Reviews (page 4 of 7)
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.
Some good songs. Sometimes emotional and interesting, sometimes flat. Enjoyed mostly that old-times pop vibes, like the song 'dancing'. 'small hours' also a nice ambient.
Small Hours - это ГИГА песня. Мне было в целом всё равно на все, что звучало до нее. Приятно, даже интересно, но довольно ровно и без энтузиазма. Но потом БЭМ! Это и Eno, Talk Talk, и Hammock, и American Dollar, и все-все. Лучшая песня - Small Hours.
Not bad.
He really did peak with Solid Air. Spotify fucked over this one with the track listing. The first four tracks should be the last, and vice versa. Still, even with that, a bit more to be desired.
Dealer 3.4 One World 2.8 Smiling Stranger 3 Big Muff 2.9 Couldn't Love You More 2.7 Certain Surprise 3 Dancing 3.2 Small Hours 2.5 Score: 2.9375
This is a unique listen and had some really good songs, but I don’t think this album should be on here. Martyn’s Solid Air is a much better album.
This was a new one for me. Really interesting album - decently short. I'll say 3.5 - not quite a 4, but definitely better than a 3.
Pretty nice, daddy-o!
When the vocals started in the first track I tought it was going to be a rough listen, but after a while it went into the background and I started to vibe with the backing track. 3/5
obscure british shit again. they should have let this guy catch his breath and drink some water before recording.
Calming and chill - reminded me of Cafe Aquarius.
70’s rock
Smooth, jazzy
I truly do not know what to make of this. A few times while listening I found myself feeling grooving with it. Other times I was absolutely not and wishing I wasn't only halfway into the damn thing. Felt long for its run time. But the bits where it clicked it really did, and I especially loved the last track, super ambient and chill. Giving it a three as I think it was pretty balanced between good and bad but it was not consistent in quality.
Nice guitar work, but overall not keen on the vocals and the album feels slow. Has a definite lull after the first few tracks but finishes quite strongly; the outro was a great ambient guitar effects track. Fine album. Dealer (7/10) One World (6/10) Smiling Stranger (5/10) Big Muff (5/10) Couldn’t Love You More (6/10) Certain Surprise (7/10) Dancing (7/10) Small Hours (7/10) 6.3/10
This is good and I enjoyed listening to it, but it didn't really grab me. Very inventive effects give this a unique sound.
I'm no John Martyn fan and find his vocal style a bit too much of a swallow to swallow. But this, which mixes his vocals much more down in a soundscape that certainly has a call to be the first ambient folk album, is a good listen.
There might be a world where I give this a 5 after listening to it with headphones in a dark room, but in this world where I listen to most of these while working, this never really grabbed me. 2.6
After the sometimes very different reviews of the album, I was curious what I would hear. I actually found Martyn's voice annoying in the first track. But after that it was quite good. I liked the album. However, it didn't impress me enough for me to look for it again. 3/5
I don't understand why John Martyn's voice sounds like he has emphysema, or he is straining to sing. Maybe it's both? This is very jazzy and I think another listener referred to it as Yacht Jazz and that's probably a really good description. Apparently, John Martyn was going through a divorce at this time in his life and it affected the music. I don't have any context since this is the only album by him I have heard. I actually don't hate this sound but it does feel like it is missing some energy. Overall, I am glad I heard this album, even if I don't know that I am compelled to listen to more of his music. I would not term it as "exciting" by any stretch but I can see listening to this album while taking part in activities that involve water and a boat. Songs I enjoyed: Dealer Smiling Stranger Couldn't Love You More Certain Surprise Dancing
I'm enjoying this more than I thought I might based on the opening track. That track, "Dealer," didn't do much for me, in part because I didn't like Martyn's singing style on it. However, there's some chill jazz grooves on the remainder of the album, and Smiling Stranger is really good proto-trip hop. The final track, "Small Hours," feels like something straight off of a Sigur Ros album.
Too mellow made me sleepy
175/1089 - If this were an instrumental album only I'd give it 4 or 5 stars.
Jazzy rock album? I liked it, especially the ambient track at the end.
