Bless the Weather

Bless the Weather
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1971
Recorded17–21 May 1971
StudioSound Techniques, Chelsea, London
GenreBritish folk rock, folk jazz
Length37:32 (original release)
75:19 (2005 reissue)
LabelIsland
ProducerJohn Martyn, John Wood
John Martyn chronology
The Road to Ruin
(1970)
Bless the Weather
(1971)
Solid Air
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
The Guardian
Record Collector

Bless the Weather is a 1971 album by John Martyn and marks his return to being a solo artist, having released two albums with his wife Beverley Martyn. The writing reflects their move from London to Hastings Old Town. When it was released it garnered his best reviews to date and remains a firm favourite among fans, featuring such standards as "Head and Heart" along with the title track. The album is predominantly acoustic, although it does feature Martyn's first real 'echoplex track' in "Glistening Glyndebourne".

Q in 1999 chose Bless the Weather among the dozen essential folk albums of all time. According to Q the album was recorded in just three days (but one of the two bass players, Tony Reeves, has Monday 17 May, 6pm Sound Techniques and Friday 21 May 1pm to 6pm in his 1971 diary). In November 2007 Bless the Weather was included in a list by The Guardian of '1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die'. It was voted number 684 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums third edition (2000).