Richard Thompson - Still
- Written by Ben Macnair
Richard Thompson has never been an artist to rest on his laurels. Ever since first coming to notice in Fairport Convention in the 1960s, his virtuoso, lyrical guitar, distinctive vocal style, and songwriting prowess have made him both something of a musical national treasure, and also one of the more forward looking of musicians.
Here, his playing is technically faultless as always, but there is freedom in some of the playing. Working closely with Jeff Tweedy, a musician known for his work with Wilco, and now a first call producer, with artists ranging from Thompson to Mavis Staples, and many others, this album continues the sterling work of Thompson’s oeuvre, but also adds new elements to the sonic mix. The folk influence is still there, with appalachian and minor chord folk mixing with the blues and rock and roll music that has always coloured Thompson’s work, but there is still the depth to the songwriting. Like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson and Mark Knopfler, many of Thompson’s songs are also narrative stories, looking at unfulfilled lives on the borders between the tracks. There are no love songs, but plenty of relationship songs, such as ‘All Buttoned Up’ which is a wry look at love, whilst ‘No Peace No End’ is an angry protest song, all claws and teeth, looking at the heavy price that soldiers have to pay. ‘Broken Doll’ is a powerful love song, that looks at trauma, and in lesser hands, the sensitivity of the subject could have been overly cloying and sentimental, whilst ‘Beatnik Walking’ is a light, jazzy reverie that pokes fun at both Thompson, and his loyal, and still large following. However, for fans of Thompson’s guitar work, the best is saved until last with ‘Guitar Heroes’, a rollicking seven minute epic that allows Thompson to play in the style of his heroes, such as Django Reinhardt and Hank Marvin.
Thompson is now 66, and at a stage when most musicians would be happy to coast, playing the old songs to aging audiences. Richard Thompson is still exploring new sonic ground, developing solid relationships with new collaborators, and finding much to write about.