If The Jasmine Don’t Get You... The Bay Breeze Will (studio album) by Vince Martin

From Mercury 10/19/2017 19:57

Vince Martin is mostly known as the far less famous (and less talented songwriter and singer and just less talented in general if we're being honest) sidekick to Fred Neil. And his somewhat obscure album he did with Neil Tear Down The Walls is excellent and its clear they had a good musical relationship.

But in 1969 he went into the studio to make his first solo album. He went in with a pretty badass band, the same band which had just left the studio a few days earlier after having recorded Nashville Skyline with Dylan. These were some seasoned Country and folk musicians. And the band even included the stars of Dylan's 1967 album John Wesley Harding, Kenneth Buttrey on Drums and Charles MCoy on guitar (bass on JWH). So what could go wrong? Usually the last question I just posed serves as a preamble of sorts to a review where a person goes into detail about how wrong it did indeed all go. HOWEVER, thankfully the results here on this gorgeous Folk Rock album are as one would hope.

General thoughts on the album: It's a 6 song set over 40 minutes. Its a loose collection of gorgeous folk rock jams, with no songs under 6 minutes and one (the closer) at almost 14 minutes. It seems Vince Martin had an idea of the general vibe and sound of the album before going in to the studio, and that's it. The songs to some may feel just too rambly and imprecise, but to those who enjoy the atmosphere of just listening to some musicians find the sound and build on it, will love this. Fans of the Grateful Dead may really appreciate the title track, which is the epic closing track here.

Starting off with the stunning "Snow Shadows", the album gets going with a delicate, beautifully built jam, where everything just works. The acoustic picking and Martin's vocals work and fit and soar. The lyrics are the perfect mix of sorrow, regret and strength, all about leaving home and all the attendant struggles to find your way back home. And Vince Martin's voice is stunning, it is just unassuming and yet really sweet. I honestly fall in love with the album again and again after hearing this opening song. Its brilliant. And when the drums come in...yeah, I get hyped.

Now the album never achieves again that same level of artistry and power, if it did it would be like number 3 or 4 on this list. But does it get bad? NO! Its still consistently great.. The next track is a loose, beautiful blues/country creation, called "I Can't Escape You", with Martin's voice and the pedal steel steeling the show (see what I did there? sorry), this is a standout track.

The winning streak continues with the breezy and melancholy "Summerwind", followed by the similarly sadly sweet "Danville Girl". The band plays these songs interestingly, its like they are really finding their groove as they go. May come across as not polished and pro to some, but to me I just enjoy hearing the drummer find his place and then listening as each member comes in with their contribution. Its Folk Rock improvisation!

The next track, the jazzy and loose "Yonder Comes The Son" sounds like a Tim Buckley or Fred Neil song of the same era. And it crescendos beautifully, and Vince Martin sings his heart out.

Now the last track is interesting, cuz I go back and forth on it. It is in many ways the most exemplary song here, its the loosest and at the beginning you hear the band and Vince just trying to establish the tempo, laughing, playing off each other. The lyrics are simple and silly a bit. But the band just builds and builds on this jam. And if you have patience for such things, this whole 7 minute build up is fascinating. Sometimes I'm in the mood and sometimes I'm not. BUT, I am always in the mood for the last half of this song. At about halfway through, McCoy or whoever plays bass on this things comes in with this absolutely brilliant bass line/groove, and the bassist just tears it up from there. And Martin and the other guitarist just play off this, and it turns almost into some strange raga rock sounding thing, and the whole thing pops!

Anyway, that's my thoughts on this album. It's really good. If I was able to rerank them now it may not be #10, but closer to 13. But still, this is a cool as hell album with a GREAT intro. And methinks you'll like it.

Rating: 8.8/10