PIECE BY PIECE

...and so the 80's grooved along. Keyboards and stuff. Hang on, I don't mean to be patronising. Yes, i do think Martyn was at his best between 1970-1980 but that does not mean I'm not hopelessly in love with all of his output. The love differs in passion, though. That's all.

When I bought this album I was heavily into Martyn's earlier works, alongside other folky stuff. You know, Pentangle and all that earthy bulk of musical history. I had no intention of loving this album when I put it on. I had foolishly decided against it before even given it a chance. How silly!

Piece by piece is actually a very good album. There is not much to complain about. As with it's predecessor it holds some good moments and a few great ones. The title track, "Serendipity" and the live classic "John Wayne" are outstaning pieces of music. While the first two are very much of it's time, "John Wayne" is a very powerful, almost hard rock track, though dressed in a slick and for the 1980's very appropriate overcoat. I have always found Martyn's excursions into rock music to be so and so but here it works very well indeed. If potent in it's studio version, it is omnipotent live. Check it out, why don't you?

When all is said and done Piece by piece remains one of Martyn's more forgotten output, alongside most of his post 70's albums. That is a shame. I think that music should be judged by it's own merits rather than by comparison. So, this album may not be as fully enjoyable as, say. Solid air but it is a good album. Not the best way to start if you are interested in the man's music but when you have gone through his more classic works, stop by this saloon and have a whiff of this. It is quite enjoyable.