John Martyn, May You Never: The Very Best of... (Island)

As posthumous best ofs go, this is as tidy as one could wish, despite the odd regrettable omission. It favours the Irascible One's songwriting over his musicianliness and, being Island, concentrates on his Seventies peak. And so we suffer again the tenderness of Head And Heart and Sweet Little Mystery and flow with Solid Air. If you have ever experienced the midnight blues and not had a Martyn album to hand, then here's where you start. Buy this and Inside Out and you are well equipped.

Nick Coleman

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This was included in the Sunday edition, two days after Andy Gill's review.