Reviews (page 5 of 8)
First time for these guys. Easy listen
Pretty boring stuff but there some fairly interesting production choices here so it was enjoyable to some extent
Okay. Technically solid and interesting, but perhaps not quite my style.
I quite enjoyed this as sort of jazzy ambient music, but lost focus on it half way through.
this was ok for a melancholy morning. if I listened again I might get a James Taylor-like sense of insufferable smugness. for now I am rounding up to 3.
Blusey in a way that I could appreciate.
Solid Air
Really into the first couple songs but it kinda lost me a little after that
Higher end of 3, but didn't stand out enough from other 70s singer/songwriter music.
Fine enough album. Didn't do too much for me, but was still decent. There were different styles that kept it mildly interesting, but it wasn't like the fantastic 5/5 pinnacle of British folk that some people give to it. The first half is solid enough. The latter half just kinda peters out. I had high hopes based on this album's reputation, but I just don't see it. Maybe I'll revisit it later, maybe I didn't listen as attentively.
its absurdly good 3.5/5
I braced myself for this one because it was described as British folk, but I found a lot of rock and almost bluesy stylings in here to enjoy. A pleasant surprise.
Never heard of this artist. Interested to check this out. A little too soft and folky for me. Good stuff, good songwriting.
not exactly my jam but decent and very smooth
was nice enough for a listen Will I listen to again: 3%
Very cool and interesting record. It has a lot of nice music, mellow and haunting at times, but some groovy jazz vibes for sure. I liked this one a lot.
it is nice and chill
I listened to it. It was fine I guess
Kinda bangs
Nina Simone and Van Morrison had a love child! I'm not a fan of the modal riffing. But honestly, I think there's something here for everyone to dislike. His voice is fantastic with incredible range (both tonally and stylistically) and the music as a whole threatens, at times, to become interesting; but it consistently veers back into self-indulgence.
i love that Martyn pays tribute to Nick Drake but this album feels like a poor man’s Nick Drake.
Good vibes, picks up towards the end
Good vibes
Meh, decent.
Soft rock / easy listening. Again, nothing offensive but nothing stood out either.
i liked this a lot. sometimes his voice reminded me of hozier, but like if he was accompanied by steely dan or some other 70s coke head
Good
This is fine and dandy, but was it really needed to be heard before I die? I don't think so. 3/5 stars because the music is fine, the singing is a bit mumbly and gives me a bit of PTSD from Nick Cave *shudder*
Pretty interesting, I think I liked this one more than his other album on here. Don't have a deep knowledge of folk to understand how this fits into the bigger picture Rating: 3.0
Ahh nice enough. Simpsons: No
Not a fan of this. It just felt a bit too Dave Matthews Band for me. Only song I liked was Over the Hill.
Kind of a let down
Might’ve liked it more if I wasn’t doing yard work when I listened to it
Not my cuppa, but solid musicianship.
Interesting
Just a delightful singer/songwriter album with wonderful story telling and a solid but airy (hyuk hyuk..) production. This is the kind of thing I'd put on while sipping coffee, sitting in my back yard on a mild spring morning
Day 1 album, ratings definitely not calibrated yet- Cover Art 10/10, true classic. Experimental album for sure; if you were a session guy who could play marimba/vibes you were getting paid in this era. Jazz/Prog inspired over a folk/blues foundation. Emotionally, I know that the title track has greater meaning due to its dedication to Nick Drake. However, this is a rare case where title track isn't musically the anchor- definitely parts I enjoyed, but the mumbled vocals can be a little rough. Unfortunately there were multiple spots along the album where the mumbled vocals had a hard time being carried by the instrumentals along the way, no matter how good. Over the Hill is the real standout track- it leans back fully on the folk and absolutely nails it. This song belongs on every playlist of the genre. May You Never is the only other track that does this, but doesn't hit nearly as strong. Don't Want to Know is a strong follow up that leans more blues with occasional spacy backdrops. Layered vocals near the end really sells it for me. A lot of the rest of the album leans more into the prog/experimental sounds, but I only end up liking certain parts of songs instead of entire tracks. For example, the strongest part of the Devil Got My Woman cover for me is the instrumental breakdown at the back end of the track, and even that sort of falls apart with about 30 seconds left. The common theme is that a lot of the great instrumentals just don't match the lyricism and straight folk-style vocals, which leaves me skipping around for the good parts. The Man in the Station may secretly be the best track on the album as it successfully combines all of the elements that Martyn plays with throughout. It feels like prog, blues, and folk sounds all take turns while Martyn sings with a cadence that reminds me of (weird take, but hear me out) Sade while the song ebbs and flows in and out of a Pink Floyd track. (Cheating, but the 2000 album re-release ends with a live version of I'd Rather Be the Devil that completely redeems the earlier studio version for me) Liked: Over the Hill, Don't Want to Know, The Man in the Station, *I'd Rather Be the Devil (Live) Disliked: I'd Rather Be The Devil, Dreams By the Sea, The Easy Blues Going with a 3, may regret not giving it a 4 later
Mumbling through cultural appropriation.
This was just a little too chill and whiny tor me.
Good album, more hits than misses. I like the jazz inspired tunes more than the blues or rock inspired songs. 7/10
It was OK. Experimental, but average music.
I expected to like this a bit more. Some alternative takes on the deluxe edition were more enjoyable than those that ended up on the album.
Very enjoyable, not least was realizing Beth Orton was covering his “Don’t Want to Know.” I love serendipity.
Pretty interesting end result of jazzy and progressive influence combined with blues and folk fusion. I liked it, I don't think I'll go back to it anytime soon. But also production sounds super fresh, and the overall end result sounds modern as heck.
