One World

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).

A few redeeming moments, boomer.

nice

Actually chill and relaxing, so I really didn't mind having this on. But at the same time, it's not memorable at all and this really could have been any "chill and relaxing" album.

Small Hours is fantastic, and singlehandedly adds a star to an otherwise substandard 2-star album. The vocals are very low-energy, which works in the aforementioned track, but comes across as not trying hard enough in the other songs. The "echoey" layering effect in the album is pretty cool, though it feels flourishy at times to cover the fact that the compositions aren't very strong. For its time - mid-to-late 70s - it's impressive. However, I still found plenty of negative points.

Giving this the same score i gave the other john martyn. This is music that should be good in theory, like it tries different stuff and none of it is bad but its just kinda eh. Two albums by this guy is enough. Also, hate his voice. Hope this mid ass streak ends soon

Jazzy pop with a whiskey voice. The music is much more interesting then the vocals.

Never heard this before, but it was pretty good.

Some cool grooves, a psychedelic experience for sure, and John Martyn sounds like he just smoked 40 cigarettes before every song. Enjoyable but might need a little more time to get used to a vocal style like that.

This seems to be more experimental and "out there" than Solid Air, and I'm not entirely sure that I'm quite comfortable with that. Solid Air caught me totally by surprise, being a genuinely excellent album. This one... Well. I'm not so sure. "Smiling stranger" has a nice little bassline with some strings, aqx and... A wobble board? What is that? It's a bit repetitive though, which is something that can be said of the whole album. There's a smattering of funk through the music, some heavy wakkas from the guitars - but I'm really not sold on that matching Mayer's voice or lyrics. Maybe it's a grower, but do yourself a favour and listen to Solid Air again instead.

This album is alright, starts pretty weak but still okay, then has a couple really strong songs. Small Hours though, is absolutely incredible and worth being on this list for that alone. What a beautiful track. So this album ends on a super high note, but the first half or so is a bit forgettable. I think 3 is fair

Bit wanky bit in a winky wonky way.

Very gentle. So gentle I only know I listened to it through the application of logic. I remember that Lee Scratch Perry track, that was good, the rest of the album was like a lovely light anaesthetic coma.

We had John Martyn's Solid Air a while back, which I thought was good. This feels more of the same, interesting mix of styles, I liked it, but probably not enough to revisit in future.

zzz not bad per se

I remember reviewing a previous John Martyn record on this list. That one was more of a folk album reminiscent of Nick Drake. This one, however, is completely different. Some yacht rock vibes but a lot more experimental. Apparently the session musicians for this album were taken from bands like Gong and Pentangle, so that tracks. While there is a lot of good, there is also some cheese on here. Unnecessary horns and string arrangements kill some songs. There are some genuinely solid tracks tho, such as Big Muff, Dancing, and Small Hours

Started out kind of put off by the guy's voice and wasn't loving it. By the end I was enjoying the album but then realized I was 2 tracks into his Solid Air album from a few years prior, as Spotify had moved on. Not sure if my enjoying it came from this album at all.

Mixed feeling. His rough voice is very good but can also sing like in last song, with feeling. Still mostly kinda average pop music, too muci middle of the road for me.

3.5 album.

Not bad, but a bit boring

ok bluzi

No es mi rollo pero no está mal

A very mellow, jazzy atmospheric album. John Martyn has a soulful raspy voice in the vein of Joe Cocker and Nick Drake, but much more subdued and more subtle than Cocker and less emotive than Drake. The album gets a little sleepy at times but an enjoyable listen. 3,.5 stars

Very nice chill vibes. Calms down some nerves and shit

Music is cool and interesting but the voice put me off a little bit. I'll probably try to give it a second chance soon.

Average

Has some funky notes, but the songwriting was not great. Vocals weren't compelling for me.

Je m'attendais à un album retentissant de la part de John Martyn, ayant reçu la note de 5/5 chez mon camarade d'écoute robgruyère. Il n'en fut absolument rien sans surprise.

