Customer Reviews

Glasgow Walker

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Glasgow Walker is yet another 5 star album from modern musics best kept secret. Like Van Morrison, John Martyn trancends musical styles and labels and though each album retains his characteristic sound, each one has its own distinctive shades and colours.

If you are familiar with his work, think "One World" meets "Cooltide" meets "And". Theres a shimmering almost ambient sound to much of the album, along with the usual jazz / funk / soul / folk (? ). There are also tasteful traces of hip hop in the mix.

Stand out tracks are Wild Flower, So Sweet, Field Of Play and an inspired reworking of Cry Me A River. You Don't Know What Love Is from the film "The Talented Mr Ripley" is included as an extra track.

For those unfamiliar with John Martyn's work, he should be as revered as Van Morrison and has a talent just as difficult to describe. You MUST listen to this album.

Whether you are new to John Martyn, or a fan, I recommend this album. Martyn, who began as a folkie way back in '67, has traveled throughout the years in jazz, reggae, blues and other styles in crafting his own unique brand of music. Here (and in the recent "Church with One Bell"--also recommended) he employs some "trip-hop" elements but never loses his signature sound-- sax-like vocals, piercing guitar, and sensitive lyrics of love and loss. Highlights include "Wildflower," "So Sweet" and an incredible cover of Julie London's "Cry Me A River." John Martyn is unique, and if there were any justice in the world (there clearly is not) he would be much more famous than he is. Perhaps this will bring him some new fans.

I stumbled into amazon.com by accident, meaning to go to the UKsite!. Having had a look around I came here and decided to re-do myreview of this album for you folks in the US.

Within 24 hours ofgetting my copy last June I had played it to death and written areview for Amazon. I gave it 4 stars. Five months, countless plays anda storming gig later I can now reappraise it and I've upped it to 5!This is the best JM album in ages, harking back to his earlier work,but bang up to date. The songs, like all JM tunes have to evolve andgrow and these are no exception, except they're doing it ratherquicker than usual. They work great live too...

I've liked John Martyn for ages, but figured he was kind of running out of fans and ideas maybe - just seemed to be recycling stuff in the 90's. So I didn't get that excited about Church with One Bell, and it actually sat around for a while after about one listening before my girlfriend put it on when I wasn't expecting it, and I thought "Jeez, that's John Martyn, but ... what is it"? And then I listened to it a bunch more, and was less lackadaisical when Glasgow Walker came out. And man, I love this CD. I think it's the best thing he's ever done. One of those CD's that you can leave in the machine for days at a time. The slow rocking of the water in "Cry Me a River" sends me, every time. And the smash of glass in The Cat Don't Work Tonight. The voice, the songs, the band - it's just about perfect. Arran Ahmun, the drummer, defines "in the pocket". This is definitely my pick for album of the year. Maybe of the last two or three years.

John Martyn and Joni Mitchell--they were my mainstay in college long ago. I might think that's why I like their old stuff best ("Solid Air" hasn't aged a day for me), but my friends in their 20's who I play them for today prefer the same albums I do, all of them pre-1980. Unable to find samples of "Glasgow Walker" to listen to, I just up and bought a used copy, but I have to say I'm disappointed. Even the good lyrics here ("The Field of Play") are buried under Smooth-Jazz-type production choices, and when the lyrics are bad, they're really bad. (Couldn't he have tried harder than "I feel so good every time you say you love me / I feel so good every time you say you care / I feel so good every time you say you love me / It just feels so good to know that you are there"?) But I think there is a good reason to get this album (or the soundtrack to "The Talented Mr Ripley"), and that's the old jazz standard "You Don't Know What Love Is"--it's hard to remember even Chet Baker's beautiful version once you have Martyn's lost growl in your head.

Glasgow Walker is one of those rare cds which sound familiar and intimate the second time you put it on, like you have always been listening to it. Your new best favorite. I have liked John Martyn for years and have much of his work. Most of it is staggering and astonishingly beautiful and passionate. He is one of the very best singer songwriters no one has ever heard of. He consistently gathers talented players and friends on his albums. His arrangements and engineering on this cd are very well done. I've wondered how this boy has been doing in recent years. Hearing this is like hearing from a long lost friend you love. Do yourself a favor and check it out.