Sweet Little Mysteries: The Island Anthology [2-CD Set]
His whisky-grained vocals and alternately sweet, stinging acoustic guitar have made Scottish troubador John Martyn a seductive but sadly overlooked original among British folk performers since his emergence in the late '60s.  That oversight is answered by this intelligent two-CD anthology of Martyn's rich catalog of albums for Island Records, which document his triple threat as a distinctive guitarist, soulful singer, and compelling writer and interpreter. Martyn's moody legacy includes winsome ("May You Never," covered by Eric Clapton) and harrowing ("Solid Air," his plea to friend Nick Drake) examples of abundant craft, notable for his rich vocals and spare, elegant arrangements featuring Richard Thompson, Danny Thompson, Phil Collins, and other better-known English musicians who savored Martyn's musical gifts.--Sam Sutherland