The Album Review Club - Week #191 (page 1286) - Harlequin Dream - Boy & Bear

Coatigan said:
Given this is now an important topic of this thread.. The album cover artwork, then. Discuss.
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There are some great and colourful album covers nowadays which I take as being due to the resurgence of vinyl and what can be done with a bigger canvas.

Although this is from 1991(I think) the cover has a sort of contemporary colourful home made feel to it.

As for the album itself… nah I’m generally a Wednesday morning reviewer, I’ll tell you then
 
Rumor and Sigh – Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson is one of those artists who I have read lots of good things about. The critics love him, and he is well respected by his peers. Not only that, I remember hearing the song “I’ll Tag Along” on the radio about 20 years ago, and even though I loved it and can remember the chorus from just this one play, I never got around to sampling some more of his huge back catalogue. Even the few selections that have appeared on our playlist thread have been appreciated and yet still I didn’t listen. Well, it was good to put that right with possibly his most well-known album – even I remember the title from reading music magazines of the early 90s.

Whilst the lyrics to "Read About Love" have a toe-curling effect and the chorus is a bit lame, the bridges out of the chorus elevate the song. "I Feel So Good", a song about a recently released prisoner about to enjoy his freedom is similarly well structured and has great Hammond and guitar pieces.

"I Misunderstood" is more of a low-key song, but I like the sparse but bluesy piano and mod. Every time I listen, I swear that Thompson’s, ah, curios vocal delivery is telling me that I’m missing this dude. "Grey Walls" is an in interesting song about somebody committed to an asylum. Reading the Wikipedia entry for the album, it seems that this is not a song based on personal experience as such but is based on Thompson’s bus journey as a teenager when he passed the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital.

So far, so good. He’s displaying his instrumental chops and he’s covering some decent mileage with his song subjects; these are not common or garden love songs – in fact that might have been a good title for the album!
But from this point, things get ……… even better! I bet I had @threespires worried there.

"You Dream Too Much" has a stupendous guitar break and the coda is playful, very much like some of the songs on producer Mitchell Froom’s other major album that year: Crowded House’s Woodface. PS: @FogBlueInSanFran – now that, is the album cover of 1991.

On "Why Must I Plead", aside from the previously mentioned “sitting on his lap and taking his dictation”, there’s a superb Like-a-Rolling-Stone-style organ piece running in the background.

And then we get to the true core of the album, three back-to-back songs that raise the level even further. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is great, mostly just Thompson on his guitar with a few background overdubs? The lyrics tell a story but when reading the lyrics, I was surprised that he jumped from "And if fate should break my stride/ Then I give you my Vincent to ride" to "Come down, come down, Red Molly," called Sergeant McRae so quickly. It’s almost like we’ve got the opening and closing scenes of the film and missed everything in between. Still doesn’t stop it being a great, captivating song that is perfectly presented, Froom sensibly paring back any production touches that may have spoiled the delivery.

I like the strident instrumental opening and martial beat of "Backlash Love Affair" – looking at the range of instruments on the album, I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark and say that’s a hurdy-gurdy making that noise. The whole rhythm of the song is great with the “come on Joe, time to go” stuff.

Then perhaps my favourite, "Mystery Wind". I love the spooky, swampy sound. With its bass, moody keyboards and bright guitar licks, this is not unlike Dylan’s “Man in the Long Black Coat”, a song that I love and whilst not quite at that song’s level, this ticks all my boxes. Whilst I generally like story lyrics, such as in "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", I also love some lyrical imagery and with all the rustling leaves, cold, cold fingers through the cracks in the floor, plague and hunger and burning rain - this song is full of vivid imagery to accompany the eerie tone of the music.

Unsurprisingly, "Don't Sit on My Jimmy Shands" has a Scottish feel, that is a bit too traditional for my liking – he could have made better use of the accordion, and "Keep Your Distance" I could take or leave. The mother of "Mother Knows Best" is Margaret Thatcher, this song being an attack on the iron lady’s politics. I just love the frenetic pace and guitar work to be honest.

