John Martyn Glasgow Walker (folk rock)(mp3@320)[rogercc][h33t]

John Martyn Glasgow Walker
Released : 2000
Label: Independiente/Sony Music
Formaty : Mp3@320




Following his 1999 collection of cover tunes The Church With One Bell, John Martyn returned with Glasgow Walker, his first recording of new material in four years. An album whose seductive moodiness can either draw you in or drift off into the ether, Glasgow Walker, like much of his recent work, lives and dies on its smoky grooves, ambient loops, and subtle, jazz-inflected instrumentation, as well as Martyn's idiosyncratic vocal delivery. When he does find that right mood or groove, for instance on the entrancing opener "So Sweet" or the slow, sensual R&B of "Wildflower," the result can be riveting, but moments of lukewarm funk, uninspired synth landscapes, and soft material are responsible for the occasional lull in an album that is already laid-back. Still, his successes tend to outweigh the failures. While 90 percent of Glasgow Walker adheres to a similar premise and sound, Martyn tosses a curve with the record's closer, "You Don't Know What Love Is." For a good portion of his career he's toyed with elements of jazz, but here, as with "Strange Fruit" from the previous album, he once again tackles a straightforward jazz classic. Performed with a jazz quintet, "You Don't Know What Love Is" may or may not be a hint at a new direction for Martyn but, as was the case with the venerable Billie Holiday piece, he pulls it off with style and grace.

Tracklist:
01. So Sweet (04:50)
02. Wildflower (06:24)
03. The Field of Play (05:48 )
04. Cool in This Life (04:20)
05. Feel So Good (05:20)
06. Cry Me A River (05:45)
07. Mama tT (05:52)
08. Can't Live Without (04:13)
09. The Cat Won't Work Tonight (04:57)
10. You Don't Know What love Is (05:19)

John Martyn / guitar, keyboard
Kathryn Williams / backing vocals