Website [Release date 07.11.25]

Well I’m ashamed to say, Martyn Joseph has released a staggering 28 studio albums, 15 live albums, and 4 EP’s. He’s been in the music business since 1983, and I am only just listening to him with this release on November 7th of what will be his 29th studio album Troubled Horses. Better late than never I guess.

And the thing is, from his opening chords of Let Me Hear Your Voice, I knew I was going to love the album. Its just his voice, his acoustic guitar and a harmonica. Not many people can get away with that kind of starkness these days, people want loopers and beats and distractions from the basic song, and I’m so glad he has resisted all this chicanery.

I kind of feel at a loss at what to say at this point. I was going to say when I first listened, it reminded me of early Dylan, particularly his first album, and it really reminds me of Springsteen’s Nebraska, but having learnt a thing or two about him, and how long he has been around, his followers will say, yeah?, tell us something we didn’t know.

He is an activist and has always written politically tinged songs, and I would say this album is no exception. Troubled Horses I would say is a pro immigrant song, with some good analogies, and references to us all being immigrants or of immigrant stock, which is just about right. But it doesn’t hit you full on as a political song, it’s very discreet, but powerful.

I love it when an artist name checks other artists, To me it gives a measure of the person, who they have listened to, what kind of movies they like, what kind of books they read. In Last Night I Heard America he namechecks a whole load of great artists and songs, including Galveston and Wichita Linesman, Route 66, Shenandoah, Is This The Way To San Jose, with artists Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Springsteen, and Gram Parsons and it was all these which pricked my ears up and I played it again, and again, and I realized it was, I think, a disguised lament about Trump’s America. Really well done.

Having been around since the early 80’s he is obviously no spring chicken, which he faces full on in Getting Older, a song which unfortunately I can fully relate to.

He does some great love songs too, as in Mary’s Tears, which has one of the best endings ever – in a whisper he says “Mary I said don’t go it’ll only end in tears”, a poignant end to an emotional song.

In A World That Breaks Your Heart, he is man struggling to keep upbeat against the pressures of modern life, when you have a child which you need to keep happy for.

The last track finishes on a love note, with another namecheck in Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, two fine actors and two of the original Ratpack with Sinatra and Dean Martin, but more to the point and this is what the line means, they were head over heels in love with each in the fickle world of Hollywood, and stayed together through thick and thin. A stunning line in a wonderful finishing song.

He says he wanted to create a songs that are sitting right next to you, on the edge of too close for comfort – I think he achieved this and more. Mojo magazine called him a Welsh national treasure, after just this one album, I concur.

So to all his fans – you wont be disappointed, get this album with confidence that you’ll love it. To all the people who aren’t on board yet, if you like acoustic Dylan, acoustic Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt or Guy Clark, I would highly recommend this album, it’s been a revelation to me. ****

Review by Andy Sharrocks

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 16 November 2025.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This 600th show was first broadcast on 18 November 2025

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 1 December 2025

We feature all the artists selected in this sequence in 2025.

Featured Albums w/c 1 December 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

Our occasional Newsletter signposts latest additions to the website(s). We also include a selection of recent top albums, based on GRTR! reviewer ratings. The newsletter is sent out a few times a year.

If you’d like to register to receive this occasional mailing please complete the form:

If using a smartphone/tablet please tap here or re-orientate your device

(Note that this registration is separate from site registration which allows you to leave comments and receive daily emails about new content. If you wish to register for this – in addition or separately – please click or tap here – for more information – the form is at the foot of each page. Please read our privacy policy when opting-in to receive emails.