Reviews (page 6 of 9)
A somewhat understated album, weaving an enveloping atmosphere. A real nice listen!
Swag
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.
If Nick Drake joined up with the Grateful Dead to make an album of contemporary coffee shop background music, the result would be this album. I enjoyed it. Low 4
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.
It’s okay. He needs to articulate. This reminds me of live Colorado coffee shop music and that’s the only reason it didn’t get a 1. 🙃
Not particularly anything.
This album gives me major blues vibes. I kinda like it.
I don’t have the bandwidth to listen to this
thanks i hated this too
"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.
This album sounds very much a head of its time. Should be more famous
Not heard of this before, and was pleasantly surprised. Properly 70s. Wasn't as keen when it leant harder into the folk side, much better as fuck and blues and whatever else is in there.
The perfect soundtrack for falling asleep in an MRI tube or filling out a questionnaire at the doctors office.
good. chill. never heard of before
I really really liked this A lot of Nick Drake, a bit of Van Morrison Only thing that stopped me going the full 5 was that it was a little too jazz folk at times but it was pretty close
I don't understand why I keep trying these fucking albums. This is so goddamn terrible...how can anyone think this is vital listening? This site makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
Definietly a chill vibe, the opener/title track is a pretty nice track, especially the bass throughout. could be from any period of time, quite timeless
Nick Drake meets Bruce Cockburn. Did not know this artist at all, but I think he pairs nicely with the flecks of gray in my beard. Enjoyed it.
Absolute classic
john martyn's solid air is such a chill album. the entire album does a great job weaving songs into one another despite using the genres of folk and jazz mostly and dabbling in psychedelia and blues. the jazz element is the perfect compliment to folk, and both contribute to how this album flows so smoothly. i was skeptical of this album, since i didn't know the artist, but with every song and subsequent listen, i softened. there's real talent and creativity here! the mandolin on "over the hill" is refreshing, and i'm not sure if i've ever heard a song detailing a middle-aged crisis in comparison to drugs. martyn's insistence in "don't want to know" is full of deliberate ignorance, and the electric piano and backing harmonies are just the right touch to that song. even when he mumbles instead of properly singing, it's purposeful and specific to the song, kind of like tom waits. i can't find anything i don't like! the album's title of solid air acts as a oxymoron, but with its title song being dedicated to nick drake, it's more than just a clever title. martyn shows his support and love for his friend who is dealing with depression, despite not "know[ing] what's going on inside," to the point of "i will follow you anywhere." the song shows the respect in their friendship, and it's a lovely way to open the album. 4.5
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!
Если бы я жил в то время, такое точно бы слушал. Очень кайфанул, есть песни, которые не сильно попали (именно они во многом и выдают год создания альбома). Но в остальном очень клевая работа
Мужик попадает в меня все больше. Еще джаза добавил чертяра. 4+ жирным Алкоальбом: бутылочка хенесси в джаз клубе
Liked the Nick Drake tribute
The first 80% of this album was SO boring. By the time a few semi-interesting songs showed up at the end it was too late. Good one to doze off to…
Haunting, beautiful, funky, groovy and jazzy - this album has everything. Highlights: Over the Hill, Don’t Want to Know, Dreams by the Sea
Excellent fusion of spacey production and folk/blues, this guy is popping up for the second time and I'm even more impressed than the first album. Firmly planted in traditional "blues/ rock" songwriting with the soulful vocals to accompany, he's truly ahead of his time in the use of avant-garde delay, reverb, and a whole array of unexpected effects. All that said, he knows when to strip it all back and make it just about the song when it's right. Excellent balance and there is an earnest but vulnerable strength in his songwriting.
I’m a big fan. Have been enjoying his superb guitar playing for years
Pleasantly surprised.
Moving along.
4.75
Pretty good
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
I'd never heard of John Martyn before and the first listen through left me with mixed feelings. Subsequent listens hammered home what was happening here. This is a really interesting album. Improvisational jazzy, bluesy, folk music. I really didn't care for his slurred vocal delivery on some of the tracks, but musically this was great.
Very pleasant to listen to. Could make great background music for studying or anything
5 stars. I was familiar with the music but not the album. Love it, will come back!
