Grace And Danger

This was somewhat interesting. Only because I'm not really sure why this would be anyone's favorite album. There are far better in the genre

Really surprised to get an album from an artist we've already seen twice on this list. Someone must really love this specific album to feel the artist hadn't gotten fair representation. In the main list I gave one a 2 and one a 4 so let's see where this one falls. Gentle, engaging in places, bluesy and jazzy in good ways, a nice easy album to listen to. That said, I still don't get it.

A masterpiece, by an artist who is almost forgotten by the mainstream, but well deserving of a renaissance. He's just Scottish enough for a wee bonus point too, even if he wasn't born here! A lovely inclusion, which made my day brighter with every note.

I was introduced to John Martyn through his two albums in the 1001 list. Although I appreciated them at the time, I wasn't so much in the mood for another one today.

Honestly never thought I’d listen to this guys after the last album of his I got. I think I liked the other one more but this one was also decent.

Quite inconsequential, compared to what was going on in the eighties, this album doesn't seem relevant to me, nor a lost gem from that decade that needed to be rescued. It gave me the impression that I was listening to music to liven up restaurants.

This is really quite something. I preferred Solid Air from the main list, but this definitely a close second like.

Why yes, I'll have another serving of John Martyn, thank you very much.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Lookin’ on, Hurt in your heart, Save some

There were already two other John Martyn albums on the list. I wouldn’t swap this one out with Solid Air - that is definitely my favorite of the three, sounding more diverse and interesting. Still, I like this laid back sound and I don’t mind sampling some more of his oeuvre.

It's never a punishment to listen to a John Martyn album. This album is less diverse and eclectic than his famous albums Solid Air and One World. Most of the songs are jazz rock, soft rock or blue eyed soul. I personaly prefer the other albums (the Phil Collins assistence has made it very smooth and conventional 1980s music), but I cannot deny its quality.

It's pleasant and nice. I like John Martyn but can't find a route to love.

I have enjoyed getting to know John Martyn his the albums challenge and this was another nice one. I like his style. It's very soothing

Solid Air, I enjoyed. One World, not so much. This album is Martyn's divorce album, featuring Phil Collins on drums who also happens to be going through a divorce. Dudes love getting divorced, it's a known fact. Rich and detailed album of smooth sounds to sooth the soul. Massive really. Am I glad Martyn got divorced? Yes, actually. More men should get divorced and make the most melancholic/bittersweet albums of all time. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Replace One World with this, then yes.

Very interesting album, I enjoyed it. Sad to read about the back story behind the album’s subject matter.

It feels slightly ridiculous to refer to a John Martyn album as folk at this stage of his career - this album contains a lot of elements and folk is right down on the list. The first half is by far the rowdier and more impactful of the two. The prog and jazz influences from albums like Solid Air are still there (just listen to those keys in Lookin’ On) but that Nick Drake-esque folky backdrop has more often that not been usurped by pure psychedelic funk rock. That hard driving groove of Johnny Too Bad would give Pete Seeger a heart attack. One World (the other non-Solid Air album by Martyn on the original list) leaned a bit too hard into effect-heavy funk bass and sounded quite cheap in places, whereas this album has really developed that sound and displayed it in a far more tasteful and effective way The second half completely changes its approach and kicks of by just delivering some solid 80s ballads - maybe the choruses aren’t big enough to call them power ballads, but all the other elements are there from the strings pads and twinkling keys to the melodic guitar solos to Phil freaking Collins. The last two songs are then possibly the worst and then best tracks on the whole record - an electronics-heavy misfire followed by a soulful banger to close it out. I didn’t enjoy side two as much as the first half but it does the job One the whole a great discovery from an artist I thought I’d heard all the highlights from

From the original list, John Martyn's *Solid Air* had its moments (like the two folk gems "Over The Hill" and "May You Never"), and *One World* was a wonderful affair overall -- that latter album even joining my "high rated" gallery. From a first listen, it looks like subsequent LP *Grace And Danger* picks up the particular ball from *One World* to a similar effet (and sometimes admittedly mixed results). The title-track, placed in the second slot, sounds a little heavy-handed and awkward in its attempt to bring rock flavors to the whole thing, but subtle and delicate "Sweet Little Mystery" is soft-rock as it should be done. Really appreciate the fretless bass + synths + Rhodes piano-like keyboards instrumentation on a lot of tracks -- so smooth and cinematic! -- along with a couple of jazz dirges on cuts such as "Lookin' On" or "Save Some (For Me)" that indeed explore layered turf Joni Mitchell had explored a few years before 1980, when this record was released. Not necessarily essential, but worth a detour for people able to appreciate those sorts of tones... 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 43 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 50 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 99 (including this one) --- Émile: voir ma toute dernière réponse sous le disque *Triage* au-dessus.

Smooth, jazzy and pleasant to listen too, if a bit mopey. Fave Songs: Some People Are Crazy, Sweet Little Mystery, Baby Please Come Home, Hurt In Your Heart, Save Some (For Me)

I gave both previous John Martyn albums a 3 and so will this one. It's good, just not my style.