Better than Coldplay
Kinda good, kinda uninteresting.
bom eh normal né. melhor que o outro desse mano que apareceu uns dias pra trás aí eh um folk jazzistico (?), mas eu dobro e passo pro próximo
I am not much of a folk guy, but this guy does some pretty nice folk music. I was really thinking I was going to give this a 4 but then he started doing his impression of a blues singer. He really should have stuck to his strengths because the blues songs are truly awful. High 3.
A pretty solid album, definitely enjoyed some of the more acoustic tracks and appreciated the experimentation on the other ones. I’m pretty curious to check on more of this kind of stuff, there’s something different about the singer songwriter in the 1970s to me with their acoustic guitars and everything. I think solid three out of five is sufficient.
Soljuu hyvin läpi levyn, pidän yhtenäisyydestä. Ei käy tylsäksi, kun mitta on maltillinen. Tulee sopivia nostatuskohtia. Synkkyyttä, mutta ei valotonta.
The album cover for this album is the perfect description for it. Just a hand through air with no real lasting impact. Totally fine!
Really cool vibe, would like to return. 3.5
British folk rock is it's own weird thing. I'd listened to this one before based on a glowing review. He was a good friend of Nick Drake and their styles cross over from time to time. Nice record
Fine background vibe music.
Every song felt like it took me through a different genre. Went from jazzy, to folky, to kinda psychedelic, to Americana, and a little blues?
A slow start. An eclectic mix. Jazzy, bluesy, folky. Refreshingly different. Mumbles quite a bit but has a smooth tone.
I'll get to the point. I think it's overrated. This is an interesting and pleasant album, but it's not a masterpiece.
I'm not sure what this album was trying to do. It was nice at times, but it also came and went, 3*
There are a lot of very fun sounds in the first couple of songs. Strong blues vibes
followed through
Ekkert að þessu, en ekki mikið í þessu heldur.
Áhugavert.
Never heard of this artist before. Its ok, different. There are a lot of songs on this album that remind me of other artist of the 1970's. Lots of yacht rock artists must have listened to this guy...
This was good pleasant listening but nothing grabbed my attention very well. Instrumentation was pretty great but I think the vocals kind of smoothed everything over and not in a good way (but good voice)
A blend of groovy jazz, folk, blue, and rock. Neat
I know I should consider these albums in isolation but I've had so many average albums lately. Plz give me something better than 'okay'.
I actually rather liked this, but had to deduct a star due to his lousy singing voice.
A little bit of funk from the 70s, kinda jazzy, sounded maybe a bit more ahead of its time than I expected. Very clean sounding.
The third album from English singer/guitarist John Martyn, many of these tracks sound like something you’d hear at the local nightclub. Sort of a mixture of jazz and soft rock. Overall it’s pleasant listening. Occasionally it was hard to understand the lyrics.
Solid air, huh? Nice font. Very literary. The titular song was written for Nick Drake, and it sounds a little bit like him, so that's nice. Unfortunately, this album is sooooo mellow. Bit of a snoozefest. Found it hard to believe the line "can't get enough of sweet cocaine", coming from such an artist. I thought the second half was a bit stronger. I enjoyed taking literally the lyrics of the paean to a jelly roll baker. Highlights: 'Dreams by the Sea', 'May You Never', 'The Man in the Station'
This was really pretty. I really liked the guitar work
Woahhh, love the guitar, title track is awesome. Enjoyed the album quite a bit. Over the hill is a bop
Pretty uneven album to me. Like, it doesn't blend together like a lot of 3 stars, but it's reeeally up and down on what appeals to me. Still, some good stuff.
Interesting but not that interesting
Gorgeous acoustic guitar and a sweetly expressive if limited and nasal voice. The song that sound like Nick Drake is great, the ones that sound like Fairport Convention or Cat Stevens aren't. Some nice funky jazzy moments from the electric piano and electric guitar/sax interplay that goes from poppy Stevie Wonder to dark fusion groove. Get that flute out of here though! Slow and relaxed, warm feeling but pretty sombre thematically. Favorites: over the hill, rather be the devil, dreams by the sea, man in the station
Considering I really hated the other album from him on the list, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. “Over The Hill” and “May You Never” were the top tracks for me, but there were things I enjoyed about all the songs. John Martyn’s voice does grate on me a bit, but I could overlook that here. A solid (pun intended) effort!
This is a strange record, sometimes jazzy, sometimes folk, sometimes something that might have been experimental for the time of its release. Some parts are nice, some really boring, it's really uneven, and I'm not sure what I really think of it yet.
fine
Solid Air feels like a good description.
Not a bad album but I’m a bit perplexed as to why it’s on the list. The gentle guitar and vocals on most tracks makes for a great dylanesque sound. The lyrics are real and delivered straightforward weaving a story to the music. The album shifts to more blues at the end but still flows smoothly. Favorite songs are “Dreams By The Sea”, Over the Hill”, and “The Easy Blues”.
Loved the music. Not so much the vocals. At times they were ok, but he seems to purposely not enunciate on certain songs, and it distracts from the music. I'm assuming that was his artistic choice, but it just didn't work for me. Really wanted to like this one, because like I said, the band was kicking.
I had previously never heard of John Martyn. This was a good album, I enjoyed the style changes of the songs, which kept me interested until the end. Favorites, the title track, Solid Air, Don't Want to Know, I'd Rather Be the Devil (which is a cover song) and the Easy Blues is a good closing track.
No harm to John Martyn, the albums fine But why has he got 2 albums on this list? I think one is fairly generous with some of the omissions, but 2 is overkill Screw it just put his whole discography on there like he's the beatles Man really likes jam
Interesting
What a journey of musical styles and genre-blending tracks. This album had some fun highs (I'd Rather Be the Devil) and some slow lows (Solid Air), but overall, it was a pleasant listen to kick off this Tuesday.
