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Reviews of: Separate Waysby Teddy Thompson
Reviews erm... Just too mainstream, there are far more interesting things going on in the undergrowth - for a comparison I recommend Nick Worrall. His album is FREE to download as well. 2008-09-03 Lazy Boy Makes Good It's a small world sometimes. The world's of The Wainwrights, The McGarrigles and The Thompsons intertwine endlessly if seems. Fathers and Sons. Mothers and Daughters. Mr Thompson jnr's self-admission that he needs a kick in the butt occasionally has on this occasion resulted in a very fine album indeed. Since his eponymous 2000 debut the songwriting has become more rounded, more confident and this from a young man clearly ill-at-ease with himself. 12 songs framing narcissistic uncertainty, emotional fragility and deadpan self-mockery in a truthful and revealing way. Self-flagellation and obsession apart there are some damned good tunes here. Catchy. Memorable. Mr.Thompson's untilitarian tenor a tender and affecting instrument at times. Musical and moral support from friends and family is strong throughout. Vocal contributions from a brace of Wainwrights on 'Shine So Bright' and 'Everybody Move It' are predictably stunning. Pere Thompson's distinctive guitar gets several worthy airings notably on 'I Wish It Was Over'. 'No Way To Be' is perhaps the true beating/bleeding heart of the album. A very beautiful song. 'Frontlines' a close second-best. ('Take A Message To Mary' also makes a sweet gift if you are patient). The overall production values are workmanlike but complementary. The evidence would support the view that Mr Thompson has indeed found his own voice. Highly recommended. 2008-05-27 Nearly great Let me start by saying that this isn't normally the kind of music I choose to listen to but sometimes you need an album that's warm, melodic and nakedly emotional for some late night atmosphere. Separate Ways by Teddy Thompson certainly fits that description on all three counts and is a rewarding experience in the right moment. In many ways the songs here are fine examples of the timelessness of great songwriting and all have nice arrangements that aren't subject to the whims of music producer fashions and will suit a relaxed late night mood to perfection. When listening to these twelve finely crafted examples of the songwriter's art it's inevitable that I'm reminded of Richard Thompson and the drawing together of influences from folk, rock and country and the creation of a sound that bears the stamp of each but won't be allow itself to be pigeonholed into any specific genre. But, unlike his famous father, Teddy Thompson's songs are consistent throughout the disc and while there may not be any absolute classics to match the Richard Thompson's truly great songs, there isn't any of his mediocre filler either. The music here also has elements that remind me of people like Gram Parsons, Ron Sexsmith, Maria McKee, Eleanor McEvoy, Ryan Adams, Neil Finn, Chris Isaak and a whole host of singers and musicians working in a similar rock/country crossover area and for anyone with the undeniable talent of Teddy Thompson there is definitely going to be a successful future ahead. If you like any of the artists mentioned above then you'll certainly like what you hear on Separate Ways. My single criticism of the album, and the reason for only rating it at four stars, is that despite the obvious quality of the songs, the clean production and the faultless performances, overall the album feels to have something missing. It's a touch too delicate and hesitant and just seems to lack the bite that would have made it step up to being a great album rather than just being the good one that it is. 2008-01-05 Makes me see the Green Eyed Monster It just makes you sick that one family can be so full of talent when your own is like that of a gnat. The spawn of Richard and Linda Thompson has made a record that is both easy listening and at times thoughtful. His voice has none of the rough edges of his father and is more akin to that of his mother singing at the height of her powers before severe stage fright stopped her performing at all for quite a number of years. His words are more like those of his father with dark edges underneath what may seem frothy tunes, good examples of this being "Separate Ways" and "I should get up" This is a very enjoyable album and TT is aided by such luminaries as his father Rufus and Martha Wainwright and Dave Mattacks. Does make you sick though - wish my parents had stuck me in a Sufi Commune when I was an infant 2007-03-07 Melodic, catchy, infectious, cynical and self-pitying - a classic! In my experience great albums are typically not those that grab you on first listening, but those that creep up on you and finally get under your skin until you can't stop playing them. This has been my experience with Teddy Thompson's second album Separate Ways. I knew of him as Richard Thompson's son and, in fact, saw him accompany his father for a few songs some years ago in an unmemorable concert in Belfast. To hear a record so complete in its musical and lyrical content was, therefore, a huge surprise. The thirteen songs (including one hidden) are all played immaculately, incorporating different melodic, rhythmic and catchy styles. Teddy himself has a rather flat but lonesome and infectious voice. His father plays sublime electric guitar on some of the tracks while Garth Hudson of The Band also helps out on keyboards. It's arguably the lyrics, however, that mark this album down as a classic. It's been a long time since I've heard a songwriter bring such fresh, if cynical and self-pitying, insights into personal relationships and their almost inevitable breakdown. Moreover, despite his mere thirty years, he provides searingly contemptuous comment on the mundanity of modern life. This album is the best I've heard for sometime. 2006-09-05 |
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