Summary:
Far from being merely Fairport Convention's guitarist,
Richard Thompson revealed a
philosophical persona via a set of
pensive, pessimistic and occasionally macabre ballads that sound more like
religious psalms than folk-rock songs.
He delivered them with a mixture of neo-classical composure and eccentric
nonsense on Henry The Human Fly (1972) and especially
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974).
Then he absorbed sufism and proceeded to chisel out the
stately, funereal elegies of Pour Down Like Silver (1975),
and thus achieved the transcendental bleakness of
his masterpiece, Shoot Out The Lights (1982), in which
expressionist fear and existential suspense are sustained by erudite
lyrics.
Thompson would still sink into utter desolation, on the shiver-inducing
Hand Of Kindness (1983), but mostly would maintain an
emotional balance that translated into the mature elegance of
Amnesia (1988) and Rumor And Sigh (1991)
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Il chitarrista Richard Thompson lascio` i
Fairport Convention nel 1971.
Sorprendendo tutti coloro che lo vedevano semplicemente come un bravo
sessionman, Thompson si mise in luce sia come uno dei chitarristi piu` brillanti
degli anni '90 sia come uno dei cantautori piu` originali e profondi di
sempre. Thompson scrive canzoni che sembrano salmi religiosi, in cui convivono
al tempo stesso la compostezza classica e il piglio eccentrico.
Il suo primo album solista, Henry The Human Fly (Island, 1972),
presento` la voce di sua moglie, Linda.
Le liriche fataliste, ispirate dalla religione mussulmana,
conferivano un'aria da parabola alle sue canzoni, che dal
punto di vista musicale accoppiavano riff alla Chuck Berry (Roll Over
Vaughan Williams) e l'uso della concertina e della fisarmonica di John
Kirkpatrick. Svettano The New St. George, Wheely Down
e The Poor Ditching Boy, mentre Nobody's Wedding e
The Old Changing Way si riallacciano al folk-rock dei Fairport
Convention.
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974), accreditato anche a Linda,
fu un lavoro ancor piu` innovativo.
Su quel disco svettano When I Get To The Border, prima delle sue dediche
blasfeme alla Morte, Calvary Cross, sermone drammatico, e The End Of The Rainbow, di un lancinante nichilismo.
Anche le canzoni che musicalmente non sembrano un gran che'
(The Great Valerio, Withered and Died) riescono a mandare
i brividi per la schiena.
Brillano sia la tecnica di Thompson alla chitarra sia
il mezzo-soprano vagamente esotico di Linda.
Continuando una progressione esaltante, il culmine di questa fase venne
raggiunto l'anno successivo, non tanto da Hokey Pokey (Island, 1975),
sul quale figurano la classica Georgie On A Spree,
I'll Regret It All In The Morning e
A Heart Needs A Home,
ma il cupo e austero
Pour Down Like Silver (Island, 1975), influenzato dalla loro conversione
al sufismo.
Il sound era pervenuto a una sintesi allucinata della Band e del Dylan di
Desire (Streets Of Paradise,
Hard Luck Stories).
Le funeree armonie vocali di For Shame Of Doing Wrong,
la marziale e tragica Poor Boy Is Taken Away,
e la lunga, nobile elegia di Night Comes In
si spingevano anche oltre:
il lento, cadaverico incedere delle ballate e` scandito dalla dizione
cristallina dei cantanti; l'accompagnamento pare dileguarsi, gli accordi
tintinnanti della chitarra cadono nella desolazione piu` totale.
Il fascino delle sue canzoni deve molto al suo stile di suonare la chitarra
(che talvolta imita le cornamuse, talvolta indulge in improvvisazioni jazz,
talvolta mescola elementi dissonanti e melodici)
e alla sua maniera compositiva (ispirata prevalentemente a varii stili di
danza, dal "morris" al walzer), entrambe mediate dal folk celtico.
Guitar Vocal (Island, 1976) e` un doppio antologico di materiale inedito,
fra cui una spettrale cover di Dark End Of The Street.
First Light (Chrysalis, oct 1978)
Don't Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart
Negli anni successivi Thompson fu reso celebre soprattutto per le sue alte
ballate di morte (Strange Affair, 1978).
Sunnyvista (Chrysalis, sep 1979)
Lonely Hearts
Why Do You Turn Your Back
Dopo lo strumentale Strict Tempo (Elixir, sep 1981), raccolta di jig, reel, polka,
suonati interamente da lui, Richard si aggrego` alle formazioni dada di David
Thomas.
Linda e Richard Thompson eguagliarono i loro momenti migliori su
Shoot Out The Lights (Hannibal, mar 1982), forte di una sezione ritmica
formata da ex colleghi dei Fairport Convention.
L'anthem Wall Of Death ("you can waste your time on the other rides/ but this
is the nearest to being alive") e le altre maestose epiche del disco dipingono
un mondo molto personale e decisamente lugubre.
Talvolta sono cosi` ricche di trovate ritmiche da ricordare piu` il country
americano (il galoppo e il coro basso di Don't Renege Our Love).
Il contrasto fra il fine e i mezzi non potrebbe essere piu` straniante:
Walking On A Wire e` impostata come un tipico "lento" ballabile, e
Man In Need rifa il verso ai Jefferson piu` "duri".
Questa tecnica rasenta il piu` efferato "black humour" in gag come
Backstreet Slide, sorta di parata festosa su una visione macabra.
Sono invece in linea con il tema del disco i macabri rintocchi della title-track,
un incubo espressionista, e l'elegia funebre di Did She Jump Or Was She
Pushed, che il continuum nevrotico delle chitarre immerge in un'atmosfera
da thriller.
Dopo la separazione da Linda, Thompson con
Hand Of Kindness (Hannibal, jun 1983) sembro` sprofondare
nella depressione piu` cupa, attraverso allegorie (Devonside) e memorie
personali (Tear Stained Letter,
How I Wanted To), benche' le musiche fossero le piu` vivaci
di tutta la sua carriera
(in sintonia con le liriche velenose di Tear Stained Letter , uno dei suoi vertici, e A Poisoned Heart And A Twisted Memory).
L'umore negativo permea anche Love In A Faithless Country,
su Across A Crowded Room (Polydor, apr 1985), su cui svetta
l'assolo di Walking Through A Wasted Land.
Il piu` espansivo Daring Adventure (Polydor, sep 1986) annovera
la tagliente Dead Man's Handle e l'incantata elegia Jennie,
ma anche la quadriglia cajun Valerie, l'incalzante
A Bone Through The Nose, il singolo
Nearly In Love.
Chiudono il disco
How Will I Ever Be Simple Again e Al Bowlly's In Heaven,
che suggellano questa conversione di Thompson a un tono medio piu` umano.
Sorprendentemente, l'album solista di Linda Thompson,
One Clear Moment (Warner, 1985), dimostro` che Richard non era l'unico
genio della coppia (Telling Me Lies).
Thompson ha anche messo la sua chitarra al servizio dei
monologhi surreali di David Thomas
e ha contribuito A Blind Step Away
all'album Live Love Larf And Loaf (Rhino, 1987)
registrato con il batterista John French
e con i chitarristi Fred Frith e Henry Kaiser;
e la novelty operistica March Of The Cosmetic Surgeons
e l'orecchiabile scherzo Peppermint Rock
sul successivo Invisible Means (Demon, 1990) dello stesso quartetto.
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(Clicka qua per la versione Italiana)
Amnesia (Capitol, 1988) is another significant work, albeit in a
format that is "pop" by his austere standards.
At least Turning Of The Tide, The Reckless Kind and
Waltzing For Dreamers rank among his most profound compositions.
Can't Win boasts one of his most spectacular solos, and a close second
is the solo of Don't Tempt Me.
Other tracks: Gypsy Love Songs, Jerusalem On The Jukebox, I Still Dream,
Yankee, Go Home,
Pharaoh.
Rumor And Sigh (Capitol, 1991) is another work by a mature master who can
write impeccable songs without the slightest effort.
Thompson is equally at ease with the violent, harsh rockers
(especially I Feel So Good, but also Backlash Love Affair and
You Dream Too Much) and with the somber, pensive dirges
(I Misunderstood, Mystery Wind, the
sentimental ballad God Loves A Drunk, the spectacular
folk tune 1952 Vincent Black Lightning) and even finds the time to
deliver a comic tale of puberty (Read About Love).
Sweet Talker (Capitol, 1992) is a (mostly instrumental) soundtrack
(To Hang A Dream On).
