Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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. There may be a few tracks that seem to get lost in their own atmosphere, but at its best Glasgow Walker's hypnotic textures ebb and flow around the deliberate rhythms and Martyn's evocative, understated vocal, resulting in a record that's capable of getting under your skin, if you give it the chance.
© Brett Hartenbach /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave Heath, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Stefon Taylor, Bass, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Arran Ahmun, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Hastings, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Heath, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Arran Ahmun, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Iain David McGeachy, ComposerLyricist - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Hastings, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Phil Cunningham, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - John Martinez, ComposerLyricist - John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kathryn Williams, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Thomson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Rowan Cozens, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Lampi, Strings, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Lampi, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Stanley Guffog, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Hastings, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Stanley Guffog, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Arthur Hamilton, ComposerLyricist - Alan Thomson, Bass Guitar, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Stefon Taylor, Bass, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Arran Ahmun, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kathryn Williams, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Martyn, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Arran Ahmun, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Thomson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Spencer Cozens, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Hastings, Bottles, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Gene DePaul, Composer - John Martyn, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Don Raye, ComposerLyricist - Guy Barker International Quintet, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Album review
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. There may be a few tracks that seem to get lost in their own atmosphere, but at its best Glasgow Walker's hypnotic textures ebb and flow around the deliberate rhythms and Martyn's evocative, understated vocal, resulting in a record that's capable of getting under your skin, if you give it the chance.
© Brett Hartenbach /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:52:48
- Main artists: John Martyn
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Craft Recordings
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Folk
© 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc. ℗ 2000 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.