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Music: Richard Thompson's ElectrifyingNew Tour and Album
RICHARD THOMPSON IN CONCERT *** 1/2 out of ****
JOE'S PUB
ELECTRIC/RICHARD
THOMPSON *** 1/2 out of ****
NEW WEST RECORDS
Two factors make it likely that
Richard Thompson's current tourwill deliver some of the best live
shows of his career. (That's
saying something since
Thompson is widely acclaimedas one of the best guitarists and
one of the best songwriters of all
time.) First, he rarely gives an
unsatisfying show but it
unquestionably helps to bepromoting an excellent album.His new release Electric just
happens to be his best studiowork since Mock Tudor back in
1999. (Note that I'm notincluding his theater pieceCabaret Of Souls or his brilliant
film score for Grizzly Man .) He
played seven of eleven tracks off
the album and didn't even get around to the quiet highlight "The Snow Goose."
The second factor is his current lineup. Both the album and tour are centered around
a power trio, with Thompson on both electric and acoustic guitar, Taras Prodaniuk onbass and Michael Jerome on drums. Now Thompson always tours with musicians ofthe highest caliber; they have been bands in every sense of the word. But it's no
criticism to say they've often been in support of Thompson, that Thompson's brilliant
guitar playing was always the focus while the rest of the band stayed in the
background.
Not so at Joe's Pub on Tuesday, February 5, the day his new album hit stores.
Thompson and Prodaniuk and Jerome were constantly pushing each other forward onsong after song, trading licks, playfully interacting, brilliantly one-upping each other inservice of the song and the music. From the opener "Stuck On The Treadmill" to thefiery closer "Tear-Stained Letter," their interplay was a marvel.May 1, 2014
This is the print preview:
Back to normal view ยป
Posted: 02/06/2013 3:17 pm
It's no surprise that Thompson wows. His gift is not the technical brilliance displayed
on each and every solo but the ease with which he delivers it. Thompson's playing isnever showboating for its own sake because he is so fluid and masterful. It's not anego-trip when he makes it look so dead simple. More importantly, the guitar solos arealways searching, probing and emotionally direct; they're not fireworks (or, rather, notjust fireworks) but illuminating musical passages directly related to the songs, to theangry, beaten down workingman of "Stuck On The Treadmill," the defeatist moan of"Can't Win" or on a lighter note the dirty old bugger of album opener "Stony Ground."
Still, Thompson's usual excellence was goaded on by his fellow musicians. Jerome's
inventive, complex and intelligent drumming was a marvel to behold, from thatcoruscating "Can't Win" (one of those mind-blowing live numbers that builds andbuilds and leaves an audience breathless by the end) to his subtle work on "AlBowlly's In Heaven" and new standout "Good Things Happen To Bad People,"another barn-burner.
The nimble Prodaniuk on bass kept the heartbeat steady throughout, whether facing
off with Thompson, offering a deftly delivered cushion for the others to launch off from
or pulling out a killer falsetto that had me looking around for female backup singers
the first time he revealed it. His hands swooped and fluttered over his bass and hisdry asides fit in perfectly with Thompson's sense of humor. As audience membersfruitlessly shouted out requests, they one-upped each other verbally, telling fans acertain song had been performed during the first set (there was only one that night) orwould be done at the after party and so on.
Clearly, the same energy was at work in the studio. Electric , produced by Buddy
Miller, revolves around this power trio (though others join in at times). Nothing on the
album will surprise or shock fans other than its quality. The usual black humor shootsthrough tales of frustrated dreams, small town romances gone bad and on the rareoccasion a moment of grace. There's no tune about drunkards (another Thompsonmainstay) but otherwise Thompson is working his usual patch of ground.
What's remarkable is how rich it feels after so many albums and so many years of
recording, how easily so many of the new tunes fit alongside his best. "Salford
Sunday" is set in a dreary town where regret over the lost chance of a Saturday night
is ruining the last day off and surely setting the tone for the rest of the week. "Sally B"
is a playful romp, in which the erudite Thompson happily avers, "Who needs books
when you've got them looks, Sally B?" On "Another Small Thing In Her Favour,"Thompson shows a husband watching his wife head out the door for good in a gem ofbittersweet regret. ("Still, she kissed me once more/ As she gently slammed the door/That's Another Small Thing In Her Favour.") "Good Things Happen To Bad People" isa lock to be a concert favorite for years to come, thanks to its launching pad of amelody that set the trio soaring and offered a moment of rare optimism as Thompsonsays good things happen to bad people "but only -- but only -- for a while!" Hey, afellow can dream. The album closer, the sweet and gentle "Saving The Good Stuff ForYou" brings the album to a lovely end and did much the same for the show as it wasthe second to last number.
You know it's a good album when a concert includes seven new songs and you wish
he'd played more of them. You know it's a good show when your only complaint isthat it ended.
P.S. Well, there was one complaint. My guest and the woman on the other side of me
were both demanding to hear "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," Thompson's show-
stopper of a tune and an instant classic when it debuted. I understood, even as I
suggested after more than 20 years of being performed at virtually every show, wecould allow it to rest for a while. Then we'd look forward to it even more next timearound, yes? No! They said. Well, this tour is focused on the trio and that's not theplace for a solo acoustic number. Just as Springsteen rested "Rosalita" and Dylanpresumably doesn't always play "LIke A Rolling Stone," I think this tour will see thebrilliant "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" taking a breather. Don't worry; it'll be back.
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox , a weekly pop
culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and
features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes.
Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity
interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on
iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz is provided with free tickets to concerts with the understanding
that he will be writing a review. All shows are in New York City unless otherwiseindicated.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
RICHARD THOMPSON IN CONCERT *** 1/2 out of ****
JOE'S PUB
ELECTRIC/RICHARD
THOMPSON *** 1/2 out of ****
NEW WEST RECORDS
Two factors make it likely that
Richard Thompson's current tourwill deliver some of the best live
shows of his career. (That's
saying something since
Thompson is widely acclaimedas one of the best guitarists and
one of the best songwriters of all
time.) First, he rarely gives an
unsatisfying show but it
unquestionably helps to bepromoting an excellent album.His new release Electric just
happens to be his best studiowork since Mock Tudor back in
1999. (Note that I'm notincluding his theater pieceCabaret Of Souls or his brilliant
film score for Grizzly Man .) He
played seven of eleven tracks off
the album and didn't even get around to the quiet highlight "The Snow Goose."
The second factor is his current lineup. Both the album and tour are centered around
a power trio, with Thompson on both electric and acoustic guitar, Taras Prodaniuk onbass and Michael Jerome on drums. Now Thompson always tours with musicians ofthe highest caliber; they have been bands in every sense of the word. But it's no
criticism to say they've often been in support of Thompson, that Thompson's brilliant
guitar playing was always the focus while the rest of the band stayed in the
background.
Not so at Joe's Pub on Tuesday, February 5, the day his new album hit stores.
Thompson and Prodaniuk and Jerome were constantly pushing each other forward onsong after song, trading licks, playfully interacting, brilliantly one-upping each other inservice of the song and the music. From the opener "Stuck On The Treadmill" to thefiery closer "Tear-Stained Letter," their interplay was a marvel.May 1, 2014
This is the print preview:
Back to normal view ยป
Posted: 02/06/2013 3:17 pm
It's no surprise that Thompson wows. His gift is not the technical brilliance displayed
on each and every solo but the ease with which he delivers it. Thompson's playing isnever showboating for its own sake because he is so fluid and masterful. It's not anego-trip when he makes it look so dead simple. More importantly, the guitar solos arealways searching, probing and emotionally direct; they're not fireworks (or, rather, notjust fireworks) but illuminating musical passages directly related to the songs, to theangry, beaten down workingman of "Stuck On The Treadmill," the defeatist moan of"Can't Win" or on a lighter note the dirty old bugger of album opener "Stony Ground."
Still, Thompson's usual excellence was goaded on by his fellow musicians. Jerome's
inventive, complex and intelligent drumming was a marvel to behold, from thatcoruscating "Can't Win" (one of those mind-blowing live numbers that builds andbuilds and leaves an audience breathless by the end) to his subtle work on "AlBowlly's In Heaven" and new standout "Good Things Happen To Bad People,"another barn-burner.
The nimble Prodaniuk on bass kept the heartbeat steady throughout, whether facing
off with Thompson, offering a deftly delivered cushion for the others to launch off from
or pulling out a killer falsetto that had me looking around for female backup singers
the first time he revealed it. His hands swooped and fluttered over his bass and hisdry asides fit in perfectly with Thompson's sense of humor. As audience membersfruitlessly shouted out requests, they one-upped each other verbally, telling fans acertain song had been performed during the first set (there was only one that night) orwould be done at the after party and so on.
Clearly, the same energy was at work in the studio. Electric , produced by Buddy
Miller, revolves around this power trio (though others join in at times). Nothing on the
album will surprise or shock fans other than its quality. The usual black humor shootsthrough tales of frustrated dreams, small town romances gone bad and on the rareoccasion a moment of grace. There's no tune about drunkards (another Thompsonmainstay) but otherwise Thompson is working his usual patch of ground.
What's remarkable is how rich it feels after so many albums and so many years of
recording, how easily so many of the new tunes fit alongside his best. "Salford
Sunday" is set in a dreary town where regret over the lost chance of a Saturday night
is ruining the last day off and surely setting the tone for the rest of the week. "Sally B"
is a playful romp, in which the erudite Thompson happily avers, "Who needs books
when you've got them looks, Sally B?" On "Another Small Thing In Her Favour,"Thompson shows a husband watching his wife head out the door for good in a gem ofbittersweet regret. ("Still, she kissed me once more/ As she gently slammed the door/That's Another Small Thing In Her Favour.") "Good Things Happen To Bad People" isa lock to be a concert favorite for years to come, thanks to its launching pad of amelody that set the trio soaring and offered a moment of rare optimism as Thompsonsays good things happen to bad people "but only -- but only -- for a while!" Hey, afellow can dream. The album closer, the sweet and gentle "Saving The Good Stuff ForYou" brings the album to a lovely end and did much the same for the show as it wasthe second to last number.
You know it's a good album when a concert includes seven new songs and you wish
he'd played more of them. You know it's a good show when your only complaint isthat it ended.
P.S. Well, there was one complaint. My guest and the woman on the other side of me
were both demanding to hear "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," Thompson's show-
stopper of a tune and an instant classic when it debuted. I understood, even as I
suggested after more than 20 years of being performed at virtually every show, wecould allow it to rest for a while. Then we'd look forward to it even more next timearound, yes? No! They said. Well, this tour is focused on the trio and that's not theplace for a solo acoustic number. Just as Springsteen rested "Rosalita" and Dylanpresumably doesn't always play "LIke A Rolling Stone," I think this tour will see thebrilliant "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" taking a breather. Don't worry; it'll be back.
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox , a weekly pop
culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and
features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes.
Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity
interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on
iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz is provided with free tickets to concerts with the understanding
that he will be writing a review. All shows are in New York City unless otherwiseindicated.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz