Reviews of the CD:
SHOTS FROM A COLD NIGHTMARE

1978: THE BOSTON GLOBE

Moon Martin and producer Craig Leon have collaborated for this low-key, but highly effective debut. Stripped-to-the-bones music and alternately chilling and whimsical lyrics stand in stark contrast to the gaudy production and vapid lyrics that have dominated the singer-songwriter scene lately. Backed by a band that includes Phil Seymour (formerly with Dwight Twilley) on drums, Gary Valentine (formerly of Blondie) on bass and Leon on occasional keyboards, Martin plays guitar in a spare, rhythmically compelling style that makes every note count, and sings in a highpitched, bluesy moan that fits his lyrics perfectly. The lyrics have a haunting, almost hallucinatory quality to them (the "Nightmare" title is quite fitting) that recalls Neil Young with some Southwestern funk thrown in. Willie Alexander contributes some rollicking, honky-tonk piano to "Cadillac Walk," previously recorded by Mink DeVille, and the album also features "Victim Of Romance," which appeared on the Leon-produced Lisa Burns album earlier this year. Other standouts include a cover of the Beatles' "All I've Got To Do," "Bad Case Of Loving You," "Hot Nite In Dallas" and "Paid Killer." Highly recommended.

1978: KEN TUCKER

Moon Martin's best-known song is probably Cadillac Walk, the title cut of a Mink DeVille album. But the many non-Martin versions of Martin's material do not even come close to what takes place on "Shots From A Cold Nightmare", his solo debut. Willy DeVille just incorporated Cadillac Walk into his post-soul bag, played down the Chuck Berry-ish mood and optimism, and lost a lot in the process. Michelle Phillips at least made "Victim Of Romance", the title of her latest album. her own by introducing a surprise twist: You figured she had to be the victim, but in her brassy defiance she became the victor. Finally, the three Martin songs on Lisa Burn's debut album are buried (along with Lisa) in producer Craig Leon's overwhelminlgy overdone Wall of Sound.

About the only things that emerged from those renditions were the hooks. Martin writes clean, simple tunes, puts the catchy riff in the chorus most of the time, and peels down his lyric to a single memorable phrase. That's why Phillips yelling the word "victim" over and over is - far from oppressive - brilliantly thrilling. On "Shots From A Cold Nightmare" Martin has recorded ten hooked wonders, and all but one are nasty-minded, witty pleasures. "You Don't Care About Me" is the only melancholy moment, and even it is rousing in it's sadness.

The album commences with "Hot Nite In Dallas", leading one to think that Martin is up to Warren Zevon's tricks of curt, hard-boiled imagery and tough guitar lines. Martin does have Zevon's way with the non sequitur image, as he blithely notes in the middle of his melodrama that his father "dressed in drag." But with Zevon, that sort of thing is meant to disturb. (Sometimes it does, more often it doesn't.) With Martin, it is probably just a convenient way to rhyme the end of the verse. This is a large part of his charm, and if you don't appreciate sloth in the service of irony, my man may put you off. I think he makes studied laziness pay off in sheer brazeness and invention: When he distills a short story into the chorus of "Paid Killer" ("A paid killer/only twenty-five killin' me alive") and sings it over a run-for-your-life guitar riff, he gets its message across.

Throughout, Martin sings like the genius-wimp he resembles on the cover, snottiness and sensitivity personified, with Warholian hornrims. His high, nasal moan is frequently double-tracked to enhance his - but not our - discomfort, and to add a bit of distance to his tales of nocturnal mischief. You can't imagine that this pampered white boy could last an hour out on the street, but damned if it isn't exhilarating to hear him try to convince us and himself that he could.

Martin enjoys his persona, certainly, but he's no solipist; if anything, he allows his women friends to define his moods. On "She's A Pretender" when he breathes, "You done me wrong/Out of a boot she pulled a knife/Get back gonna take your life", it's not at all clear who is talking, whose life is threatened. Martin's confusion is willful and funny, transcending the hokeyness of the situation.

The sound throughout "Shots" is tough pop/rock, the kind Walter Egan and Dwight Twilley purvey but more attention to punchy verses, sharp hooks, and a pervasive sense of humor. With this last, Martin puts himself in that Buddy Holly - early Beatles tradition that Egan and Twilley so obviously aspire to and rarely attain. The hard-edged rock & roll that fills "Shots From A Cold Nightmare" hasn't had this sort of self-assured intelligence in quite a while: Moon Martin has made a beaut of an album.

1978: JON YOUNG

How did this happen? Producer Craig Leon is out in California with the next future of Rock & Roll. John Martin, now Moon as he likes to be called, has got a sheaf of spooky songs, a hot guitar and no band. So they get Gary Valentine, on permanent leave from Blondie, for bass. And Phil Seymour, who must be getting sick of hearing how Twilley don't mind, comes in to hit the skins. Mister Craig himself pumps the keys, except for Willie Alexander's doing the honors on one song. It's kind of a new wave all-stars, American version.