Un folk aux accents jazzés aux airs anodins en apparence, au calme trompeur
Stars just for the album cover. Feels like this album is being played at an underground, smoke-filled bar. I’m vibing with his voice too. This is overall pretty cool. May You Never is so good.
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
Eh, not that interesting for my tastes.
Beautiful, Interesting, but a bit to mumbly!
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.
72/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
Neither heared of John Martyn nor this album before. Because the album "solid air" seemed quite challenging to me, I had to give it a few tries. And it is growing with every try. Very diversified Folk-Rock-Jazz. Not a single weak or aged number. Definitely worth listening! But very hard for me to decide between 3 or 4 stars!
This is why punk rock was started.
Blind album and artist. My 2 top songs are also his most played on Spotify. But they are meh, didnt blow me away, and not something seek out. As the youts say... Mid. And the rest of the album was not up to par and bring the album down.
Had never heard him!! What an incredibly great surprise of delightful music!! Loved it!
It’s pretty good though I don’t know how often I’d look for it. The sounds reminds me of Jack Johnson meets Mumford &Sons and Nile Rodgers. Over the Hill is my key track. It kind of feels disjointed
I really liked this one! I'll be re-listening to this one again. Over the Hill was a standout to me. How have I never heard of this artist or album before? John Martyn > Bert Jansch
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.
A completely new album to me. I loved it.
An early workhorse of the space rock genre. First time listener and really dug the combination of styles. Going to be a repeater for sure.
I didn't get much from this
This sounds like something that spotify would put on my discover weekly.
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
4.0 - A pretty Joni Mitchell-adjacent folk-jazz record that incorporates a broad sonic palette of fretless bass, studio effects and subtle electronics. Martyn's singing and guitar picking sound great. Standouts: "I'd Rather Be the Devil", "May You Never"
🦶
Ccooo
Solid Air - 4 Over The Hill - 5 Don’t Want To Know - 5 I’d Rather Be The Devil - 3.5 Go Down Easy - 3.5 Dreams By The Sea - 3.5 May You Never - 4.5 The Man In The Station - 4 The Easy Blues - 4 Average - 4.1 Jelly 👍
An elegant creation of John Martyn's artistry. While listening to the first track, I thought it was almost lifting from Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, but then it burst into a garden variety of styles (I mean, in a good way), but all with a sincere touch. I would highlight the fever acid trip that John Martyn turned I'd Rather Be The Devil into and a very beautiful, intimate composition May You Never. A highly enjoyable listen!
What even is this? Bluesy folk jazz? I dig it.
This was a joy to discover. Never heard of him but reading around his bio, I'm familiar with a lot of his peers and collaborators. Clearly a really talented guitarist and takes a lot of interesting directions on this album. At first seems like a fairly tame folk record but there are some real gems hiding in here. Very tempted to give a 5 but will go with a strong 4.
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.
Decent folk album with a lot of Neil Young in it.
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
Did not listen to it completely.
Personally did not enjoy this puppy. I respect the vision but it just didn’t tickle my cojones in the right spot. In my opinion, the best Track was May You Never. Whole album had a cool mix of elements from different genres, but I wasn’t a fan of the style of singing. Would go hard in a late night coffee shop for sure.
I had no clue what to expect. I don't know who John Martyn or ever heard if any of these songs. Played the first song; my jaw was dropped and my brain tingled after the first few seconds. This is the definition of Karl music. The vibe that was carefully created here nails an americana-road-trip feel. I'm blown away.
I was ready to give this album a 1 at first. A very slow start in my opinion with some interesting vocal choices. Not a big fan of the whole moaning mumbling moodiness he’s going for. However was pleasantly surprised by the second half with Dreams by the Sea definitely being a highlight. I enjoy the jazzier parts of the album and less the bluesy. Will definitely revisit that one song but outside of that will most likely not be listening to much John Martyn in the future. If I could give it a 2.9 i would but i didn’t enjoy it enough to justify a 3.
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
I listened to it once and thought it was a high 3 for me. I very much enjoyed a good amount of the songs. However, I listened to it again today and enjoyed it even more the second time. The feeling of being in a remote area like a desert or a forest and journeying with this as the sound track brings a calmness over me that I've yet to experience in a while. His smooth, but rough vocals brings a realness that is oft forgotten in lots of mainstream music. Well done.
