INSIDE OUT

In keeping with Martyn's implicit philosophy, his second 1973 release is quite different from his first, with many more blues influences knocking on, nay, knocking down the door. While his echoplex and spacey keyboards on "Solid Air" were revolutionary early that same calendar year, they seem timid relative to the experimentation on numbers like "Outside In", the title a clever and a propos inversion of the album name. Unfortunately, some of that strength is also a weakness, with the angst towards its completion and in the also promising "Make no Mistake" being unfortunately reminiscent of TIM BUCKLEY's "Starsailor" in the most irritating ways, and transforming a 6 minute classic to an eight and a half minute "valiant effort". I mean cmon where's the folk here?

Actually, the folk is mostly in the second track which is a lead guitar jam of a trad celtic tune; if I hadn't heard it a thousand times I might be impressed; well, I am impressed I suppose, but to a point. It's also in the flamenco of the otherwise dim "Ain't no Saint". My picks here are "Fine Lines", which is a luxurious ballad evolved from the prior two albums; the unpretentious "Glory of Love"; and the closer "So Much in Love with You" that marries blues to his balladic approach.

A major step down from its two predecessors, "Inside Out" is perhaps a bit too outside the box for its own good, though those who prefer their CAN a bit folkier might venture inside.