlier on in the album. Some great arrangements though.

A fun psychy funky album, need to give it a better listen.

Bra album kan tänka mig att lyssna igen.

Pleasant surprise!

reverby!

Catchy. Got that funky pop style.

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

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.

Voice like a random drunkard, music is good

Not bad

Big muff isn’t my thing

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

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

oklart?

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.

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

wish it was an instrumental album

Just kind of passed by

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

Ok

Better than Coldplay

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.

liked it!

2.5

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

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.

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.

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 know that I'd seek him out for a listen, but it was kind of pleasant (except the last song).

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

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.

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

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

Moody, good. I'll listen again -

Chill

Pleasant, but nothing amazing.

The last song was a vibe

This one is definitely a vibe. Smooth as silk!

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

Pop rock sans originalité

Sympa

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

idk

Meh, bad voice generic riffs

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

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

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

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

Hmm

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 ↓: –

Interesting stuff

Anna really liked this one but I find it hard to get into. Nice and funky, but ultimately background noise.

It was ok but that description saying this helped to develop trip hop left me confused, as I didn’t hear that at all.

Reasonable. Interesting in places, but not massively memorable.

I find this album difficult to rate. My sons like this chap and have this album. I don't hate it, however, I don't like much either. I quite like "Dancer". I know it's got interesting recording techniques, but the music doesn't generally grab me. This is a 2.5 to 3 rating.

Not a patch on solid air

It didn’t blow me away, but it was enjoyable. It reminds me of Bonnie Prince Billy.

Not a bad listen.

Would be a 4 without the vocals

Если не обращать внимание на голос, то вполне неплохая музыка для лёгкого непринуждённого настроения.

Hadn't heard this one. Interesting, but the singing style... Not to big a fan of that.

i could not love you more

I don’t think this album should be on this list, but I think I’ve enjoyed it more than albums that probably do deserve to be on the list. Who knows what that means.

John Martyn un desconocido para la gran mayoría, aquí presente cojn nada menos que dos álbumes, más que el propio Macca... La pregunta es ¿Dan para tanto? Difícil responder. Dealer es Moog, sonidos electrónicos con guitarra y una voz que no es gran cosa. El resto del disco sigue estos parámetros. Sonidos y estilo afines a Kevin Ayers o Wyatt. One world, es un viaje. Lo citan como precursor del Trip-Hop... no sé, yo no lo veo para tanto. Smiling Stranger sí está bien, suena a Lee Perry con mucho soul y mucho estilo. Más aún en Big Muff. Certain surprise es un relajado tema con base casi bossa-nova. De Dancing me esperaba más. Small Hours es un vaije onírico de más de 8 minutos. El disco, bien, pero tampoco es imprescindible.

Ha. Big Muff.

I can't believe this album came out in the 70's. Aside from some production issues, this really feels a decade or two ahead of its time. That being said, I couldn't care less for John Martyn's vocals, and a lot of ambient sounds are a bit too snoozy for me. I've got a lot of respect for some of the less mainstream stuff here, even if I probably won't listen to them again. Highlight: Certain Surprise Lowlight: Smiling Stranger

It was okay. I thought I would enjoy a 70s singer songwriter style a bit more but the voice style was tough for me to get into

like a really laid back dire straights

when i first heard his mumbly old man voice i was really ready to hate this album. but it was actually really beautiful and a weird folksy jazz rock fusion. i still can only pick out one word every hundred. and i don't feel like i will actually be listening to this album anytime soon. but if it were to come on at jazz @ lincoln center i would be happy enough

I’ve always felt I should listen to John Martyn as he lived in the town I now call home. Well now I have, it’s pleasant. Meandering, but pleasant. His voice is at turns gruff and sweet with some nice jazzy acoustic guitar. Plenty to like but not life changing

+Couldn't Love You More +Small Hours

Meh. Nice for an easy listen.

