Couldn't Love You Know More
Permanent Records PERMCD9 (1992)

Album available as:-
(Blueprint BP278CD)

Other Releases:
(Rhino RHI 79057 CD (US), Indelible Records INDELCD13 (US), Universe CDSP 99893 ('licensed from Permanent Records')

Sporting one of the truly terrible album covers in rock history, Couldn't Love You More unfortunately doesn't redeem itself much with its musical content. Primarily the unfinished tracks which were eventually released as the (slightly) better album No Little Boy, it was released without Martyn's approval by the record company he was signed to at the time. The selections are all re-recorded versions of his own songs which rarely match the originals. Yet, they're strong songs, so the album isn't a total loss. In fact, "Solid Air" comes close to the moody atmospherics of the original, and "Over The Hill" breaks some new ground, with an added violin part. Though Martyn is quoted as saying of the album "I hate it. It sucks. It's horrible," its really not that bad of an album for what it is, and in fact is not much different than the Martyn-sanctioned No Little Boy (aside from some variance in track selection). To compare the two side by side, you can seek out the One World version, which combines the two albums in a double-CD set.

- Rob Caldwell (AMG)

Released in 1992 Couldn't Love You More consisted of re-recorded versions of classic tracks with guest appearances including Phil Collins, David Gilmour and Gerry Conway. Permanent asked for John's permission to release this album whilst John and Jim Tullio were working on the No Little Boy album. Couldn't Love You More is in fact the session tapes for No Little Boy. John refused permission, but Permanent released the album anyway! John and Jim Tullio were furious. The mixes were clean, sweet and sometimes dull and boring. There is no sign of the spontaniety that John still craves today. Saxaphone is overpowering in places and the backing vocals make the album super smooth - not the John Martyn sound that fans know and love. The songs are 'John Martyn', but the 'sound' is not. The album that John wanted to release was No Little Boy which was released in 1993.
"This album could, quite safely, be considered The Best of John Martyn", read Permanent Records press release. John disagreed, as did most of his established fan base.
A small number of the LP version has an incorrect track listing. The record has ten tracks but the cover gives the same track listing as the cd ! This was the last album vinyl release on the Permanent label.
Sweet Little Mystery was released as a 7 inch single and a cd single. Lonely Love was also released as a cd single.

- John Hillarby (The John Martyn Website)

Track Listing:

1. Lonely Love (Martyn) - 4:01
2. Couldn't Love You More (Martyn) - 3:50
3. Sweet Little Mystery (Martyn) - 4:25
4. Head and Heart (Martyn) - 4:06
5. Could've Been Me (Martyn) - 3:55
6. One Day Without You (Martyn) - 4:33
7. Over the Hill (Martyn) - 3:05
8. Fine Lines (Martyn) - 3:58
9. May You Never (Martyn) - 3:34
10. One World (Martyn) - 6:26
11. Ways to Cry (Martyn) - 4:43
12. Angeline (Martyn) - 5:18
13. Man in the Station (Martyn) - 3:53
14. Solid Air (Martyn) - 6:30
15. Never Let Me Go (Scott) - 3:23


* 10 tracks only on vinyl release Permanent PERM LP9

John Martyn - Guitar, Vocals