Stormbringer [Import]

John & Beverley Martyn, John Martyn | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 16, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Universal/Polygram
• ASIN: B0000071YX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #606,245 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Limited Edition Japanese pressing packaged in a paper sleeve. John and Beverley Martyn's classic album from 1970 has now been digitally remastered from the original master tapes and has been expanded with four previously unreleased Demos ecorded at Sound Techniques, Chelsea on 16th April 1969. Having previously recorded two solo albums (London Conversation and The Tumbler) John Martyn teamed up with his wife Beverley to record Stormbringer. Still very much in the folkish vein, some of the stand out tracks include 'Go Out' and 'Get It' (featured on the fantastic Island sampler LP Bumpers) plus the title track. Island. 2006. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live the John Martyn Experience, June 28, 2008

By 

British Boy Toy "thirty craze" (atlanta, ga.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stormbringer (Audio CD)

If John Martyn is so great, why haven't you heard of him? Good question. I hadn't heard of him for a long time either. The fact that he's still alive is a miracle. He still performs live, when well enough, suffering from poor health and in a wheel chair after having his leg amputated, due to his alcoholism. He never got the fame that he darn well deserved and still does, much of the limelight being hogged by Bob Dyalan and Van Morrison, two artists this genious could certainly stand up against any day of the week now, let alone in 1968.

Any of his albums from 1968 to 1980 are very much worth your time and money. But Stormbringer is definately one of his best and also the first one that really threw me. This is one of two albums that he recorded with his talented wife Beverly. The gorgeous picture of the two of them huddled together against a beautiful Woodstock sky defines the album's entire premise. Beauty, sadness and worrying that something more is on the way from the oncoming storm ahead.

Hearing this music is to be transported back to a time of simplicity, hope and dreams. But it also has much disappointment and disillusionment in the music. Martyn's voice was already developing his trademark growl and eclectic guitar work. I can't really do it justice to describe it. Beverly Martin's songs are equally as beautiful and have a quiet distinctiveness that makes one feel like they're swimming under water. But it turns out that Martyn steals the show.

The only other artist who comes close to John Martyn's style would be the late Jeff Buckley. The much hailed Nick Drake also does, not surprising, since the two of them were close friends. But I would urge anyone who is a fan of either artist to listen to this phenomenal musician.

And you really should start with this album.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ever lovely John and Beverley invade America., July 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Stormbringer (Audio CD)

This is the first of two albums made by the Martyns in America, circa 1970. Warner/Reprise (their American label at the time) and Island (where Martyn was then a folkie fixture) thought this Scottish/Brit husband/wife team would really take off in the states and set up them near Woodstock, where they forged friendships and recorded with members of The Band and their proteges. But this album, and the slightly better "Road of Ruin," failed to catch on, and the duo, whose edgy marriage soon fell apart, went home. Beverley dropped out of sight, and John moved on, increasingly drawn to blues and jazz. This isn't quite as strong a collection as "Ruin," but the music has held up well over the years -- an enchanting, ecletic mix of folk and rock tinged with blues and jazz. As on "Ruin," the Martyns mostly perform their songs separately, as though they were using the sessions as platforms for solo careers. John has remained in the public eye (at least in Europe) and has given us much memorable music since. Beverley, sadly, has not been in the catalogue since these two releases, to my knowledge. She has some terrific songs here, including the haunting "Can't Get the One I Want" and "Sweet Honesty," sung in a voice mesmerizingly unique. John's numbers include the comic come-on "Traffic Light Lady," sardonic "John the Baptist" and gently folkie "Woodstock," which makes the U.S. town overrun by hippies seem like a quiet Scottish village. The finale, "Would You Believe Me?," introduces the Echoplex guitar technique that would figure prominently in Martyn's music of the 70s. The CD transfer is fine, with a sound much the same as the original Warner/Reprise analogue pressings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Album which does literally go down a storm!, April 4, 2005

By 

howzat "howzat" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stormbringer (Audio CD)

Stormbringer (1970.), John and Beverley Martyn's first studio album

'Stormbringer', John and Beverley Martyn's first studio album, released in 1970 is the first of two folk-jazz orientated albums by the Martyn couple. Many listeners think of John Martyn, the solo artist but reality is that before that, he and his wife Beverley put together two excellent and often overlooked albums. These ultimately kick-started John Martyn's career and allowed him to be more noticed when he began his solo work.

Drawing on being set up in the US and being part of the Woodstock '69 festival, John and Beverley Martyn cut this studio album. John himself, after the production of the follow up, still thought 'Stormbringer' was the better album, saying it to be much ahead of its time. I personally think they got better and peaked as a duo with their second effort, 'Road To Ruin', which for me is much more cohesive. Still though, this album is excellent and will more than likely hold your attention for its duration. 'Stormbringer' was the first real introduction to both John and Beverley. This is our first real and sadly penultimate album encounter of Beverley Martyn's excellent, flowing unique voice which is really underrated. This album is also the first studio album effort by John who, over the years has grown to become one of the great and sadly underrated alternative music acts out there and this album is a great opener to his creative genius.

'Stormbringer' is a solid effort overall. 'Go Out and Get It' is a country styled acoustic opener and is followed up by 'Cant Get the One I Want' with a passionate vocal performance by Beverley with a guitar and string quartet background. 'Stormbringer', is a solid folky styled track and 'Sweet Honesty' is an 8 minute epic from Beverley who commands the track right through amazingly. The mouth organ finish makes a great exit. 'Woodstock' is a short acoustic piece with fast, storytelling vocals. 'John the Baptist' has the couple harmonising together with a nifty piano part footing the track. This is my personal favourite on the album. 'The Ocean' is a bit more experimental, with a hammond organ at the start before Beverley sings out the track beautifully, over an orchestral backing again. 'Traffic Light Lady' and 'Tommorow Time' are both excellent acoustic tracks before the album finishes off with 'Would You Believe Me' with some bluesy playing on the guitar. The closing track is really atmospheric.

'Stormbringer', like the followup album is not known to many people and is often overlooked which is sad becuase it is a very good album which deserves more credit than it is given. John and Beverley Martyn made a great duo and produced two excellent works and it is a shame that's all they did, due to later pressures from the record company for John to go solo. Highly recommended - if you see it on a shop shelf, buy it - its a great album that is not always that easy to obtain.