"God Loves a Drunk" is an effective mournful song. As has already been pointed out, this is a poignant song for people who have suffered from alcohol-related problems. Thankfully, that’s not me, although when I was about 6, my Mum and Dad returned from a night out, white-faced at nearly being killed by a drunk driver. I don’t know whether this had a part in forming my opinions about alcohol, and although I like the occasional beer or rum and coke, I don’t understand our country’s fixation with the stuff and how every event (cinema, sports events, flying) has to be accompanied by it.

"Psycho Street" - Weird. Is this a parody of the Neighbours theme tune? Very inventive and unsettling at the same time.

After nearly 34 years, I’m glad to have given Rumor and Sigh a listen. Whilst Richard Thompson hasn’t got the most pleasing voice, he plays to his strengths, and when you are this good at songwriting and playing the guitar, that’s easily good enough. I love how all the songs feel different and most of the structures are brilliant. Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s a couple of songs too long but it’s more than good enough for a 9/10.

This week I have also listened to The Old Kit Bag, Acoustic Classics, and Ship to Shore (his latest) then watched the Solitary Life documentary (thanks @BlueHammer85) and enjoyed them all. Thanks to @threespires for a brilliant nomination.
 
RobMCFC said:
"You Dream Too Much" has a stupendous guitar break and the coda is playful, very much like some of the songs on producer Mitchell Froom’s other major album that year: Crowded House’s Woodface. PS: @FogBlueInSanFran – now that, is the album cover of 1991.
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Great review!

However, Woodface was NOT the album cover of the year.

I am stating a fact :)

Also wish I had a fiver on you saying "Mystery Wind" was your favo(u)rite -- I said "Rob will like this" when I heard it!
 
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RobMCFC said:
Rumor and Sigh – Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson is one of those artists who I have read lots of good things about. The critics love him, and he is well respected by his peers. Not only that, I remember hearing the song “I’ll Tag Along” on the radio about 20 years ago, and even though I loved it and can remember the chorus from just this one play, I never got around to sampling some more of his huge back catalogue. Even the few selections that have appeared on our playlist thread have been appreciated and yet still I didn’t listen. Well, it was good to put that right with possibly his most well-known album – even I remember the title from reading music magazines of the early 90s.

Whilst the lyrics to "Read About Love" have a toe-curling effect and the chorus is a bit lame, the bridges out of the chorus elevate the song. "I Feel So Good", a song about a recently released prisoner about to enjoy his freedom is similarly well structured and has great Hammond and guitar pieces.

"I Misunderstood" is more of a low-key song, but I like the sparse but bluesy piano and mod. Every time I listen, I swear that Thompson’s, ah, curios vocal delivery is telling me that I’m missing this dude. "Grey Walls" is an in interesting song about somebody committed to an asylum. Reading the Wikipedia entry for the album, it seems that this is not a song based on personal experience as such but is based on Thompson’s bus journey as a teenager when he passed the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital.

So far, so good. He’s displaying his instrumental chops and he’s covering some decent mileage with his song subjects; these are not common or garden love songs – in fact that might have been a good title for the album!
But from this point, things get ……… even better! I bet I had @threespires worried there.

"You Dream Too Much" has a stupendous guitar break and the coda is playful, very much like some of the songs on producer Mitchell Froom’s other major album that year: Crowded House’s Woodface. PS: @FogBlueInSanFran – now that, is the album cover of 1991.

On "Why Must I Plead", aside from the previously mentioned “sitting on his lap and taking his dictation”, there’s a superb Like-a-Rolling-Stone-style organ piece running in the background.

And then we get to the true core of the album, three back-to-back songs that raise the level even further. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is great, mostly just Thompson on his guitar with a few background overdubs? The lyrics tell a story but when reading the lyrics, I was surprised that he jumped from "And if fate should break my stride/ Then I give you my Vincent to ride" to "Come down, come down, Red Molly," called Sergeant McRae so quickly. It’s almost like we’ve got the opening and closing scenes of the film and missed everything in between. Still doesn’t stop it being a great, captivating song that is perfectly presented, Froom sensibly paring back any production touches that may have spoiled the delivery.

I like the strident instrumental opening and martial beat of "Backlash Love Affair" – looking at the range of instruments on the album, I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark and say that’s a hurdy-gurdy making that noise. The whole rhythm of the song is great with the “come on Joe, time to go” stuff.

Then perhaps my favourite, "Mystery Wind". I love the spooky, swampy sound. With its bass, moody keyboards and bright guitar licks, this is not unlike Dylan’s “Man in the Long Black Coat”, a song that I love and whilst not quite at that song’s level, this ticks all my boxes. Whilst I generally like story lyrics, such as in "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", I also love some lyrical imagery and with all the rustling leaves, cold, cold fingers through the cracks in the floor, plague and hunger and burning rain - this song is full of vivid imagery to accompany the eerie tone of the music.

Unsurprisingly, "Don't Sit on My Jimmy Shands" has a Scottish feel, that is a bit too traditional for my liking – he could have made better use of the accordion, and "Keep Your Distance" I could take or leave. The mother of "Mother Knows Best" is Margaret Thatcher, this song being an attack on the iron lady’s politics. I just love the frenetic pace and guitar work to be honest.

"God Loves a Drunk" is an effective mournful song. As has already been pointed out, this is a poignant song for people who have suffered from alcohol-related problems. Thankfully, that’s not me, although when I was about 6, my Mum and Dad returned from a night out, white-faced at nearly being killed by a drunk driver. I don’t know whether this had a part in forming my opinions about alcohol, and although I like the occasional beer or rum and coke, I don’t understand our country’s fixation with the stuff and how every event (cinema, sports events, flying) has to be accompanied by it.

"Psycho Street" - Weird. Is this a parody of the Neighbours theme tune? Very inventive and unsettling at the same time.

After nearly 34 years, I’m glad to have given Rumor and Sigh a listen. Whilst Richard Thompson hasn’t got the most pleasing voice, he plays to his strengths, and when you are this good at songwriting and playing the guitar, that’s easily good enough. I love how all the songs feel different and most of the structures are brilliant. Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s a couple of songs too long but it’s more than good enough for a 9/10.

This week I have also listened to The Old Kit Bag, Acoustic Classics, and Ship to Shore (his latest) then watched the Solitary Life documentary (thanks @BlueHammer85) and enjoyed them all. Thanks to @threespires for a brilliant nomination.
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As always a very well considered review. As I've previously said I think getting to hear artists that you have heard of but had never got round to listening to is one of the great strengths of this thread so irrespective of scores its cool that this has provided this opportunity.

Similarly I'm also chuffed that a couple of posters have discovered he's something other than maybe they assumed him to be.
 
How to follow a review by Rob….!!
Part of my reasoning for my pick last week was to explain more of what makes my ears perk up musically speaking.
I’ve never knowingly heard anything by RT. I did give this three full listens - time travelling to visit my grandson is well spent listening to music. I didn’t really find anything that enjoyable if I’m being honest. His vocals were rather grating - somewhere between David Byrne and Bryan Ferry. I didn’t really feel captivated by his guitar playing, which I was hoping to pick up on. I can’t really score this any more than Lau the other week so sadly it’s a 4/10.
 
GornikDaze said:
How to follow a review by Rob….!!
Part of my reasoning for my pick last week was to explain more of what makes my ears perk up musically speaking.
I’ve never knowingly heard anything by RT. I did give this three full listens - time travelling to visit my grandson is well spent listening to music. I didn’t really find anything that enjoyable if I’m being honest. His vocals were rather grating - somewhere between David Byrne and Bryan Ferry. I didn’t really feel captivated by his guitar playing, which I was hoping to pick up on. I can’t really score this any more than Lau the other week so sadly it’s a 4/10.
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Fair play mate, one mans meat is another man's poison etc but go and ask your guitar teacher what he thinks of RT and if he doesn't rate him then find yourself a new one ;-)
 
BlueHammer85 said:
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I think watching this was an hour well spent, to read all about the eccentric and crazy life of Richard Thompson.

vendor asking about his music: "Like Peter, Paul, and Mary?"
RT: "That kind of thing, exactly. Yes"

Highlights included interviews with Sir Billy Connolly, Harry Shearer, Bonnie Raitt, and his current wife on RT's writing process. With all that said...