This guy sounds happy, glad he's singing songs reflecting that...
Not really sure of what to make of this. It's interesting and deserves a second look.
This was good. I loved the bluesiness of it man! And shit he covered Portishead's Glory Box!? That one is dope AF! but this album gets 3 stars.
A couple good tracks, but overall not my style
This gives me Nick Drake vibes.
He's good, no doubt. I'm just not a fan of this style.
May You Never has been deeply entrenched in my soul for my entire life, not entirely sure why. I think it used to be played on the radio in Ireland a bit. Rest of the album is chill, chill, chill. 3.5 stars but I'll round down.
This was a very subdued listening experience. Very folky, with some jazz at times, blues at others, and even a sprinkle of rock and country. Overall I didn’t dislike the album, but it also didn’t do much for me either. It just kind of was an experience that happened, and not one where I want to hear it again, or search for other music by John Martyn. 2.5 / 5
I'm easily convinced to give some experimental folk music a try, so I enjoyed this for the most part. I wish there was more of a flow to the album though. Solid Air, Over The Hill, and Don't Want To Know make for a strong start, but I'd Rather Be The Devil as the next song in the album was like waking up from a delightful nap before the alarm goes off and not being able to doze back off again. Go Down Easy did its best to lull me back to sleep (in a good way, I like that song), but I never quite got back to that dreamy state of mind.
Funkar bra som bakgrundsmusik
A couple of good songs, some ok. Not bad but not sure I’d listen again
There were some parts of this I really liked, but if I wanted to listen to this genre/period I'd listen to something else. Addendum - I stand by the above, but his cover of Glory Box is great
When this popped up, I’ll admit I had never heard of John Martyn or Solid Air. I had no idea what to expect — but let’s see. I liked it. Enough to listen again and explore more of his back catalogue. The album has a serious, dark tone, but it’s still an easy and enjoyable listen. I especially love the rich, dark vocals. The production is excellent — it’s hard to believe this was made in 1973; it feels surprisingly modern. Favorite song: Every track was enjoyable, but I particularly liked the opening two — Solid Air and Over the Hill. Least favorite: There isn’t a bad track on the album. Album artwork: Cool cover.
Might not listen again, but i liked it more than i thought I would. I’d give this a low three - not sure what my favorites were, it all kind of blended together, but i found many more pleasant moments than unpleasant
Day432 - i was surprised it was from 1973. i thought it was good background music
Enjoyed it, never heard this album or artist before
Quite enjoyed this. Reminded me of Cream / Eric Clapton stuff
First impressions that bro is speaking in cursive, kinda slurring his words (makes sense in his bio it says he’s a raging alcoholic). But the use of a variety of instruments like saxophone and guitar was lovely. Over the Hill was super pleasant except the jump scare line about drugs. And May You Never? Also pleasant but then a jump scare line about a sister?? This album is CONFUSING!!
Another 70’s rock like album
Nick Drake is better.
Better than the other album on this list but still not something I will revisit
Very grand folk with elements of blues, jazz, rock. A lot going on. Requires more listens. 6.3/10
Raspy country music
Solid album. I didn't see anything really that blew me away, but I did enjoy listening.
2025-02-16
The guitar work really sold me on this album. Martyn's voice took me a minute to get used to, but once I did I found it meshed well with the instrumentals. No bad songs on this album, just songs I feel don't match the standard set by the best tracks.
quite enjoyed this, in particular Easy Blues. Not quite a 4/5 probably a 3.5 with further listens.
Loved the folk song from Over the Hill, wish the rest of the album was similar since that was an awesome song
I really liked a couple of the songs.
Enjoyable. 3
Very fine and nothing wrong with this album, some neat trippy songs and great folky track. Just nothing truly stood out for me to push it past a 3. Great variety though.
Love how much direction it moves in, but I can’t say every song resonated with me. Some are way more experimental than others.
I liked Over the Hill, probably because I am! The other songs were so-so.
His voice took a second to get used to, such little annunciation. But the vibe is heavy. A sad type of calm for most of it.
Never was a fan of this type of electronica.
I'm pretty sure that I have never heard of John Martyn or this album before today but I think it is excellent. Very chill folk, trance, electronic sort of vibe. The singing isn't my favorite part but the music is great with some really creative stuff considering the time it came out.
Solid chill vibe background music. Nothing stood out, but I didn't thin of FF or changing it once.
New to me, and I liked it. It alternates between bluesy, rocky, jammy, funky, soulful grooves. Easy to listen to while working.
Perfectly fine. But will likely not listen to this one again.
I have to agree with the comments about the unintelligible singing in some of the songs. I didn’t get it. Some other decent folk songs that would be fine background music.
So great! Lovely being swept along by this.
Sometimes an album matches a day and i got this on a Sunday where i had some time. I found there to be a lot of interesting stuff here. There is a hit single, a nick drake-esque softness and then a pile of jazz noodlings. The guitar and vocal are good and i managed to get a couple of listens through without boredom
Het eerste nummer, de titeltrack, heeft voor John grote waarde. Ik gun het hem. Maar bij mij krijgt hij de boodschap niet binnen. Waarschijnlijk door het gevoel (dat hij wil overbrengen) articuleert hij bijzonder. Het kost mij moeite om het te verstaan, waardoor de boodschap verloren gaat. Ik merk dat ik geen zin meer heb in de rest. Het wordt gevolgd door twee erg saaie nummers. Dus ik heb wat te overwinnen om door te zetten. Dat lukt mij uiteindelijk, al kost me dat het vierde nummer. Maar die komt aan het eind in de live-uitvoering terug, dus dat is in te halen. Daarna volgt eigenlijk een heel aardig album. Dreams bij the sea heeft een lijntje van bas uit de filmmuziek. Het biedt precies de juiste sfeer en is mooi door te pakken als het nummer nog meer naar de jazz schiet. Easy Blues heet waarschijnlijk Easy omdat dit wel vaker gedaan is. Maar zo doe je jezelf tekort John. Er zijn maar weinig mensen die hun stem zo kunnen gebruiken. Ik middel alles uit naar 3 sterren.