Not sure what I was expecting, it reads as trip hop influences on wiki, but the art gives me prog rock vibes. I think what's really curious here is the Jamaican influence, and on more than just the track with Scratch. I appreciate taking it in and turning it into something unique, it stands that way still today. I don't think this influence was eagerly mass produced later on, just part of an attractive niche. His voice grew on me. I'm more used to this vocal playfulness from female singers. It was a bit of a shock initially, got past it quick, it's a little different but it's talented. I don't feel I've ever heard any of this before, not even the single. I can see why, it's a lot of well pulled off production that doesn't really stick to the back of the mind. I'd buy the record at a decent price, and I'd be happy to hear other projects. This one was fun for work-day-background-music. 3.3/5

Klinkt prima, net even anders dan ik gewend ben van deze 1001 albums

Some really pretty songs, but some of the experimental stuff was not very engaging for me

Favorite Track: Small Hours

Aight

I listened to this album in the background, and wasn't as focused on taking note of each individual song. For the first seven tracks, I thought this was a fine album. I liked a lot of the instrumentals and the vocals were good. But Small Hours really took me by surprise. It's a beautiful song, and it's mostly instrumental. I wouldn't listen to a whole album of it, but as a way to close a very stylistically different album, it works perfectly. Favourite song: Small Hours

Funky yet easy listening. Feels very anchored in time. I liked it more than I thought I would.

Good album but not paticulaily amazing. I didn't love it, didn't hate it

This was ok. Never heard it before. Not something I’d go back to likely.

Favourites: One World Couldn't Love You More

It was alright I guess. Of little note. Extra point for the big muff

His voice sounded like he had a big muff over his mouth. Not bad however, enjoyed the album.

I prematurely came for the Big Muff but was left disappointed. Inoffensive album but didn't do much for me.

I've always enjoyed John Martyn in moderation, though I've heard less of his 'experimental' stuff. This is nice but so laid back it kind of fades into the background.

Generally liked this one, my favourite by FAR is Small Hours - love all the weird little noises - electro prototype!

One of those rates finds that you are rare to come cross on this journey. I would not ca it "pop", more of a .... ... well, not sure. But is is nice and smooth.

Another average white boomer playing vaguely prog doodling. I do appreciate the brevity and recognize that the production was innovative at the time.

Enjoyed very much.

Never heard of this guy before. A smooth, jazzy, funky rock-pop sound. Not a particular fan of the singers voice.

Reminded me of the soundtrack of every 70s TV show or movie. I quite liked a few.

Definitely see the influence it had on a bunch of later genres. Only problem is I don’t care for any of those genres in the least. But this is still pretty decent.

Eh

He has an Intresting voice but good vibe

3,4*

está bien, tiene temas muy bueno tanto como unos que no van pero en general bacano

Pas mal ça s'écoute!

Its inoffensive and interesting but don't think id listen again

It's ok

Oh hey, I remember this - "Big Muff" and "Smiling Stranger" got a lot of airplay on certain stations at the time. On this record he has some dub influences that add interest, but it's overall pretty mellow. The final track "Small Hours" is a nice 8+-minute guitar bit with swoopy effects that approaches new-ageyness but doesn't quite get there. Good piece to use as bed music to back-announce a radio set or play in the waiting room of an acupuncture studio or something. 3/5 because it's too sleepy for my current preferences, but well done for what it is.

Very chill and cool.

Never heard of John Martyn before. There's some interesting and unique sounds on this album, and a bunch of weirdness, too. What the heck is Big Muff!? Honestly though this is a pretty good chillout album. My picks: Couldn't love you more, Certain Surprise

Preferred solid air

I didnt finish it, but its not really something Ill listen to often. Its solid though.

Really drags in the middle

Yacht rock funk. A voice that sounds ragged, but in an enticingly wonderful kind of way. The closer SMALL HOURS is enchanting. May change score higher, because I feel like this will receive another listen.

