TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Searched but could only find a few mentions of this in other threads. It's out tomorrow but you can hear it on NPR's First Listen here: http://www.npr.org/2014/11/09/361384683/first-listen-thompson-family

Already winging its way to me according to an email I received yesterday.  :)

Just given the Thompson Family Album a first listen. Linda's contributions are particularly gorgeous and poignant, it'll be interesting to see how grandson Zak Hobbs' musical career develops, the guitar and bass instrumental interlude from Richard and youngest son Jack is atmospheric if a bit lengthy, and Kami & James Walbourne's songs are cut from the same cloth as their recent Rails release "Fair Warning."
Aficionados of all things Thompson can purchase with confidence...

I'll be listening to this accompanied by a double scotch as soon as I finish the next draft of this manuscript... Can't wait!

What? No mention for Teddy who put the project together?

Good point - Teddy plays "Right", a countrified rocker, the introductory song "Family", and he maintains a strong presence throughout this project as supporting musician and vocalist.

At 41 minutes it's rather short, but I'm getting to enjoy the music.

A perfectly reasonable length for an album IMO.

Jules

Absoutely agree. 40 minutes was around the average for a vinyl album. When CDs came along many artists seemed to think they had to expand an album to 70 minutes or so with what was generally "filler".

Well, having listened a couple of times I have to conclude that as an album it is pretty slight in ways other than mere length. It is pleasant but rarely ascends beyond that. There is also some sleight of hand at play here. On most tracks there are usually no more than three Thompsons performing at a time, and not necessarily in the combinations that you would hope for.

There is some jocular suggestion on the very brief accompanying making of DVD that the exercise was somewhat designed to prop up Teddy's flagging career. I fear there may be some truth to that.

I hope it will grow on me with further listens but at the moment it seems to me a minor work for most involved.

Well it's certainly growing on me. "Bonny Boys" by Linda would be poignant anyway but when it's a song about grandsons co-written and accompanied by her grandson playing acoustic guitar in the style of his grandfather, well it gets you somewhere! And that line "when the curlew's flying low please think on me". Bonny birds wheeling away anyone? And then "Careful". You know that feeling, you've written a great pop song, you are singing it with your husband, and then your bloody dad starts noodling away on his guitar in the background.

Not sure if this sits here or under Recent Gigs (both?) but saw the Thompson Family at Kings Place on Friday.

No Linda, and a couple of solo bass numbers from Jack Thompson that should have stayed in the bedroom, but apart from that a storming gig.  Some of the new album including Family and I Long For Lonely, some Rails numbers, some Thompson classics  and a cover or two.  Very much a Teddy-orchestrated show as you'd expect, James Walboourne bounced around from electric to acoustic to keyboards to piano accordian to bass and was adept on all of them, there was some nice interplay between him and RT on electric, nephew Zac Hobbs shone in the spotlight, though his (very good) guitar work is pretty much identical to RT's.  Oh, and a nice version of Persuasion from Teddy and RT as well.

The show was at its best though when everybody was on stage and throwing everything at it.  A ferocious Price Of Love, Two Left Feet, and the closing Wall of Death were all full on and wonderful.

Are they Cropredy headliners? I don't think so, too specialised, not enough mass appeal, but I could certainly see them maybe three from the top on any night.

There's a very decent recording of Friday night 'out there'.  Sounds fun  :)

......and half of Thursday as well, as you say - very decent recording indeed!

Thanks for the heads up. We were there for Friday - it was amazing (mostly). Credit to Teddy for pulling that lot together - must have been like herding octopusses. Sound was great, James is an excellent addition to the tribe, and Zak will go far. Shame no Linda though. And Kami (red hair) and James (motorcycle jacket) are flying a bit close to VBL for comfort.