Very trippy and good for some ambient playlists I have
Meh
This was better than I remember it being. The first track is a bit odd, and I’m not a great fan of his voice, but it grows into a better than average background sound album. While I am not rushing out to buy a pristine copy, I would listen to it again. A nice, pleasant album that grows into its sound.
Ekkert að þessu. Frekar kósý bara.
Fínasta tónlist. Sting áður en Sting varð Sting.
Groovy but don’t really understand its place on this list as it’s really nothing more than another divorced dad album.
This is solid music to listen to while sitting in a rusty lawn chair by a lake being eaten alive by mosquitos. He always sounds like he tongue is swollen, but I really like the style. Not quite as good as Solid Air for me. Favorites were Big Muff, Couldn’t Love You More, and Dancing.
No review today. Good album, but nothing special especially when listened after brilliant Modest Mouse set. He didn't stand a chance.
This was okay...I really only liked the first song. The rest of it blurred together and didn't sound that interesting to me. I preferred his other album, Solid Air.
Mostly average but small hours is great Steve winwood plays on this so it’s alright I guess
If it bangs, it bangs. Good ass album if you ask me
Jazzy und Funky, hat mich aber nicht Mega abgeholt. Hab aber auch nur die ersten beiden Songs gehört lol
5 stars for rhyming 'Romancing' and 'Fancypantsing'. 1 star for his inability to enunciate. 3 star average for average songs.
It took me awhile to warm up to this one. I want to like it, but something isn’t quite hitting for me. The instrumentals are a level or two above the vocals. The style is interesting enough that I will probably check out some of his other albums. If you are a fan of Dave Matthews you will probably love this because Dave rips him off hard.
No lo conocia, no me impresiono mucho, el ultimo tema esta bien, es instrumental, pero no algo que quiera volver a escuchar seguido.
If you ever find yourself in a swimming pool in the dark, hours after closing time, wanting to pump some appropriately mellow, aquatic tunes through the cheap speakers: this is the one for you.
This kinda passed me by without much fuss. It sounds a bit of a downer and there's scorching sun outside at the moment. It might be the kind of thing that would connect with me on a blue winter's afternoon when I'm twenty years older.
This guy sounded like a cross between Phil Collins and Randy Newman, want shocked for the first song played after the album had finished included Phil. Couldn't love you more is a good song I think but after one listen it sounded like something people walk down the aisle to, it could grow to annoy me but currently still like it. Otherwise first half was trying to force being too jazzy and the latter was a bit bland. Still okay I think, 2.5.
Was looking forward to this when I saw it come up. Listened to the "solid air" album we previously had again recently and it's really good..... Unfortunately, I didn't rate this as highly at all and it didn't really do much for me at all. Just felt a bit lifeless and meh compared to solid air. More poppy perhaps? A bit disappointing when compared to solid air. 2.5
Easy listening soft rock. Good album albeit nothing remarkable.
Me esperaba algo así, nada mal. Lindo para trabajar. Nota: 3.4
I didn't much dig this, except for the closing track. Strange, as I do like some of Martyn's work. Maybe it needs another spin or two.
eh mais um daqueles PQ ISSO TÁ NA LISTA?? não que seja desagradável. só sem sal mesmo, meio xoxo. vo dar 3 estrelas pq dancing eh divertidinha até!!!
I was expecting more from this, but it was o.k. Really just that. Kinda felt empty and not in a good way. Some decent songs here though. 2.5/5 - > 3/5
Not bad, didn’t pay very close attention
Enjoyable, somewhat quiet pop. Excellent vocals and good lyrics but not essential for me. 3.5 if possible.
Super generic but not bad.
Interesting, don’t love.
3.7
Alot of the songs kinda just repeat the same word over and over, but in general decent
Incredible set of sounds for an album of this era. Some real highlights, but loses some flow at points
Okay. Fine.
Mellow. Not terrible
It wasn't that bad, actually
Very nice guitar sound, sound a little like a mandolin. The melodies were great and semi-experimental, but lacked, for me, a cohesive feeling. Stretched too much between funk, folk, and pop
Surprisingly funky at times. What a pleasant discovery. Some can be missed after a listen. "Certain Surprise" is a weird one on here. Oh wait, trombone solo for the win on that one. "Small Hours" -- trancy vibe, soothing. Not a fan of his voice which will keep this one from going into regular rotation.
