JOHN MARTYN
"Angeline" (ISLAND)

Few concepts can be as daft or as unnecessary as the 12" single, but that of the Compact Disc single, I think makes even the 12" seem relatively sane. That John Martyn's 'Angeline' should be chosen for this dubious honour, however, is a good poke in the eye for all this New Age Music nonsense which would seem to be custom built for CDs. A delicate, dowey floatation of a love song on spindly heron-legs of what sounds like a koto, make great virtue of simplicity & clarity, like Oriental calligraphy. It's accompanied by a confident, stylish re-working of 'Tight Connection To Your Heart' which brings out an appeal largely absent on Bob Dylan's original.

Andy Gill