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THE REVIEW
It's strange that in the folk section, no one remembers this Scottish singer-songwriter with a warm and mellifluous voice that blends perfectly (especially in this album) with the unmistakable sound of his guitar. His music, so intimate, yet cultured and refined, enveloping and melancholic, in my opinion, places him in the "Olympus of great singer-songwriters."
John Martyn begins his, to say the least, fluctuating career (bitter disappointments, chronic problems with alcohol... and not only that) in the distant 1968, a little over twenty years old. His early works are associated with Island, a famous English label, for which, in the same years, Nick Drake, his great friend (to whom he would later dedicate the splendid "Solid Air"), was also recording, and it is precisely to the "Island years" that this album dates back.
An album that alternates splendid acoustic ballads ("Go easy", the same "Bless the weather", or "Just now" or "Head and heart") enriched by production and arrangements that also look towards jazz, blues, and instrumental digressions ("Glistening Glyndebourne"), which are the prelude to more experimental and committed records, one above all "Inside out".
The album closes with a sweet and delicate rendition of "Singin' in the rain" ... and never was an ending more appropriate for one of the most significant albums in British (to call it that is truly reductive) if not worldwide folk.
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Summary by Bot
John Martyn's 'Bless the Weather' is a warm, intimate folk album with a rich blend of acoustic ballads and jazz-blues nuances. Released during his Island Records years, this album showcases Martyn's mellifluous voice and refined guitar work. Despite a career affected by personal struggles, this record stands as a significant milestone in British folk music. The closing track 'Singin’ in the Rain' provides a delicate farewell to this classic.Tracklist Videos
John Martyn
John Martyn (1948–2009) was a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist renowned for blending folk, jazz and blues with innovative use of the Echoplex. A key Island Records artist, he worked closely with double bassist Danny Thompson and recorded landmark albums including Solid Air, Bless the Weather, Inside Out and One World.07 Reviews
