In February 1988 John had completed ten tracks for a new album, but Island rejected the tapes. They parted company and John found himself without a recording contract and the backing of a major label. He continued to tour on a shoestring, with a solo tour in late 1988 and another tour in the Spring of 1989 augmented by Foster Paterson. No programmes, no merchandise, just the music in small venues across the country.

John signed to Permanent Records but unfortunately this proved to be a far from happy and permanent arrangement. However, the album is confident and extensive use was made of synthesizers and samplers on the fierce disco beat Deny This Love which achieved a good amount of air play. More subtle blends and instrumentation were evident on The Apprentice, Send Me One Line and the vastly underrated The Moment (The Moment is only available on the CD version). Look At The Girl is a song about John’s now grown up daughter Mhari and Patterns In The Rain features John’s acoustic guitar playing for the first time in many years. Income Town is apparently live from The Green Banana in Toronto but this is in fact dubbed.

In August 1990 a remix of Deny This Love / The Apprentice (live) was released as a 7 inch single. A CD single was also released with the album version of Deny This Love as an additional track. Send Me One Line was also released with Patterns in the Rain on the B side.

1. Live On Love (J. Martyn)
2. The River (J. Martyn)
3. Look At The Girl (J. Martyn)
4. Income Town (live) (J. Martyn)
5. Send Me One Line (J. Martyn)
6. Deny This Love (J. Martyn)
7. Hold Me (J. Martyn)
8. Upo (J. Martyn)
9. The Apprentice (J. Martyn)
10. The Moment (J. Martyn)
11. Patterns In The Rain (F. Patterson)

Catalogue Number: PERM CD1 and PERM LP1 Permanent Records
Matrix / Runout: A Side – PERMLP-01-A1 * THE EXCHANGE MAX and B Side – PERMLP-01-B -B1 * Jonz MAX