Customer Reviews

Solid Air (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD Set)

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John Martyn's 6th album for the mighty Island Records - the lovely and ethereal "Solid Air" - was always going to be a candidate for the 2CD DELUXE EDITION treatment at some point in time - but few of us could have hoped it would turn out 'this' good. I'm blown away - I really am. But details first...

Disc 1 (34:49 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 9 are the LP "Solid Air" issued 1 February 1973 on Island ILPS 9226 in the UK and Island SW-9325 in the USA (it didn't chart in either country). It was recorded in November and December of 1972 and engineered by JOHN WOOD. The original album had a gatefold sleeve and a famously designed 'hand through air' shot on the front cover by FABIO NICOLI. The gatefold digipak recreates this artwork inside and out, has 'palm-tree' label CDs to reflect the original LP design and a 20-page booklet with passionate, informative and detailed liner notes by noted experts and friends JOHN HILLARBY and DARYL EASLEA. The booklet also features trade adverts, the master tapes box, lyrics to the songs, session details - it's superbly done. But the real fireworks lie in the SOUND of the album on Disc 1 - and I'm thrilled to say - the staggering quality of the EXTRAS on Disc 2...

The 24-bit digital remaster has been done by PASCHAL BYRNE at Audio Archiving in London and he's done a STUNNING job. Every track sounds alive, warm and in your face - but in a good way. Highlights include the truly gorgeous "Over The Hill" which has Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention playing an absolute blinder on Mandolin and Autoharp (respectively) - and every time - and I mean every time - it wells up a tear in my eye. Now it suddenly sounds HUGE, Byrne's remaster having brought its beauty out - a genuine wow if ever there was one.

While others love it - I've never liked his echo-plexed version of Skip James blues tune "Devil Got My Woman" which he renamed "I'd Rather Be The Devil". But if you do like it - you're in for a treat, because it sounds absolutely enormous here - I just always felt is was kind of out of place in a largely folky setting.

There is hiss at the beginning of Side 2's lovely opener "Go Down Easy", but Byrne's smartly not tried to process it out of the transfer - the result is that Danny Thompson's double-bass sounds like he is standing in the corner of your room. Tony Cox's fantastic sax work on the funky "Dreams By The Sea" is complimented by John "Rabbit" Bundrick's fabulous keyboard work - again astonishingly clear. The final three tracks still sound years ahead of their ambient time - and the remaster is beautiful too...

After the joy of Disc 1, I'd expected Disc 2 to be a let down - it isn't.

Disc 2 (80:22 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 9 are fully formed 'alternate' takes of all 9 album tracks
Tracks 10 to 12 are 3 brand-new out-takes from the album sessions - "Keep On", "When It's Dark" and "In The Evening"
Track 13 is the 1st version of "May You Never" issued as 7" single in the UK on Island WIP 6116 in November 1971 - it's an entirely different version to the 'acoustic take' released on the "Solid Air" album (the song was famously covered by Eric Clapton on his "Slowhand" album of 1977). The 1971 single mix contains a full band with keyboards by John "Rabbit" Bundrick and guitar work by Paul Kossoff of Free
Tracks 14 to 16 are Live Versions of "The Easy Blues", "May You Never" and "I'd Rather Be The Devil" (no venue details are supplied)

The 'Alternate' takes are all lovely and something you'll play again rather treat as a curio. But then you're hit with a genuine sensation - 3 Session out-takes never heard before - one of which is a showstopper - the eight and a half minute acoustic bliss of "When It's Dark". I played it in the shop the other day and two Euro customers came to the counter within minutes asking after the new "Nick Drake" recording! Fans will wonder how this peach has remained in the vaults all these years.

So there you have it - a great album beautifully transferred and extra tracks that actually deserve the word 'bonus'. I've enjoyed some superb issues in the Deluxe Edition series in the last few years (Whiskeytown's "Strangers Almanac", "Tighten Up" Volumes 1 and 2 and Free's "Fire And Water" - see reviews), but this is something really special.

Buy it with confidence - and Rest in Peace you great big gorgeous Scottish beauty.

My experience with this age old album that sounds as fresh today as back then has been life changing. It made me realize I hadn't heard "real talent" before.. Changing my perspective on all new music I have listened to since.. It is one of my most cherished desert island discs and number one on the list at this stage..
Getting all the extra tracks here is mind blowing.. The instrumentals are incredible, the unreleased tracks are amazing and the full 2 disc set is just what the doctor ordered..More..John Martyn...
There isn't a bad track on here.. It's all worth listening to repeatedly..
A Masterpiece in the true sense of the word...
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If you are like me and live in the U.S. and tried to find John Martyn then you already know, for some unknown reason, they are not easily found.. It should be considered criminal that these Martyn deluxe editions and even the standard editions are not available in local music stores inside the US of A..

Highly Recommended

Arguably Martyn's finest album this edition has been very nicely remastered. One is able to hear the ambience of the studio and the detail in the accompaniment is excellent. The extra CD is a mixed bag. The album outtakes are interesting but you wouldn't listen to them often because the final ones on the other disc are indeed better. Then there's a few songs that were left off the album, for good reason, the single version of May You Never, not as good as the album version and finally a few excellent live tracks. So fairly slim pickings there. I wish the whole extra disc were live, just like the fine Deluxe Editions of Who's Next and Santana III. Still, Solid Air will always be a winner by itself.

This absolutely stunning remaster reveal layers of sound not present on the original. It's like listening to a new record all over again after all these years. If you like this go for the holy grail and get the Roundhouse show...

Bless you John.

Great remastered original album and some even better alternate versions on a separate CD. I rediscovered John Martyn following having found and enjoyed the music of his friend Nick Drake recently. The acoustic folk and sometimes jazz arrangements on this album from the early seventies is beautiful, timeless and very enjoyable today.

I came to `Solid air' after buying and listening to `Grace and Danger` and I have to say, of the two, I prefer this album , although both are required listening in John Martyns back catalogue. The opening track `Solid Air' is a powerful way to open an album and sets the tone for what is to come. The accompanying bass on this album adds to the jazz/folk feel and ambiance of the music and coupled with John's guitar playing and poetic lyrics you are soon held spellbound by the music on offer. The live version of `I'd Rather Be the Devil' is an awe inspiring way to end an album and leaves you on a high after the journey this CD takes you on. John's smooth vocals, unique playing and song writing weave together perfectly on this album to create a piece of music that is able to be enjoyed again and again and it hasn`t seemed to date too badly at all. This is a great album and one I'd recommend if you are new to John Martyn and fancy giving him a try, you shouldn't be disappointed.

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