The songwriting in this album was great. There's a great mix of classic 70's singer song writer songs and some tasty ass jams. The dude had a weird way of singing sometimes but still thought it fit with the songs. Could see this album going up for me in the future.
soothing atmosphere, liked the vocals and the variety won't be revisting anytime soon though,
John Martyn was a talented singer/songwriter from Britain. He plays is style of folk that is influence by jazz and blues. His guitar playing is of a distinct slapping style, and he frequently used electronic effects to enrich the sound of his guitar. Add a rich, raspy voice, and Martyn created a distinct sound that was very well received critically, and influenced generations of folk singer/songwriters. Solid Air is one of Martyn's most successful albums, which helped establish an international fan base. It includes some his most enduring songs, like "Solid Air" and "I'd rather be the Devil."
Beautiful
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.
Aika basic-rallatteluu
Cool aesthetic, defitely kept me around
I've dabbled in small selections from Martyn's discography over the years and according to Last.FM, I listened to 7 tracks from Solid Air back in 2013, but today's spin was the first time in full. It was great. I was familiar with Over The Hill and May You Never, as both are in my playlist of favourites, and I was happy to add The Easy Blues to my selection. One of my all-time favourite John Farnham songs is his version of May You Never; it took me many years to learn it was actually one of John Martyn's.
This is really good. Really enjoying the alternative takes from the deluxe edition. Great guitar work, solid vibes.
What a gem of a record! I had no idea "May You Never" wasn't a Clapton original
3.5/5
Very Nick Drake coded.
Nice combination of folk with other genres. Not incredible, but pleasant throughout
This was my first timing hearing of or listening to John Martyn. I really enjoyed this eclectic collection of experimental folk songs. I only got one listen in today, but I think I'll revisit this one soon.
This is groovy! Jazz folk blues with some awesome acoustic guitar work on The Easy Blues.
Loved
# Playlist track - Dreams by the sea # Notes - Very trippy, in a good way. - The opening track is fantastically moody, followed by a happy one, than a gloomy one, then a groovy one, and so on. - There are some boring misses, like "Go Down Easy" and "May You Never" (the most popular one?!) so I'm taking one star out.
not sure yet
don't want to know dreams by the sea
Eh
Excellent. This guy is my find of this project so far 4.4
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..
I didn't really enjoy this album, even though the music and instruments was good.
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 🙏
Some sleepers on here but some awesome songs too. Really enjoyed some tracks on this album and even some 👍s.
Pretty fire
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.
Ik dacht bij het eerste nummer dat ik dat mompel-zingmaniertje snel beu zou zijn. Maar het bleef toch eigenlijk de hele plaat lang wel lekker klinken. Leuke ontdekking!
de 10
Boring
Had never heard of this artist and was really surprised at how good this album was.
The first few songs on this knocked my socks off—especially over the hill—but after that it was just a mildly pleasant album that I don’t have much to say about. It was like a mix between nick drake and Paul weller or something. Very folksy and jazzy but also rocky and psychedelic in places.
OK -he is no Nick Drake, but not bad. Pretty talented production and stylin' for 1973 "I'd Rather Be The Devil" opening riff was very close to Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell". Hmmm
Strange combination of psychedelic soul and folk music. But it works. Surprisingly modern for a record that's over 50 years old. Favorite song: Go down easy
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
smooth, slow, boring
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.
I found this album to be plucky but slow. Fairly soothing listening and it felt both crooning and bluesy. Wouldn't feel out of place in a western.
I'm not really sure what to make of this. I'm not a big fan of the sound of his voice. Is it folk? Is it funk? Pop? It makes me feel a bit uneasy.
solid, but i doubt i would go back to it.
Some guitar work is interesting, but nothing else is.
Too folk for me
Almost skipped entirely during the first track, I'm glad I gave it a chance but ultimately skipped 50% of the album. Just not something I'll come back to, added 1 track to 1001 experience playlist
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.
First impressions not great. Track one just sounded like a drunk mumble. But that might be ‘jazz’. Never understood it. Warmed to the next couple of tracks marginally but lost complete interest soon after. Reading wiki I just can believe this fella has recorded so many albums yet I’ve never heard of him. Not saying I know everyone and everything, but if I’ve not come across him in all my years on the planet then maybe there’s a reason.
