STYLE: Roots/Acoustic RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 20753- LABEL: Epic 4730164 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 2
Reviewed by Tony Cummings
Marketed simultaneously into mainstream record shops and Christian bookshops they've decided to package Martyn's first studio album for Epic 'Being There' as a bonus when you buy the recorded-live-in-concert 'Undrugged'. I question the wisdom of this particular strategy. For a start nine of the songs Martyn sings live are also on 'Being There'. Secondly, I don't think 'Undrugged' has the passionate intensity of his previous live album 'An Aching And A Longing' (he does a version of the title song of that on 'Undrugged' too). I would certainly recommend this package if you've yet to purchase 'Being There', it's a mature, mellow, acoustic orientated album from a thoughtful songwriting craftsman. But if you've already bought it you could miss this unless you're a devoted Joseph fan/album completist.
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Posted by Jerry Thompson in Essex UK @ 20:18 on Sep 4 2010
The live album An Aching And A Longing from 1989 was the
first Martyn Joseph recording I bought and it's a powerfully
charged top quality acoustic set.
From this 1993 double CD I found Being There, although of a
high musical standard, to be a bit of a downer.
Now Undrugged, that's another matter entirely.
Yes many of the Being There songs are duplicated, but I find
they are given more life and commitment than on the studio
collection.
Martyn has a good stab at Larry Norman's The Great American
Novel, there's a lovely warm I Will Be Waiting, a moving
Swansea and best of all a storming rendition of Billy Joel's
Piano Man.
Martyn Joseph fans are likely to enjoy this live show,
although I am not so keen on Please Sir and Working Mother.
The live album An Aching And A Longing from 1989 was the first Martyn Joseph recording I bought and it's a powerfully charged top quality acoustic set.
From this 1993 double CD I found Being There, although of a high musical standard, to be a bit of a downer.
Now Undrugged, that's another matter entirely.
Yes many of the Being There songs are duplicated, but I find they are given more life and commitment than on the studio collection.
Martyn has a good stab at Larry Norman's The Great American Novel, there's a lovely warm I Will Be Waiting, a moving Swansea and best of all a storming rendition of Billy Joel's Piano Man.
Martyn Joseph fans are likely to enjoy this live show, although I am not so keen on Please Sir and Working Mother.