Now you can forget all that, because Moon Martin's presense is so riveting that he could probably sing with just about anybody and still sound like the boss. His
main claim to fame has been contributing songs to Mink DeVille albums; Martin could be considered a rural counterpart to Willy's streetlife strutter. But he's subtle:
Moon's tunes seem like routine forlorn-love stuff until the chilling edge becomes obvious. Moon plays like George Harrison (circa Beatles '65) with the colic and his mopey vocals take the broken heart convention one step further - into obsession. He's not recycling old Sinatra lyrics: "There's talk around town/Mama you've been going down/Take a man's advice/You won't live to do it twice," and "You think I'm cute/Just a little bit shy/Mama I ain't that kind of guy" come from an edgey unpredictable character. So fully realized is Martin's victim of romance that his attempt at an uptempo Beatles song ("All I've Got To Do") comes off as one more threat.
There's nothing particularly snazzy about "Shots From A Cold Nightmare". Moon Martin's bloodcurdling LP is merely a serious consideration of the romantic cliches that pop music bandies about so freely, and an unforgettable picture of what their realities can be.

1978: BROWN BURNETT

Side one is just about as basic in arrangement as you can get with Martin playing the only guitar, drummer Phil Seymour (from The Dwight Twilley Band), bassist Gary Valentne (ex-Blondie) and keyboard-producer Craig Leon filling out the band.

"Hot Nite In Dallas" is the opening song with basic 3-chord guitar and some plaintive, melancholy lyrics. "Victim Of Romance" has a subdued, 50's sound, and some humorous lyrics about being victimized by teen love. "Night Thoughts" has a sad, Memphis-type sound, laid over a nice rhythm. Further indications of this basic sound is the use of female backup singers to add to the emotional insight. "Paid Killer" is a brief, love/violence mental epic, very similar to the previous song, but with a little more emphasis on Martin's guitar. But "Cadillac Walk" is the highlight of side 1. A clear contrast to the Mink DeVille classic, Martin's casual, longing voice sets a completely different tone compared to Willy DeVille's black, almost menacing vocals. A great song!

Side 2 adds a few touches to the instrumentation used on side 1, with a minimum of overdubs to create a blended, fuller sound as the guitar plays louder and just a shade more distorted than side 1. "Bad Case Of Loving You" is the most electric song on the album, with the guitars giving Moon's song an adrenaline surge that carries throughout the second side. "Hands Down" is more of the same with the lyrics flavored once again by humorous broken-hearted satire. The old Beatles hit, "All I've Got To Do", and Moon's own "You Don't Care About Me" help the album slow down in intensity, just before "She's A Pretender", saving the best song for last. "Pretender" is straight from the 1970's Chuck Berry textbook, with some crystal clear production.

Shots From A Cold Nightmare is easy to listen to, easy to understand, thoroughly enjoyable music, from a highly professional artist. If his next album continues in this vein of simplisitc honesty, it may not be long before John "Moon" Martin is recognized as being more than a songwriter for Mink DeVille.

1978: RECORD REVIEW MAGAZINE

John Martin was the only guitar picker in his home town in Oklahoma, so at the age of 13 he played in bars and Legion halls with a middle-aged country dance band. Then the Beatles sprung him into rock 'n' roll. More recently, after 3 albums with Southwind, he became accepted for his songwiting talent. Jack Nitzsche used his songs on albums by Michelle Phillips and Mink DeVille, most noticeable was "Cadillac Walk" by the latter.

On his debut album he demonstrates again and again his great guitar skill. Moving through a strong ten song selection of tight rock 'n' roll. Moon commands attention with his clear ideas and uncluttered presentation. His vocal prowess is suspect, yet his guitar playing ability, both lead and rhythm, is second to none. His tempos are often the same, yet his lyrics and his phrasing are always challenging and often provocative.

I found four tunes which really gave me a shot; the first track on the album is "Hot Nite In Dallas", where Moon lays it down: "I was born in a bass drum / Raised by a guitar." Surely a contender for airplay, "Dallas" is a great rock 'n' roll record. He also hits us with a crisp and snappy "Cadillac Walk", the voice isn't up to DeVille's standards, but it's Moon's song and he does it best. Side 2 opens with two excellent songs, "Bad Case Of Loving You" and "Hands Down". Both have Beatle influence, but the vocal harmonies are definitely American in origin.

John "Moon" Martin was, is, and always will be a musician; the guitar will always be his banner. I surely hope that this is the first in a long line of fine rock 'n' roll albums.