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…
not a fan of the slappy guitar style but it had a good vibe
Folky, ethereal , trippy 70’s era album that is all over the place. First time listening to this artist. I did save the catchy “Over the Hill” and “May you Never “ to my song list.
One of the best I’ve heard so far this year. Jazz and folk influences were found throughout, but what was most impressive is how modern it still felt. There’s not many albums that have stood the test of time quite like this one. Musicianship was on point as well. I enjoyed how he danced around from one sound to the next. Hopefully there are more albums of his in my future.
Real cool chill out stuff. Super chill, but not without form or a backbone.
awesome album
Interesting
- Never heard of this before - Thought it was alright, probably wouldn't listen again
Very beautiful to listen to!
I can appreciate the fusion of folk, jazz, and funk and the clear impact he had on many musicians. However I can’t help but think maybe someone did it better? Or before him?
One of my partner's all time favourite albums, so I know it well. The title track is obviously a gorgeous slice of jazz/blues/something, with an air of tragedy given it's subject would die shortly afterwards. Jazz rhythm section in abundance across the record, which is a plus point, obviously. Over the Hill much more straightforward cheery folk which I like for completely different reasons, with bright and delightful mandolin playing (presumably). Less fond of the devil song, weird funk guitar noodlings don't sit well for me on this album. Although I do enjoy the jazzy section it dissolves into in the second half of the song, much better. May You Never is another beautiful track. I have to be honest even after all these years I get a bit bored by much of the second half of the album but the strongest tracks warrant a decent score.
first listen interesting stuff, bit too dave matthews for me
Really interesting
I did not like his voice it’s too mumbly but also kinda nice?? Idk not my vibe too much
I liked this. Could understand why some dont but it jives with me
Good old school rock with some bluesy notes, love the sound of the acoustic guitar. Some songs have a rhythm that reminds me of bossa nova style Nice discover
fin bluz
This guy does a great cover of Portishead's Glory Box ... much later in life
Not a bad album. It was nice and chill, but I'm starting to think this list is just a platform for obscure British music.
Reasonably tolerable.
Rate
Not bad just kind of boring
послушал значится один альбом Джона Мартина. в целом это было интересно. и вот, я нормально отношусь к пению Мартина, один хуй что он там бормочет, у него на песню по 10 строк в среднем, но где идёт в более блюзовое или джазовое звучание это вообще мимо, если говорить именно про исполнение. вот обычные фолк песни он исполняет шикарно, отлично выдерживает ритм, идеально чувствует тембры, мастерски играется с голосом. но в джазе/блюзе он звучит просто пресно и сыро. он просто не вывозит эту энергетику, поэтому пол альбома я слушал с каменным ебалом и "ну пон" на лбу. но фолк песни эту супер приятная чилловая музыка, я их даже в плейлист добавил, когда нибудь буду для вайба включать возможно. у них есть какое то ощущение того переломного момента в фильме по мономифу, когда герой проходит главное испытание и теперь его ждёт обратный путь и осмысление прошедшего. как будто это тот период в жизни, когда нужно взять паузу и переосмыслить свой путь, подготовится к чему то новому и после идти дальше. хотя возможно это просто я наткнулся на этот альбом в такой странный эпизод моей жизни. а вот что здесь круто во всех треках - это инструментал. в отличие от стандартного британского фолка, который звучит предельно однообразно, здесь у нас несколько инструментов играют друг с другом, переговариваются, короче есть какие то оттенки полифонии в музыке, от этого слушать интересно даже джазовые треки. это прям хорошо. хотя есть и заглавный трек, который пусть и чувственный, зная бэкграунд о том что это песня посвященная Нику Дрейку с его депрессией (он передознулся антидепрессантами через полтора года кста), который всё таки звучит прям уныленько, но это единичный случай. в итоге значит джазовые/блюзовые песни послушал принял забыл, а такие как Don't Want To Know и Go Down Easy отправляются ко мне в плейлист. короче интересненько оценка - 7,5/10
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
Chill album
Nice album. Kind of bluesy and mellow. Good guitar work.
Nice background music.
So so good. John Martyn was his own kind of genius.
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.