I had never heard of John Martyn before. I don't know what to think of this! It's quite poppy generally, with a few OK songs (Big Muff has a nice groove, Dancing is fun) but it's quite experimental too and John's voice is interesting. The opening song (Dealer) has an African vibe. Too incoherent and just not moving enough for me, but there is creativity in this album and it's "interesting". It has the potential to grow on me, but I don't think I'm going to do the effort.
The vocals are a bit strange at times but the productions is very interesting for being from mid-70’s and John creates some really beautiful songs here. 6/10
i'm ngl this #pist me off. weird and and unpleasant at times. very mellow and chill at others. i didn't like his voice, was baffled by the instrumentation, and over all had a very confusing time. somehow 3 stars. idk w/e
i keep listening to this album, trying to crack this nut, but it's just not happening. this is like, weird yacht rock progressive easy listening ambient dub music which sounds WILD on paper but is kinda just all over the place in practice. his voice also isn't doing him any favors here. i don't think jamaica has to worry about the brits taking over... well, not a second time at least. favorites: one world, small hours
Really weird album for the late 70s. Had never heard of this dude before, but it almost sounded like it could be contemporary to today. It didn't amaze me though, but was solid. 3/5
Really interesting reading this fellows story. I thought the album was okay. The story was better.
Ah, the other John Martyn album. I gave four stars to Solid Air, but I hate to admit that I don't remember a lot about listening to it. Regardless, I think this should be a pretty interesting album, and I'm excited to listen to this today. As excited as I was to listen to this album, I thought it was quite a bit more style than substance. It was fine to listen to, but it didn't feel particularly cohesive to me. The first side of the album felt like it had more jazz and funk inspired sounds to it, while the second side of the album felt like it was more influenced by ambient sounds and soft rock. It was interesting to see what John Martyn could do to achieve his unique sounds, but I felt like a lot of these songs were just a showcase for his technical prowess. This album was still interesting to listen to, but it didn't really leave me feeling anything. I enjoyed the first side of the album more on a second listen, but I really liked "Dancing" and "Small Hours" on the second side of the album the most. I thought they were both really beautifully arranged, and they were a joy to listen to. Even though I didn't care for the first side of the album as much, I thought "Big Muff" was the best song on that side. While I thought this album was interesting, I can't see myself returning to it. I appreciate John Martyn as an artist, but this album was just fine in my opinion.
Kinda fun and freaky, but in a polite British way. I enjoyed the guitar work. “Couldn’t Love You More” is very sweet. It didn’t bowl me over, but I had a fine time with this one.
Not necessary
Waaaaaay better than it has any right to be. Really enjoyable. Funky at times. Good voice. Dancing is one of the best songs I've heard from the list so far
Good background music - I'm not sure if I really really like it or not. But I've saved it for future re-listening....
I will say, this grew on me. What I initially thought would be a sorta one note non stop groove, turned into a pretty interesting and eclectic back half. Really enjoyed Couldn’t Love You More and definitely Small Hours.
6/10 Hadn't heard of this John Martyn album despite being very familiar with some of his work on Over the Hill. Fairly underwhelming easy listening although there are probably some songs on here that would grow on me over repeat listens. Listens: 1
That was different. I probably should rate it higher, but I'm unsure of what I think about it.
Good, not as interesting as Solid Air IMO, but some good tracks. Last song made me feel like I am the only being on earth and floating on a calm ocean away from everything. Album cover reminds me of on an island by David Gilmour!
First hearing of this artist or album. Is it funk? Synth-Pop? Progressive Jazz? Blues-Rock? I believe the answer is “Yes”. It seems impossible to nail down a genre. And I actually enjoyed it. I can’t think of another album or style to compare it to from that era. Seems really innovative for the time (1977). Cool calypso beats, horns, funky synth, solid guitar work and effects. I may add this one to my rotation for “work-focus” albums. Or perhaps my “sipping Mojitos” rotation. Decent stuff.