Mellow all over. I liked the sonic textures of the record, Martyn does an excellent job at conbining different genres of music into a complete whole, whilst the album still keeps its folk roots. The songwriting was good, but did become monotone sometimes, when the vocals are added. Overall I can appreciate the record but its not something that blew me away, it missed a certain power to it. Favorite song: Over the hill. Overal score: 6.9/10
I think for me this album falls into the same category as a fair few albums on this list. It didn’t blow me away but I didn’t hate it. It was just fine.
-wow this was an interesting listen. he has such a unique voice and it absolutely made the songs in my opinion, especially the first one. felt like drifting aimlessly through the sky in the evening somewhere in the countryside -enjoyed most of the songs but some of them did feel a little long ig -Favorites are Solid Air, Don’t Want To Know, and I’d Rather Be The Devil
Most of this was a three for me, but the last song I'd Rather be the Devil, was fire. I could listen to that all day.
It was alright
I'm not into the slower, more relaxed album but this does have pockets of excitement and is clearly a great example of what it is. Not for me but would be happy to hear again if someone else had it on
Songs like Dreams By The Sea are way up my alley. Jazzy, laid back with a smooth sax solo. May You Never takes me right out with it's creepy acoustic "cafe in a college town" vibes. Mixed bag of an album for sure.
Acoustic Sade.
This might be the most confounding record I’ve heard so far– both on this list, and in my life. I absolutely LOVE just about 50% of it, but I also absolutely HATE the other 50%!!! The best parts are the folk songs, by a goddamn mile. Sure, they’re very derivative of Nick Drake, fair complaint. However, I think the lyrics are poetic, and, more importantly, the guitar is phenomenal. In a weird way, I can make an ancestral tree tying John Martyn to Mk.Gee (who was my #2 most listened to artist this year); they both have the same playing style and it creates the exact same ✨ethereal busker✨ vibe. I find songs like “Go Down Easy” or “Don’t Want to Know” to be heart-wrenching and amazing, and I really love that sound in guitar-based music, regardless of genre. I also like the more ‘60s folk vibe of “May You Never,” with the percussive playing, and while it’s not my favorite or something I’ll return to, “Over The Hill” is pretty good, too. However, I hate “The Easy Blues,” which sounds cliché and also features some strangely bad singing (more on that in a second). While Martyn clearly feels the most comfortable as a Man and His Guitar™️ act, though, the other half of the record is like….a weird jazz fusion folk record? And it sounds as annoying and as pretentious as that genre description sounds. The worst offender is “I’d Rather Be The Devil,” which I find rambling and nearly unlistenable. Meanwhile, a song like “Solid Air” and “Dreams By the Sea” are bad, mainly because of his atrocious, “deep” singing vocals. I don’t get why he’s putting on this voice, especially when we know he can sing normally, based on the other cuts here, but it is painful to listen to. The jazz noodling on these cuts doesn’t help, either. The standout here, though, “The Man In The Station,” seems to accomplish what Martyn aimed to do with this record, and seamlessly blends together the folk guitar aficionado with the jazz fusion backing band, and does so in a way that feels earnest and earned. Lord knows, then, why he decided to keep these two aesthetics separated like oil and vinegar on the rest of Solid Air, but here, it works, and it’s worth the pay off. But that’s the thing: 9 tracks, 4 hits, 4 misses, and 1 shoulder shrug. How do you rate that? How do you digest that when the hits are mind-blowing and the misses are unlistenable? I’d say the issue is that Martyn clearly needed to choose a lane and stay in it, but that’s not entirely true for either the folk I mostly loved (“The Easy Blues”) or the jazz I mostly hated (“The Man In The Station”). It’s not even like this album will grow on me, because I do truly loathe some of the songs here. In the end, it’s a split, which is unfortunate, because there is a world where I could call Solid Air a favorite record if it was more cohesive and if Martyn accepted his own strengths. Then again, there’s also a world where I hate Solid Air, if Martyn leaned into his demons and made a pretentious jazz fusion record. I guess I should be thankful that that didn’t happen.
Album 608 of 1001 John Martyn -Solid Air (1973) Rating : 3 / 5 I enjoyed it but can't claim it to be a "masterpiece" like other reviews I've seen. A very chill album. Nothing that is going to get you hyped up, for sure. It blends folk, jazz, blues, and rock, creating a "unique and immersive soundscape".
Nice, pleasant listening album.
the nick drake influence is all over this, nice album that doesn’t overstay its welcome
This is the first time I listened to this. Musically it's not bad, but the lyrics are repetitive and the vocals are lacking. It's ok.
Never heard of John Martyn? You're not alone. I don't think he left a lasting impression. Certainly nothing ground breaking here. Interesting. Not bad, even quite good at times. Genre diverse, but that's ok. I definitely zoned out at times. I'd listen again, but not often. Three airy but not solid stars.
really liked "I'd rather be the devil" otherwise was a perfectly listenable album, enjoyed parts of it and other bits I zoned out for
Jazzrock, 1973 -> 3
Jazz folk. I like jazz. I like folk. But this combo was OK at best.
Kind of liked this one. Surprised by the different styles of music on here. 3/5 Might listen again
Vocally it was just some old geezer mumbling, I didn't enjoy that aspect at all. However, musically there were some very nice tracks. It was very difficult to put a genre on it - could pick out some influences from folk, rock, jazz.