Unique voice. Not my style.

A few tracks were quite good, but too much was unenjoyably self-indulgent.

Chill, in a variety of ways. Some really smooth, jazzy songs and some very ethereal, atmospheric songs. An unusual album. We enjoyed the tranquility of it, and the way it kept switching up the vibe across the songs.

Fonkey

- Didn't like it too much on the first run, but I enjoyed it more on the second. - The last track, "Small Hours", seems very familiar to me. But I can't tell from where. - Update: I LOVE last.fm. Now I know that I have, in fact, listened to it before:

On the British folk scene since the 1960’s, John Martyn had already released six albums by the late 70s. “One World” arrived fully formed in 1977, following a brief burnout from the music industry and a period of reflection/indulgence spent in Jamaica. A quick Wikipedia search reveals Martyn had the founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell, wrapped around his little finger: Blackwell had faith in Martyn despite consistent underperformance, and instigated his trip to Jamaica. It’s amazing to wonder what other masterpieces (or disasterpieces) could have been released if the bigwigs had been a little more generous with their friendship and patience. Born from its surroundings, “One World” ends up being an album laid back and at ease with itself. Partly recorded outdoors at- you guessed it- Blackwell’s farm, it has a spacious, ambient feel to it, with Martyn’s gruff and ragged voice cutting through the delicate arrangements like a knife through a songbird’s throat. There’s some lovely fretless bass work, very welcome tabla supplying extra rhythm, and an occasional unnecessary saxophone. Notoriously prolific Steve Winwood is on board for some keyboard work (electric piano, Moog, organ), there’s a collaboration with Lee “Scratch” Perry, and various other musicians contribute to bass and drums. But first and foremost, John Martyn is a guitarist’s musician, and “One World” is a guitarist’s album. Martyn is famous for experimenting with Echoplex units, which spool out his licks into cascading spirals of sound, forming the bedrock for entire compositions and songs to casually hatch out. Opening track “Dealer” is a fine example, where a rippling drum beat and bassline dances around the rivers of guitar work. Elsewhere there’s the tasteful, airy atmospherics of the title track, the even more tasteful and airy atmospherics of “Small Hours” (beautiful) and the subtly shapeshifting funk of “Smiling Stranger”. The downside of this is that there’s so much focus on the soundscapes they often eclipse the songs underneath, and “One World” evaporates into something intangible: a mood, a vibe, a feeling. And then there’s also “Couldn’t Love You More”, a sudden twist into a sparse, acoustic guitar-led arrangement which pays tribute to Martyn’s folk roots but feels misplaced. The best songs for me are “Big Muff” and the album’s only single, “Dancing”, which seem to get a good balance between the style and the substance: good hooks, sly and evasive lyrics, clear and focused song structures. While the rest doesn’t leave a huge impression, it’s still pleasant listening.

Never heard of this guy. Kind of modern sounding for an album from the '70s. Still nothing that stuck in by brain. Not an album I needed to hear.

Seems good

like with the synths, intro track caught me off guard ***1/2 fav: small hours

This was ok. Real easy to listen to but nothing super interesting. I was hoping for something much more guitar centric from a song called Big Muff; oh well.

Thought this was just ok. 2.5/5

Martyn's opener Dealer is mirrored by the bafflement of a hole. The quieter parts are simply lightweight, no hint of subtle load-bearing. But John Martyn's voice is still pleasantly elusive.

3.5

Wasn’t feeling this at first but it really grew on me towards the end and I keep coming back to the last song small hours it’s a masterpiece, could see someone like frank ocean taking a lot of inspiration from that song it’s truly beautiful. -B

Experimental ambient de pop - folk -rock- blues - rock. Agradable.

I was semi-confused as to what John was trying to accomplish. There are moments of Mac McAnally and moments of Clapton...but it never really reaches either of them.