What do you get if you team up a burnt out old hippy with the legendary dub music producer Lee “Scratch” Perry? The answer is the opening track on this album that sounds startlingly like modern trip hop, even though this came out in 1976. The rest of the tracks incorporate more of Martyn’s folk and jazz roots, also veering into ambient territory on the final track which apparently was recorded by a lake and includes ducks quacking!
2.5/5 stars
brodi non lo so mangia una caramella per la gola
Here's an interesting little album. John Martyn is a name that I've only heard of because I've looked at the 1001 albums list. The impression I'm getting from wikipedia is that he's somewhat influential and fairly critically acclaimed. However, I also didn't have any specific expectations going into his 1977 album One World. How do I feel about it? I like it! I'll start with the one thing that I'm not big on. The singing. It's not my favorite. I was definitely put off a bit with the first song, but it wasn't as bad for the rest of the album. It's still not my favorite. The rest of the album though? Pretty good stuff, I tell you what. The writing is nice. It's not super complex or anything, but it does its job quite well. Apparently John Martyn was pretty close friends with Nick Drake, a favorite of mine as far as discoveries from the album project go. I didn't get the influence on this album that much, but it definitely wasn't "not there" either. Apparently it's a bit more present on the other album he has on the list. I don't know why he has two, but it's more warranted than something like the Beta Band or the Divine Comedy, so I'm not too upset. The thing that really appeals to me with this album is the instrumentation. It's kind of yacht-rock-esque in a way, which I'm not complaining about. I vibe with the instrumentals hard. They're great. Overall, One World is a solid album. I don't have much else to say. High 3/5.
i was enamored on my first listen and completely forgot why on second listen
Like Tom waits gone yacht rock at points.
Fun listen, probably won't return. Interesting back story too. One World and Small Hours were highlights.
Another new one for me. He was great. Super solid folk rock.
One of the positives you could argue for digital/streaming services is that they offer a form of digital preservation for albums like this, which would otherwise only have a life inexplicably on the shelves of hokey tourist shops, somewhere between the sunglasses carousel with eyewear which hasn't been in vogue since the early 2000's and roughly 2-5 animated kids movies like 'Space Chimps' and 'Mars Needs Moms'. The only entertainment I got from this was the admittedly really nice instrumentals and listening to the lead singer keep slipping in and out of his black soul musician voice in the first few tracks. It momentarily felt like Steven Seagal was back in the studio following his greatest gift to humanity 'Want the Punani'
This is a suburban mothers favourite artist and no one else’s. It’s certainly not bad. It’s easy to listen to. That’s about it. I don’t think any one track jumped out at me like YEP THATS IT THATS THE INFLUENTIAL HIT. Moreso it was just there and then it was over. In one word it would be inoffensive?
Overall not super interesting, but it definitely had its moments. I liked how on Dealer he sounded like he lost his voice. I also like how he kept saying "Let me in" cause I just pictured it being Eric Andre shaking that fence. Certain Surprise was a fun spin on elevator music. It was kinda boring, but there was a surprise trombone and sometimes sounded drunk. Small hours had some fun absence. Album cover: (B+) I would paint that on my van.
John has an interesting voice. Very raspy. The album is jazzy and has a lot of interesting little noises on it. "Dancing" is a fun song. This album mostly passed by me in the background, it wasn't super captivating. I liked the sound, lots of cool instruments and interesting experimental electronic noises. I lean positive, but not quite enough to give it a seven. 6/10
gemütlicher sound mit anleihen aus jazz und folk , welches am schluss schon richtig experimentell wird. dazwischen muss man sich an die stimme gewöhnen: rauh, unmelodiös.
So unique and interesting, but it didn’t click with me and I found myself drifting off in thought and not paying attention.
Another great album
The music is great. I don't like his voice very much on this record. Not as good as Solid Air, which is also on the list. Favorite song: small hours.
