Stormbringer
I had somehow managed never to listen to this album in all of its 50 years of existence, though I am familiar with John Martyn’s work from later in his career. Given the largely positive reviews on line I expected something more than I found.
Stormbringer is a distinctly mixed bag, and my favourite song on it, Sweet Honesty, is by Beverley, not John.
Its an album by two talented people who are still searching for their sound. You can hear on it where John Martyn was heading, and the promise of what Beverley might have been.
Melody Maker Review
And you can hear the influences. The title track is reminiscent of their friend Nick Drake; It’s One of Those Days channels Mama Cass Elliot. Sweet Honesty is very like Judy Driscoll’s Season of the Witch musically, though not lyrically, and Martyn’s guitar sounds a lot like Bert Jansch on that track.
Lyrically, one is tempted to think Sweet Honesty relates to Beverley’s relationship with John, but it was an older song and I suspect it was written about Paul Simon with whom she had a brief relationship. I may be way wide of the mark, of course. Although I think it is the best somg on the album, during its gently chugging outro I wished it was Jerry Garcia playing rather than John.
Melody Maker Feature
Where am I going with this? Stormbringer is a decent album, but I don’t think it’s the classic it is often held up as, and some of the songs, though universally well played, are melodically dull.
There’s nothing wrong with it, but it didn’t grab me by the lapels and shake me around like I hoped it would.
Your mileage may vary
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