Live-elpees zijn zelden de moeite waard. Weliswaar heeft men de opname faciliteiten geperfectioneerd, maar dat leidt er hoogstens toe dat alles net zo klinkt als in de studio.
Is John Martyn referring to himself with his latest album title? The once-greatly-respected guitarist has been drifting further into obscurity lately.
Though not the equal of last year's brilliant but brooding Glorious Fool, Well Kept Secret is Martyn's most accessible record and a perfect introduction to his work.
Offbeat with R.S. Murthi
IT TAKES more than eccentricity and great talent for an artist to become a cult figure in the pop jungle. He needs raw guts, a great deal of staying power and a determination to stick it out through thick and thin. And if he's thinking of turning into a tycoon by offering his egotistical effusions for mass consumption, he had better start digging his own grave...
Not exactly a rosy picture, is it? Willy-nilly, that's what achieving cult status entails. But you have to give credit to the artist who couldn't care what the majority of the goddamn world might think of him for resignedly playing to a dedicated following.
Over the course of 12 albums, John Martyn evolved from a Dylanesque British folksinger to a jazz-influenced electric guitarist and semi-mystical writer and singer.
John Martyn continues to flex his muscles in his Well Kept Secret (Duke 90021-1), a new collection of tunes from this excellent songsmith.
De deux choses l'une: ou bien l'on considère que c'est une compilation, donc un disque d'un intérêt mineur, accessoire, et l'on signale juste si c'est bien fait.
I hadn't really divined the evolution of John Martyn into the Celtic version of Michael McDonald until now
Martyn masterfully leads a new band through a series of urgent songs about love and revenge, including Back With A Vengeance, Gun Money and Changes Her Mind.
From his early days as a folk strummer to the jazz-inspired, synthesized ramblings in which he has been dabbling of late, commercial success has eluded this British guitar whiz/ vocalist.