Watching The Dark (Hannibal, 1993) is a three-disc career retrospective
Slick production and poppy refrains almost destroy the magic on
Mirror Blue (Capitol, 1994). Some songs
(King Of Bohemia, Taking My Business Elsewhere,
and especially Beeswing) echo his past work trying to match the
intensity.
Some (Mascara Tears, Mingus Eyes, Easy There Steady Now)
try new avenues.
And I Can't Wake Up To Save My Life tries a little too hard to sound
like a pop ballad.
From this half-operational Richard Thompson a
double-disc opus such as You Me Us (Capitol, 1996) is a mixed blessing.
Occasionally
(The Ghost of You Walks ,
Bank Vault In Heaven,
Razor Dance, Dark Hand Over My Heart, Hide It Away)
one hears the classic Thompson mood,
Few of the acoustic tunes deserve to be in the album,
She Cut Off Her Long Silken Hair being the notable exception.
This should have been an EP, not a double album.
Bug Music Sampler (Bug Music, 1998) is an anthology.
Mock Tudor (Capitol, 1999), a concept album about London,
is a hodgepodge of Thompson-ian stereotypes that covers a broad stylistic
range (sprightly blues-rock in Cooksferry Queen ,
rhythm and blues balladry in Two-Faced Love,
dreary pop soulfulness in Dry My Tears And Move On).
Thompson is trying very hard to top himself, both vocally/lyrically,
with the folkish fresco of Sights And Sounds Of London Town, an apocalyptic gallery of characters reminiscent of Dylan's Desolation Row (but the refrain recalls 1952 Vincent Black Lightning), and instrumentally
(two guitar solos in Hard On Me, one of them sounding like the riff off Shoot Out the Lights).
Whatever his intentions, Thompson delivers a catchy, bouncy Crawl Back (which is basically an improved version of Razor Dance), in the tradition of Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers, that is probably his most radio-friendly tune.
It took 17 years for Linda Thompson to recover from a severe disease and record
a follow-up to her charming solo debut, One Clear Moment (Warner, 1985):
Fashionably Late (Rounder, 2002).
Her third solo, Versatile Heart (2007) was even better, although still
limited by the fact that the best songs were written by others
(Beauty by Rufus Wainwright and several by her son Teddy Thompson).
The Old Kit Bag (Cooking Vinyl, 2003), which
comprises two song cycles, was his humblest work in a long time. Its music is
nonetheless artsy and ambitious, particularly the
long and stately Gethsemane and First Breath, and the
moving meditations of A Love You Can't Survive and I'll Tag Along, even pretentious in Outside of the Inside.
A great solo hypnotizes Jealous Words.
Even humbler is Front Parlour Ballads (Cooking Vinyl, 2005), a
mostly lo-fi acoustic collection recorded at home.
Grizzly Man (2005) is the soundtrack to a Werner Herzog film.
Sweet Warrior (2007), released on the 40th anniversary of the year he
started playing with Fairport Convention, was another solo but mainly on
electric guitar. The songs were bleak and gloomy as usual, but at least a
bit more robust. The album, however, contains too much filler and too little
variety.
Dad's Gonna Kill Me and Guns Are the Tongues stand out.
Dream Attic (Proper, 2010), recorded live but containing all new material, contains new classics like
Haul Me Up
Crimescene and
If Love Whispers Your Name as well as moments of pure guitar glory
(like the solo in
Sidney Wells).
Electric (2013),
recorded at the producer's house with a rhythm section and Nashville
session-men, contains typical Thompson-esque elegies like
My Enemy, I'm Saving The Good Stuff For You and Good Things Happen to Bad People as well as the
stomping, rocking Stony Ground and
the country-ish The Snow Goose (a duet with Alison Krause).
He re-recorded alone some of his old songs on Acoustic Classics (2014).
Still (2015), produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy,
contains too many mediocre songs, but a few save the day:
She Never Could Resist A Winding Road in his classic style,
the lively Patty Don't You Put Me Down,
and the comic Guitar Heroes.
13 Rivers (2018) certainly offers variety
(the edgy The Storm Won’t Come, over a tribal Bo Diddley-esque rhythm,
the bluesy The Dog in You,
the rocking You Can’t Reach It and
the poppy Do all these Tears Belong to You?),
but is bogged down, yet again, by too much filler.
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