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DISCID=ac0afd0d
DTITLE=Richard Thompson / Front Parlour Ballads
DYEAR=2005
DGENRE=Folk-Rock
TTITLE0=Let It Blow
TTITLE1=For Whose Sake?
TTITLE2=Miss Patsy
TTITLE3=Old Thames Side
TTITLE4=How Does Your Garden Grow?
TTITLE5=My Soul, My Soul
TTITLE6=Cressida
TTITLE7=Row, Boys, Row
TTITLE8=The Boys of Mutton Street
TTITLE9=Precious One
TTITLE10=A Solitary Life
TTITLE11=Should I Betray?
TTITLE12=When We Were Boys at School
EXTD=Originally Released August 9, 2005\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: As a
EXTD= live performer, Richard Thompson has become nearly as well k
EXTD=nown for his dazzling solo acoustic performances as he has fo
EXTD=r his blazing full-band electric sets, but he hasn't displaye
EXTD=d nearly as much enthusiasm for the acoustic guitar in the st
EXTD=udio, usually limiting himself to one or two non-electric tun
EXTD=es on each of his albums (though 1996's You? Me? Us? features
EXTD= one disc of electric performances and another of acoustic ma
EXTD=terial). Front Parlour Ballads marks Thompson's first full st
EXTD=udio album of acoustic-oriented material since 1981's Strict 
EXTD=Tempo!, and unlike that album, which was dominated by traditi
EXTD=onal material, this set features a bakers' dozen Thompson son
EXTD=gs. Thompson also recorded and produced this set all by his l
EXTD=onesome in his home studio, and while the man has always show
EXTD=n good taste in collaborators, Front Parlour Ballads reveals 
EXTD=how bright he can shine on his own. With the possible excepti
EXTD=on of the jaunty opener "Let It Blow" and the bitter "A Solit
EXTD=ary Life," these elegantly constructed songs sound as if they
EXTD= would gain no aural advantage through bigger and louder arra
EXTD=ngements, and the spare production allows the beauty of the m
EXTD=elodies to shine through unfettered. While there's less flash
EXTD= in Thompson's guitar work on Front Parlour Ballads than on m
EXTD=any of his albums, this restraint makes for a very powerful b
EXTD=eauty of its own, especially in the counterpoint of the overd
EXTD=ubbed guitars, and Thompson's vocals here are as effective as
EXTD= anything he's ever recorded as he allows his Britishness to 
EXTD=run free in his lyrics. Front Parlor Ballads is built from mo
EXTD=dest stuff, but the finished product is as strong as anything
EXTD= Thompson has recorded in the past ten years; while this albu
EXTD=m supposedly began as an experiment as Thompson tested out so
EXTD=me new recording gear, the results make it clear he shouldn't
EXTD= be afraid to spend a bit more time there, as this is a low-k
EXTD=ey triumph. -- Mark Deming\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nTh
EXTD=is selection of largely acoustic, predominately solo performa
EXTD=nces finds Richard Thompson trading the guitar pyrotechnics o
EXTD=f his electric albums for greater intimacy, vocal subtlety, a
EXTD=nd emphasis on his storytelling lyrics. Though this is Thomps
EXTD=on's first acoustic release of all-original material, "Row, B
EXTD=oys, Row" and "The Boys of Mutton Street" could pass as tradi
EXTD=tional British folk balladry, while the droll humor and state
EXTD=ly musical grace of "Miss Patsy" recall some of Thompson's ea
EXTD=rly work with Fairport Convention. The songwriting is as ambi
EXTD=tious as the arrangements are minimal, from the bitter misant
EXTD=hropy of the character study in "A Solitary Life" to the bitt
EXTD=ersweet yearning of "Cressida" to the hypnotic insistence of 
EXTD="My Soul, My Soul." In "Let It Blow," Thompson applies his sh
EXTD=arp wit to the tale of a serial husband with a penchant for q
EXTD=uickie marriages, as the weddings signal the end of the roman
EXTD=ce. Even when he turns down the volume, he never tones down t
EXTD=he creative intensity. --Don McLeese\n\nFrom Amazon.co.uk Edi
EXTD=torial Review\nFront Parlour Ballads is almost entirely acous
EXTD=tic, with all instruments but percussion played by Richard Th
EXTD=ompson himself. Despite the basic approach, however, this is 
EXTD=not a sparse album. His guitar playing is as complex as ever,
EXTD= and the songs stand comparison with any of his best. The ope
EXTD=ning track, "Let It Blow," is a funny account of a relationsh
EXTD=ip conducted in the grubby glare of the tabloids, and "For Wh
EXTD=ose Sake?" and "Miss Patsy" are sterling illustrations of Tho
EXTD=mpson's ability to frame modern sentiments and stories within
EXTD= time-served folk idioms. "Boys of Mutton Street" starts with
EXTD= a riff which is surely intentionally  an echo of Thompson's
EXTD= previously best-known acoustic song, "1952 Vincent Black Lig
EXTD=htning," and "Solitary Life" sounds like it might be Thompson
EXTD='s take on Radiohead's "Fitter Happier." There has been bizar
EXTD=rely little recognition of the possibility, but after the res
EXTD=ounding classics Mock Tudor and The Old Kit Bag, Front Parlou
EXTD=r Ballads suggests that Thompson may well be in the prime of 
EXTD=his long and extraordinary career. --Andrew Mueller \n\nAmazo
EXTD=n.com Editorial Review\nOne of Thompson's very best, October 
EXTD=3, 2005\nReviewer: William M. Feagin (Upstate New York, USA) 
EXTD=\nFirst of all, I'd like to say that the reviewer who compare
EXTD=d the tracks on this CD to "outtakes from the Nude disc of Yo
EXTD=u? Me? Us?" spoke quite disingenuously. The only comparison t
EXTD=hat can truly be made is that the tracks on both discs are ac
EXTD=oustic; there, the comparisons part company. You? Me? Us? was
EXTD= produced by Mitchell Froom, who had a tendency to overproduc
EXTD=e RT's music, which benefits from the stripped-down treatment
EXTD= Thompson himself gives it here. Froom would have been out of
EXTD= his element with Front Parlour Ballads. \n\nAre these the ab
EXTD=solute best of RT's career, these songs? That's for the liste
EXTD=ner to judge; personally, after just a few listens, I quite l
EXTD=ike them. "Let it Blow" is the wickedly funny tale of a seria
EXTD=l husband who blows his own cover ("As she lay on the sand/He
EXTD= said "Isn't it grand?/I bring all of my wives to this spot!"
