Solid Air

Mid 2 stars

My partner seemed to really enjoy this one when I shared it with them. I thought it was pretty chill myself. Makes for good background music for being with people around the house.

Didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did

The instrumentals are this pleasant mishmash of acoustic guitar and kind of jazzy pianos and bass. The vocals range from folky to a kind of white bluesy performance and it's... fine. Altogether it's not bad, but it didn't capture my attention while listening. It's kind of a perfect album to play as background during lunch hour. So a strong 3 as foreground listening, easy 5 as background, I'll chalk it up as a 4.

The purely acoustic pieces sound interesting, but as soon as the keyboards and drums kick in, everything starts to feel a bit cringey. Still, as I said, the acoustic tracks are worth your attention.

Shocked at how much I like this? Felt like a mix of vedder with folksy beck, and a touch of Bowie and the doors? Short of 5 stars because of martyn's proclivity to mumble his lyrics but still good nonetheless

A superior brand of folk rock. Musically much more interesting than it would have been if it was simply acoustic guitar and vocals. It’s very well produced and performed. The best tracks, for me, are the ones where he channels the blues in pure form.

An interesting album that grew on me as I listened. I can hear musical roots in other music from around the same time but the vocals are different than anything else I know from that era. I wasn't sure about the vocals at first - deep almost rumbling tones - but they grew on me the more I listened. Not sure I'll seek John Martyn out again but I wouldn't move on if any of his music was presented to me again.

Really solid! John Martyn really blends a lot of different influences well. The double bass work in particular is super nice. My main criticism would probably be that a lot of songs have too much singing. It would definitely be better if there was more time for the instrumentation to breathe. Also, I was promised a didgeridoo but didn’t get it. Overall, it’s a really mellow and psychedelic album that flows really nicely. Definitely more effective than most folk albums that want to go beyond just acoustic or slide guitar

Irritating.

wow, wasn't expecting that. Sounds beautiful

Can’t explain it but the spelling of Martyn makes a lot of sense for this music

Good good. calm, not much reading notes on this one

I liked the bluesier tracks more than anything but didn't love his style of (lack of) enunciation. Felt kinda sluggish.

This album was great. I was surprised by the variety but it was all great.

I didn’t get much out of it. Couple tracks were ok, but a lot of them felt like the LaCroix of music. Like, they know what music is, and created something that’s only kind of close, but obviously not quite there

The first song led me to think this was gonna be a real stinker. I ended up liking the second song more but the damage had been done and there wasnt enough good to offset the bad

2 out of 5 Some songs were actually ok. Rest were too soft rock for me.

I liked this one more when I had it on as background music than when I was more actively listening to it. John Martyn is a very fine guitarist and the more experimental and jazzy influences work nicely in this, it’s just that it all feels a little light in the way that a lot of similar-ish music from this era feels to me. I preferred the start of the album to the end of it.

When I was a kid they used to sell these 70s mellow listening comps on TV. There were songs from James Taylor, Bread, The Carpenters, Looking Glass, etc. Many of the songs from those commercials sound just like the songs on this record.

A pleasant surprise. I score it FFF: Fun, Folky, Funky-ish.

Some of this I like a lot, and some is just fine. I’ll go 3 for the songs that are really good.

I was unfamiliar and I loved it. It’s right in my 70s folk/acoustic wheelhouse. Gave me Joni and Carol King vibes.

7/10

I’ve heard the name before, but I’m not sure I actually knew any of his music. This album is fine overall, nothing really grabs me, but nothing stands out as bad either. It just kind of drifts by without leaving much of an impression.

I enjoyed this more than the first John Martyn album I got, but I still don't like his singing. I've listened to far too much of this guy over the past half year or so. I'm happy to take a break for the next 40 years or so, godwilling.

2026.03.15

Ok but forgettable

Solid 4

Interesting album, based on the first song I was expecting to NOT enjoy but it actually became quite varied and good! I would say that each song had one thing off about it. I couldn't fully connect with it. Still solid though and I like the 70s folk-esque genre.

Wow. Never heard nor heard of and haven’t even heard anything quite like it. Predominately what I guess you could call “guitar jazz” but with a lot of other elements and unique vocal style. Interesting discovery, thank you, 1001.

Couldn't get through the whole thing. Just wasn't my kind of music.

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. It's a sort of acoustic, jazzy sound. The vocals are interesting, and while I would not mind listening again, I would not necessarily seek it out either.

fair play

It's like if Nick Drake got into funk

A folk classic! I really enjoyed this first foray into John Martyn’s work the title track is great, ‘Dreams by the Sea’ and ‘Easy Blues’ were other tracks that I felt drawn to. It’s such a cozy body of work. I really enjoyed listening to it as a whole, colour -wise this is a very blue, teal, forest green, mustard yellow tinged piece. It made me feel like I was in a creek in a forest at some times and a hazy farm surrounded by a lush wheat field the next. ‘Dreams by the Sea’ and ‘Over the Hill’ show that beautifully. Ratings wise it’s getting a 3.9/5. I don’t want to seem like i’m overrating a lot of the albums I have enjoyed. That being said it’s a been a good streak!

*1973. British folk. *Odd combo of some cool folk numbers (which I like) and then some much more off-the-wall experimental tunes that sound like a cheap David Bowie. There are also some jazzier and bluesy songs thrown in - it's all over the place. RATING - 5.5/10

This was an incredible journey. The immersion factor here is impeccable, and the songs are flawless and perfectly connected, capturing your attention from beginning to end. 5 stars

Appropriately, it’s solid. I liked it more by the end, as the songs had a bit more force to them that made them more compelling. Earlier songs are still a good listen, but can fall into too much ‘man mumbles over acoustic guitar’.

Appropriately enough, this is a really solid album, deftly combining folk, blues and jazzy elements, especially on the title track. It’s a very moody and atmospheric album much of the time, but with some moments of levity as well. As a fan of late-60s/early-70s British folkies (some of whom play on this album), this is a personal favourite of mine, and I rate every song here highly (‘May You Never’ is a gem), but it’s just lacking that something extra to tip it into 5-star territory. But for me this is at the very upper end of 4 stars.

Some unique compositions with unexpected instruments, but otherwise not terribly memorable. I’d consider listening to it again, but I’d probably remember it as much on that listen, which is to say, barely at all.

Had never heard of this guy, but I thought it was a good listen. Very soothing blend of folk and blues. The instrumentation/production in particular stood out to me.

Well if there is one thing I've learned in the last couple of days it's that I really don't like British folk music.

No, I did not need to hear this, and now I’m unhappy that I did.

i was bored

The guitar is great. The whole thing is soft, kind of a round sound, very pleasant to the ear. Oh wow, so many instruments, altogether very peaceful. Some songs were a bit messier, but overall very nice album!

Really good vibes. Love the instrumentals

siento que es un muy buen album para poner en un bar

Generally solid album with some nice variety. I don't know if I'll ever have a desire to relisten to this one, but I'm not upset about being forced into this one bit.

I was pretty annoyed with this the first time through - why is this - of so many incredible albums over the last 70 years - on this list? Thankfully I listened again, relaxed a little, found some tracks I like, and am happy to let other songs on the album drift into the ether.

Wow this one caught me completely off guard. I'm not sure if it was just the penjamin, but the second half absolutely ripped.

Interesting sound, it remains me of the band call The temptations, a mix of old funk and soul. I liked the first songs, then it became kinda repetitive.

Incredible listening, incredible atmosphere. Great surprise.

Holy smokes! I've never heard of this artist or album but this blew me away. This a simply but powerful recording.

What was that line about jelly rolls? My man got a sweet tooth?

definition of mid

Luckily the instruments saved this from being one star

Too boring and too much mumbling. 2.5

Liked some of it

I just can’t get into his voice. The instrumentals are honestly pretty nice, but the vocals ruin it.

Boring

Not bad. Folksy

A little too esoteric

nice

Listening in the car as I drove down Donovan Lane towards the start seemed appropriate to me. Another singer songwriter, here we go. But then the album evolved and changed with a bit with more experimental jazz, blues and rock and more normal folk stuff. Great stuff altogether, 4 out of 5 stars.

me gustaron 2 temas aprox, medio random igual no es malo

solid. i think i could go up or down depending on my mood, but this was solid. it's peculiar, most notably his mumbling style of singing, but i think the genre-blend atmosphere created here is interesting for the most part. the parts of it that felt like they were plainly folk rather than leaning on the jazz or psychedelic influences were the dips for me. "dreams by the sea" for instance is pretty good, so i could see this album warming up for me over time if i ever happen to throw it on in the future.

Okay so the mumbling singing style is definitely not for me, but I'm thankful its only a problem on like, half the tracks. The instruments, on the other hand, are pretty consistently nice throughout. Its very jazzy folk, conjuring the feel of a smokey backroom bar in the 70s. That alone puts it above most folk I've heard so far, and songs like "over the Hill" and "Dreams by The Sea" I genuinely like quite a bit! It's a little uneven with songs like "May you never" feeling more like generic folk for me. The afformnetioned mumbling singing style unfortunately hurts the album a fair bit in spots especially on songs I would otherwise like (for instance "The Man in The Station") but otherwise I like it. It gets a high 3 for me, not quite reaching a 4 due to the hang ups I have.

Decent enough, didn’t really grab me, but a pleasant listen

> the Beatles Great vibes

Bijna 5

Wasnt sure after the first track but man this album is a belter. Listened to it three times back to back.

This is great. Surprised this was 1973

Weird mix av indie og jazz

Nicely done

Quick review since I'm at work: this is very good. Good folk-inspired pop while also pulling from psychedelic rock, prog, and even a little proto-David Byrne in the vocals. Many songs went in different directions than I was expecting, and the vocals were nice and the lyrics were interesting. Will definitely listen to this again. Favorite tracks were "Over The Hill" and "I'd Rather Be The Devil (Devil Got My Woman)".

Ok, prvi komad, "Solid Air", mi je kinda všeč? Nism čist odločena še, mal je mumbly (a je pred mumble rapom obstajal mumble folk?). Ne, ok, všeč mi je. Ful smooth, zastopim, zakaj piše, da je mal jazz incorporated v album. "I'd Rather Be the Devil" je ful zanimiv. Kr mal psihadeličen, predvsem pa eksperimentalen. U, "Dreams By The Sea" isto, kr mal funky. "May You Never" je ful catchy. "The Easy Blues" je pa kinda bluesovski, as the name would suggest. Ej, kul. Zmer je fajn odkrit še kakšnega singer songwriterja na novo.

Second song is good nothing else really stood out

honestly forgot it was on after I hit play.

Enjoyable.

Wow! I really liked it, another gem on this list in patch that was honestly giving me list fatigue.

Solid album, I could see myself coming back to this.

Nice background music

Nice quality - have my doubts about some of the vocal deliveries, but a nice album overall. Just maybe not one of the 1001 to listen before you die.

This is fantastic. Each track explores different genres and executes wonderfully. The jazzy bass of the opening/title track, the bluegrass of Over the Hill, a bluesy swing here and there and a spacey guitar. I’m not one, typically for a saxophone… but THAT SAXOPHONE! The surprise of Solid Air is one of the reasons I am so happy to embark on this musical journey. There is absolutely no reason I would ever find myself listening to John Martyn’s work aside from a once-in-a-while dabble into the work of Nick Drake, who’s tragic death is the inspiration for this record. There’s sadness and emotion. There’s a fever of the human experience apparent in Martyn’s lyrics, accompanied magically by musicianship that invites you in and buries you. A truly incredible listen. Take a half hour and experience this.

Solid album.

oh my god i love this goddamn album. i bought it on cd a while ago, really went out of my way to find it. the first song that got me into this guy was man in the station, i rememebr listening to this album in the car with george and his mum on the way to his grandparents house in wales. i love this album.

Just OK

Not bad. There was more variety than expected.

Not bad...enjoyed it.

Loved it a lot

Fantastic album! Loved the mix between keyboard and piano. Great performance on the guitar and great lyrics/ singing. Adding this one to the library

Kinda like 70s Jack Johnson, which is to say, not too interesting to me.

Interesting blend of jazzy folk. It had some highs and lows but enjoyed it overall. Tellingly, the added live bonus track blew the original out of the water leaving me wanting more from the original album.

classic all the way. great guitar and a great voice

This was a real gem. Its not surprising that John Martyn was friends with Nick Drake - the sound is evocative of his sound and style. I've been finding several later 60s/early 70s folk-rock albums that I previously overlooked or passed up, but really dig, through this project. This is one of those albums.

Another white noise solo guitar album

The author of this list probably thinks “all lives matter.” The worst part of lil pink skinned singer/songwriter & folk crud mixed with that wannabe black artist bullshit this list seems to love. I’ve mentioned Skip James in a review before with another wannabe black musician & this guy covers a Skip James song! Skip James is not on this list. Listened to that afterwards to get the bad taste out of my mouth. Then I relistened to Nick Drake again after reading the first song was dedicated to him. Probably glad he kicked it before he had to hear that piece of shit song. Getting this album right after Nick Drake probably really hurt my take on this.

What a let down compared to the last Nick Drake album, especially since this guy was doing a tribute

This is a fantastic, creative, smooth example of '70s singer-songwriter fare that holds up particularly well. It's like James Taylor but bluesy and more interesting, reminds me a lot of Jorma Kaukonen Quah. It's this kind of deep cut material that makes the OAD project so rewarding. The recording is also very good, though I wouldn't call it great. This album is completely chill but layered and textured enough to remain consistently interesting. My only complaint, and it is a small one, is that Martyn sometimes deliberately mumbles or slurs his words. I'm assuming this was an artistic choice. It makes more sense on the title track, as it fits the song's mood, which I understand was dedicated to Nick Drake, who died only a year and a half later. It's a bold choice to open a singer-songwriter album where lyrics are often the centerpiece of the music. The only time when I'm really disappointed is on the song "The Man in the Station." I really like the lyrics that I can understand, and I love the vocal reading. Better enunciation would have helped me to appreciate this track more; as is, it's a bit of a tease. Regardless of my minor complaints about the mumbled lyrics. I enjoyed at least three spins of this album, and I even listened to it again this morning. Four stars.

Really good

Favorite songs: Over the Hill, May You Never, The Man in the Station

I don't have much to say about this, didn't love it, didn't hate it. Middle of the road for me.

Mumbly fumbly vocals, but the music is great

An enjoyable sort of melancholy

Some nice folk songs and then some meandering slop.

Few really good track here.

Felt a little disjointed towards the end, however there was some flow between the songs

This is #day537 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I didn't realize I had this guy's other album back on #day241. I just checked my review of that one, and it seems I wasn't in the mood for this kind of music at the time. I gave it a 2 and couldn't even finish it. (For the record, I revisited it after Solid Air: still not a huge fan, but at least I made it this time.) That said, halfway through the first song on Solid Air, I was already enjoying what I was hearing. I'm not always sold on the vocals, but musically, I'm very much on board: a weird, jazzy, psychedelic folk-rock odyssey. "Solid Air," "I'd Rather Be the Devil," and "Dreams by the Sea" are definite standouts for me. I guess I'll go a bit wild and give this one a 4. Looking forward to #day538.

Very fun easy-listening jazz/folk album that does a nice job with delicate melodies. Gets a little too "muzak-y" especially on the B side for my taste, but still worth a listen. Top tracks: Solid Air, Over The Hill, Don't Want To Know

I've never heard this before, and I won't be coming back. It's mostly dull. Somehow sleepier Nick Drake. I gave "Pink Moon" 2 stars and I think I liked it a fair bit more than this. The only song that I didn't dislike was "Dreams By the Sea" which had a tolerable jazzy tune. Then it went into a song that would feel right at home performed for an open mic night at a decent coffee shop near a medium sized midwestern college. My clapping would be half hearted. I can't see a single reason to include this album on the list. I actually listened to most of it twice to see if I was missing something, still don't see it.

it was ok not much better than that, It would have been better if he had stopped slapping the guitar.

This quickly became background music. It was far from unpleasant though. My ears pricked at I'd Rather be the Devil; that one was good. There atmosphere was nice, but the vocals weren't, and the songs were a bit meh. Not bad for 70s singer-songwriter but not my sort of thing.

The combination of folk and blues reminds me of Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks,” but this is more smoky and more bluesy. Loved “Don’t Want to Know” (about evil) which was a sentiment cleverly contradicted by the following song “I’d Rather Be The Devil (Devil Got My Woman).” “May You Never” is another favorite track. When the mood is right, this is near-perfect background music…which sounds like a criticism but is in no way intended as such. It can add brilliance to the background of a boring day. Strong 4/5 and maybe deserves a 5/5…

More an atonal version of Nick Drake. Not a bad thing, but a different blend of a great musical drink. While the tracks are not distinctive enough on first listen, I could easily get used to this as background music.

Good folk singer. Good voice, and music.

Some songs were quite nice and mellow easily listening but some were a bit… warbly? The way he sang was a bit weird at times.

Meh 2.5/5

Very chill

Not really my kind of music but it was a nice listen

7/10 – Good

Positively surprised. I really liked the jazz elements.

Was fine

Genre: Folk (Singer/Songwriter) This was a very pleasant surprise. An album with a whole lot going on than your average early-70s folk album. Elements of blues, jazz, and I'd even say a little bit of prog, intermingle with solid folk stylings. A very enjoyable listen, and probably one I will look to revisit soon. A lot more rockin' than I was expecting, and for that, I thank it! Good singing, and some fun songwriting. 4/5

His singing was a bit slurry, but not terrible. I kind of liked this album.

A morning with a star sailor - fantastic stuff!!!!! Love “Solid Air” and “Bless The Weather”. Tom. I liked this, nice start to the day. Charlotte

Me fait penser à du Nick Drake, mais en plus éclaté/varié. Très bon album à première vue. 4/5

a bit boring 3/5

in a similar vein to nick drake in a lot of ways, especially on the solo acoustic numbers. his voice has a similar timbre and sound to nick drake's, so i suspect if you like nick drake's music, you'll probably like this. however, this one was a bit hit or miss for me. there's some nice stuff on here, but nothing i found particularly remarkable. his voice is pleasant and there are some nice songs on here, but a lot of stuff i could really take or leave too.

An okay album, I liked Solid Air the most.

I found this to be quite boring.

The first unknown gem I found here. Really sounds way ahead of its release year, loved the lyrics and instruments.

Lots of variety, hitting everything from folk to blues to jazz, with great melodies and musicianship. His voice is not great and he has no enunciation, but overall this is a quick and enjoyable listen while maintaining unpredictability. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

i was thinking that this reminded me of nick drake only to find out they were good friends and the title track was dedicated to drake. this had a lot of variety which kept it feeling fresh for the short runtime.

I found this interesting at times but overall extremely grating. The title track in particular set my teeth on edge.

Didn’t really know what to make of this, the shift of genre all the time made it a little bit unsettling almost. Quite enjoyed it though, will have to listen again

Slow, moody, folky and a bit experimental are words that describe this album. Uninteresting is also a valid descriptor. I think the most valuable aspect of the record is the moody atmosphere brought by the more smooth jazz oriented tracks. There are also a couple of more energetic songs, like the folky 'Over the Hill' and quite groovy and loud 'Dreams by the Sea', but in general, I think it is fair to call the album gloomy. What creates the special ambience is mainly the quietness of the album. It lacks drums and instead, it is primarily driven by acoustic guitar, raspy and mumbling voice and double bass with the occasional incorporation of other instruments such as the vibraphone or saxophone. While I think this moody feeling is the most remarkable trait, I don't think it is that engaging. I love dark and sad atmospheres, but this one wasn't absorbing me as much as I wish it did. If I had to point out anything more, I guess I'll say that the combination of folk and jazz could be very interesting for anyone else but me. There are also some experimental moments, like the song "I'd Rather Be the Devil (Devil Got My Woman)", but they weren't striking enough to be considered the best parts. I may have described this album as a bad experience, but I think it is decent. Is sounds very clear and unusual, and these are some aspects I always value.

Warm, blurry, avant garde British folk, swerving from lyrical and trad to experimental jazz strangeness. It has this feel. As much as I would like to say the arty tracks win me over, I like the most straight ahead songs, like Over the Hill, best. Still, pretty great.

Never heard of it but really kind of loved it. “Don’t Want to Know” was my favorite. The sound is folky and grungy, and his voice can turn on a dime.

Favorite track(s): Solid Air, Don't Want to Know, I'd Rather Be the Devil, Dreams by the Sea, The Man in the Station

can’t hear clearly what he’s singing about, certainly not my vibe

Interesting stuff

It was fine, felt a little too “easy listening” to me and I think that’s because I’ve heard a couple of these tracks on The Breeze radio here. Very cleanly produced which adds to that easy listening vibe. Not one I’d revisit but a nice enough Monday morning listen!

Soft rock schmooze

Thoroughly enjoyed Solid Air, perfect Sunday morning listening

The first track didn’t set the tone for wha was actually a good solid album which grew on me as it went on.

Blissful combination of folk and jazz. Every track sustains that chilled-out vibe.

So I guess he used to be a little bit more bearable before 'One World'

Great voice, but no real stand out songs

Excelkent

Cute little album -- I enjoyed it

A bit too easy listening for me.

Just a really great slice of psychedelic folk-rock. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was a fantastic introduction to John Martyn. I wasn’t very familiar with his work before this, but I’m definitely sold now.

One moment it’s folk next it’s jazz then it’s acoustic blues. This is a fine record that I never heard all the way through. Almost lost me on that first track but Over the Hill really caught my ear and I was captive for the rest of the record.

This was a good folk record. Better then i was expecting.

Mix of folk and jazz that I liked a lot more than I thought I would.

3.0

Not a huge fannnn 👎🏼

Honestly, I was surprised by the range of this album. At the first song I was not hooked, but there are a couple good tunes in there. Not something I'm likely to revisit though

I have never heard of him, and this was my first introduction to John Martyn. These songs are haunting, mesmerising, delicate, complex and considered … go down easy is masterful …. I was very sad to read he struggled with addiction and violence throughout his life, there is a gentle but somewhat sorrowful beauty in this album.

Echt een heel interressant album. Vooral wanneer de saxofoon een hoofdrol speelt. DE jazz invloeden voegen echt veel toe, normaal vind ik singer-songwriter een beetje saai:( Favoriete nummers: OVer the Hill, Dreams by the Sea, the man in the station. Minst favoriete nummers: i'd rather be the devil, The easy blues

After the experimental nonsense of Talking Heads, this album art and name is giving similar vibes. Maybe this one is actually good? Never heard of it or him. It's mostly dull as dishwater and the dude seems to be yet another white guy with a fetish for black guys in the Southern US, but when the songs pick up the pace and edge it's better. That doesn't happen nearly enough. When it does, this is good. May You Never is also good. Man I The Station is good. More of that, less of t'other.

The album opened with a rambling, mumbling song that didn't seem to be going anywhere. As the album progressed I was surprised by the different genres touched on and the way that the album felt like a cohesive whole. Having said that the album is a mixed bag. It is folksy and jazzy. I suspect that I'll persevere with this one

My fav song from the Album is "Over the Hill". I actually enjoyed this listen a lot and added many of the songs to my Playlists. Love the guitar and the lyrics.

This sounds like what I’ve heard talented buskers play in the train stations. Now i wish I’d given them a few extra bucks because they were better than this without the benefit of a studio. This artist’s voice is too affected for my taste. A 2.

who let that drunk guy on the stage?

pretty interesting sound. very textural and hard to pin down on the spectrum between jazz, blues, and rock. title track is really good. not a favorite but i'm happy i listened to it. deserves to be one of the 1001? maybe? probably not. though it does have importance to its niche so maybe.

You at least have to call this album interesting even if you didn't full like it. It is super experimental for the time and angle that it is written from and comes with some pretty special pieces

Decent 4

Solid album

Solid Air was quite a good album. I didn't really know what to expect going into this album because i have never heard anything John Martyn has made prior to this so i would have thought this might have been experimental music but as it turns out, its a blues rock album. It sometimes even gives me a Tom Waits sort of vibe (especially with that cover of Devil Got My Woman or I'd Rather Be The Devil as it was retitled) which i really enjoy. The album does feel a bit samey at points but i still liked the album as it had some really good elements, those mainly being the guitars and the vocals. I thought this was a pretty good album. Best Song: May You Never Worst Song: Over The Hill

3.5

Beautiful album, great player and writer I didn't know about, easily worth a 4 or even a 5 within its genre if I knew more of its genre, but my personal rating system is settling more towards I'd buy the album = 5, I'll favorite the album on Spotify = 4, I might favorite a couple songs = 3, so, nice album, might favorite a song or two.

Not my favorite

Enjoyed this! Little bit more interesting than just a straight up folk album, some blues, some electronic experimentation. Listened twice through but nothing was super memorable other than the first song for me. Got groceries up in gimli while listening to this late in the eve. 7.5/10

Moderately interesting music, awful singer

This was pretty good. Never heard it before, but it's something that if we DID hear it back in the day, we'd have played it at some of our gatherings. Saved over the Hill to my favorites, mostly so I remember to come back to this record, and check out more of his music.

Super groovy blues!

Soulful, relaxing, groovy, and an ideal length.

Not memorable enough for my review

Music for the background where you won’t have to devote any mental energy as it is so mellow as to become ambient with whatever environment you are in. This is essentially music for libraries. You’re not going to crank the shit out of this. Drink your tea. Read a book. Title says it all: solid air. Take a nap. 2/5

I've listened to this album before and it didn't really blow me away, but wow was I wrong. This shit is fucking incredible. It's like Nick Drake's Pink Moon's more jazzy and bluesy cousin. Pink Moon is already one of my favorite albums of all time and while I need to listen to this one more to say such statements there is def potential. His writing is so poetically depressive, there is a real beauty to it. I love the metaphor of depression as solid air on the title track, it's amazing. Equally amazing are the sounds, the whole song has such dense tension with amazing layers of instrumentation and beautiful jazz elements. The sax passages literally sound like they were recorded in heaven. Over the Hill has such gorgeous guitars that blend perfectly with his unique voice (his voice is also kinda Nick Drake-esque). The song has this weirdly euphoric and happy vibe that I dig so much. The song is about coming back home and it definitely feels that way. Don't Want to Know has an amazing atmosphere, the ambiance is so dense you could almost cut it with a knife and the background elements are beautifully mesmerizing. Also the song is yet another example of an immaculate use of saxophone. I'd Rather be the Devil is a switchup, but a really incredible. The song has those massive, driving grooves, an incredibly thick bassline and an incredible progression into the more ambient 2nd half. Go Down Easy takes a more acoustic approach and it also works out incredibly well. Dreams by the Sea has awesome chord progressions and wild sax parts that just sound so fucking good. The next 2 songs are also incredible and the closer is actually a very interesting song stylistically, pulling from more blues with again great acoustic guitar parts. I must have been having a bad day when I first listened to this because damn, it's honsestly amazing. I'm giving it 5 stars because I haven't stopped listening to it today.

Probably a2.

This one felt more like a comfort album than something you'd expect to see on an all-time list, but I don't mean that in a negative way. More like it's something you want to play on a few random afternoons through the year rather than every chance you get. It had an overarching feel that made me like it even if I didn't love every part of it. I think it's worst track was no. 1, the title track, and it only got better from there. The best thing about it was that it kept things interesting. While there was plenty of acoustic-guitar-and-vocals consistent with the typical folk sound, some it came off more indie-rock than I expected. Plus other songs delved into more bluesy vibes and even a bit harder rock. I'd Rather Be the Devil was unexpected, but something I liked quite a bit. Whenever it seemed like I could tune out, it went somewhere that brought my attention right back to it. I'm not sure exactly why, but I enjoyed the album. While I wouldn't say it's something that stands out as great, it is something I could see myself listening to again on occasion. I think I'd like it just as much each time. That makes it pretty good to me. Overall: 3.6/5

BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

good chill music

Super fun. Not an everyday listen

Had its moments, I liked I'd Rather Be the Devil most

Wasn’t a huge fan at first but it grew on me a bit on a second listen. I did like the guitar harmonics, quite a 70s start. Singer/songwriter genre doesn’t generally suit me and ratings are lower but this was tolerable.. 3/5

Revisit

I don't get it. . . There's obvious musical talent here. Someone went to the trouble to write lyrics - only to have the singer slur and mumble through them. Was actually surprised when "The Easy Blues" started playing and I could understand and appreciate the lyrics; however, that changed to a completely different song about 2:16. The lyric execution is so bad, so distracting, that I have no reason to come back to this even though the music is, sometimes, worth listening to in isolation. Just a notch above experimental.

Unexpected, considering dude looks like a substitute teacher.

really cool sounding album - will come back to this

I listened to this back again immediately. Such a cool album & equally cool backstory. First 5 for an album i’ve never heard

My first thought after putting this on was that it felt like a predecessor to Nick Drake, but I realize now after fact checking that this album actually comes after some of Drake's albums. Nevertheless, they give me the same feeling: Mellow and dark vibes with acoustic guitar playing. The vocals in 'Dreams By The Sea' sounds quite Drake-like as well. It didn't leave such a lasting impression after finishing it, except that it was quite nice. But now that I skim through it again I realize that most songs are actually really good - though potentially a bit same sounding. But for me this holds a high level throughout the record, with some standout songs like 'Solid Air', 'Over The Hill'. Might be feeling generous because it's Christmas, but going to give this a weak 4 star.

Nice, chill and atmospheric. Maybe not the album that stands out the most but there are plenty of good songs on this record. “Over the hill” I knew from before and it’s a nice track. Another favourite was “The Man in the Station”. Not much to say, a decent album. Strong 3!

Levyssä ei sinänsä mitään vikaa, ei vaan oo mun juttu. Tykkäsin laulajan rouheammasta laulusta, sitä tosin oli vähän. Soitto oli 70-lukulaista progeen vivahtavaa.

Solid Air drifts slow Warm voice, but songs fade away— Half-clouded sunrise.