This album has a lot to offer and I really liked the whole experience. This is probably one of my better discoveries from the list, I'd def play it again. A folksy jazz man experiments with funk and different effects while being completely stoned. Yep, it's my in my vibe house. I like almost every track. High 3.45 ::with claps::.
Solid Air is a Solid Album. Martyn got me with his smooth folky tunes. Folk is not certainly not my go to but this album added some funk and blues to the style that I appreciated. "Over the Hill" is top and has been added to my playlist. I liked this enough to check the alternate versions and those are even good (some better). I think it's nice the title track was dedicated to a friend of his that passed but it was actually my least favourite. If I'm in the mood for some chill music... I'd throw this album back on...2.85.
Swings between good and bad with every song
When this album started I was like oh no, I really wanted to like some good old folk music but this isn’t great but as the album went on it grew on me, the songs, his voice and all by the end I was glad I persevered with it.
Mixed. Solid air is an excellent track, but the movement between genres means that as an album it’s not very coherent.
Some fun jams on here. I loved the instrumentation. Interesting mix of genres. I enjoyed the songs that leaned more into the jazz/blues. I'm not a huge fan of the vocals. They feel like they fall in this awkward spot where they don't punch hard enough to sell the blues style but they aren't eloquent enough to sell the folk style. Favorite song was Dreams by the Sea. 3.5 rounded down to a 3
Meandering lyrics among eclectic instrumental pieces with a moody feel. Not bad. Not great. Meh.
A completely inoffensive album, nothing else to write about
I thought this album was ok. It's music was alright, it didn't really stick with me. Its lyrics were kind of mush to me, so I couldn't really like it. overall its a ok album, I don't think you will miss much not listening to this album.
Do you like Blues? Then this is the album for you! In my opinion, I don't like this album. But if you like Jazz or Blues, I think you would. I like the music in the background though.
Not bad. Different. Never heard. Spa like. But in the right setting… like a lazy sun-drenched afternoon on the veranda, overlooking the unsettled Hawaiian surf, palm trees high above, pressing into warm trade winds like reporters covering hurricanes, eyes weary yet fighting the nap that will not be denied … well then, this album is just about right.
this was not bad-was nice, low key background music. nice acoustic & vocals, kinda tuned out lyrics...... a solidly "ok" listen, but won't seek out to hear again.
This was decent enough. There were times where I thought it was going to be genuinely good, but it never quite got there. A high three.
Vibraphone is a nice touch over the acoustic guitar on Solid Air. Song has a groove to it. Over The Hill is a fine folk rock song about what seems to be a conflicted man leaving someone (a mistress?). Verse to verse he speaks to his love of sweet cocaine and Mary Jane, but wants to go home and see his family. And yet he's leaving someone in disgrace... I'd Rather be the Devil strays a way from the path of the album thus far. More funk-forward and experimental sounding. I really enjoy Go Down Easy -- reminds me of Nick Drake. Dreams By the Sea resurrects the funky atmosphere of I'd Rather be the Devil, complete with \"Shaft\" style high-hat work, keys, and sax. Low-key jam. This was solid -- I'll come back for another listen, but first impression is high 3 - low 4. Second pass through this was really enjoyable, but I preferred his other album on the list a bit more. Going high 3 here.
I played this a couple of times actually (and even watched an old concert of Martyn that happened to go out on BBC2 the other day) and I still don't quite know what to make of it. And maybe that's the problem. I like the vibe; the sort of experimental, jazzy approach to the serious-seventies-man-with-guitar trope. But there is quite a bit of stuff that's too noodle-y for me and there's too much pretend blues-y stuff at the edges and with that in mind I can't really tell if I find the actual songs contained within pretty and convincing enough.
Fine.
Pleasant listening and an interesting mashup of styles. I heard some Zeppelin, some Pink Floyd, and even some Nuno Bettencourt. Some interesting guitar licks. The Elvis mumble-singing got on my nerves a bit, but I appreciated this original effort.
When this is good it's really good. But a handful of the songs on this are just sort of stupid. It has high highs in the genre of 70s singer-songwriter, but I found myself a bit annoyed with the album by the end of my listening.
buen disco en un año con excepcionales lps. No consiguió ser escuchado por ser bastante espartano.
chill, nice vibe. road trip sort of vibe.
I was high listening to this and it wasn’t chill
As I reach the end, I really just appreciated sub-40 minute albums. This helped me enjoy this a lot more than I might have before. Short and sweet. Still pretty mid.
Alright album
Meh. I dont hate it, but I'm not likely to ever listen to it again, you know? 3/5
Aijaijaijaij millasta soosia korviin kiitoksia
Yes this was pretty good! John Martyn is growing on me more and more. Recognised a couple as well. Soothing and earthy
Yeah pretty good I guess. Was nice and relaxing and had a lot of depth. Can't said I'd be rushing to listen again but certainly liked it
Dramatic
Country music that's quite alright. Not my type though.
I thought I'd like this more than I do. I love Solid Air and his voice is incredible but in the end, it's just a good blues album. Nothing particularly remarkable about it except for the fact that it can slot neatly into the blues cannon despite it being made many years later and by a white guy. Still, a nice listen.
Interesting listen. I did not know John Martyn before today, and it was alright background guitar-driven music.
Bin überrascht, hatte ich schon per default in die 70er Jahre kennt kein Schwein Singer/Songwriter 1* Ecke sortiert. Aber das Album ist wirklich originell und abwechslungsreich. Manchmal gibts hier auch positive Überraschungen.
