John Martyn Stormbringer (Extended.Remastered)
Label: Island Records
Released: 1970
Remastered :2005
Format:[email protected]
[size=4]John Martyn's third album was recorded as a collaboration with his wife, Beverly. Though rather than performing as a harmonizing duo (which could have potentially had very successful results), the record is instead split between performances by the two of them, and Beverly just contributed four songs to John's six. So in reality Stormbringer is a John Martyn solo album featuring a few songs written and sung by his wife.
Martyn's sound changed a fair bit from his first two folk-based albums, as Stormbringer was recorded in Woodstock under the musical direction of Paul Harris, and produced by Joe Boyd (then best known for producing The Incredible String Band and Fairport Convention). Harris played piano and keyboards and handled the band and string arrangements. Bass was handled by Harvey Brooks (a seasoned folk-rock session player), and drums were shared by Billy Mundi, Herbie Lovell and The Band's Levon Helm. John Simon also appears at one point on harpsichord.
The result of these different circumstances of recording is that Stormbringer leans much further towards folk-rock than Martyn's earlier records. Half of the songs have full band arrangements, with a big, deep, powerful sound based around acoustic guitar, piano, bass and drums. It would have been very interesting if Martyn had recorded more in this style, as these five songs undeniably have a unique sound all of their own. Elsewhere the album features harpsichord and string arrangements, so that Martyn's guitar doesn't play such an important role, but this doesn't matter, as the focus is more upon the full arrangements than just his guitar skills.
Stormbringer is a bit of an anomaly in Martyn's discography, but a very interesting and worthwhile one.
Trackkist
1. Go Out And Get It - 3:09
2. Can't Get The One I Want - 2:55
4. Sweet Honesty - 8:03
5. Woodstock - 1:44
6. John The Baptist - 3:13
7. The Ocean - 3:41
8. Traffic-Light Lady - 3:19
9. Tomorrow Time - 3:50
10.Would You Believe Me? - 5:22
11.One Of Those Days - 5:43
12.I Don΄T Know - 3:53
13.John The Baptist - 2:56
14.Traffic-Light Lady - 3:01
.
Bonus Tracks
11-14 Chelsea demos 16 April1969
John Martyn - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar
Beverley Martyn - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Harvey Brooks - Bass
Paul Harris - Piano, Organ, Arrangements
John Simon - Harpsichord
Levon Helm - Drums
