Track Listing

1. Over The Hill
2. Don't Want To Know
3. I'd Rather Be The Devil
4. Go Down Easy
5. Dreams By The Sea
6. May You Never
7. Man In The Station
8. Easy Blues
9. Solid Air

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47645 in Music
• Released on: 1993-12-31
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

CD Description
He began as a folksy minstrel but seemed drawn to experimental, free form improvisation. Solid Air is where John Martyn's love affair with effects and echoplex became serious. Thetitle track, dedicated to his close friend Nick Drake, became a eulogy, while the breezy "Over The Hill"--one of the greatest songs ever written about a train journey--is a feathery delight. "May You Never" and "Don't Want To Know" continued the simple, stoned ballad approach, although it is his interpretation of Skip James' "I'd Rather Be The Devil", totally reshaped with hypnotic shifts, tidal echoes, and a slurred growl, which broods over the whole album. A record that remains Martyn's youthful zenith.

Customer Reviews

One of the most mellow albums ever
This is truely a wonderful collection of Martyn's work. It contains the beautiful title track and the wonderous 'Over the hill' and absolutely funky babe 'Dreams by the Sea'. May you never was even covered by Eric Clapton. Martyn's playing on the bluey 'Easy Blues' has to be heard to be believed. If you like Nick Drake's music then you'll love this as much of the work either uses tunings e.g. drop D that Drake used or is infact about Drake i.e. Solid Air. The other album worth purchasing is Bless the Weather as it contains almost total acoustic guitar unlike here where effects on the electric were creeping in. Enjoy.

Whatever your tastes, it's difficult to find fault with this
Partly a tribute to the late (& great) Nick Drake, partly a demonstration of astonishing musicianship, and partly a purely atmospheric journey, this is, quite simply, a "must have." So many sounds; so many styles; so many voices. Martyn seems as at home chilling out with jazz as he does when he's bouncing with folk. He's probably one of the few people who could ever carry off "May You Never," and just listen to "The Easy Blues" - GODDAMMIT!!!! - the man can PLAY. And sing at that......

Am I slow-witted or what?
I've been listening to Solid Air for the last fifteen years or so, and have only just caught up with the Nick Drake connection... Solid Air is a five star album, a must have for anyone's collection. 'Solid Air' and 'May You Never' and 'Dont Want To Know' ... near incomparable virtuoso productions; strong bass, fine lead, superb voice, lyric, melody ... a league of his own.