Thompson, Richard - Acoustic Classics II
SKU
28-BEEI3.2
Richard Thompson is truly one of the GREAT guitarists as well as one of the very, very few electric and acoustic guitarists who I am just as happy to hear UNplugged as plugged in.
"Richard Thompson released Acoustic Classics in 2014. Although he has performed and recorded in both full band and solo acoustic style throughout his 35 year solo career, this was a studio-quality offering which in some cases, updated prior acoustic recordings (such as the songs Beeswing or 1952 Vincent Black Lightning) and in other cases, stripped the full band studio version down to just the essentials (Shoot Out The Lights, When The Spell Is Broken).
Welcome to the sequel. 3 of these 14 songs hark back to Fairport Convention circa 1968-69 (Genesis Hall, Meet On The Ledge, Crazy Man Michael) and two from 70's collaborations with then-wife Linda Thompson (Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair, A Heart Needs A Home). The rest span a large portion of Richard's solo career all the way up to a song from 2007's Sweet Warrior album (Guns Are The Tongues).
You won't hear this and think. "Gosh, it's so sad to hear how 68 year old Richard has lost his guitar dexterity and rich, soothing voice". Despite a long and rigorous career of touring and recording, his fretboard prowess and North London tenor remain remarkably and consistently intact. If anything, the versions of songs from early in his solo career (such as She Twists the Knife Again or Devonside) are arguably performed more fluidly now than they were in the 80's. Compared to how Bob Dylan's voice sounded on, say, his Together Through Life album (recorded when he was 67), Thompson's singing is positively angelic.
This is the purest way to savor the impeccable songwriting and wickedly complex guitar skills of this living treasure. There's a lot of good full-band material in Thompson's deep catalog of excellence, but there's something extra special about getting the unvarnished stuff straight from the source in pristine quality."-Alan Hutchings
- LabelBeeswing
- UPC861204000391