This was solid. I don’t know John Martyn but the vocals were excellent
Wow, what a great find. Never heard of him before. Love the blend of soulful, R&B acoustic guitar and spacey music. Downloading this one
What a cool record in all senses of the word. I’ve never heard of John Martyn before today but this album is getting added for he rotation. Halfway between David Crosby and Bill withers with some Tim Buckley mixed in (and sounds like he may have influenced Dave Matthews and Ray Lamontagne). These songs were sfull of soul and raw emotion, even when they got spacier and jammier but somehow remained smooth throughout. His guitar playing was similar and the fingerpicking was similar. Great last name.
Nice bit of variety, bit baleful on the singing but ok.
Enjoyable intersection of sound and style, heartfelt and enjoyable
Auto-Play on YouTube Music is broken. This album was alright but I definitely didn't want to hear it twice. Interesting introduction but I doubt I'll ever listen again.
John Martyn can be very hit or miss for me. This album had its share of misses. Better versions of "I'd Rather Be the Devil" have been produced by drunk and rowdy musicians. This version, however, is undeniably funky. I Loved "The Man in the Station". Any track with a Rhodes will win me over. And "Over the Hill" is a classic. I woke up this morning with "Don't Want to Know" playing in my head, so this album is getting a 4.
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.
Oh this is nice. The music is complex and interesting, and there's lots of varied songs. Plenty of experimentation. I really like the acoustic playing, the vibraphone, the brass, the vocals. The musicality is absolutely on point. 4.5 rounded down.
Je m'enjaille. J'écoute un peu + de folk en ce moment, mais où était cet album pendant mes promenades automnales ???
J'aime pas du tout.
awesomesauce. dogshit vocals... boring ass instrumentals.. aivan mahtava albumi. folkswagen .combination of folk, jazz, blues and space rock (kolme genreä mainittu peräjälkeen) olen ainoa vintiö joka tekee hyytelöä näillä tienoilla, kutsuvat minua hyytelöukoksi, ne kutsuvat. kynnet kopsahtelevat kitarastringeihin, tekevät rytmiä heh... insane technique... melkeen meni hermo siihen.. over the hill
Genuinely really good
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.
4.25
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
This somehow gave me... cabin in the woods/wild west vibes? Never heard of John Martyn before, and nothing like what I usually listen to, but I liked it. My favourites were Solid Air, Don't Want to Know, Man in the Station, and the second half of The Easy Blues. Will be coming back to it
It was nice, not entirely my thing, but nice. 3.5/5 but on this site it's a 3/5, oh well.
Great variety! Good vocals and nice lyrics. Like the funky in there 4
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.
Boring.
Solid
Pretty chilled out 70s rock, a little meh for me
From the first song I think I’ve heard every John Martyn song. I think I have an irrational dislike of him and Joni Mitchell. Don’t understand it. I suspect it’s because he must take himself wayyyy too seriously. Far too earnest.
A truly diverse work of art. His voice I can almost do without, until it pairs with this musical journey. An all time great in this genre, I mean, pop, folk, songwriter, does not describe this.
Very chill and impressive guitar playing, never listened to him much before this
Wasn't familiar prior to this listen. Started off slow but the album grew on me a bit. Fun singer/songwriter album with some cool guitar licks. Not exactly my tastes but an okay listen.
This album was jus boring did not really have much to keep me interested
There’s some interesting stuff on this album, but the singing is very mumbly and that’s pretty annoying. Over all pretty slow and boring too. 2/5
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.
Didn't know what to expect here but absolutely loved this. The exact folky vibe that I love and the exact kind of pyschy/jazzy/funky guitar tones that I'm into on the more upbeat tracks, super cool definitely listening many more times
Really liked it, Solid Air is a solid song
I like this a lot 😊
Nr. 38/1001 Solid Air 3/5 Over the Hill 4/5 Don't Want to Know 4/5 I'd Rather Be the Devil 2/5 Go Down Easy 3/5 Dreams By The Sea 3/5 May You Never 4/5 The Man In The Station 4/5 The Easy Blues 3/5 Average: 3,33 Funky folk record
I really like this. Big mix up of genres and styles. Funky Folk, great instrumentation and I’ve not got any big issues with his tone. I’m not quite sure it’s a full 5 stars though - I like it for folk but it’s no Stevie Wonder…
A really good album. Solid set of songs, great sound. Something I may come back to again.
Good album.
