Martin Stephenson re-records Gladsome, Humour And Blue

Martin Stephenson
Painting by Steve Carroll from photograph by Juan Fitzgerald

There is rarely a dull moment in conversation with Martin Stephenson, but that’s exactly what you’d hope for from someone who’s never stood still during thirty-five years in love with music. For him, it’s not a career, it’s a lifetime calling, and his restless troubadour spirit has now amassed an extraordinary catalogue of over forty albums.

The latest to join the collection is an album very close to Stephenson’s heart, and that is the re-recording of his critically acclaimed second album Gladsome, Humour & Blue, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and is as pertinent and poignant as ever.

When in 1986 Martin released his debut album Boat To Bolivia he was recognized as one of the most perceptive songwriters of the day, with a thoughtful, layered sound in an age of excess. The NME said Stephenson “builds bridges between love and hate, cradle and grave, folk and pop, past and present”, which very much applies to his latest re-recording.

Stephenson realised it was a powerful album at the time, with a wide and far-reaching vision. Part of his genius is in producing songs that are timeless, with a message as powerful now as it was then. He inhabits this updated album’s message with the same degree of conviction and passion as ever, breathing beautiful new life into an established classic.

The original captured a special moment in time; the mellow maturity of this album shows it has stood the test and surpassed it. Recorded in Beetroot studios Airdrie, near Glasgow, with go-to engineer Stuart Macleod who guests on guitar and backing vocals on the album.

Martin did a limited initial run which was covered by purchases from loyal Martin Stephenson/Daintees fans, or ‘friends’ as he prefers to call them. These are a hard core of faithful followers whose support helps to fund and cycle his music and creativity. It is more organic than forms of ‘crowdfunding’ and works symbiotically in that it is mutually supportive and built on trust. Working with limited budgets can certainly force creativity and some of the best art is created that way!

The songs on this album are all gems in their own way, and Martin uses his music to bring to the forefront a number of social and political issues of the time such as ‘Wholly Humble Heart’, which took the world by storm in 1988. It sang of a gay man’s battle for love – to the backdrop of the hateful Clause 28 against homosexuality – and showed Stephenson’s singular defiance in the face of injustice. Never afraid to tackle controversial subjects, he remains a poetic champion of the underdog and oppressed.

‘Old Church’ was a strange song for a 24 year-old to take to a rock and roll band! It has a unique viewpoint in that it sings of the building itself, not religious attachments. For Stephenson, a deeply sensitive and empathetic soul, simplicity is the key to spirituality and to him love without control is the answer.

’Goodbye John’ is a unique stream of consciousness  which originally covered ten foolscap pages and ‘Get Get Gone’ is part of that same outpour. The chorus was subconsciously written to both John Martyn and John Steel. Stephenson finished touring with Martyn in 86 and John Steel left The Daintees the same year, so it was very symbolic…

Paul Samwell Smith had produced Cat Stevens 15 years earlier and the name Mathew became a special link between these two gifted musicians with the synchronicity of names in Steven’s ‘Mathew And Son’ and Stephenson’s ‘Me And Matthew’. Ironically, Samwell Smith is working with Cat Stevens again, just as the 30th anniversary celebrations take place.

As  Sounds magazine said of the original album, “ One of the finest and grossly underrated singer songwriters this country has given birth to has stood in the shadows too long “. It is time to change all that and Gladsome, Humour & Blue cements Stephenson in the annals as a truly great songwriter…

Gladsome Humour and Blue 30 will be out November 23rd on Barbaraville Records

Artist’s website: http://www.daintees.co.uk/

‘There Comes A Time’ – live:


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