After releasing the much-delayed The Apprentice,
Martyn was once again on a roll, and, while not quite as strong as The Apprentice,
Cooltide was a solid outing. His jazziest release yet, it's marred slightly by a gravelly hoarseness in his voice, which makes him sound like he's just recovered from laryngitis. "Jack the Lad" was the single released, and, along with "Annie Says" and the aching "Call Me," they show him entering the 1990s in fine form. The title song had a long gestation, originally recorded for 1979's
Grace and Danger under the title "Running up the Harbour." While a bit long, it's a great hypnotic, groove-oriented track that's smooth and cool, with
Martyn venturing a little further afield than he had in quite a while. ~ Rob Caldwell