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Spin,
February 17, 1999
Tom Semioli
Whomever complains rock
is dead should be force-fed the new sophomore release from Martin's Folly.
Nostalgia may be all the rage these days, but here's a Brooklyn-based
quartet that wears a retro heart on its sleeve without giving in to unabashed
imitation. Whereas Chris Robinson & Co. may have found permanent exile
on main street, songwriters Jim Duffy (vocals, piano, keyboards) and Chris
Gray (vocals, guitar, harmonica) seek refuge somewhere between Highway
61 and Mad Shadows. As the genre zeros in on a sixth decade, it's only
natural for young contemporary musicians to look back to their elders
for inspiration and direction (see Gomez, the Montrose Avenue, Reef, New
Radicals). Surf VH-1 or rummage through your parents' record rack and
it's hard not to recognize that the best albums always drew together a
collection of songs that created a mood and often reflected the times
in which the artists lived. Such a lesson is not lost on this disc. From
the impassioned opening lines of "Two Times A Day" through the Crazy Horse
meets pre-glam Mott the Hoople rumblings of "New Friend," "She Comes Around,"
"I'm Hardly Pleased," and "High Out on the Asphalt," the foursome play
their cards straight up, and most of the time it works.
Producer Eric Ambel allows
the ensemble plenty of breathing room and wisely opts to push the rhythm
section of Pat Fitzgerald (drums) and bassists Paul Page and Tony Maimone
way up in the mix. Though some of the tunes fall short of the target,
notably "Giant On the Beach," which cobbles a few riffs and lines from
something you'd swear you've heard before, it's hard to find fault with
an outfit that stands cocksure and sidesteps parody. Man It's Cold proves
that in order to move forward, you just might have to take a few steps
back once in awhile.
Billboard,
February 13, 1999
Dylan Seigler
Genuflecting
toward rock's antecedents, Brooklyn, NY quartet Martin's Folly polishes
its bar-rock sound to a subtle sheen on this second effort. Live-style
production, creative instrumentation (gasping harmonica, bubbly organ
- even horns), and dynamic guitar solos link the rootsy hook of "Throwing
Stone" to the Bacharach-smooth crooning of "Here Lies A Fool"
to the balladry of the title track. While Petty and the Stones clearly
seep from this acts pores, and at times the songwriting falls back on
formula, not one of these 11 tracks sounds like the song before, making
"Man, It's Cold" a solid listen.
CMJ, February 13, 1999
David Avery
Straddling
a line somewhere between Barenaked Ladies and Uncle Tupelo, Martin's Folly
can rock with abandon. However, even on geared-down ballads like "Track
5 Blues" and "Giant on the Beach," Chris Gray's dusty vocals
are enhanced by Jim Duffy's quirky keyboards. Producer Eric "Roscoe"
Ambel ensures Tar Hut's best sounding release to date.
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