Vandaag krijgen we weer eens iets uit het Britse archief voorgeschoteld. 'Hier heeft nog nooit iemand van gehoord' denk je dan, maar tijdens het zoeken tussen de ratings van m'n favoriete medegebruiker kom ik er achter dat Jan Martijn blijkbaar twee keer in deze lijst staat. Ongelofelijk. Op de eerste track klinkt de beste man alsof hij net een liter Chlorix heeft zitten nippen, maar gelukkig wordt dat op de rest van het album iets minder. Een enkele track daarna uitgezonderd. Wat krijgen we verder precies te horen? Een soort combinatie van prog, jazz, folk en zangert liedjesschrijvert. Een soort wereldmuziek, maar dan uit Hilvarenbeek ofzo. Veel effecten, experimenteel. Het is wat dromerig, iets hypnotiserend. Het wordt alleen zelden echt heel tof, dus dat valt wat tegen. Misschien wat Nick Drake van het Aldi huismerk. Het voordeel is dat ik me hier amper aan kan storen, ik kan dit goed heel luisteren. Het blijft keurig netjes net onder de 40 minuten. Drie sterren dus. Als je een goede bui of een slechte streak hebt kun je er zelfs een vier voor geven.
In a lot of ways it was a pile of shit but I didn’t hate it
Some of the vocals were rough and the album got a bit boring, but there were some cool instrumental parts.
3/5
Sista låten är otrolig, annars lite meh.
It is always funny when I arrive at the list, see a name that I don't recognize, and click on the Wikipedia link just to discover how many fans this "unknown" has. There is one long and complete Wiki for the album and for the artist. He was probably very important to a lot of people (at least to the Wikipedia volunteers). The album is nice too.
This was interesting - I didn't know much about John Martyn before listening to this. Tom Waits does ELO.
Not bad.
Sounds of Jamaica Gives relaxing island vibes To oft garbled act
Couple good jams definitely saved a couple, not my cup of tea overall... good viv album for sure
Interesting jazz album. I’d give it a listen again but it’s not an album I’m going to favourite. Listened to it 1.5 times. Starts off pretty strong but doesn’t really sustain on such a short album.
Unsurprisingly I liked the super long ambient track at the end better than anything else, kind of loved that. Everything else meh.
It’s not un-enjoyable but does also feel a little ephemeral Couldn’t love you more is fantastic and lovely though
Background music for me. Can't understand the lyrics, but the music sounds nice.
Alright
Cool cover. I cracked up the first time he starts singing but got used to it. Reminded me a bit of Nick Drake. Some songs were too slow, others were a bit odd. Not bad though.
I didn't love this album, but overall this album was good vibes.
I was very positively surprised by this. I Think I could see myself putting this on again in the future. Favourite tracks: 1,2,5,6,8
Quite pleasant to work along to
Didn't have high hopes for this, happy to be wrong. Sounds pretty fresh even though it's a 70's album. Distinctive style, will listen to this again, guitar work is impeccable. Bonus for only 38 minute
Do we love this album? No. But it is pretty interesting...
I wish I liked this more than I did, a lot of great ideas being brought here.
folk not too moving
I have one other John Martyn album, which I do like, but don't like this one as much.
This was alright, the final track in particular was good. But didn’t absolutely move me.
I enjoyed the second half of it. Rating: 3.1
Like some and don't like some. Voice reminds me a little bit of Joe Cocker.
I live John Martyn, but there’s not a lot of great songs on this record, unlike Thin Air. Couldn’t Love You More is beautiful and some of the other songs are alright
Kinda chill. Kinda sleepy. I liked small hours.
Interesting time capsule. Happy to have listened to it a few times
Wyte
first song was a banger, rest was whatev
A strange one
nice non-worldchanging vibes
Κατα τη διαρκεια ολου του album δεν ακουσα vocals τα οποια να μου αρεσαν ιδιαιτερα. Ομως, η παραγωγη ειναι στα περισσοτερα κομματια απιστευτη και μονη της θετει το αλμπουμ ως ενα ενδιαφερον project. Rating: B-
Interesting in places but ultimately didn't do all that much for me.
I could've just been in the mood for something ambient, but the tracks where there are no vocals are lovely. The vocals are not for me.
Pretty nice background music. The guitar work was pleasant and it all had a kind of island-getaway feel to it. Nothing stand out, but not too shabby.
