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RICHARD THOMPSON, STILL

 

“Don’t worry about Richard Thompson mellowing with age: The 66-year-old folk rocker’s songs are still full of dangerous women and treacherous con men. A U.K. folk-rock institution rages on at the world and himself – into his golden years.” 3.5 STARS

“With Still, Richard Thompson fans can rejoice in knowing all the aspects of his exemplary talents remain intact. He long ago realized he’s playing to a dedicated cult audience, but few of his peers can boast of work this strong as they approach their 50th year in the business.”

4 STARS

“This razor-sharp collection deserves your attention, whether you’re a longtime fan or a new convert.” 

“Thompson’s new album arrives as another example of how a mature artist can continue to innovate.” 

“Thompson avoids all the stock ritualized elements of rock guitar. When he takes a solo, it's a swerving, cathartic, edge-of-the-seat experience. When he doesn't take a solo, the bliss comes in highly concentrated doses. Let other guitarists babble on. Thompson is one of the few who can make a four-measure phrase feel positively epic.”

“At 66, Thompson is not just coasting, but thriving.”

“Thompson remains a peerless songwriter. Tweedy helped Thompson make just the sort of album that’s made him one of our greatest legacy artists and its an example of why Thompson is still worth hearing 43 years into a career that shows no signs of stopping.”

“The guitar playing remains brilliant, but it is tighter, dropping into narrow spaces between verses to serve as commentary or punctuation on what Thompson has just sung. Lustrous acoustic fingerpicking on "Josephine" acts as both counterpoint to the voice and an extension of it. Rock chords splinter into bursts of tumbling, spiraling notes on "Long John Silver." A droning yet propulsive East-meets-West locomotive pushes "No Peace, No End" to ecstatic heights, belying the dark lyrics.”

“For his new record, Still, Richard Thompson has teamed up with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, which is a collaboration that cannot go wrong. The first single is about a sexy minx who likes things her way or the hard way, and showcases the acerbic wit and subtle guitar work that have made the prolific Fairport Convention alum one of the greatest songwriters of our time.”

“At 66, Thompson is still pouring out both emotionally poignant and up-beat folk ballads, backed by his simple-yet-bold instrumentation.”

“There are some gorgeous, haunting melodies on Still, and Thompson’s singular knotty guitar solos are all over the place, sounding as fresh as they did more than four decades ago.”

“Thompson, at 66, is among the sturdiest artists of his generation, never sounding anything less than strong and sure on vocals and guitar, and never disappointing a concert crowd.”