Listenable and saveable even but not really turning my head

I kind of liked the ambient folk jazz and dub sound. Big Muff was kinda fun and Small Hours was a chill listen.

Сочетание поздних 70-х, специфического голоса и эстетики воды – откровенно на любителя. Не смотря на то, что альбому явно не хватает динамики, слушается он вполне приятно. Особенно хороша последняя композиция, в которой практически нет вокала, а только эмбиент в самом раннем его виде. Лучшая песня: Small Hours

The music on here is pretty good for most of the album. The lyrics and vocal delivery leave something to be desired. It could be better. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

Not too bad. Kind of interesting. If I was 40 when this was released and owned a nice turntable/hi-fi setup, then I’d probably be really into this album.

This was very interesting. I know just a little John Martyn, and this felt like the usual 70s English folk with like dub elements. Not sure I love it, but I could see it getting a higher rating after more listens.

I liked it. From what I’ve read, I’d be interested in listening to another album or two of his.

Decent but didn't leave a strong impression, other than one shouldn't go straight from the dentist's office to the recording studio. 3.1

That is some grade-A mumbling! I liked this less than Solid Air, but the stories about how it was recorded are interesting and overall it was pleasant

Enjoyed it. Liked some of the prog-y stuff.

The guy sings in a funny way, as if he's in a bathroom. The music is okay in places, in places it really does sound like a porn soundtrack. Anyway, at least it was fun to listen to.

Not too bad imo

An artist I never heard of, clearly a guitarist as his voice is not great. Couple interesting tracks but won't revisit.

Really liked some of this. Never heard of him and haven’t liked any trip hop too much, but need to listen again.

Compared to the previous John martyn album it was pretty mid

not as good as the other album of his

If you described this album to me, I would have bet it wouldn't be my thing, but I actually enjoyed it. John Martyn is an "experimental" guitarist in that he ran his guitar through the early iteration of an effects pedal. I don't know what his earlier stuff sounded like (I'll investigate at some point) but he had the equivalent of musical midlife crisis and took a year off, going to Jamaica for an indeterminate amount of time and meeting Lee "Scratch" Perry (famous producer who pioneered the development of dub music), and his enthusiasm was rekindled. Martyn gathered together at his producer's farm with an army of other musicians (including, prominently, Steve Winwood) and recorded songs featuring his trippy, spatial, ethereal guitar. And I don't hate it! This album is frequently cited as a progenitor to trip-hop, and I hear that, and Martyn was reportedly blissed out on opium the whole time, and I hear that as well. Honestly, I would rather someone else sang on these songs, but the vocals are just dressing for the music underneath. The songs are at the very least interesting to listen to, and there's some nice melodies scattered here and there. This isn't something I think I would return to often, but I certainly don't mind it at all, and will probably investigate Martyn further.

The John Martyn I know is the Stormbringer! folky-bluesy John Martyn. One World is something else entirely. This is jazz-dub Martyn: echo, delay, and space doing most of the talking. Where folk, jazz and dub meet is in atmosphere rather than structure. Songs hover instead of progressing. "Big Muff" is a nutty oddball. I don't think anyone expected that putting Lee Scratch Perry and John Martyn in a room together would result in lyrics inspired by teacups shaped like animals, but here we are. The real centrepiece, though, is the absolutely gorgeous "Small Hours". The guitar barely sounds like a guitar at all, instead turning almost synth-like, endlessly delayed. Minimalist, refined, and perfect. One World is ambitious and fascinating, but for every moment that works, there are also moments that drift without really justifying themselves. Interesting, brave, and uneven. 3.5 stars.

6/10 - too experimental

Pretty good stuff. Not quite Solid Air but good stuff.

What an unfortunate singing voice Nice calm atmosphere

Almost a four, to be desu ne with you

I like John Martyn. He's got a brilliant voice and beautiful guitar playing. I did quite like this album, his oddly breathless singing on Dealer was great. The album did have some parts that were a bit more "pretty" that I found boring but a very solid album.