Smooth jazzy bluesy feel, interesting vocals, pretty darn good if I say so myself.

Good but just good.

Despite being as unintelligible as the Swedish Chef, this is a pretty groovy and chill album that I quite liked.

I liked this artist more than Nick Drake and owned probably 7-10 of his albums. This was my favorite. Thought it might be a 5, but it doesn’t quite get there.

𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘈𝘪𝘳 blends folk warmth with a soft, drifting atmosphere that at times feels close to Nick Drake’s quiet introspection. Martyn’s voice glides between gentle murmurs and soulful phrasing, while the arrangements stay understated, built on fluid guitar work and relaxed, jazz-tinged textures. The album moves with an effortless calm, yet there’s an emotional weight beneath the surface that gives the songs depth without ever forcing it. It’s subtle, immersive and beautifully crafted — a record that settles in slowly but stays with you.

At first I could not stand his mumbles but then it got interesting.

Very chilled and atmospheric, with a smooth blend of folk and jazz. Mostly enjoyable, but I listened very early and may have nodded off—so it definitely deserves another spin when I’m more alert! Update! Wide awake this time—and wow, what a belter! The chilled vibe now feels rich and immersive, with Martyn’s voice and guitar work weaving pure magic. A stunning blend of folk and jazz that rewards full attention. Absolutely brilliant.

Very relaxing

Goooood

I quite liked this album. Very easy listening.

idk man

This is a great album. Favourite track is Dreams By The Sea. 4/5

por mais que eu não tenha curtido tanto, é incrível como esse álbum parece TÃO atual. não sei se foi o excelente trabalho de remasterização ou ele já é assim msm, mas parece que eu estava ouvindo um álbum de 2010, não de 1973. a produção brilhou aí!

Bluesy folk music. I didn’t hate it! Sounded good overall.

2.5 - Didn't dislike it but it never fully grabbed my attention

What a vibe. Fresh air of chill-mumble accompanied by subtle but masterful vibe-heaters. Rounded sound. Beautiful guitar playing. BPM-less. No idea what the words are, most of the time. There's some jazz in the DNA of this music. I love it.

7/10

Love this very much.

A little hippie, a little jazzy

Not much there for me.

I had never heard of John Martyn but I like him a lot! It's very 60s/70s singer-songwriter vibes.

This guy really needs to hire somebody better to sing his pieces. The instrumentation is excellent. Those saxes, vibraphones, soft bass plucking, and drumming in the opener/title track are atmospheric as heck. But then Martyn's mumbling comes in and you wish you forgot to bring your ears to work. (Not really. But you get my point.) Over The Hill is a big improvement, though I can't quite say what's changed. At least, not singing-wise. (Turns out the higher notes were helping. Later in the album, Go Down Easy also has noticeably better singing, but mostly with Martyn's higher notes.) The guitar part sounds great. It's well-mixed and sparkles with The Battle Of Evermore. May You Never very much follows in the same footsteps, boasting perhaps the most "coverable" songwriting of the whole album. A very accessible track, and the guitar playing is still very good. In Don't Want To Know, Martyn returns to his suspiciously slurred vocal delivery, though it's somewhat covered up by having group singing towards the song's end. All in all, a solid, groovy track, helped a lot by its keyboard part. I'd Rather Be The Devil (Devil Got My Woman) is bizarre. It maintains a specific level of tension that doesn't ever get off the ground. Which illustrates my issue with a lot of Martyn's music, actually. The arrangements are really creative for their time. With this song specifically, I don't even recognise some instruments here, but the soft organ, wacky guitar/bass noises, and mysterious, exotic rhythm (and, at times, lack thereof). It reminds me of sound-prog not too distant from some of King Crimson's stuff (Moonchild?). Dreams By The Sea is another standout. That high keyboard line in the chorus is great, and it leads into an intensely classic-rock instrument in the middle of the track, with a strong, groovy sax solo. And more falsetto, too. Not exactly the easiest melody to follow, but it's still solid. And considerably more movement than the rest of the tracks. 4/5 Key tracks: Over The Hill, Dreams By The Sea, May You Never

I really tried listening to Solid Air, and I genuinely tried to like it. But in the end, it just sounds like yet another folk singer from the UK doing his typical folky thing. It completely fails to stand out and is, quite frankly, boring beyond belief. A hard pass.

Nicht so meins

John Martyn - Solid Air I quite enjoyed this, expected it to be more folky but it was quite jazz tinged. Pleasant.

There’s times when the superbly played percussion guitar is complimented by Martyn’s lyrics, like in Man in the Sttion; nevertheless, there are times when I would prefer an instrumental track rather than vocals. Overall enjoyed and I appreciate the instrumentals.

This was the first album I had never heard of the artist or any of the songs.

Some songs reminded me of Michael Hedges exploring guitar combinations.

This album really helped through a particularly difficult day for me, so my rating may be a bit biased. Objectively good and interesting songs.

I liked most of this. I had never heard of him, I'm glad I got to hear this.

This dude warbles but he warbles with passion and makes it work. He has a very unique voice, he growls at times & warbles some more. He makes a funky sound that I loved. And excellent blues numbers he warbles passionately about. All kidding aside, I'm giving this a 4. I enjoyed it. Some of the songs kinda blended together. Solid Air was probably the worst song on here but that only because it's a tad bit too long. Good song otherwise. I like his sound funky folksy blues. Warbles!

Artiste inconnu. Tiens, un album de folk plus varié que les 60 précédents. C'est ce que je me suis dit à l'écoute du premier morceau, avec un son de contrebasse très agréable et quelques chorus. Mais le second morceau redevient très (trop) standard. Et le troisième est plus original. Et ainsi de suite. En tout cas cette variété m'a donné envie d'aller jusqu'au bout, ce qui n'est pas le cas de la majorité des albums de folk que j'ai subi jusqu'ici. Et à la fin je me suis dit que j'apprécierais peut être de l'écouter de nouveau ! Une découverte intéressante donc, mais qui ne rejoindra pas ma collection (quelques morceaux trop standards). =>3/5

They were some smooth tunes.