Rumor and Sigh - Richard Thompson

As I've already noted, I caught the David Byrne vocal sound, and I think I've heard a good 3 songs from this album from the Playlist Thread, which was to my earlier benefit.

I enjoyed them all again, with "Read About Love" (from Love), "I Feel So Good" (How Are You Feeling?), and "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" (Transport). Between these songs and ones with Richard's ex-wife, and brother from that thread, one has learned there's no escaping the wisdom of Richard Thompson as an observational singer songwriter, one that drips with dark emotion and intelligence few have shown.

Of the songs I hadn't heard before, "I Misunderstood" really worked for me as a very stark moody piece where his voice carries the pain of a breakup like not many I've heard can. On that song alone, there's no way you'll get me to criticize his vocal delivery. One can then listen to the sad "Grey Walls" with the reverb guitar heard in the middle, and by then you'll realize this can't be the folk album from the folk artist you thought you knew. That song musically worked as well as any early 90s one I've heard, though I doubt at that time I'd be ready to appreciate it and this.

The organ was a prominent instrument used throughout many songs, and once I looked up who was mastering that here, it was no surprise that Rob would also catch and mention that it was Mitchell Froom, Crowded House's current keyboardist.

I suppose like others, my biggest criticism is how "Psycho Street" ends the album. Maybe that deserved to be buried elsewhere or omitted altogether, but I'm still scratching my head over that one.

I'd argue that if RT had ended things on "God Loves A Drunk", that would have been quite the mic drop.
"God Loves A Drunk" as @threespires has already noted, is as good a song about the Human Condition as there is.

Anyways, here's my favourite lines from each song in order because these deserve repeating:

"his eyes went glassy, not a word was said"
"I'm old enough to sin but I'm too young to vote"
"She said 'Darling I'm in love with your mind' "
"She's never going to be right again"
"You're dreaming now while I'm talking to you"
"Mercy, we were low as dogs and high as kites"
"But he smiled to see her cry"
"She spat her thrash metal lyrics right into my mind"
"Make you say things better left unsaid"
"No shindig is half complete without that famous polka beat"
"Wounds that can't be mended and debts that can't be paid"
"Don't make babies, that'll do the trick"
"Does God really care for your life in the suburbs?"
"boys will be boys" (indeed?!)

This is a strong 8/10 for me, one I think I'll come back to listening to down the road. But like OB1 and others, I'm struggling to keep up with the music and threads, though I enjoy them all, especially on a week like this.
 
Black&White&BlueMoon Town said:
I think watching this was an hour well spent, to read all about the eccentric and crazy life of Richard Thompson.

vendor asking about his music: "Like Peter, Paul, and Mary?"
RT: "That kind of thing, exactly. Yes"

Highlights included interviews with Sir Billy Connolly, Harry Shearer, Bonnie Raitt, and his current wife on RT's writing process. With all that said...

Rumor and Sigh - Richard Thompson

As I've already noted, I caught the David Byrne vocal sound, and I think I've heard a good 3 songs from this album from the Playlist Thread, which was to my earlier benefit.

I enjoyed them all again, with "Read About Love" (from Love), "I Feel So Good" (How Are You Feeling?), and "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" (Transport). Between these songs and ones with Richard's ex-wife, and brother from that thread, one has learned there's no escaping the wisdom of Richard Thompson as an observational singer songwriter, one that drips with dark emotion and intelligence few have shown.