An enjoyable listen overall, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression. A few tracks lean too far into soft jazz territory for my taste, which dulled the experience a bit. While the album has its moments, it lacks the depth and warmth that made Solid Air so compelling. For me, Solid Air remains the stronger and more memorable record.

Sounds ahead of its time: I initially assumed this was a mid-80s album, not mid-70s, so I presume the effects and production on it were fairly pioneering and influential. The result is a very mixed bag, however: while there are a couple of standout tracks, particularly the dreamy closer Small Hours, far too much of it is inflated with that puffy self-importance that boring jazz assumes when it thinks it's being all cool and experimental.

7.6/10 good but the vocals are throwing me off

Positiv overraskelse

This was ok. Not sure about his voice. Worth the listen.

3.5

Pretty interesting album cover, though it kind of becomes increasingly horrifying the longer I stare at it. I'm locking in progressive rock for my genre prediction. There aren't many non-rock albums with this kind of illustrative style on the cover. Man, those vocals really are something else. You mean to tell me that this guy was 29 when the album released? Anyways, this is pretty interesting. A lot of differing styles and influences contained within its short runime. It captures the feel of a summer vacation pretty well while also having an unusual and lingering atmosphere which makes it unique. I can't help but view this album through a sci-fi lens because of how different it is (plus the alien-looking album cover, of course). Desert planets are my favourite worldbuilding trope in science fiction, so I can't help but imagine that I'm vacationing in another world while listening to this. While the instrumentals are pretty great across the board, I must admit that I'm not sold on the aforementioned vocals. They're too gruff and detached from the music for my liking. Hopefully I'll come around to them on future relistens as I do want to bump this album to a 4. "Certain Surprise" is pretty good. I dig the bossa nova sound in the instrumental, as well the backing instruments that carry it. Very appropriately summery for this time of year, too. It makes me want to float around in a lagoon. "Dancing" is a good follow-up. The warm sound on the guitars works pretty well, and I'm a fan of the songwriting. It's pretty dynamic and energetic. "Small Hours" has a fantastic atmosphere. Those reverberating, distant guitars are pretty great. The mundane, lethargic performance creates the mental image of an endless desert, whereas the actual sound has a tropical, lively feel to it. Everything in-between is pretty good, too. I'm normally pedantic when it comes to tracklist, though I was able to set aside my eccentricities on this occasion and just relax. Book time. Came from a period of hardship. Nothing much in there beyond that. Wikipedia says that this album is experimental, charted okay, is widely considered one of Martyn's best albums and has a decent critical reception. I liked this album, so I can accept its presence here. I cosign this inclusion.

Vibey, for a quiet night or a sleep sesh.

Some real moments of beauty. Very effects-heavy/atmosheric. Guy's got a weird voice (not in a bad way). Love the ambient background in Small Hours.

Never heard this album before and it was a little light for my preference but actually didn't suck.

It's a pretty okay album, nothing incredible. The song 'Small Hours' has some interesting ideas, just a shame that wasn't extended to the rest of the songs.

Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Really chilled

Couldn't Love You More - 3/5 Certain Surprise - 2/5 Dancing - 4/5 Small Hours - 2/5 Dealer - 4/5 One World - 3/5 Smiling Stranger - 4/5 Big Muff - 3/5 Average score: 3.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it's quite the step down from Solid Air

I was surprised to see that I had scrobbled 3 other John Martyn tunes in my music library, so I searched through it, and couldn't find anything. So I'm guessing I had one of his tunes pop up on Apple Music shuffle or something. In any case, I have not formally listened to anything by this artist. For me, this album is a mixed bag. I absolutely hated the first song "Dealer" where he's just repeating let me in over and over. The next few songs were interesting. It ended with a couple of decent songs, but at the end of the day, I was glad I listened to it, but doubt I would ever listen to it again formally. Maybe in a shuffle somewhere. 2.5 / 5 stars

Not a terrible album for a lazy, fall Sunday.

