SOLID AIR

The measure of an artist is, to me, in part established by their ability to simultaneously reinvent themselves while still sounding authentic, not to mention retaining that familiarity that can be critical to fans. As of "Solid Air", JOHN MARTYN had been balancing these qualities for 6 years, even if the quality had not always been top tier, but for the duo of "Bless the Weather" and its successor "Solid Air", he reached what many consider his peak. The first was a more acoustic slice of generally optimistic folk rock that, while well supported, comes off like a true solo record; the second, under consideration here, sounds more like a band with Martyn at the helm, and with a broader scope from blues to jazz to para ambient. If the potency of "Bless the Weather" was delivered through the songs themselves, the secret to "Solid Air is in its arrangements. It doesn't hurt that the guest list is even more impressive with the addition of several FAIRPORT members (I'm not going to check if they were current, former or future at this juncture) and TRISTAN FRY.

The album peaks early, with a boom echo towards the end. The title cut is an atmospheric cautionary tale with fascinating lyrics that may or not have been aimed at his downcast friend NICK DRAKE. "Over the Hill", along with "May You Never", are the throwbacks to 1971 in their deceptive simplicity and positivity, and not out of place at all. "Don't Want to Know" is of a similar theme but the keyboards, here and elsewhere, impart an eerie air that seems ahead of its time for prog folk. "I'd Rather Be the Devil" is where Martyn's revolutionary almost didgeridoo-like effects reach their apex, and is one of the heavier pieces here. I also adore the brooding and subdued explosiveness of "The Man in the Station" with its elegant lead guitar embellishments. Less successful again are the bluesy "Go Down Easy" and the unfortunate closer about a jelly roll that seems like a marginal improvement on the sugar lump of yore.

As I am discovering Martyn through an astute co-conspirator (thanks B) and have no idea what lies next, I hope you will continue to take your time and discover him with me