Song about a big muff hahaha

The pieces are there, but... I dunno, never really gels for me.

Pop experimental. Ni fu ni fa.

A perfect way to describe the music of One World, is the image on the cover, a mermaid (merman?) rising from the ocean on a arc wave along with a bunch of cultural symbols, the sound is unique, yet calming and relaxing and I can't help but think of water. The music is interesting, though not too exciting, which is fine because that's not the point. The recording reflects the emphasis of the sound of nature and the outdoors, recorded away from the noises of the city and it shows. A progressive sound and Martyn's distinctive vocals make this worth the listen.

I liked this.

Good for background music, I enjoyed the relaxed feel to it. I liked Couldn't Love You More the most.

first listen some really interesting textures / sounds but overall not a super interesting album

Pretty good, can see myself putting this on as a light funky background music while I'm doing something else.

The record sounded better on a second listen; I was really glad the gravely voice of the opening track didn’t make an appearance in all of the songs. The melodies of many songs were catchy, especially in the second half. Most of the experimental cuts earned their spot and didn’t get too annoying. At times the vocals reminded me of Stevie Wonder. 5.5/10

One song highlight

He's got a cool voice. I'd definitely check out more of his music

Interesting voice, decently captivating music. Didn't actively dislike, but nothing blew me away to get any more than 3 stars.

Dur à décrire. Musique d'ambiance de plage en vacances les yeux fermés ou avant d'aller faire une petite sieste.

Was a nice peaceful album to listen to. Not too loud or in your face. Most songs passed without me knowing.

Brani Preferiti: - "Couldn't Love You More" - "Small Hours" Note: Un album bizzarro che contiene parti di chitarra interessante, ma che non rimane impresso o stupisce. Non riesco a piazzare che genere sia, mi viene da pensare che questo album contenga un mix di più generi, concentrandosi molto sul suono dei sintetizzatori in un modo anche esagerato... Ma molto apprezzata nel brano "Small Hours"

One World is the seventh album by Scottish guitarist and singer John Martyn. This experimental pop album includes elements of folk rock, jazz, funk, and dub/reggae, and features an echo effect plus a wide range of ambient sounds for a relaxing mood akin to meditative music. It's considered one of Martyn's best albums, and it can also be cited as the origin of the trip hop genre for its slow tempos and atmospheric sound. The warm, rich sounds on this album soothe the listener and provide a beautiful experience for either solitude or intimacy. I loved this calming album and I'm glad I had the chance to listen to it.

I can see why somebody might be into this, but that somebody is not me. The best parts are the ones where he noodles around and has fun. Less so with the poppy stuff. Best track: Small Hours

It's extremely chill post rock project. The voice kind of similar to Joe Cocker, very rough.

5/10. I'd never heard of this album before, and I don't see myself telling anyone about it in the future.

I have no knowledge of this artist or record, but in looking at the cover I am expecting some songs about fantasy fishing. I hope it delivers. *Starts Record* Well, it's not van art metal or prog fishing songs, but it's surprisingly good! I prefer the uptempo, funkier numbers over the slower, jazzier jams but overall it's a decent listen.

First off, this cover is fuggin sweet. Also this album apparently originated trip-hop so I'm mad excited for that. This guy has a smokers voice that's for sure. I listened to this in the background at work and enjoyed it but nothing crazy special.

Pop experimental. Ni fu ni fa.

Experimental ambient de pop - folk -rock- blues - rock. Agradable.

Interesting effects and sounds. Even while being experimental, it's very listenable. Not sure if it's on the list, but Solid Air is a superior album.

Very nice. 3/5

Chill background music

Never heard of this dude before ? And I like this genre. Pretty decent stuff for me to have missed it all these years

Interesting I enjoyed it. If I listened to it more it would grow on me even more

Interesting. Music was cool, dude's voice killed me

Good

Smooth porno vibes.

Light and airy old hippy music

Interesting stuff. Folksy, funky, poppy, experimental.