El álbum de John Martin lo tiene todo para haberme emocionado. He tenido ocasión de escucharlo tres veces seguidas (dura escasos 38 minutos), tiene un sonido poco convencional, intimista, atmosférico, una voz llena de matices que recuerda a la de Anhoni, un sinfín de aspectos positivos. ¿Necesito una cuarta vez para que me penetre las entrañas? Posiblemente.

Although I liked most of the musical bed on this album I found his vocals in entirely boring and cumbersome. I was listening to it on my way home from Clarksville last night and probably was not the best choice to be driving on the road at 11:00 p.m.. But it's not a bad album at all and I think that if it had more interesting vocals I would have liked it better 6.6

This was just okay. I liked "Couldn't Love You More". "Dancing" and "Small Hours" were also alright. The rest not really my cup of tea. Steve Winwood plays on it, and it kind of reminds be of his early solo stuff at times. Light 3 stars.

Loved Decatur

Great listen. Liked it.

I very much enjoyed this, in a same universe of Van Morrison and Nick Drake we have an outlier planet of John Martyn.

An interesting album, I get some serious DMB vibes from this and I've never been the biggest fan of DMB or Pearljam but it's not bad.

This album and John Martyn as an artist has definitely got personal vibe goin' on. Not bad stuff, but the songs them selves are not that good. I would rate this as 2,5 stars, but since it's not possible, i'll give it...

One of the proggier, but more pop oriented albums I've bumped into during this project. It also feels more like lots of efforts in studio with experimental equipment and using unorthodox methods than music. What I mean with that is that it's lacking "drive" and "enthusiasm" in the music, it feels very performative, clean and overly polished in a way that I don't personally enjoy. I can appreciate the engineering skill, level of craftsmanship and musicianship, but the actual music they are performing is not interesting as such.

For most of the albums on this list I do not like, I at least understand why some may find it earth shattering. This was fine, but not sure why some people think this stands out. Pretty middle of the road.

Generally a psychedelic soul funk sound, with some deviations into mellow rock. Surprisingly, not something I would voluntarily listen to… Again, a solid 2.5, but rated up to 3 b/c I didn’t hate it.

That was considerably less annoying than his first album, which I listened to as part of this project. The music is great, but still he hadn't conquered the mumbling!

A little bit of blues, a little bit of psychodelic... certainly didn't expect it, I guess I need some hooks

Great guitarist, singing would be better with a Lemsip. Interesting mix of genres but a nice change

Quite like jazz fusion guitar sounds. Feel like John Martyn is more the guitarists guitarist. Still wonderful player. Enjoyable album.

I started the first song and thought it was woke rubbish. Then I was pleasantly surprised

*Dealer: absolutely crazy singing voice. it's dope though, reminds me of the dude from YHWH Nailgun. smooth and psychedelic One World: title track. like a professional singer doing drunk karaoke. not mad at it Smiling Stranger: it's an interesting little diddy but the entire song feels like a build-up and the payoff never comes *Big Muff: your mom. groove in the chorus is out of control. song actually has a lot of energy for how restrained it stays. great vocals, love that blown-out reverb Couldn't Love You More: it's cute. the refrain got a little grating by the end Certain Surprise: zon't zew it. zon't...zon't zew it... Dancing: it's fine Small Hours: 9 minute song, locking in. beautiful guitar effects at the start. I guess not just the start, it's still happening. most unjustified guitar solo of all time. it's not bad but I wish the instrumentation were fuller or that the song went somewhere, something to justify not only being nine minutes long but also the closer. it should feel special but it feels sparse cool album with some cool experimentation. a lot of it doesn't quite land, but at least it all sounds great. I wish the songs were more fleshed out? not sure if that's the right way to describe it, but some of the tracks feel like one idea getting milked for all it's worth instead of being expanded upon. __ SCORE: 6/10 ADDED TO PLAYLIST: Dealer, Big Muff

Some cool guitar work. A bit Mahavishnu Orchestra at times. Interesting. Not crazy about his voice though.

