Customer Reviews

In the Journey

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

 

 

Martin's first recording, cut in Boston with friends from busking & coffee house gigs, has boogie cuts, jazzy jams, some deep, heavy stuff, and the first taste of his very accessible songwriting. Some of the songs appear on later releases, most notably 'Live Wide Open'. The original cassette closed with a short, very Ray Charles-ish 'America the Beautiful', but the two new bonus tracks,('specially 'Women&Wine'), are a fine substitute.

This Demo is an excellent way to get into Martin's body of work. The title track ends with sort of an epihany that "in the journey, there is no destination..."

If you haven't seen this man live yet, you are doing yourself a great disservice!

This is something Sexton recorded in a friend's attic back in 1990. He used to sell this on a cassette as he played on the streets of Boston and Cambridge. He sold 15,000 copies which is pretty amazing when you consider the circumstances.

And yes, his vocals sounded great back then as well. The music is an acoustic mix of folk and some really good jazz especially on the Cab Calloway like "Beautiful Baby" and "13 Step Boogie". He also does an reprise of "13 Step" in which he vocally imitates an entire brass section as well as all the various back-up vocals. "Things to Come" sounds a bit like Stevie Wonder meets Sting and he sings "The Way I Am" like a hoarse old man. This is a perfect album for a Sunday morning...it's soothing but not the least bit wimpy. Much jazzier than I expected.

I first heard Martin singing and playing guitar on the streets of Harvard Square in 89 or 90, and then in Johnny D's in Somerville, MA a few years later, and I liked him so much I bought one of his home recorded cassettes - the talent was just amazing. His sweet, powerful voice with it's honky-tonk, bluesy overtones, and his excellent Chicago swing-blues guitar style come through on every song, whether it's a real swing-blues style (Thirteen Step Boogie) or something a little folksier. I'm honestly NOT a fan of folk music, and I don't think Martin fits that genre's description well, but by breaking the mold he has really held my interest through the years.

I own approx 1000 cds, but there are only a handful that I could tell you the exact time and place I first heard the artist and that it made a difference somehow in my life. If I had to choose one over all the others, it would be In the Journey. I first heard Marty at the Bluebird in Nashville in 1994 (and bought the cassette In the Journey), and became a huge fan. All of his stuff is great, but this is the best. The music is glorious, his voice is amazing and I have listened to this music over and over and never grow tired of it. I was thrilled when I could get it on CD, and even have a "spare" in case it gets scratched. Give it a try. What could it hurt? You won't be sorry.

I've never been addicted to a musician until Martin came to Boston. Now I've seen him almost 10 times. He was born to sing. This is his 1st album and perhaps the truest relection of who he is.

I was surprised at the variety of songs on this album. They are all wonderful. The length leaves you wishing there was more, but that is better than the reverse. Martin Sexton is a very talented musician and I can't wait to hear more of his work.

Gotta love Martin Sexton. This album isn't his greatest but still enjoyable and much better than anything on the radio these days.

There is something about Martin Sexton that excites, calms and turns you on all at the same time. "13 Step Boogie" is fantastically remeninscent making your toes tap while "The Way I Am" opens Sexton's heart with pliers and makes the contents spill out of his guitar. While not the best of Sexton's albums, "In the Journey" is a genuine, sophomoric effort.