Achei ok
I had never heard of this artist before and when I saw the words “British folk singer-songwriter” in the Wikipedia excerpt, I was seriously dreading listening to this. I figured I was in for another Donovan-type album, but this was surprisingly enjoyable. Reminded me a lot of Nick Drake but - and I am loathe to say this about a British folk singer-songwriter - kind of funky. I guess it is more jazzy than funky, but I swear I heard echos of Curtis Mayfield’s Super Fly soundtrack in “Dreams by the Sea”. I am glad to have heard this for the first time and I am planning to check out more music by this artist.
I liked it more than I expected, but there were still many moments I wasn't too keen on. The guitar and singing style is overall good. However, I don't think I'd listen again. Highlights: Over The Hill Dreams By The Sea
Solid Air was smooth., Over the Hill was a nice almost country twang at the start to the guitar, and then a little more folksy. The last few tracks diverged a bit. (Devil Got My Woman, etc.)
hmmm, in between a 2 and 3 for me, but since there were some nice acoustic songs in there so I'll round up
This didn’t leave much of an impression, to be honest. I did enjoy solid air but not much else
Not my everyday go-to type of music but it’s very nice. I enjoyed some of the songs more than others.
mjög fín!
Y otro desconocido más. El folk no es mi género, desde luego.
Very good.
Just OK...nothing special.
Never heard the album or heard of the artist before. Pretty good album, if a little inconsistent. "I'm the only man bakin' jelly and I keep my devil down"
A 3 but not quite a 4 3.5? Worth a few listens 👍🏻
I think he is very talented, but this really isn't something that I personally enjoyed that much.
I have a soft spot for this type of music and choosing to ignore that alternative cuts made it better. Not all that memorable, really sleepy and ambient.
ok i guess
The title track would be a good jazz number if Martyn didn’t mumble his way through the whole thing. It’s apparent he can do it from the other songs, why fuck this one up? It’s otherwise a good song! He does the same thing in “man in the station”. This album seems a bit divided about what it wants to do. It’s kinda jazz/lounge and kinda folk. I actually like the former but I could really do without the latter. I figured the whole album would sound like “Over the Hill” and I’m glad it doesn’t. Once you get over the first two songs which are the prime examples of the two styles, it does start to fit together a bit better. Beth Orton does a cover with “don’t wanna know about evil” with William Orbit that is way better than this one, but I feel that way about many covers of 70s singer/songwriter tunes. It’s a good song regardless. This isn’t a bad listen but I doubt I’ll put anything on it on a playlist other than the first track for drugs purposes. I was expecting a lot worse.
July 8th, 2024 HL: title track, "Over the Hill", "May You Never", "I'd Rather Be the Devil" Pleasant folky album, didn't stir me as much as his other one on this list (album #768), but I'd like to revisit this in the future (maybe when the leaves start changing) The upright bass player- Danny Thompson according to the liner notes- really stood out for me tonight for some reason. He also plays on One World, as well as Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story and the Incredible String Band's The 5000 Spirits, two other folky albums I enjoy.
inoffensive music from the 70s
High 3
Sounded weirdly modern, even though its from 1972. I would believe it if someone told me it came out in 1992 or 2002.
Alright album but not a lot there to keep me interested. Easy to listen to soft rock.
Calming album with some odd flourishes here and there with John's voice and delivery being pretty unique and pleasing even if I did not always connect with it. I might need to revisit this one on a different day, allowing it to sink in a little more. For now, as far as ratings go, it sits in a weird spot between a high 3 and low 4.
straight vibes baby
This was a cool album. In the last song, I asked the question of is that a theremin which is fun. Listened to at the airport on an early Monday morning
Oooh! Unexpected jazz/blues elements with modern folk stylistics; how surprising, polished and confident. Quite enjoyable!
1. A smooth combination of country and jazz. 2. As a whole, the album isn't that good but there are tracks that do standout from the rest. 3. Not recommended for people who likes vocals. 4. For people who want to chill listening to different kinds of instruments.
Some fine ideas in here but for the love of god what is this man saying? 2.5
Not bad, real mumble-core shit. Playboi Carti ancestor type shit.
Nog eens !
Never heard of this artist or album. I was surprised at how un-Folk it was, strong 70s vibe, and nod towards Nick Drake. Enjoyed it, not sure if I need to return. Most interesting track was probably Dreams by the Sea
I went back and forth on this one. Hate the opening track and loved the second track. This pattern repeated throughout. The folky guitar tracks are reminiscent of the band Iron and Wine. The more jazzy tracks inspire images of Ron Burgandy.
lol the song about him being able to make a good jelly roll was wild. other than that i really enjoyed the album and ended up saving more songs (four total) than i thought i was gonna. giving it a 3 because i will prob never listen to it or any of the songs unless they come on shuffle on my liked playlist.
"audacious, hypnotic and groundbreaking" Love Dave Mattacks's drumming and rhythmic intensity in the last song - a live version of "I'd Rather Be The Devil (Devil Got My Woman)"
Blues and folk music. Mixed feelings about the album. I really liked some of the songs here, but the other half I could leave. In the opening track it’s difficult to hear what John Martyn is saying. The live version of I’d Rather Be The Devil changes to be more psych rock. The Easy Blues is annoying to listen to until the ending where it changes into an electronic sound that was an interesting contrast. Album cover is really cool. Standouts: Over The Hill, Don’t Want To Know, May You Never, and The Man In The Station.
Another good example of good singer-songwriter/folk music from this era that fits a certain style (for example, this felt very in the vein of Nick Drake). That said, I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Nick Drake. All in all, I found this album to be very relaxing while still being engaging, which is not always an easy balance to strike. The bluesy and even jazzy aspects of the folk sound were unexpected, but went well with the overall sound! Martyn's slurred vocal style somehow lends to the easy listening aspect of this album, too. The amount of gravely voice he came out with at the end of the album with "The Easy Blues" was quite surprising, too! Definitely a man of many talents. A pleasant listen for sure that I probably never would have heard about, let alone listened to, without this project!