Of the songs I hadn't heard before, "I Misunderstood" really worked for me as a very stark moody piece where his voice carries the pain of a breakup like not many I've heard can. On that song alone, there's no way you'll get me to criticize his vocal delivery. One can then listen to the sad "Grey Walls" with the reverb guitar heard in the middle, and by then you'll realize this can't be the folk album from the folk artist you thought you knew. That song musically worked as well as any early 90s one I've heard, though I doubt at that time I'd be ready to appreciate it and this.

The organ was a prominent instrument used throughout many songs, and once I looked up who was mastering that here, it was no surprise that Rob would also catch and mention that it was Mitchell Froom, Crowded House's current keyboardist.

I suppose like others, my biggest criticism is how "Psycho Street" ends the album. Maybe that deserved to be buried elsewhere or omitted altogether, but I'm still scratching my head over that one.

I'd argue that if RT had ended things on "God Loves A Drunk", that would have been quite the mic drop.
"God Loves A Drunk" as @threespires has already noted, is as good a song about the Human Condition as there is.

Anyways, here's my favourite lines from each song in order because these deserve repeating:

"his eyes went glassy, not a word was said"
"I'm old enough to sin but I'm too young to vote"
"She said 'Darling I'm in love with your mind' "
"She's never going to be right again"
"You're dreaming now while I'm talking to you"
"Mercy, we were low as dogs and high as kites"
"But he smiled to see her cry"
"She spat her thrash metal lyrics right into my mind"
"Make you say things better left unsaid"
"No shindig is half complete without that famous polka beat"
"Wounds that can't be mended and debts that can't be paid"
"Don't make babies, that'll do the trick"
"Does God really care for your life in the suburbs?"
"boys will be boys" (indeed?!)

This is a strong 8/10 for me, one I think I'll come back to listening to down the road. But like OB1 and others, I'm struggling to keep up with the music and threads, though I enjoy them all, especially on a week like this.
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There are indeed many quotable lines, I won't go into my own various favourites but what I will say is despite the number of times I've heard it, in the context of the opener the line "Written by a doctor with a German name" never fails to conjure up a smile
 
threespires said:
There are indeed many quotable lines, I won't go into my own various favourites but what I will say is despite the number of times I've heard it, in the context of the opener the line "Written by a doctor with a German name" never fails to conjure up a smile
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That was a very close second, but something about the dad's eyes getting glassy after hearing the question just got me the very first time I heard that track in the Playlist. It still stuck with me.
 
I really liked the review by @Saddleworth2 that referred to this record as like a box of chocolates. Each song is self-contained, and tastes a little different that the one before and after, and at nearly an hour, eating the whole box might make you a bit queasy. As such I'd agree that maybe a tune or two could have been jettisoned. But it's not just chocolate -- it's dark chocolate, which some (like my wife) prefer over milk chocolate but is less sweet and more bitter. And here and there, there's even enough humo(u)r to suspect a bit of Crunchy Frog or Ram's Bladder Cup might show up in your mouth.

But RT is a troubadour, and I've never really cottoned to troubadours -- I like bands, and for troubadours, I prefer women. Being voice-forward lifts up vulnerability and toughness -- often important in female leads in a male-dominated world (including the music business). But if you don't have vulnerability nor toughness, being solo can lift up your tendencies as a crank. Or, worse, a ****. And it's a lot easier to be self-indulgent because you don't have a band to check your ego, or steer you away from bad choices. When you're in a band, you have to share, and bands that don't share end up broken up.

I don't bring this up to castigate RT -- I bring it up because if I look at my 250 or so favo(u)rite records of all time, nearly all are by bands. There are a few exceptions on my 9/10 list (Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel) and lots on my 8.5/10 (Elvis Costello, Brendan Benson) and -- sure -- several "bands" are effectively one-man shows. But only one male troubadour makes my 10/10 list -- Todd Rundgren's "Something/Anything?" from 1972*. And this record reminded me a lot of that record, only take away TR's goofiness and replace it with RT's churlishness.

Now I didn't like this record as much as S/A. But there is a lot to like. Both records are quirky, move from style-to-style, are heartfelt, and fucked up about women in love or out of love. Both artists are great writers and musicians (though TR more as a studio whiz than a guitarist compared to RT); both are having some fun showing off but offer regular flashes of self-deprecation. Both tell wonderful stories about others. Both can rock and roll when they put their minds to it. And both can write songs that make you wince with sorrow a little (or a lot).