Unique blend of folk, jazz, and blues, the title track is a tribute to Martyn's friend Nick Drake
Great album
If you told me this album came out in the mid-2000s, I’d genuinely believe you Favourite tracks: Over the Hill, I’d Rather Be the Devil, Dreams by the Sea, May You Never
Woah this one surprised me. I'm not farmiliar with John Martyn but this sort of progressive folk style is right up my alley. So many beautiful subtle moments just on the first song alone. Masterful guitar playing backed by soft keys and sax. Feels like I'm walking down a dead city street on a cool grey fall morning. The second song (Over the Hill) I knew without realizing it! This guy really captures the spirit of British folk in the 70s on this song. A lot of the other songs throughout maintain this calm but eerie ambiance with the backing instruments, makes the whole album feel extremely cohesive. Don't Want to Know ends to early for me, this could extend into some like 10 minute jam at the end and itd be heavenly. The bass on I'd rather be the devil is just wild. So many interesting sounds on this album. This one also has elements of jazz mixed in throughout. I feel there's a huge influence of Miles Davis Bitches Brew felt on a few of these songs (Dreams by the Sea being a prime example). Genuinely can't believe I've never heard this, it' like Nick Drake meets Miles Davis. It's progressive folk at its absolute peak.
I cannot believe I hadn't heard of this guy before! This album was fantastic and EXACTLY what I was hoping to get out of this whole 1001 exercise. oof, what a stellar album travelling between genres and executing them all in a fun, unique and interesting way. Gosh this was super enjoyable. It's like Nick Drake except so much more psychedelic. Absolutely blown away, REALLY enjoyed all the acoustic songs, really interesting parts I cant wait to sink my teeth into trying to decipher. Absolutely amazing. Listening to more from this artist for sure.
This is the album that derailed the whole 1001 albums experience for me. It was so good that I've been listening to it on repeat. I don't normally listen to this kind of stuff or I've never really sought it out but whatever it is, works well for my brain! It's just incredibly smooth and vibey. The melody/voicing choice for the songs is amazing. Guitar and what sounds like the double Bass on Solid Air was really nicely done. I liked the shakers for the mild percussion too. The keys are beautiful and kind of ethereal seeming. Like the sound stars would make in an animated movie kinda. Standouts: Solid Air, Over The Hill, Don't Want to Know (the keys solo was dope!), I'd Rather Be The Devil (live version has really fun drums imo and I love the gravelly-ness he throws into his voice) The vibes are immaculate, and I want more! I have a hard describing this album in terms of where I'd hear it but I'm going to keep listening to figure it out.
I’d classify this music as “jam folk.” Martyn typically has a vocal riff or groove he centers his song around. While this structure could easily fall into “mood music” rather than impactful songs, Martyn’s musicianship and smoothness make it an worthwhile listen.
All around decent. Nothing leapt out at me, but I enjoyed it overall
psychedelic, deep and great riffs, lots of soul and talent
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
Folk interessante, bom vocal, mas sem melodias memoráveis.
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
Great guitarist but I don’t feel his vibe
Never heard of this before, but very pleasantly surprised. There are some really solid tracks here.
vibey and somehow not boring, yehhhhh I like it
This is the most psychedelic folk guitar I've ever heard. The playing on this album is fantastic. And the overall mood and sound of the album is unlike anything I've heard before. I think the blues sounds towards the end of the album are slightly weaker.
I didn’t initially think I’d ever come across this guy before. I have a deep dislike for singers with lazy enunciation which I had to try to put aside in order to listen objectively. This is, in essence a good collection of songs that I probably would have liked more if sung by someone else. It just feels like an English guy trying too hard to sound American blues-y Too much affectation for the sake of it, too much twangy guitar. I realised when I got to ‘May You Never’ that I had in fact heard it before, it wasn’t my thing then and it still isn’t. That being said that is probably the best song on this album. Overall, really irritating but at the same time bored me to tears.
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.
As this album started, I didn't really think that I was going to like it, but it got more interesting as it went. Heavy psychedelic influence, while still remaining folk music Really cool example of someone who's not afraid to do something different with their genre
Interesting album. A bluesy, jazzy, fun rhythm all the way through. On some songs he's whispering about the saddest day, on others it's like he's growling his heart out. Very enjoyable, a few snoozers. 4.5/5
Very over rated album to be honest, I have tried and tried to hear the genius but also..
