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Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart (2007)

Superlatives fail to justly describe the voice of Linda Thompson. Steely yet vulnerable, comforting yet haunting, Thompson's singing is never less than riveting, and has played a crucial role in some of the most powerful, influential music of the past thirty years. On Versatile Heart, only her third solo album, Thompson demonstrates that, in addition to being an incomparable interpreter, she is an equally astonishing songwriter - stitching traditional British Isles music and more contemporary influences into a sound that is expressive and direct, yet timeless. From the brass-flecked acoustic pop of the title track to the cool rockabilly of "Do Your Best for Rock 'n Roll," her writing forms the core of Versatile Heart. Other writers represented on Versatile Heart include Thompson's son Teddy, daughter Kamila, Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, and Rufus Wainwright, who contributes the devastating "Beauty," performed as a duet with Antony. Featuring Teddy Thompson, Antony, Martin Carthy, Martha Wainwright, Kamila Thompson, Eliza Carthy, John Kirkpatrick, and more. "One of rock & roll's finest voices..."-Rolling Stone "One of the loveliest, most dramatic voices in the English language..."-No Depression Amazon

Tracks:

01. Stay Bright 1:31

02. Versatile Heart 3:25

03. The Way I Love You 3:57

04. Beauty 4:13

05. Katy Cruel 2:22

06. Nice Cars 2:45

07. Do Your Best For Rock 'N Roll 4:47

08. Day After Tomorrow 5:03

09. Blue & Gold 3:02

10.Give Me A Sad Song 3:57

11.Go Home 4:32

12.Whiskey, Bob Copper And Me 2:50

13.Stay Bright 1:46

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Acoustic balladry exquisitely arranged highlights the first album from Linda Thompson in five years (and only her second in 22). With even much of the original material steeped in English traditionalism, the album recalls the best of her early work with former husband Richard, though the romantic recriminations of the title track and "Go Home" showcase a songwriter who has very much found her own voice. Her key collaborator is son Teddy, who cowrote four songs with Linda as well as the instrumental that opens and closes the album. Daughter Kamila Thompson contributes "Nice Cars," perhaps the most contemporary-sounding track, as well as harmonies on a stripped-down rendition of "Day After Tomorrow" by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. Perhaps the most striking track is "Beauty," written for Thompson by Rufus Wainwright, with chamber strings, a bluesy undercurrent, and tremulous harmony vocals by Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons). Thompson doesn't release many albums, but she has never crafted a more cohesive and consistently inspired one than this. --Don McLeese

On August 14, Rounder Records will release 'Versatile

Heart' by folk-rock legend, Linda Thompson. "

one of the loveliest, most dramatic voices in the English

language" (No Depression), Thompson is basking in a

sustained creative resurgence with an album to rival her

best work from the 70s.

Recorded in New York City and Scotland over a three-year

period with producer Ed Haber, the album features seven

Thompson originals, four of which she co-wrote with son

Teddy Thompson. Of the other six tracks, one highlight is

"Beauty", a duet with acclaimed vocalist Antony written

for Linda by Rufus Wainwright.

'Versatile Heart' is deeply rooted in haunting arrangements

and timeless balladry, displaying eclecticism beyond any of

her previous recordings. The rockabilly of "Do Your Best for

Rock and Roll", the standout title-track and "The Way I

Love You" (featuring Martha Wainwright) are a sample of

the songs Linda co-wrote with Teddy. Kamila Thompson

contributes one of the most sparse, experimental songs on the

album, entitled "Nice Cars." Thompson also covers Tom

Waits' and Kathleen Brennan's "Day After Tomorrow", a plea

from a soldier against the war. Linda's facility with traditional

folk song is well represented: most notably with a wonderful

adaptation of "Katy Cruel" as well as her own song "Whisky,

Bob Copper and Me."

Linda Thompson first came to prominence in the 1970's with

a string of albums with her then-husband Richard that remain

undisputed classics of the singer-songwriter genre. After 1985

she retired from recording due to the rare vocal disorder

spasmodic dysphonia, until her triumphant return with 2002's

'Fashionably Late' (Rounder). One of the best reviewed albums

of the year, the New Yorker called it "a marvel of modern folk"

and The Wall Street Journal hailed it as "a bona fide comeback."

In 2005 Linda produced a highly regarded all-star tribute to the

English Music Hall era at London's Lyric Hammersmith Theatre,

as well as participating in Hal Willner's traveling Leonard Cohen

tribute shows in New York, England and Australia.

Wonderful melancholy and beauty from a timeless voice

Linda Thompson needs no introduction to savvy folk and rock fans of the last 3 and half decades. As one half of a an eponymous folk duo they scorched the folk scene of the early seventies and then burnt the pages with their searing breakup album. She toured alone until 1985 when she retired with a career threatening throat disorder and only ‘came back’ in 2002 with the highly regarded ‘Fashionably Late’.

There is a confidence here that is palpable from the first track; a simple guitar instrumental , then the title track starts with a beautiful (don’t be scared!) colliery band before morphing into the deeply affecting heart of the song ; next up a delicate duet with Martha Wainwright shot through with melancholy and regret. Both tracks written in collaboration with son Teddy Thompson ( for once forgoing the easy surfbum meander and delivering some substance).

Then ‘Beauty’ a string driven lament/commentary which is just exquisite in it’s production and in the vocal interplay with Antony (without his Johnsons).

Then the traditional folk of ‘Katy Cruel’ followed by the dry, guitar driven ‘Nice Cars’.

There is a Tom Waits cover and oh so much more. This CD is a revelation and a triumph; so many styles and yet such consistency and quality. This reviewer is not easily given to hyperbole but ‘Versatile Heart’ is a beautiful , important album. Deeply lovely stuff.

Reviewer: keith hargreaves

Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123