Under Lemonade Skies a sweet offering

Original tunes feature subtle spiritual content

By D.S. Martin and ChristianWeek | December 1, 2010

Martyn Joseph—Under Lemonade Skies
Cardiff, Wales: Pipe Records, 2010

Martyn Joseph is a talented Welshman, with many connections to Canada. I first heard that this new album, Under Lemonade Skies, was on it's way last May when I saw him perform in Orangeville—as one of 11 shows that month across Ontario. He was touring, not only to support his music, but also in support of World Vision Canada, which he has been connected with since 2005.

Martyn's early recordings consisted of unaugmented, bare-bones guitar and voice performances. His last few CDs are fuller in their production, including this, his 19th studio album, although his singing and acoustic guitar still dominate the mix.

The spiritual content in his music tends to be subtle although he regularly performs at Britain's long-running Christian music festival, Greenbelt, and has recorded a few Larry Norman songs. On one Under Lemonade Skies song, "There's Always Maybe," we are told "when there's no answers that's what faith becomes;" that is, faith becomes eternal possibility. Sounding very much like Mark Knopfler on his recent recordings, Martyn sings on "On My Way," "I catch a glimpse of divine" and in a new love song he sings of a godly wife, in Proverbs 31 style.

"You're the moment I am missing/ You're my craving for caress/ the pristine revelation/ that there still is righteousness/ You're wisdom and purity/ smooth, un-trodden sand/ the footprints I must follow/ in this broken promised land."

All the songs on Under Lemonade Skies are original tunes, with the exception of his stripped-down cover of "One Step Up" from Bruce Springsteen, a performer whose influence can be felt through much of Martyn's work. Three of the songs were co-written with his long-time collaborator Stewart Henderson who joined him last May for his Ontario shows.

Songs such as "No Peace" and "Brothers in Exile" are more representative of his solo performance sound, and shine more brightly with his fine guitar work. "Lonely Like America" reflects the fascination with the American dream that is so common among British performers.

Martyn's CD Deep Blue was released in Canada in 2006 by True North Records, the label that brings us Bruce Cockburn and Colin Linden. Ever since, Martyn has been using the services of Toronto graphic designer Michael Wrycraft for his CD packaging.

In 2008 the CD Evolved was released, which took 15 songs from across the span of Martyn's career, and represented them in new renditions reflecting how they've evolved through his years of live shows. One of my favourites is "Strange Way" about Christ on His cross. "Strange dissident of meekness/ and nurse of tangled souls/ and so unlike the holy/ to end up full of holes."

The first song from that album, "Kiss the World Beautiful," is echoed lyrically—as Van Morrison often does with his own songs—on the new album in the song "So Many Lies" from which we also get the new CD's title, and which also ironically echoes Godspell:

"So many lies, such a small world/ So many lies, day by day by day by day..."

Martyn also has many live recordings available, including a recent release, with recordings ranging from 1992 to 2008 and from Paris to Berkeley, with one track recorded at a favourite Toronto venue, Hugh's Room, where I saw him a couple years ago. One of his early live records was recorded entirely in Toronto.

Under Lemonade Skies is really Martyn's first CD of new material in three years, and as such has been much anticipated by his extensive fan base. If you're unfamiliar with his music, this new release is a great place to start.