Various artists
Johnny Boy Would Love This (Hole In The Rain / Absolute)

A tribute album to the late, sometimes-great John Martyn (betcha couldn't see that coming).

Even if the title is somewhat presumptuous, that doesn't mean sincerity isn't everywhere – Phil Collins, obviously, but also Beck, Vashti Bunyan, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Smith, Beth Orton, Snow Patrol... 30 of 'em on two discs, including some you haven't heard of but who clearly have Martyn in their hearts. None of it is clumsy but, equally, none of it truly escapes the originator's gravitational field.

Nick Coleman

sitenotes:
I made an estimate for the street date of this flimsy review.