This album was ok but didn't resonate with me. Perhaps another listen will do something but I didnt love any of the tracks
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++
This guy likes jelly. Pretty smooth. Thought it was more recent.
3.5/5
Ne’er heard it before but Nice interesting album
This one isnt really hitting for me
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:
Har lyst til å lika da pga albumcoveret e så sinnsjukt fett, men ehhhh. Blei for øvrig overraska at da va fra 1973 og ikkje 2013
Lahmer britisch Folk.
Never listened to him before but the name sounds familiar. This is really sick though. The description says folk but this is really almost proggy. Lots of jazz, psych, and rock influence too. I'm a big fan of the mix of influences here.
The Easy Blues aka Jelly Roll Baker earned 3 stars from me.
Like a combo of van Morrison astral weeks and early Tim Buckley tho more British.
Lots of try too hard wankfest. Even when he comes out with a truly excellent piece of funk he souls it with that irritating put on vocal.
We've had three John Martyn albums here and they're all the same; moody mumbling vocals with some okayish Bluesy threads running through it. One album would've been enough.
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.
One of his best, and revolutionary for the time.
Great album from the haunting voice of John Martyn
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.
🤷♂️
2/5 Best: Don't Want to Know Worst: I'd Rather Be the Devil
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.
Never heard of this album or this man before. Really enjoyed this.
Det här var uruselt.
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.
good folk
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.
I wonder if Mumble Rap came from this guy. He's not super easy to understand.
Not bad
Incredible that an album that explored so many genres and styles had no weak links.
folksy, bluesy, weird
I was dreading this one. Everyone I sold a copy of this to back in the day was a beardy, beer bellied typical folkie, and most of their music leaves me cold. It actually turns out to be sweet, varied, and surprisingly slinky, fleet footed and funky. I want to hear it again!
Geeze. Mumble much? There's some real solid guitar, keys, and bass work here but, overall, it's a jumbled, mumbled mess. Unnecessary saxophones and vibraphones knocked a star off the rating real fast. The lyrics didn't help either. I can only take so much of the pseudo-deep, wandering stoner vibe. I was really glad it was over when it was over.
Just a nice, soothing, relaxing ride. Had a couple of standouts and no duds. I probably wouldn't seek this out but if it was on in the background I wouldn't mind, and depending on my mood, I might actually enjoy it. 3.5 stars
I didn't realize there was such a thing as "progressive folk." But this guy fits right into that. I really enjoyed this album. Varied the songs throughout the album, so they didn't all sound exactly the same. Probably my favorite song was "Dreams By The Sea" and his take on "May You Never." Kinda jammy/70s feel. Yeah! Will definitely look out for more of his stuff.
Interesting album. I definitely hear the Nick Drake connection - not as good as Drake but you can see where the friends have a similar style. The title track and Drake tribute is a bit hard to pin down but has a cool jazzy sound. Over the Hill is more accessible (and more Drake / Pink Moon-like). May You Never also feels very accessible; I prefer his acoustic guitar-centered version to Clapton's remake. The Easy Blues also had some great acoustic guitar picking and plucking. The very start of I'd Rather Be the Devil had me thinking Pink Floyd; much more intricate instrumentation than the other tracks at that point. Later, Dreams by the Sea has a Curtis Mayfield funk feel with again very different instrumentation, and I really dig it. Maybe my favorite on the album. Go Down Easy feels like another smoky jazz track until he starts singing and his higher pitch gives it a different folk flavor. All in all, the songs are eclectic but I like the variety and not many throwaways. Probably a 3.5 but he's getting a bump for the Nick Drake connection.
very chill.
Pleasant folk music. A nice morning listen. The man in the station is amazing.
No good
Solid folk
British people shouldn't be allowed to do Blues music
Some solid folky stuff. This has a further dimension to it with some songs going off into more spacey jams. I can see people not liking his voice/mumbling vocal delivery but it grew on me.
Puts you at ease in an instant, easy, kinda sexy, masculine, musky. Feels a bit like a caramel scrub or something. An album for adult couples. Full of classics. Great.
You'll need the lyrics to understand his slurred singing. Good songs!
