Search - John Martyn :: On the Cobbles

Another one for the road

John W. Warren | Santa Monica, CA USA | 07/27/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"John Martyn has practically made a career of avoiding the limelight. His latest, though not without it's moments of beauty, will likely do little to prod the criminally-overlooked Martyn into the pop-eye. Had he died in '77 or so, he'd probably be the latest "new" discovery, like Nick Drake. But he's still out there, though recently one leg lost for wear, creating solid and original music. "One for the Road" sounds like it belongs on one of his earlier hit albums, like "Sunday's Child" or "Solid Air", while "My Creator" slides easily into his latest repetoire of calm but not sacharrine audio treats. Until Martyn finds the public he deserves, you'll have to find him the old fashioned way, word of mouth, one convert at a time.

This isn't a bad place to start."

An incredible return to form...

B. Bowman | Jersey, United States | 01/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a huge fan of John Martyn, but admittedly took most of the five star reviews of "On The Cobbles" with a grain of salt. Martyn's output of original material had been few and far between in the years prior to this release and not as consistent as his material from the 1970's on the Island label, and his last album prior to this one (while sounding great) consisted of no original material. So to say the least, I wondered if this album was as good as my fellow reviewers made it sound. Well, after getting a copy, I can tell any skeptics out there that this is one of Martyn's strongest efforts in years. This disc is like a sampler of all the genres he has dabbled in over the years, and there are echoes of all of them here: his rootsy folk work of the early 70's (the melancholy but sublime "Under My Wing"), the blues (the raunchy "Baby Come Home", one of my favorites off this album), and electronica ("Ghosts" and "Cobbles"). In addition, Martyn combines his expertise in these various styles of playing with some of his best songwriting to date, a lot of which deals with mortality. (Hence the powerful cover photo.) It is well known that during the recording of this CD Martyn was undergoing treatment for a burst cyst in his leg, which eventually led to an amputation below his knee. Martyn alludes to this with his dedication of the album to the surgical team and nurses of Orthapaedic Ward One at Waterford Hospital in Ireland. I also have to mention that his version of the Leadbelly classic "Goodnight Irene" which closes the album is by far the best version I have ever heard, and the most heartwrenching. It didn't hurt that Martyn was joined by Mavis Staples on that track, who is one of my favorite singers. Martyn's voice on this album is at its most soulful, and simply makes me ache when I hear it. It is clear that he has lived the blues for decades now and it's all in his voice, you can't fake that kind of feeling. Overall this remains one of my favorite discs by him, right up there with "Solid Air", "Bless The Weather", and "One World". For those of you who might be wondering if John Martyn's still got it, HE DOES."

Martyn Magyc

Crowhurst | New York, USA | 07/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Martyn's music glows with a vitality that has remained undimmed through the years and which sets him apart from his eminently worthy musical peer group. Even when reprising his early work, which he does here with the song 'Go Down Easy', he has something new to say. 'On The Cobbles' is proof positive of his enduring magic. It abounds with the sort electricity that permeates all his best work.



Don't be fooled by the unprepossessing cover art of this 2004 offering on the Independiente label, this is John Martyn as he always has been: spellbinding.

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