Richard Thompson is one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters. He was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top twenty guitarists of All Time and has received Lifetime Achievement Awards for Songwriting on both sides of the Atlantic – from the Americana Music Association in Nashville to Britain’s BBC Awards and the prestigious Ivor Novello.
There`s a new release this month of a concert from 1986 where the singer-songwriter had a full band line up which included Christine Collister (vocals/acoustic guitar), Clive Gregson (guitar /vocal), Rory McFarlane (bass) and Gerry Conway (drums).
After a brief introduction, the opening salvo, `Fire In The Engine Room` races along and hints at the fragile nature of love while `When The Spell Is Broken` has some complex guitar chord intricacies and is a deeply emotive listen that appears to reflect on a romance that has died. `You Don’t Say` has a chugging reggae vibe before Christine Collister leads us into `Warm Love Gone Cold` and when Thompson joins it becomes an almost melancholy tale of heartbreak.
One of my favourite songs `Wall Of Death` follows, a kind of anthem to seize the day and break from the chains of your daily life. Mr Thompson introduces `Mind Your Own Business` as a bit of mindless fun, which is what in essence , it is. Clive Gregson takes over the vocals on `Summer Rain` a track from his `Strange Persuasions` solo album and if you close your eyes it could almost be Van Morrisson. There`s a delightful fifties retro feel to `Valerie` which relates to a relationship which may or may not be a healthy choice.
`Shoot Out The Lights` is a hell of a song and came from a time when Richard and Linda Thompson`s marriage was imploding, and this recording seems to sum up all the acrimony of this unhappy period. We have a more introspective and measured melancholic number in `Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed` about an unexplained death with some delightfully intricate guitar chord riffs. `She Twists The Knife Again` is another tale of a dysfunctional relationship which exudes all the bitterness of the situation. The first half, side or cd closes with `Jenny My Love` a deeply reflective number about failings in a relationship that is almost spellbinding and no better a song to end on.
The second disc opens with `For Shame Of Doing Wrong (I Wish I Was A Fool Again)` a fairly extended version which is full of lyrical regret and a blistering guitar solo. The latter part has whimsical band introductions. We have a much more melancholic ballad with `Long Dead Love` another tale of a romance gone awry. A composition full of pain and heartache.
`I Ain’t Gonna Drag My Feet No More` has a feel of strength and resilience about it with both Christine and Clive filling in on backing vocal harmonies. I felt there was more of a stream of consciousness about `Love In A Faithless Country` an almost conversational piece shared over a fairly haunting stripped guitar tone with Christine`s shuddering harmonies interspersed. The fast paced break up song `Tear Stained Letter` closes out the show, which becomes a kind of band jam.
The troupe return with a cover of `John The Gun` a song written by Sandy Denny, Thompson’s bandmate in Fairport Convention and it`s a pretty intense listen, a number that the guitarist played on when first released. An anti-war song that seems pretty relevant in these troubled times. We have a straight up, no nonsense, rock n roll outing with `Skull & Crossbones`. The fairly stripped back and enthusiastic `Withered & Died` appears to be a secondary encore before this show closes out with `Open Fire` a track that has the audience screaming and clapping along as Clive Gregson handles the vocal duties as it bounces along. A fairly animated number to end on.
If you`ve ever had the pleasure of attending a Richard Thompson gig or show, you`ll already be aware of the depth of his talent and the self-depreciating humour he shares and this concert from nearly forty years ago is a wonderful snapshot in time of all that and much more. It runs at over two hours in length and gives a flavour of the range of not only his vocal dexterity but also his lyrical talent.
This release was a pleasant surprise from the vaults and hopefully there`s a few more, where this one came from.
Rating 9/10
REVIEW : THE RICHARD THOMPSON BAND – HISTORIC CLASSIC CONCERT – LIVE IN NOTTINGHAM 1986 (2024)
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