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No Little Boy
John Martyn
(Mesa)

John Martyn has had passionate fans for years, but I haven't been one. Contributions to No Little Boy by the Band's Levon Helm, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and by Phil Collins don't help much to change my mind... but Martyn's gruff, growling, bruised readings subvert my critical facility in the same way Eric Clapton's wounded, tortured vocals work against the grain to his favor. By the time the marble-mouthed Martyn and a band of British soul smoothies swing into a languorous Sweet Little Mystery, I'm singing along with Phil Collins on the chorus... Yech! Phil Collins. Degrading but wonderful, nonetheless. Recommended.

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sitenotes:
This puzzling Canadian review was published in the Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia) of Thursday 24 February 1994.