Many of these reviews -- IMO one of the best collection we've had on any record in this thread -- have already covered plenty, so let me hit a few differentiated highlights.
  1. While folks brought up Byrne (who I hear) and Ferry (who I don't -- RT doesn't feel sorry for himself the same way), I was surprised no one brought up Dave Edmunds for Read About Love. Neat little tune.
  2. I very much liked Grey Walls which is stretching to be conventional pop but just can't quite get over the, errr, grey wall.
  3. I am not normally one for slow ones, but I am when someone as talented as RT is playing. Why Must I Plead with its smoky bar blues is terrific.
  4. You can kind of see why Time Magazine voted 1952 Vincent Black Lightning an All-Time Top 100 Song (and apparently the list goes back to 1923!). Maybe that overrates it a bit, but it's haunting and wonderful.
  5. After that the rest of the record felt just a smidge more pedestrian and slightly off-kilter (on purpose I know). I found Mystery Wind a bit generic (sorry Rob), Psycho Street both fun and no fun at the same time (the closest to Byrne RT gets, just a bit darker if you assume he's not being cute), and Mother Knows Best a rollicky little number that would have been better had I not learned here that it has a political point (I was thinking it was about something else, never mind what). Jimmy Shands was also better when I didn't know it wasn't about RT's dick.
  6. Finally, I already noted how God Loves A Drunk just floored me emotionally. There are very, very few songs that can make me weep instantly. Offhand, I can only think of (please don't make fun of me) Foo Fighters' Home and Liz Phair's Shatter. Anyhow -- just that song alone is worth a point minimum.
The reason it's taken me so long to write this is because of my wrestling with a score. Other than one notable exception, I promised myself I would only do integers and not half points because it makes me have to put a firm mark in the sand. Were I to chicken out, I'd be at 7.5 right down the middle. It is missing a bit of the crunchy energy I like, and RT does like a bit of a moan more than I find attractive, and sometimes he's conventional when he clearly has the talent to be better (but when you're as prolific as he, I can forgive that). But I'm going 8/10. The best parts here are just fantastic, and even the not-as-best are a bit of fun. And any record that has a song that can move me as much as God Loves A Drunk should get raised a notch and not lowered one.

Oh . . . . and since @threespires had the taste and decency to help defend against the Radiohead mob, surely the extra half point is richly deserved :). Great pick!

* Re TR's S/A?, for those of you that don't know it, you've probably heard "I Saw The Light" and the schmaltzy but brilliant and beautiful "Hello, It's Me" -- one of my favo(u)rite ever songs for nearly 50 years. It's a double with three sides done solo and one side with a live studio band so perhaps too long to be appropriate as a selection for this thread but I think a few of the old-timers here would enjoy it a lot.
 
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Interesting set of reviews which leaves my take feeling horribly misplaced. Like Psycho Street which was one of my favourites on the album. Life imitating art. For the quality of the reviews alone its a great nomination and it is an album that gets better the more you know about it
 
threespires said:
Fair play mate, one mans meat is another man's poison etc but go and ask your guitar teacher what he thinks of RT and if he doesn't rate him then find yourself a new one ;-)
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“I know what I like….”

As an old fart learning to play it’s a bit of a challenge to say the least! I doubt he will even have heard of RT, but I’ll accept the challenge. There was one guitar part that annoyingly faded out on one of the tracks - can’t remember which one, which I quite enjoyed. The rest was maybe hidden a bit deeper? I know you (or someone) mentioned picking technique in an earlier comment, which I know from current exercises is very very hard to master. I enjoy a good solo which I can use to develop my own ‘style’ (in very basic terms!) - Gilmour, Garry Moore, SRV as an example.
 
GornikDaze said:
“I know what I like….”