Quite liked this. Easy to listen to. Some songs would not have been out of place in the modern era. Aged well for 47 years.

Inoffensive but not interesting either

Totally fine to listen though, but it made no lasting impression. A day later I could not identify any of those songs as familiar

Just kind of there album. Not bad but just not great for me.

if you were casting for an animated musical and needed someone to voice an anthropomorphic vintage car, seems like John Martyn would work. his character could be named "Big Muff." highlight here: definitely the serene, beautiful closer "Small Hours." minimal lyrics but plenty of geese - it's just on a separate level from the rest of the album.

I’m 400 and change albums into the list, not even halfway, but I’d been feeling real music burnout. The generator is also giving me a lot of middling albums I’ve never heard about or care to hear lately. When I saw this bullshit 70’s album cover pop up, I threw my hands in the air and took a two week long break from this. Coming back this morning, I did so mostly because I was super hungover and didn’t have to energy to listen to a podcast while also compiling a report for work. What I discovered is that One World is super chill, and great when you feel like shit. It wasn’t anything like I expected it’d be, when reading about it prior. Dude sounds as sick and exhausted as I feel, so it really was well placed for me on this journey here. That being said, t’was pretty forgettable too. Now, on to the real stuff!

This has its rough moments (when I heard the first track I assumed Martyn’s voice was shot, which wouldn’t be very surprising given his lifestyle). But it also has moments of brilliance (the sparse, restrained production of the closing track was everything that the opener was not). Altogether a mixed bag, and not the highlight of his catalog.

If this was mainly an instrumental album it would have been a 4 star album for me. However John Martyn’s voice does not mix well with my ears. I really enjoyed many of the tracks musically. During my second listen found myself skipping over them once Martin began singing. Production wise, the digital album sounded great on my stereo. I’d be interested in getting an analog copy…but not interested in paying more than $5 for it.

Had no idea what to expect. But cool, I like. The last song just does something weird to your stomach reminds me of driving late, while your parents listen to an obscure 80's album and its just weird noise but you're a kid and don't understand and don't know what to think of it. But cool album I’d listen to more of his stuff.

I was interested to hear this as I haven’t listened to much John Martin. I had some good bits that make me think I will have revisit this one a few times to fully appreciate it.

I like some of John Martyn’s stuff, but this isn’t my thing. It’s fine, but it feels like he avoided all of the things I like most about him on this album.

Slightly more groovy Weather Channel music.

Consistent quality Not really my choice

A more experimental, dub, folk-rock album by John Martyn. It's smooth and clean, though the production is a bit dated. The closing song was very interesting. It's a good album but I enjoy his more folk oriented work more.

Fun and interesting. Probably won't go back for re-listens but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Not in love with it, but it’s pretty easy to get absorbed in the vibe and there are enough interesting choices

Not bad

Man i dont get why ppl are hating on this guy this much. I love his vibes. That said, Solid Air is miles better in my opinion. This might just be a strong 3 for me. Maybe low 4

Some cool bits, some cheese bits, it does sound ahead of its time for a record from 1977 - I know a lot of jam bros who would probably really love this.

Liked it but probably seek out listen again. Good bass. Pretty funky.

not usual choice, but ok for a one time listen

I like JM's music very much, that's why I am a bit biased 😄 Couldn't Love you more is the beste song

Listening to this makes me feel like I need to clear my throat

Cool. Better than I was expecting

Loved the track Dancing

This sounds like something you'd listen to live. Not voluntarily, but you'd enjoy it.