The first John Martyn album was pretty good and this one was pretty similar. The instrumentals had a bit more variety but it still had that martyn feel of cool laid back sound. I can see why people like him. His soft tone is very easy to listen too. I enjoyed this one a little bite more than the one on the list. 6.5/10

Calm and peaceful music. Nothing too special

The name is familiar but I have no idea why. No idea what to expect - guessing some soft rock? Yeah, soft rock with a jazzy touch. Nothing mindblowing, pretty inoffensive. Bit wussy. Alright for a one-off listen at just under 40min. 3/5.

A very credible outing for this genre of British soul, not a record I'd encountered before though I knew ew of the artist through association. Nothing against this, but it also did not ascend any particular heights for me.

This was completely and entirely fine. I had put it off for a while because I thought it would be just fine and unremarkable. I was right.

Nothing bad to say about this, but also not very memorable. It comes and goes. 2 hours is a bit long though.

Yawn

Worth the effort of listening to adverts in order to listen to the music.

John Martyn was a great addition to the original list, but a third album is a bit excessive.

Heh... seems like a waste of a user submitted album. This guy already had 2 albums on the list and I don't feel he needed another one. It's fine music but nothing I haven't heard already, especially since he had 2 other albums on the list. Looking over my previous reviews, I appreciated how short they were. Which I do here. He is in and out in under 40 minutes which is a huge plus. But otherwise, eh. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No. He already had two on the list so if you want to replace one with this go ahead.

I enjoyed this. I think k need more listens as I have a feeling it will get better as you get more into the lyrical content.

This is an interesting album. Sometimes it sound like a soft rock album that somehow escaped the 1970s. Other times, it steps way out of that mode and does cool, weird stuff. I don't necessarily get it, but I think it's kinda cool when he explores a bit more with his music 3/5

It's not bad, but John Martyn for me is always a story of never rising above mediocrity

This was delightful

This was cool. I can't say it was amazing but I definitely enjoyed the listen.

Ni fu ni fa Like One World with shorter, poppier songs. Not sure what this should add to my appreciation of John Martyn, but it’s some nice n easy jazz rock so I won’t grouse about it HL: “Lookin On”, “Hurts in Your Heart”, “Baby Please Come Home” July 10, 2025

Don’t personally feel the need for 3 John Martyn albums, but this is pleasant :)

I really appreciated the discovery of John Martyn on the original list, exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for, finding new talented artists who for whatever reason never got the publicity or recognition they deserved. So I enjoyed listening to this album, but do agree that the list probably doesn’t need a third from John.

Canciones con ritmo musical intermedio. Estilo de cantautor con voz un tanto profunda. Sin nada especial que le haga destacar, canciones con tempo tranquilo. Nada arriesgado.

Interesting. Calm, restful and smooth. Jazz elements shine through with some great bass lines. You can hear the influence and input Phil Collins must have given whilst providing drums and backing to the album. I want to give it a 4, but I feel it dragged on a bit. There were some nice tracks though. I tried, but I can't go 4, it has to be 3.

A beautiful album that reflects the pathos of a love divided. That’s what I’ll say when I finish the album. Of note, after listening to the first two tracks, I think this would be a better disc on the original list than Solid Air.

Bit dull

Outside of some interesting vocal moments by Martyn, there’s not much on this LP to distinguish it from other Muzak-esque products of the era. Listened to this first thing in the morning and it had faded from my consciousness by noon, just not much to dig your teeth into here melodically or otherwise.

This is nice in a proto-John Mayer kind of way at points but a lot of it made me want to check how much was left. Which by this author’s rules becomes a two star

I thought this sounds like some fairly insipid Phil Collins music, and it transpires he was heavily involved in the project, playing drums and backing vocals. Rating: 2 Playlist track: Grace and Danger Date listened: 09/05/25

Folk rock, folk jazz, jazz-rock, blue-eyed soul, reggae rock. Rollo. Un 2.

This didn't do it for me. It may have been groundbreaking for 1980 but by now, it sounds banal in comparison to what came after it.

Not sure about this... seems like a tortured Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) vibe, with a very 80's jazz artsy musical delivery. Though Sweet Little Mystery has some promise and grace, too much of the rest is a turn off for me.

I don't really think this album carries the test of time very well. It's mellow, composed, but dated. Tough to think that I'll revisit.

I really enjoyed soild air, but found this one a bit dull.

Should be a requirement that user submitted albums be from artists not on the original book list. We heard Martyn twice already---sorry for ranting here instead on the 5th Bjork appearance but I thought 'how often is that gonna happen?' So far it's 5 out of 35 albums. Bah!

Hmmm, I really liked Solid Air off the main list, and the other album was okay. But this just drones on and is uninspiring

Third John Martyn. "Solid Air" is solid (ha), but the rest of his catalogue seems to go way too deep into generic 80s territory. It's not bad, but it's also totally forgettable. What can I say. They call him John Martyn cause he be fartin. 2/5.

Grace and Danger has its charms in small doses, has some half-decent bluesy bits, but it's very much a dated sound of an era largely best forgotten. 2/5, no reason for this to be on anyone's list.

This guy came up a couple times on the main list, where everyone said his stuff sounded like porno music. Gotta say, I liked the porno music better than the "heartfelt divorce album" that's going on here.

I didn't love the two John Martyn albums on the list, and this one is no more for me than the others.

Blander than bland

Just doesn’t resonate with me

Yet another abysmal '80s album.