***An ok album
Not my fav vocal tambour but small hours was nice
++: Dealer, One World, Smiling Stranger, Small Hours +: Big Muff, Certain Surprise, Dancing +-: Couldn't Love You More 7,6/10
one world? more like one butt
Kinda weird but quite funky, not sure about the vocals but not bad overall.
Liked the production far more than I liked his vocals, but he sure was able to make an interesting, atmospheric album that was a total vibe. Fav Songs: Big Muff, Small Hours
I've never heard of this or John Martyn and my first impression upon seeing the cover art was "Wow, ok, I guess we're in for textbook yacht rock. Is that... a mermaid?" Well, listened to it 3-4 times. It'd be really great without lyrics.
Some smooth-sounding jazzy riffs here.
Ach, I love Solid Air but this one just doesn’t do it for me. Nothing grabs me. It’s pleasant but nothing more
This album came from nowhere to me. I knew nothing about John Martyn. This album feels like a mixed bag. On one hand you got interesting funky and Sting-like tracks such as “Dealer”, “Smiling stranger”, and “Dancing” and soothing ambiental songs like “Small hours”. The rest of the album feels expendable and even trite at times. It doesn’t help the fact that Martyn’s sandy and whispering voice is not particularly enticing. Quite the opposite, like someone regretting having to sing. I could imagine the best tracks shining with a brighter and soulful voice. In sum, I don’t think it’s as bad as some people mention here and not as risky as other believe. It’s ok but ultimately dated.
It’s fine, but I don’t know why he has two albums on this list. I had never heard of him before this project.
Well that was definitely an album of music.
Not really in the headspace for this one right now, but it seemed okay. Might listen to it again later.
very weird and watery. Interesting vocal choices. Great guitar work with interesting delay/reverbed effects. kind of jazz fusion/city pop mixed with an 80's rock and roll singer songwriter? I'm not sure if I loved it as a whole record but some great tracks are scattered on here worth listening to.
It’s ok.
Seems like Nick Drake in band form.
R ‘n’ B funkiness with 70’s psychedelia made this an interesting listen
Weird but enjoyable.
eh. Progressive guitar sounds with an unusual vocal delivery. Not too bad but nothing special to me.
I enjoyed it a lot
I've already forgotten it, but I know it wasn't horrible.
Ok, but in my opinion nothing special.
Like the album.
Mostly boring but a couple good songs.
Some good bass and drums in here, gives pink moon vibes too.
Really not my thing
This reminded me a lot of sublime. I’m not sure which came out first but I think sublime did so. I can’t say this is an amazing album as it is a little bit of a copycat. But I did enjoy this 3.25/5
This album definitely has a very specific time and place. Is that time and place in a traffic jam on a few hours of sleep? I can't say it is. It was a very relaxing listen that remained peacefully ambient throughout the entire listen.
Fine enough. I prefer his slightly less synthy, slightly downbeat stuff to this, but he's clearly got songwriting skills to spare.
I legitimately started laughing when this dude starting singing on the first track. The instrumentals of this album are decent. But his voice....it's not BAD but holy hell, this man has smoked one too many cigarettes.
Nice jazzy sound, nice melodies. The vocals were generally off-putting.
Very mellow. Nice background music but not a lot more.
What a strange and beautiful album, I really enjoyed most of this. Actually listened to a few songs twice.
His 1973 album "Solid Air" is fantastic but I'd never heard this one - right away this one hits different and I'm not sure how much I like it. I keep reading about how this is was an early influence on or by dub which...ok, but I don't know if it just doesn't work / is awkward / or simply I don't connect much with it. Having said that, I'm left wishing that more of the album was like the final track "Small Hours" - that ethereal guitar with delays, all kinds of reverbs, some nature sounds in the background.... I *love* this one. (holyshite: I was thinking that Steve Winwood took his keys sound from this but it is actually Steve Winwood playing on it - ha!) TL;DR: inconsistent and unsure about it - ALTHOUGH a second listen made it much more palatable; "Small Hours" made it all worthwhile anyways. 7/10 3 stars
This album by John Martyn is a little bit better, in my opinion, than Solid Air, that appeared on the list before. Style is rather similar, maybe it doesn't feel as 'folky', but that's a good thing, in general. Just a pretty good album, but nothin I will remmeber in few days.