A bit of a mixed bag, but when it's good it's very good indeed. I definitely preferred the more folk-y end of this, where he's clearly in thrall to Nick Drake. In fact, it turns out they were good pals, and the title track is written for and about Nick, so good on you John. It took me two listens to decide, but this is definitely a good album.

This guy again? Wikipedia says he’s been on all kind of lists but honestly this is the most annoying kind of acoustic folk singer songwriter I’ve ever listened to. I hate the vocal styling and the arrangements are annoying and the bass lines are stupid. The album actually gets progressively worse adding all kind of ear piercing sound effects. One star. Negative stars.

3rd day in a row of artists I'd never heard of, so my expectations were low. However, this is a quite lovely, and varied, collection of songs. I've no idea how he evaded my attention after releasing 23 albums!

Wait, is John Martyn GOATed? This is incredible! I got totally lost in the jazzy folk sound. The playing by everybody here is just nuts. I may have to revisit his other album on the list, cause I gave that one a 3 for some reason

First song seemed like all mumbles and mostly annoyed me. Things cleared up after that it was alright. Nothing especially rememberable aside from song about jelly

This was a nice surprise. I like the interesting mix of folk with jazz and a little psychedelia. It's very unique and well executed. Liked Songs Added: Over The Hill The Easy Blues

Excellent. Gets better with each listen

Listened for a while, got bored and listened to Elvis Costello's, Next Year's Model again instead. Went back to try again and practically nodded off. Ambien on vinyl. Don't Want to Know picked things up a bit with a good message and I'd Rather Be the Devil was experimental and bluesy. Then the song, May you Never was really good and reminded me a bit of Yusuf Islam's early stuff and the album finished out pretty well.

Might have pushed it to a 3 if he hadn’t mumbled the entirety of the lyrics

I’m reasonably sure I’ve neither heard of John Martyn, nor listened to him before. I like it. The sound is compelling. The atmosphere is slightly darker in an inviting way. I’ve always enjoyed I’d Rather be the Devil and this is a cool version. The other songs are good. His voice doesn’t quite carry you for the entire time, but the album is really good.

Interesting artist and album. Folk that takes you through jazz and psychedelic doors at times. A dense expression of Martyn’s mind. I was in and out while listening and at times it got too self-righteous and hip but overall an interesting experience I will come back to.

I think I like it. Deserves another listen.

As an album it was a bit disparate--lots of stuff going on here. I generally enjoyed most songs, though, and the variety was impressive. 3.7

I liked the guitar more than the vocals on this one. To be honest as a person whose first language isn’t English i didin’t understand a single word without lyrics in front of my face. Overall it was great and unique experience listening this album.

Listened Before? N This was a really good folk album. I enjoyed it quite a bit with some of the darker themes running through some of the songs not typical of the genre. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Over The Hill

Yeah. Like Nick Drake only less pleasing.

This was a cool, light jazz album

Folk-jazz is hard to pull off, since the two genres are antipodal to a degree, but John Martyn does it as well as anyone this side of Nick Drake and Tim Buckley, not to mention Nina Simone. There's no doubt that this is soulful and beautiful music, but it's also a slow-down-get-your-groove-on-thing, a trip into the strange and mythically reposed: 'I'd Rather Be The Devil (Devil Got My Woman),' 'Go Down Easy' (Hejira-like), 'Dreams By The Sea.' As the record goes on, it doesn't exactly convince you that it boasts a single great track, tho 'Over The Hill' and 'May You Never' come pretty close, but it has so much variety, virtuosity, and believable vibrancy that you can both admire it from afar and devour its emotive riches. Just not a go-to album.

The first track would have been better as an instrumental, and did not make me look forward to the rest of the album. Everything after was a pleasant surprise

Listened to on a dark and rainy commute. So good

Some truly gorgeous high points, with some quite annoying fretless bass'd, over-produced noodling. This appearing today was actually a minor case of cosmic alignment: I was attending a funeral at which the closing track happened to be May You Never. What are the chances!?

The guitar effects were cool, but overall it's pretty forgettable.

Nick Drake has been on repeat these few weeks, im so glad I got this!

Not really my cup, but the guitar is rather good. A listen at least once just to hear him. A solid 3 for me.

Más o menos

The title track is a blend of acoustic guitar and vibraphone (I looked it up), with sax adding texture. The backing music is relaxing, punctuated by the plucked guitar. The overall effect is jazzy, but it's more than that. Over The Hill ups the tempo and complexity but is folkier. I like Don't Want To Know even more, which lays down a proper groove in the second half while keeping the ambient atmosphere. The next track ends side 1 on a lengthy detour into darker, more experimental sounds. Side 2 is the same quality. Dreams By The Sea stands out as well as The Man In The Station, which brings everything together again with a space rock kind of sound. I could live without the bluesy two-part closer, but this is thoughtful stuff.

Interesting album, music shifts that were unexpected, but delightful

Pretty much like the other John Martyn album. Interesting, but nothing that moves me. 2.5/5

Lacking in energy. Understand the artist but not for me.

A little too low-key for me. Nothing to return to in the future. Not bad, just not appealing.

An amazing soft album, with a great line of songs that don't feel out of order, perfect for just sitting down and listening while doing nothing else.

On some of these tracks he needs to take the marbles out of his mouth…makes Dylan sound like James Earl Jones. Some of the other tracks I really liked and thought they held up pretty well after 50 plus years. The album is just a real mixed bag, and sounds like the artist didn’t really know what he was shooting for…and too many of the songs are a mumble-fest. I guess I will land on three stars for this one. Coulda been four if not for all the mumbling.

meh

Good Album. Calm, bluesy, bit like Fleetwood Mac.

I mildly hate this guy

Slightly more grit than Nick Drake, but still on the boring side.

Adore this too, have for many years. Glad it's on the list

this was just fine for me.

Started really well but died out quite a lot

Brilliant. Something for everyone!

beds of flowers where we lay half asleep will you hold til the other half comes to me

Almost forgot to rate. I do enjoy that first song but that was it, thought I'd like this more but it's more like a 2.8, almost a 3.