As an old fart learning to play it’s a bit of a challenge to say the least! I doubt he will even have heard of RT, but I’ll accept the challenge. There was one guitar part that annoyingly faded out on one of the tracks - can’t remember which one, which I quite enjoyed. The rest was maybe hidden a bit deeper? I know you (or someone) mentioned picking technique in an earlier comment, which I know from current exercises is very very hard to master. I enjoy a good solo which I can use to develop my own ‘style’ (in very basic terms!) - Gilmour, Garry Moore, SRV as an example.
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Can't argue with those three as role models (Gilmour's an RT fan btw :-) ). Obviously the teacher comment was a bit of flippancy, if nothing else you don't want to be discussing us weirdos when you're on the meter at whatever the going rate is!!

Think we've discussed it before(?) but the video of the Fender custom bods trying to work out how to recreate SRV's Number 1 is quite an entertaining watch.
 
He can't sing! So said my wife when I put this on in the car. Which I thought was a bit rich coming from the lady who had recently tagged along with her mates to watch the Dylan film and declared herself a convert. Well, almost...

She has a point though and wouldn't find herself totally at odds with a few who have reviewed it. I wouldn't say he can't sing, it's very subjective anyway but what his voice lacks for me is a distinctiveness. Like Dylan has. Or Neil Young, Lou Reed. Etc Still there are lots of unremarkable singers who know how to write a decent song and have the right to sing them any old way they like. Or with the voice that's available to them.

As a very crude generalisation I thought that this album had two types of songs. And I get that they aren't meant to be literally autobiographical. But songs like Read About Love and I Feel So Good are about bravado. Maybe masking a vulnerability. We're all bullshitters that way to a certain degree.


But then songs like I Misunderstood and Why Must I Plead suggest that vulnerability is very real. I'm not saying that either type resonated with me any more than the others but it is the introspective ones that I preferred and in which his voice was better suited.

He's something of a national institution I believe, highly regarded by the serious music magazines. I can see why but I must say such lofty exaltation leaves me a bit disappointed with some of the lyrics, even in the songs I like more. But then I guess McCartney had his frog chorus...

My son came into the room while 1952 Vincent Black. Lightning was on and declared himself suitably impressed with the guitar playing. He's no expert but does have four of the things in his room so knows a thing or two I suppose about technique.

There were a couple of songs which I would happily skip if I were to listen to this album again. Although I probably won't. Don't Sit on My Jimmy Shands is just wrong for the album and Psycho Street is a mess. In another circumstance I might have liked it, evoking as it does the theatricality of David Ackles but it doesn't work here.

God Loves a Drunk doesn't have the emotional heft for me as it did for others on here but Grey Walls hits closer to home as someone whose mother spent more time in psychiatric institutions than is good for a growing boy to have to contend with. It is to be fair a more affecting song than Pink Floyd's Brain Damage but it is the latter that I'll play again and again.

Overall, some decent songs but I didn't take to it as much as I might. Still, I have finally listened to someone who buy all accounts should be listened to. I'm not sure I'm going to listen to any more Richard Thompson but there's always the possibility of a lazy Spotify top tracks meander which might give me a greater appreciation.

This album gets a 6
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I really liked the review by @Saddleworth2 that referred to this record as like a box of chocolates. Each song is self-contained, and tastes a little different that the one before and after, and at nearly an hour, eating the whole box might make you a bit queasy. As such I'd agree that maybe a tune or two could have been jettisoned. But it's not just chocolate -- it's dark chocolate, which some (like my wife) prefer over milk chocolate but is less sweet and more bitter. And here and there, there's even enough humo(u)r to suspect a bit of Crunchy Frog or Ram's Bladder Cup might show up in your mouth.

But RT is a troubadour, and I've never really cottoned to troubadours -- I like bands, and for troubadours, I prefer women. Being voice-forward lifts up vulnerability and toughness -- often important in female leads in a male-dominated world (including the music business). But if you don't have vulnerability nor toughness, being solo can lift up your tendencies as a crank. Or, worse, a ****. And it's a lot easier to be self-indulgent because you don't have a band to check your ego, or steer you away from bad choices. When you're in a band, you have to share, and bands that don't share end up broken up.

