Richard Thompson

Ho-hum, another first-rate Richard Thompson album. Since he left the pioneer folk-rock
unit Fairport Convention in the early Seventies, the British guitarist, songwriter and singer
has released record after record of emotionally explosive music featuring powerful
deliberations on love, death and tradition. On Amnesia, Thompson has the difficult task of
following up 1986's Daring Adventures, his strongest record since Shoot Out the ... More >

Often impressed and rarely interested by his solo years, I sat up for "Don't Tempt Me," which opens side two in a persona-fied outburst of uproarious jealousy: "That's not a dance, that's S-E-X/Ban that couple, certificate X!" Followed by "Yankee Go Home," summing up 43 years of Anglo-American relations in one mixed historical metaphor. Whereupon I could contemplate subtler innovations--lead cut with a hook, political lyric with a point. Plus the usual twisted love songs and sh*tload of guitar. (Grade: A-)