First listened to this after reading the Ian Rankin novel. Not every day listening, but I do like it.
A combination of nice folk tracks with psychedelic elements and great guitar work. It really takes a while to get into Martyn's voice though I find.
Manifested
bon d'accord
Yeah it’s a mood, right? Masterful guitar picking, just nothing I’m going to crave at a later date. I was distracted away from the album multiple times by other songs that I wanted to hear more.
Too folk-ish for my liking
not bad but not that great.
Smooth jazzy folk
Sounds like elevator music being sung along with; very jazzy. Martyn has a decent, airy voice that isn’t terrible to listen to, accompanied by a variety of well played instruments. “Dreams by the Sea” had a Shaft-like bass line that was an interesting change up from previous tracks. But also, I nearly didn’t notice when the album had finished on Spotify and swapped over to Cat Stevens…I’d kind of tuned out on listening. This album wouldn’t have been a first choice album for me, but if you’re wanting a jazzy, soulful listen, this might be for you.
There is a nice vibe going on here. Singer/song with some twists here and there
Very noodly album, not the biggest fan of the vocal style but I did like the instrumentals
I didn't know the work of British singer, songwriter and guitarist John Martyn. A pleasant surprise. A delicious mix of blues, rock, folk and jazz. This 1973 album is considered one of the best among the 21 studio albums he released, with guest appearances by artists such as Phil Collins, David Gilmour and Eric Clapton. I'm going to listen to his other albums.
Aside from Over the Hill and The Man in The Station, very forgettable songwriting. A very soft album, and the various attempt to strike a harder sound (like on I'd Rather Be The Devil) come off as toothless. A style like this relies on catchy, powerful melodies. This does not have that. Many of the songs sound familiar, but not in a good way.
Just like when I listened to Pink Moon by Nick Drake and Central Reservation by Beth Orton, I had extremely low expectations and all three exceeded my expectations. I don't like folk music typically but this was so much more than just a folk album. There was jazz and rock influence that truly made it a completely different experience. If it was just a folk I probably wouldn't have liked it nearly as much as I did. I read some other reviews and some people talked about how they did not like his quiet, whispery vocals. I can understand that but I personally like the vocals and think it really matches well with the instrumentation. I think that the instrumentation of this album was really good and made a lot of the songs. The guitar and sax throughout this album really took this album over the top. I liked every song on the album but the best songs to me were "Solid Air", "Over The Hill", "Don't Want To Know", "Dreams By The Sea", "May You Never", and "The Man In The Station". 9.5/10, my favorite folk album I have heard. I prefer it to Blue by Joni Mitchell and Pink Moon by Nick Drake.
A mix of lightish folk rock, and bluesy/psychedelic stuff.
Will need to revisit with a better sound system
never heard about him before. surprisingly happy with this discovery.
A genuine life-changing experience for the 15 year-old me. The same night I listened to Jackson Browne (Running on empty) Brian Eno (Another green world), smoked dope, and drank rum & coke. John Martyn has been my guitar hero ever since and I saw him live, half a dozen times - he was always amazing and each performance was individually memorable. One of the saddest stories in rock.
Really cool! Would love to listen to this more often.
Impressive album for the time and very cool and groovy yet never experimental
Aged well i think. Mellow
Two songs that mention jelly. What's not to like?
BL: never heard of John Martyn or solid air but seems he was a collaborator of Nick Drake who I do love, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy this AL: I enjoyed this. I didn’t think it was anything spectacular and a lot of tracks blended into one another. But it was a very good atmospheric album for late night driving, which is where I experienced it. FT: “Solid Air”, “I’d rather be the devil”, “dreams by the sea” 3/5
Tre stjerner
This album meanders a bit, but I rather liked this journey. Underlying the variety is John Martyn's voice and guitar, which I understand is an acquired taste, but again, I rather like it. I also like the mix of singer/songwriter style with jazz, folk, and blues. Overall, I found this interesting and would listen again. There is something quintessentially 1973 about this, but you also wouldn't mistake this for anyone else. 4/5
Really great album. The almost mumble-like vocals of the first track might be a little off-putting, but I think it’s an acquired taste. All the other tracks are magical: lovely, poetical lyrics, experiments with different genres, styles and instruments.
Don’t know what to say about this one. It’s ok. Instantly forgettable though.