Monday 1 May 2017

Head and Heart - The Acoustic John Martyn, album review



Always the Greatest

Arrived today and nearly through listening to Disc One, I think I have heard most of, if not all of these tracks, apart from, obviously, the previously unreleased, but any and every time it is the very best there is.

The first cd is a wonderful evocation and reminder of early Martyn, those first folk roots [and the requisite Dylan cover] where we get three demo versions of Goin’ Down to Memphis, A Day at the Sea and Seven Black Roses.

The alternative versions of John the Baptist and Traffic-Light Lady with Beverley Martyn come from the songs on the joint albums of theirs when I really discovered John, and these naturally remind of that time and glorious musical enlightenment, just before the solo album Bless the Weather from which Head and Heart gives this acoustic album its title and is my all-time favourite John Martyn song.

If you are a fan you will have already ordered; if new to Martyn this isn’t a bad start, but just get everything anyway.


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