Liked the Nick Drake tribute
Pleasantly surprised.
Moving along.
This was alright. I had low expectations but the title track was pretty good. Some of the jazzier elements reminded me of Harvest time by Pharoah Sanders. The folder bits didn’t really floaty boat but it was pretty inoffensive.
Liked it
Very pleasant to listen to. Could make great background music for studying or anything
Un folk aux accents jazzés aux airs anodins en apparence, au calme trompeur
Really enjoyed the songs he didn't mumble over. The title track was ruined by his "singing" Over The Hill Don't Want to Know Dreams By The Sea
Didn’t think I’d like this album but I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of different sounds, it felt like a lounge album overall but with complexities and a complete sound. I’d put it on again while chilling.
Starts off slow but really builds up. You can feel the emotion and depth as you go through the album. The songs also get more creative in musicality and range of voice. However, there weren't enough great songs for me to rate this album very high.
General thoughts: Eclectic but songs really dont stick. Songs with more arrangements feel more alive. Favorite songs: The Man in the Station Cover: So so. Real rating: 3.33
🦶
What even is this? Bluesy folk jazz? I dig it.
This one was difficult. There’s some tremendous songs on here and some that are just not good. His voice goes from really good to what the hell. Taken as a whole 3 stars.
I didn’t know what to expect with this album, but it definitely wasn’t this. It’s got folk, funk, John Denver, psychedelic rock, blues, and lounge music all rolled up in one package. The first song, Solid Air, stands out as the soundtrack for a movie about lonely people, but otherwise it’s just pleasant ambient sound.
Solid Air is a Solid Record
5.6/10. Not too bad to listened to. Overall. Got a little distracted at work so might have to relisten
First song solid air had me feeling like I was in some refined Spanish-esque jazz club and there was clearly trouble approaching but the cops were already on the way Over the hill had mandolin and good vibes I’d rather be the devil- have bob wier voice feels Overall ended up being slightly bored. Has the weather been warm and sunny out I might have a different opinion
soothing atmosphere, liked the vocals and the variety won't be revisting anytime soon though,
Levyn äänimaailma oli aivan loistava, en tiedä miten alkuperäisellä miksauksella toimisi. Työpäivään erittäin sopiva tunnelma ja ehkä aavistuksen olisi kaivannut enemmän menoa useampaankin biisiin. Helppo kolmonen.
Nice combination of folk with other genres. Not incredible, but pleasant throughout
not sure yet
It was kind of... uninteresting? It wasn't bad by any means but none of the songs blew me away or perked my ears. 3/5 I guess..
Not bad, but kind of forgettable. Sort of a wanna-be Nick Drake, with a little Neil Young thrown in for good measure.
This album is a perfect example of why I'm doing this 1001 Albums thing. John Martyn is not a household name like Cat Stevens or Lindsay Buckingham, at least I'd never heard of him, but no doubt Cat and Lindsay were very aware. John Martyn seems like one of those hidden gems who was an essential influence for so many artists after. Such a cool blend of folk, jazz, blues, with experimental electronic stuff going on. Now I know who he is 🙏
Bonus star for the guitar work, Songs are rather drab though, and the vocal drawl is annoying.
heeft misschien wat meerdere luisterbeurten nodig. Maar nu was het toch vooral achtergrondmuziek die niet bleef hangen.
Another one I knew nothing about before listening to it here. I don't know that I think it's my thing, but I have not really heard anything like it before, which is cool. It's like if jazz and folk had a baby. I can appreciate that it exists and is important. I lied. "Never May You Ever" also has a high(er) number of plays on Spotify but the same rule applies. It is not very jazzy compared to the other tracks. "Over The Hill" is maybe the best song, and certainly has the most plays by a lot on Spotify, and its definitely the least jazzy song, so that's an interesting observation about how the public as a whole has embraced this jazz/folk thing.
Pretty Solid. "Dont Want You to Know" is a standout
This was good! Especially loved the sound.
This album feels like it was made to be played during melancholy retrospective travel scenes in movies, or at book stores that also serve coffee. John Martyn is not a performer I was familiar with, and this was a cool introduction to him.
solid, but i doubt i would go back to it.
3 Stars (8/15)
Very cool and moody!
One I never heard of. There are some solid songs on here, but a few that were pretty forgettable.
I was told about this album by some random man I got talking to on a train coming back from a gig and he highly recommended it to me as I said I liked psychedelia. Obviously I got home and forgot about it, until now. So finally I've listened to it and it's not too bad. The three standouts are the title track, 'I'd Rather Be The Devil', and 'Dreams By The Sea'. The middle track is immense with that weird Echoplex tape delay effect thing! This gets a low 3 just for those songs. Without them, probably a star lower, as it then would sound like a pretty ordinary 70's psyche tinged folk rock album which I would ignore forever.
Meh. He has talent but sounds a lot like the other British indie albums we have heard…
first listen interesting stuff, bit too dave matthews for me
I liked this. Could understand why some dont but it jives with me
fin bluz
This guy does a great cover of Portishead's Glory Box ... much later in life
Reasonably tolerable.
Genre: Folk rock, folk jazz, folk, psychedelia I just heard his One World album last week. That one I think was better, but I have heard it more than this one. 3.5
Nice background music.
Could not stand his mumbling voice and this was a little soft for me - put some guts in it! But musically it was interesting. The guitar was impressive.