I don't bring this up to castigate RT -- I bring it up because if I look at my 250 or so favo(u)rite records of all time, nearly all are by bands. There are a few exceptions on my 9/10 list (Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel) and lots on my 8.5/10 (Elvis Costello, Brendan Benson) and -- sure -- several "bands" are effectively one-man shows. But only one male troubadour makes my 10/10 list -- Todd Rundgren's "Something/Anything?" from 1972*. And this record reminded me a lot of that record, only take away TR's goofiness and replace it with RT's churlishness.

Now I didn't like this record as much as S/A. But there is a lot to like. Both records are quirky, move from style-to-style, are heartfelt, and fucked up about women in love or out of love. Both artists are great writers and musicians (though TR more as a studio whiz than a guitarist compared to RT); both are having some fun showing off but offer regular flashes of self-deprecation. Both tell wonderful stories about others. Both can rock and roll when they put their minds to it. And both can write songs that make you wince with sorrow a little (or a lot).

Many of these reviews -- IMO one of the best collection we've had on any record in this thread -- have already covered plenty, so let me hit a few differentiated highlights.
  1. While folks brought up Byrne (who I hear) and Ferry (who I don't -- RT doesn't feel sorry for himself the same way), I was surprised no one brought up Dave Edmunds for Read About Love. Neat little tune.
  2. I very much liked Grey Walls which is stretching to be conventional pop but just can't quite get over the, errr, grey wall.
  3. I am not normally one for slow ones, but I am when someone as talented as RT is playing. Why Must I Plead with its smoky bar blues is terrific.
  4. You can kind of see why Time Magazine voted 1952 Vincent Black Lightning an All-Time Top 100 Song (and apparently the list goes back to 1923!). Maybe that overrates it a bit, but it's haunting and wonderful.
  5. After that the rest of the record felt just a smidge more pedestrian and slightly off-kilter (on purpose I know). I found Mystery Wind a bit generic (sorry Rob), Psycho Street both fun and no fun at the same time (the closest to Byrne RT gets, just a bit darker if you assume he's not being cute), and Mother Knows Best a rollicky little number that would have been better had I not learned here that it has a political point (I was thinking it was about something else, never mind what). Jimmy Shands was also better when I didn't know it wasn't about RT's dick.
  6. Finally, I already noted how God Loves A Drunk just floored me emotionally. There are very, very few songs that can make me weep instantly. Offhand, I can only think of (please don't make fun of me) Foo Fighters' Home and Liz Phair's Shatter. Anyhow -- just that song alone is worth a point minimum.
The reason it's taken me so long to write this is because of my wrestling with a score. Other than one notable exception, I promised myself I would only do integers and not half points because it makes me have to put a firm mark in the sand. Were I to chicken out, I'd be at 7.5 right down the middle. It is missing a bit of the crunchy energy I like, and RT does like a bit of a moan more than I find attractive, and sometimes he's conventional when he clearly has the talent to be better (but when you're as prolific as he, I can forgive that). But I'm going 8/10. The best parts here are just fantastic, and even the not-as-best are a bit of fun. And any record that has a song that can move me as much as God Loves A Drunk should get raised a notch and not lowered one.

Oh . . . . and since @threespires had the taste and decency to help defend against the Radiohead mob, surely the extra half point is richly deserved :). Great pick!

* Re TR's S/A?, for those of you that don't know it, you've probably heard "I Saw The Light" and the schmaltzy but brilliant and beautiful "Hello, It's Me" -- one of my favo(u)rite ever songs for nearly 50 years. It's a double with three sides done solo and one side with a live studio band so perhaps too long to be appropriate as a selection for this thread but I think a few of the old-timers here would enjoy it a lot.
Click to expand...

I'll have to give TR a go. My only exposure to him was via a cover of Pretending To Care which sent me to his Acapella album which I thought was interesting but I assume is atypical. For no obvious reason I didn't explore further so sounds like a plan.
 
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