The best music you may not have heard yet

Photo by Pamela Littky

Any fan of pop, rock, folk, country or Celtic music who hasn’t heard of Richard Thompson should fix that situation as soon as possible.

In my humble opinion, of course.

Thompson is an obscure cult artist, but perhaps one of the best-known of the lot. He has become the poster child for artists who have spent years or decades creating a wonderful body of work, but don’t have even a small fraction of the name recognition of Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen or Prince.

Over a career that has lasted nearly five decades, Thompson has made between 40 and 50 albums, either by himself, with former wife Linda, or with British folk-rock band Fairport Convention. His extensive body of songs and recordings compares favorably to those of Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Paul Simon. But at concerts he cracks dry jokes about how poorly some of his albums have sold. He was named the 19^th best guitarist ever in a list compiled by Rolling Stone Magazine.

His songs are recorded by other artists such as David Byrne, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Elvis Costello, and bluegrass senior statesman Del McCoury. These cover versions get much more attention than Thompson’s own (although Thompson’s versions are arguably every bit as good).

Although mass popularity has eluded him, Thompson has received recognition for his musical accomplishments. He’s received a lifetime achievement award from the BBC, named Office of the Order of the British Empire, honorary doctorates, and more.  No Grammy let, but he has been nominated.

At age 65, he still writes new music and releases albums every couple years. He tours almost constantly. 

Describing Richard Thompson and his music is no easy feat. He’s a native Londoner who has lived in Los Angeles for the last 30 years. He’s a Sufi Muslim, and close listening reveals how his faith sometimes informs his music. The building blocks of his music come not from the blues, like so many others in the rock and folk rock idioms, but from traditional Scottish and British bagpipe and fiddle tunes, airs and ballads. A listener might also pick up smatterings of 1930s jazz, Middle Eastern, and African sources as well as country-and-western twang.

But his songs are no dry lesson in ethnic musicology. They are a distinctive, highly personal blend of all the sources listed above. Thompson’s lyrics can be tender or cutting, full of dry humor, sly humor, dark humor, sarcasm, desperation, and longing.

Then there’s the guitar playing. It is like none other. For my money, rating him as the 19^th best player ever is under-valuing his prowess. Thompson is equally skilled and daring on electric and acoustic guitar. He never shows off; every note, chord, arpeggio, harmonic, and bent string is played in the service of the song. On electric, he can shift from playing fills and chords during a verse into a screaming solo that pushes the bounds of improvisation. Imagine the ghost of Jimi Hendrix playing a bagpipe, distorted, through an amplifier, and you’re approaching the effect of a vintage Thompson electric solo.

When Thompson picks his acoustic guitar, you catch yourself looking for whoever is playing the second or third instruments. But it’s him, solo.

I bought my first Richard Thompson album when I was 21 years old or so. FYI, that was a bit more than 30 years ago. The first time I listened, it sounded too … different and I put it back on the pile. I tried to sell it at the local used record shop, but nobody would pay a quarter for it. A year later, I pulled it off the shelf one rainy day, put it on the platter, and my ears were opened.

But enough. Just listen:

Vincent Black Lightning:

Can’t Win (electric guitar, with band):

Dimming of the Day with Linda, 1982:

 

Sources:

Allmusic.com: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-thompson-mn0000359016

Richard Thompson website: http://richardthompson-music.com/