Nice bit of variety, bit baleful on the singing but ok.
nothing special, didn't dislike but also didn't love, felt almost generic
starting with the first few tracks, and man, what a start. it's like a breath of folky fresh air. but then, the album takes a turn. it's like expecting a peaceful walk in the woods but ending up at a jazz club. the rest of the tracks are a lot more funky and jazzy which is cool on it's own and from other artists but i prefer when martyn sticks to the folk and don't like this fusion.
Very relaxing and accomplished. Sounds and feels like cool but dated lounge music. 3.3 stars rounded down.
Solid Air is pretty solid. Very artistic album, mixing folk and jazz in nice quantities, but overall being a little too slow and lowfi for me. Also, I'm not a great fan of John's vocal abilities. Average album, nothing special to see in here.
I REALLY enjoy the music with this album. I enjoyed the Nick Drake album I listened to previously, and this style of music is a hidden gem for me; however. The vocal stylings and accompaniment are painful for me. I don't enjoy the ethereal wailing and droning and anything high pitched with this type of music just seems...ill advised. Equally good on music and bad on vocals. Fav track: Over The Hill
muttering much, some good ideas
It was nice, not entirely my thing, but nice. 3.5/5 but on this site it's a 3/5, oh well.
Quire good. Sounds much more modern than 1973
Space folk jazz anyone. Much beloved album from JM which I like but don't love. Its seems so lightweight and unfocused (cept May you Never) maybe that's the attraction.
Solid
Pretty chilled out 70s rock, a little meh for me
John Martyn's "Solid Air," released in 1973, is a folk-jazz exploration that showcases Martyn's distinctive guitar work and husky vocals. The title track, a tribute to Nick Drake, stands out for its emotive depth. While the album has moments of brilliance, its stylistic shifts between jazz, folk, and blues might feel disjointed for some listeners. The production, while capturing an intimate vibe, lacks the polish of mainstream releases. "Solid Air" is an acquired taste, appreciated more for its individual tracks than overall cohesion. It lands a middling 3/5, a commendable effort but not without its uneven moments.
1973, гладкий джаз. Послушал на фоне. Пришлось переслушивать... Ну что сказать, очень, очень ненапряжная музыка, для людей, которые плывут по жизни и являются самыми чилловыми в мире. Мне в принципе нравится. Но на троечкус.
I like this a lot 😊
Good album.
Unique blend of folk, jazz, and blues, the title track is a tribute to Martyn's friend Nick Drake
All around decent. Nothing leapt out at me, but I enjoyed it overall
Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower. Such a fun game, even if I lost again! I had never heard any of these songs before...I wasn't familiar with the artist either. I definitely enjoyed this album. My partner immediately asked if the singer had a cleft pallet. Ha ha. He was often very mumbly, but I enjoyed the musical stylings throughout the album. Not my favorite, not my least favorite. I can hear the influence this sound had on other's music down the road. Nice blend of jazzy bluesy stony folk.
More like a 2.5, no outstanding songs like before
Grand, a bit country for more but different sort of album, must listen more
Um.... yeah
I was lulled into a false sense of security by the early folk/americana style, the funk caught me off guard. Very fun and interesting, though not quite enough to get me for the whole album. Favorite song: Don’t Want to Know. 6/10
I don't know anything about John Martyn, but certainly just kind of feels like a poor man's Nick Drake. I'm not so sure this is an essential record at all. It's just fine.
I get this album, see the name John Martyn and look him up. He’s described as a British folk singer-songwriter. I thought great, another Joni Mitchell album (folk is not my thing). Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! This is a good album!
Meni nepoznan album. Poslušala sem ga na sprehodu, in ga zavrtela 2x zapored. Sprva se mi je zdel malo enodimezionalen, ampak bolj ko sem ga poslušala, več podrobnosti so ujela moja ušesa. Definitivno se mi zdi kot da bi mi lahko zelo prirastel k srcu, če bi ga še nekajkrat poslušala. Zelo so mi všeč vokali na nekaterih komadih in jazzy instrumentali. Se bom še vrnila k njemu!
Solid Air // Over The Hill // Don’t Want To Know // 3-3.5/5
Amb una mena de folk vaporós, eteri, melangiós, farcit de soul, jazz i altres géneres, aquest és EL disc de Martyn, per damunt del també reverenciat 'One World'. Fantàstic per disfrutar en un relaxat capverpre d'estiu
3++
Really liked half the songs, but the others went something like this: - Mom, can we listen to Tom Waits? - We have Tom Waits at home. The Tom Waits at home:
The Easy Blues aka Jelly Roll Baker earned 3 stars from me.
Sounds way more modern than it is, somehow. But I'm not sure that it's that good - shades of Nick Drake but not as good really? It's good a nice variety to it, all relatively slow and folky but it brings in some jazz in places. And he's quite tricky to understand, which makes music like his (lyric-driven) a bit less accessible. 3/5.
That was a nice and not too sad singer-songwriter record. I enjoyed it a lot!
Can't really get it... but the funny thing is it sounds quite millenial although it's from the 70s
Comparisons to Nick Drake are impossible here so I won't try to pretend otherwise. It's not as good. By a long shot. And that's okay! This is really well instrumented, solid singer songwriter. And it's good. But it's a little uninspired and no single track moves me at all.
Really really forgettable: I seems to remember not loving it but neither hating on it. It seemed refreshing in comparison to the last album but was still not anything to jump and listen to. Overall I just have no clue what happened in this hour or so of my life.
Liked this more than I thought. The jazzy interludes are quite welcoming. His voice is a deterrent which stops this album from being great. Instead it's a decent listen that I might revisit on a quiet chill evening.
I like English folk and I like jazz, but I’m not loving this blend of the styles. Martyn’s vocals are another low point.
This album is like a continuous of Nick Drake.
Not bad