Kolejny przeciętny rock, który pomimo naprawdę pięknego wokalu i kilku sprawnych kompozycji nie robi mi nic. Ileż można słuchać tego samego? 6/10 i dzieki Bogu, że to już za mną. Gdzie innowacja? Kreatywność! Przełomowość!

very much prog but pretty good 3/5

Kind of dull, but not bad.

2.5 stars. Not my favorite John Martyn, a bit too experimental. Standout is "Dancing".

I liked the other John Martyn album, but this one didn't hit me

I wasn't so into this, to tell the truth, but there were some interesting sounds going on.

Adding electronica to pop blues is worth one listen. Now I can move on.

I liked the first song. But I didn't care for the vocals for most of the album. Music's good, though, for many of the songs.

Interesting twist on a folk style songwriting style. The drums were definitely grooving

Okay.

This one had me sleepy, especially with the ending track. Small Hours had me in some sort of trance and hearing lyrics in the middle of it was like a jumpscare. A pleasant album about loving life and being at peace with it. The tracks mostly conformed to that idea, but it was strange how Big Muff centered around class divide when that subject feels like it goes against the mission statement here. Big Muff, however, is my favorite of the bunch, so that’s a little unfortunate. Another thing that’s unfortunate is my friend Adam described poor Martyn as a 50 century Pharaoh and now I can’t unhear it. I hope he doesn’t actually come back as a Pharaoh and take his revenge on us.

Fun sounds. An unusual mix of jazz, electronic elements and funk.

It's pretty bland, I don't hate it but honestly it's so just beige I'm going to immediately forget about it.

I didn't have a strong reaction to any of the music - maybe due to the low-key vibes - but can see where this was influential.

Þetta var ágæt plata. Mér fannst röddin á honum hljóma eins og Joe Cocker á elliheimili en það var bara fínt. Það er ekkert sem þessi plata skilur samt eftir sig hvað varðar lög. Gleymist fljótt

I liked the music quite a lot, but I wish he would enunciate a bit more when singing. The excellent final track boosts this album, almost into four territory.

Very experimental and nice but is a bit dull. Small Hours is so relaxing. 3/5

This album is pretty chill in a very unspectacular way. I had to listen to this 3 times before I felt like I heard it. Dealer almost sounds like a funkier version of ZZ Top. Smiling Stranger and Big Muff have some trippy percussion. Couldn't Love You More is sweet and sentimental but not really moving. Certain Surprise was okay until he brought in that orchestral sweep in the background which totally cheezed it out. This is a very mediocre album.

True confession. Yesterday I pressed "did not listen" to an album I did, in fact, listen to. I just didn't want to rate it. I felt like it was just OK but that maybe it deserved more? Maybe my mood was off? IDK. So I will revisit it. Today I listened to John Martyn. ... ... Same thing! But I won't say "did not listen" because I did and want to be honest. I felt like it is OK. Just kind of part of the fabric of bands and musicians doing their rounds and trying to make it in the world. Some people will be fans, others will just ... not much think of it. I will stop short of saying it was boring, the musicianship is quality. It is just that... My head table theory puts him somewhere in the midsection, and it is crowded there.

It was okay. Easy listening/loungish

Nice

[Joke about enjoying soft back side here]

A nice listen, sort of forgettable...but a pleasant journey nonetheless.

I was confused by my own opinion. Maybe it’s just that I didn’t like his voice very much? There were a couple songs (with fewer vocals) that were pretty good. +1 for naming a song Big Muff.

Lo he escuchado sin prestar mucha atención, la verdad. Suena bien, una producción muy cuidada, pero mi opinión no tiene mucha base.

Listenable.

Very solid and unique.

Totally new one for me - both artist and album - and really enjoyed it. Woozy, warm, electronic-ish folk that seems way ahead of its time.

Unique fusion of jazz folk and rock. Worth a second listen

Decent listen.

=The Beatles

This would have been an amazing album if his voice was better

Easy listening album but nothing too special. 3 stars or C.