Martyn's first album of new material in four years might be short (around 45 minutes), and one of the tracks has appeared before ("Baby Come Home," which was on a tribute to Scots singer Frankie Miller), but it's eminently satisfying, especially when you take into account that most of the vocals and guitar work were laid down after Martyn had his right leg amputated in spring 2003. He revisits his own past with "Go Down Easy," which was originally on Solid Air, although in this guise it's barely recognizable, transformed from an acoustic frippery into a meandering, atmospheric electric piece (this version was originally recorded in 1992 for a ballet). To the joy of longtime fans, there's plenty of Martyn's acoustic fretboard work on On the Cobbles, although it's not as prominent as it was in the '70s. But the free-and-easy love song "One for the Road" is a joy, as is the wistful "Back to Marseilles." A couple of guests do show up: Paul Weller on "Under My Wing," (arguably the best song Weller never wrote) where the former Jam man sounds nervous in the presence of the Big Man, and Mavis Staples roars on a cover of Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene," although Martyn really doesn't need her help, putting forth a large, extremely soulful sound himself. His voice is the central thing here, and it continues to become a glorious instrument, slipping and slurring like a tenor horn, and fashioning beautiful lines. That's nowhere more apparent than on the album's two key tracks, "Ghosts" and "My Creator." The former is a meditation of mortality, full of trademark Martyn phrases and ideas, but executed with glowing restraint. "My Creator" is a kind of creed, truly words to live by, and the spiritual heir of "Solid Air." The jazziest cut on the album (former foil Danny Thompson plays double bass on it), it's dominated by horns to create an atmosphere of midnight blue, with Martyn wafting over the top in an irresistible manner. While On the Cobbles might be worth the price for that cut alone, the whole disc is a testament to a man who will never go gently into the good night.

(by Chris Nickson, All Music Guide)

But as fans of the man know, he's not the kind to give in easily. It would be trite to say that such adversity has helped his creativity (after all, a difficult and painful divorce inspired the sublime Grace and Danger), but On the Cobbles is the strongest, most consistent set he's come up with in years. While Martyn's not one for trading on past glories, he seems to have tapped into the same inspirations that informed the freewheeling atmospherics of the early 70s. As ever, the songs are organic, loose, reliant on texture and the casual warmth of the vocal delivery, though more stripped down, intimate than of late. He revisits Solid Air's "Go down Easy" though you'd be hard pushed to recognise it, while the sweet "One for the Road" is a tale of newfound love that wouldn't be out of place on Sunday's Child. "My Creator" sees our John dealing with spirituality in a way that Pharoah or Gary Bartz would be proud of. You can't help but love him for stuff like this.

As well as a cast of veteran Martyn collaborators including bassists Danny Thompson and John Giblin, there are guest appearances from Paul Weller and Mavis Staples. To my mind, Martyn's a strong enough presence to carry things off without that kind of help (Staples' contribution to Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene" is superfluous at best) but their presence is testament to the high regard in which he's held. To quote Paul Wheeler; so nice to see our John again. Bless him.

Reviewer: Peter Marsh (BBC)