Felt like an understated album that I'm going to forget over time. Had lots of variety across the songs which is always a perk. Small Hours stuck with me longest on the listen through.
Nice. Hadn’t heard of him. The two most popular tracks were by far the most interesting.
Meh
3/5
It’s a bit patchy and new agey for my taste especially compared to his earlier albums. Some decent tracks on it though
Strange but interesting
Weird album, kind of disco-y, didn't really love it, but Couldn't Love You More is the outlier stand out track. 2.5 stars.
This album surprised me in a lot of ways. When I first put it on I thought I was in for a Steve Miller Band-adjacent experience. Which would have been ok. At times I heard the inspiration for Dave Matthews vocals, other times the inspiration for instrumental dreamscape.
Nice
This was a quite coolt album that I've never heard before. I had a pretty hard time deciding and figuring out what genre this is. His singing suggests it could be some sort of blues, but the music points towards it being some form of psychadelic or progressive rock. Also, what an interesting voice he has! Definitely plus points for interesting album with some good songs like 'Certain Surprise' and 'Smiling Stranger'. Think I could grow to like this if I listened to it more, but for now it's a strong 3.
Fairly listenable 1970's guitar nerd navel gazing.
Wow an album that is actually unknown to me and experimental
Pleasantly surprised! Some really sweet vibes on this album. Being British and the album being from the 70s, I assumed I was going to hate this. Included were funky beats and some electronics. Very cool!
Very ambient. So much so it just kinda blended into the background and I forgot what I was listening to, and then the album was over so I had to listen to it again to try and get a better idea about it. I dug the the funky bass on Big Muff. If you told me that Explosions in the Sky was a big fan of his or at least the song Small Hours, it would not surprise me. It's long, its ethereal, its got guitar fading in and out, it changes to a slightly different song in the middle to come back around to how it started. Outside of Small Hours, I can't pinpoint any other influences but I definitely hear how this could have influenced artists/songs that came after it.
Atmospheric and ethereal, some really beautiful songs. Like sitting on a foggy beach at dawn. Martyn’s singing reminded me of Dennis Wilson, gruff, impassioned and slightly muffled. A nice listen.
Didn't hate it, but not really for me. He's kind of like a mix between Nick Drake and Bill Withers.
2.5 Nothing spectacular here but I did enjoy "Small hours"
I liked this album but it didn’t particularly stand out to me
I have to say it's identical to the Solid Air album he made 4 years earlier. Still good though- mellow and chilled to listen to.
It kinda interesting 2.5.
If they’d all been as weird as the first track I’d have given this a higher rating.
Interesting musically, funky and ethereal…. Interesting vocal stylings as well, but incongruent with the music IMO
Varsin kiinnostava!
Rescaté un par de temitas. Es algo tranqui, chill, por ahí medio aburrido pero sirve para estudiar.
This album grew on me and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
3/5. I would say a pretty interesting album, got this cool jazzy feel yet electronic vibes backing each song. Like a noir dance basement. The vocals are cool, low and raspy enough to sound like an instrument. The first is definitely the highlight, with more jazzy numbers. I can probably kick back to this one again but wasn't perfect. Best Song: Dealer, Smiling Stranger, Couldn't You Love Me More
That was wacky. I heard “Big Muff” and immediately checked my phone as I thought the playlist had gone random. 1977?! Dude. I think loads of credit for this “altered state” album needs to be given to Scratch. That man was magic.
I want to walk into a record store and he have this album playing
Kind of cool, kind of fun, but ended up being the longest 38 minutes I've been through in a long time.
"Smiling stranger" and "Big muff kept me entertained....3/5
This one caught me on a good day, probably a 2 on a less optimal day.
Had a good time with this one. Big Muff was a jam! 3.5/5
This album sounds like Louis Armstrong and Funkadelic had a baby. Very listenable.