Solid Air wurde Anfang 1973 veröffentlicht und größtenteils in den Sound Techniques Studios in London sowie bei Island (London) aufgenommen. Der britische Sänger, Gitarrist und Songwriter John Martyn verbindet auf dem Album Folk, Jazz und Blues zu einem atmosphärischen, organischen Klangbild. Charakteristisch sind warme Akustikgitarren, zeitweise verzerrte E-Gitarren-Texturen und der gezielte Einsatz des Echoplex-Effekts, der dem Sound Tiefe verleiht. Bekannte Stücke sind der Titeltrack „Solid Air“, „May You Never“ und „Over the Hill“. Die Begleitung durch Bassist Danny Thompson und Gäste aus der britischen Folk-Szene ergänzt Martyns Spiel sensibel; die Arrangement-Linie zwischen lockerem Jazzfeel und folkigem Songwriting verleiht dem Album seine besondere Stimmung. Die Produktion wirkt zugleich intim und luftig, die Stimmung des Titelsongs bleibt als eindringlicher, melancholischer Schwerpunkt bestehen. Insgesamt ist Solid Air ein reifes, einflussreiches Werk in Martyns Diskographie — introspektiv, textlich oft knapp, musikalisch reichhaltig. Es verbindet technische Einfälle (Echoplex) mit starker Songqualität.

A solid bit of easy listening!

I quite like the album cover, and I'd never heard of the guy before, so I daftly allowed myself to get a bit excited to listen to this. I like the jazzy influences that are peppered throughout, but that's about it for the highlights. You can add as many different aspects from different genres as you want, but if you're making a folk rock album, it's going to be boring like all the other folk rock albums. Makes it worse that his voice sounds like shite

Two John Martyn records are too many, and though each has its moments, neither has enough to make them top-shelf records. Previously, one has preferred the looser-scruffier-scattier-jazzier One World, though it’s so scatty as to make the lyrics unintelligible, which suggests maybe the lyrics don’t matter. More recently, Solid Air would seem something like a better choice of posterity, and the first few cuts are a strong start. Did Pink Floyd outright rip off “I’d Rather Be the Devil” for the opening guitar riff of “Run Like Hell” or is it just similar delay effects? And was the wah-wah on “Dreams By the Sea” inspired by the Shaft OST? Who knows? And white British hippies singing about jellyrolls strains credibility, to put it mildly, but hey rock and roll of this era was all about cultural appropriation. That said, “I don’t want to know evil/I only want to know love” is among the quintessential hippie lyrics/sentiments. One wants to like this more than one actually does (not as good as Drake, probably for reasons of vocal quality), though will likely keep giving it a try on quiet nights, quiet mornings.

Ooh, I love this. A combination of some of my favorite genres: jazz, blues, folk, experimental. I’d never heard of John Martyn before, but now I want to listen to his other work. Favorites: Solid Air, Don’t Want To Know, Go Down Easy, The Man In The Station 4.5

I liked it. Kind of has a slow start.

sure was fine

ehh. the jazz elements here really made it stand out from a standard seventies singer-songwriter snoozefest (sorry nick cave), but won't be enough to save it. still, parts of this were interesting and i ended up enjoying most of the songs overall. it's a 3.5, but i'll round up because i am a wise and benevolent demigod. favorites: over the hill, i'd rather be the devil, dreams by the sea, may you never, the man in the station

++: Solid Air, Over the Hill, Don't Want to Know, I'd Rather Be the Devil, Dreams by the Sea, May You Never, The Man in the Station, The Easy Blues +: Go Down Easy 9,7/10

Folksy, jazzy, and spacey at times, this album was a pleasantly warm interlude on an otherwise chill, gray, fall day.

It's ok. 3/5

Don't Want To Know: what a fucking banger everything else: john don't sing with your mouth full, it's rude as hell

gentle, deep, wistful and wonderful

Kad vidim zapadnjački folk odmah mi nije dobro, ali je ovo bilo fino. Neki dijelovi su vizionarski, genijalno mi je koliko ima nestandardnih instrumenata. A neki su više u country smjeru, bar meni tako zvuči. Podijeljeno mišljenje ali ok.

This is just what I needed today. A nice, chill album.

First time for these guys. Easy listen

Martyn said this was written for his friend Nick Drake, and you can definitely hear Drake's influence, especially in "Over The Hill." This album was kind of all over the place stylistically. Very folky at times, jazzy at others, funky and a bit of bossa nova. And while I didn't love all of it, there were enough good tracks that had me interested in listening to this some more and to more of Martyn's music in general.

7/10 Best Songs were I'd rather be the devil dreams by the sea the man in the station good listen jazz plus sad plus rock and roll

Pretty boring stuff but there some fairly interesting production choices here so it was enjoyable to some extent

Solid Air - 4/5 Over the Hill - 4/5 Don't Want to Know - 5/5 I'd Rather Be the Devil - 3/5 Go Down Easy - 5/5 Dreams by the Sea - 5/5 May You Never - 3/5 The Man in the Station - 5/5 The Easy Blues - 3/5 Average score: 4.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this started ROUGH for me personally with the first track. it grew on me a bit with one more listen. love the beautiful and heartfelt lyrics dedicated to Nick Drake, but it's a bit of a mumbly mess. i suppose I'm willing to overlook it fortunately, the album picked up steam after that. i like his sound. he's vocally and instrumentally similar to Nick Drake, but he leans into some jazz/soul in a way that sets him apart as well this was a decent listen overall. i think i still prefer the more understated sound of Drake, but i do quite like a handful of tracks here. i could see myself revistiting this in the future or exploring the rest of this guy's discography

Okay. Technically solid and interesting, but perhaps not quite my style.

Magnifico

3.7 It's pretty good, I preferred to his other outing that appeared on here. Fantastic guitar playing, few of the quieter ones don't land as well. But all round pretty positive.

I quite enjoyed this as sort of jazzy ambient music, but lost focus on it half way through.

Well, this came out of fucking nowhere. Wow it was so good. Will need a few more listens, but I immediately saved a couple songs to my high-play "Bangers" playlist and was grooving HARD to a few songs.

Liked all the tonal shifts

A bit of pre-thereal strikes the list again. Varied and fun here and there, but nothing caught my attention too severely.