All over the place on the rating for this one. Never heard any of it but was digging the first song. Then the next few were not doing it for me at all. Then three in a row I really enjoyed. So I guess I'll settle in at 3.5 -- would pick it up if I saw it cheap somewhere but not going to seek it out. But will still listen to it more. Man, yeah I just can't decide. This could be a 4 over time.
Initially I found the album kind of irritating, mostly because of John's voice on the first track and a couple of others. But the music is OK and his voice was very different and much better on other tracks, so ultimately it pulled it up to OK level. This is a kind of world/fusion music that I don't often go for.
3, but a low 3. I won't remember this a three days from now. Except maybe his grainy voice and the dripping instrumental finish.
not bad, I'd put some of the songs in my rotation today. Didn't need the backstory tho
3.6 - A pleasant nightcap of a parent rock record, in the vein of urbane 70’s singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell. And similar to Mitchell, Martyn’s years of chain smoking have fucked his voice — the contrast between his singing on this record versus “Solid Air”, released just a few years earlier, is striking. There are ever-so subtle whiffs of neo-African rhythms and guitar wawa voicings. This is a cool, relaxed affair, something to wind you down before bed. I like the scatting over expensive-sounding jazz chords on “Certain Smile.” And the echoing sounds of honking geese bring this nighttime reverie to a fine conclusion on “Small Hours.”
I could not stand this guy’s voice, but the music was pretty inoffensively fine.
I enjoy a raspy vocal. I didn't really find the instrumentation all that interesting, but I could imagine putting this on while I do something.
Not gonna lie, was a bit bored. Nothing stood out and it didn’t feel like boundaries were pushed. But, it is obvious John Martyn has strong musicianship. If only he pushed further to build a more unique sound.
I keep trying. It's interesting. It falls into good from time to time. His voice is a trial though.
Solid start. Got really slow and somber at the end. I liked the groovy bite the most
The reviews I read had me prepped for something awful but I didn’t mind this album at all. More of background music to me more than anything but it wasn’t bad at all.
Por escuchar
This was alright. I enjoyed the music that played behind a relatively bland raspy voice that I can only assume is John Martyn.
I had no idea who this was and it turned out to be okay
Some of this was cool but it made me super sleepy and I dont like his phrasing.
Very different, but not unpleasant. I kind of liked it.
good funk but didn't care for some meanderings
Good opener, amazing closer. The rest was pretty meh. Unique voice but it got tiring by the end. Last track should have modelled the whole album. Pretty good, feel I will listen to first and last track a lot in the future but the rest maybe never again.
A lot going on, like one of those albums your Dad got free from the Mail on Sunday. Some tunes, some shockers, instruments all vying for space.
expected not to like this, it was fine. however I do not have any use for a song called Big Muff that isn't referencing/about the fuzz pedal. I probably don't have use for one that is, either, but I definitely don't have use for one that isn't.
Slightly wacky, but still pretty chill 3
The first thing you’ll notice is Martyn’s voice, a combo of a Dave Matthews and some old African American from way before his time. When it’s good, One World is amazing. Couldn’t Love You More is a masterpiece. He’s clearly at his best when most stripped down. Dancing is great too, his influence on DMB is very clear. Small Hours is a gorgeous, spacy atmosphere closer
I’ve heard John Martyn covers before but this is the first time I’ve listened to one of his albums. It’s much more psych rock and jazz-oriented than I expected. The album as a whole has an interesting vibe, but I think the only song I’d come back for is “Couldn’t Live You More.”
I have listened to this twice, and the second time had something more to it. Martyn's vocals definitely needed a second listen to work for me. I'm still not sold on them, really. But I did like the echo-y effect he used, even on songs like "Dealer" which I didn't care for as much. Maybe a third listen I will enjoy this even more, it kinda grows on you a bit. But as it is, it's not on my "wow" list.
I like John Martyn. I've decided that after listening to two of his albums. He's got a cool, soft sound and he's a darned good guitarist. His voice also tugs at you. Still, this album is just good - enjoyable but that's about it. I gave his other album a bump and I won't do that here. Favorite songs were Dealer (pushes the line with his guitar work), Big Muff (funky guitar and bass), and Couldn't Love You More (so cool, best on the album).