EXTD=), "Should I Betray?" has the protagonist pondering whether t
EXTD=o tell a philandering friend's wife about his friend's repreh
EXTD=ensible behaviour, "The Boys of Mutton Street" is about a you
EXTD=ng street gang of a bygone era (before drugs and guns), and "
EXTD=Miss Patsy" could easily pass for a traditional Appalachian f
EXTD=olk song. Another reviewer speaks of the focus being on RT's 
EXTD=songs, not his always-excellent playing, but you certainly ca
EXTD=n't miss his guitar work; technically brilliant without being
EXTD= flashy, melodic and even emotional without being overwrought
EXTD=, Thompson is my candidate for the best guitarist on the plan
EXTD=et. \n\nAnd here, Thompson also proves himself an able produc
EXTD=er. There's not a wasted note or outright throwaway track on 
EXTD=this CD; indeed, only bassist extraordinaire Danny Thompson (
EXTD=no relation) is truly conspicuous in his absence. Fortunately
EXTD=, he'll be with RT on RT's U.S. tour this fall; I myself have
EXTD= plans to see them in Albany, NY, on 21 Oct. Don't miss this 
EXTD=album, or that tour.\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nDisappoi
EXTD=nting acoustic album is Thompson's worst in decades, Septembe
EXTD=r 4, 2005\nReviewer: woburnmusicfan (Woburn, MA United States
EXTD=) \nFor the last 20 years or so, Richard Thompson has done an
EXTD= admirable job of keeping his A material and B material separ
EXTD=ate. He's written a ton of songs, some great and some merely 
EXTD=okay. Space on the official Richard Thompson albums has been 
EXTD=reserved almost exclusively for the great songs, while the le
EXTD=sser pieces would show up on his myriad side projects or be a
EXTD=vailable only through his web site or fan club. But "Front Pa
EXTD=rlour Ballads" has as least as much of the B material as the 
EXTD=good stuff, and the result is the weakest Richard Thompson al
EXTD=bum since...maybe all the way back to 1972's "Henry the Human
EXTD= Fly". The 2nd-best song on "Front Parlour Ballads" (either "
EXTD=My Soul, My Soul" or "Row, Boys, Row") would be the 13th-best
EXTD= song on "Rumor and Sigh". \n\nThe album is mostly acoustic g
EXTD=uitar and vocals. It includes overdubs, with Thompson playing
EXTD= some electric guitar, mandolin, bass, and harmonium, but no 
EXTD=other musicians except for percussionist Debra Dobkin on two 
EXTD=tracks. The album starts strong with "Let It Blow", a satiric
EXTD=al tale of a failed society marriage. But there's only a coup
EXTD=le more upbeat songs on the album. There are far too many slo
EXTD=w songs that don't have distinctive melodies. Even a livelier
EXTD= song like "A Solitary Life" is melody-deficient. A half doze
EXTD=n songs sound like outtakes from the "Nude" disk of "you?me?u
EXTD=s?" -- of these, only "The Boys of Mutton Street" even gives 
EXTD=your ears some interesting guitar work to latch on to. From "
EXTD=Shoot Out the Lights" to "Mock Tudor", for 20 years Thompson 
EXTD=was the most reliable bet in rock for a great album. "Front P
EXTD=arlour Ballads" is at best a 2-1/2 star album. I was shocked 
EXTD=when Entertainment Weekly gave this album a C- review, but no
EXTD=w I know they were right on the money. You'd be better off tr
EXTD=acking down a copy of a lesser-known side project like "Hard 
EXTD=Cash" or "Sweet Talker" instead. \n\nAmazon.com Editorial Rev
EXTD=iew\nA starkly acoustic Thompson album..., September 2, 2005
EXTD=\nReviewer: ewomack "ewomack" (Roseville, MN USA) \nRichard T
EXTD=hompson now sits comfortably on the fringe of the mainstream.
EXTD= His persistent and extremely loyal following pack theaters a
EXTD=nd purchase enough albums (even though he parted ways with a 
EXTD=major label) to keep him afloat (he has said on his website t
EXTD=hat he makes a living but he's by no means "rolling in it"). 
EXTD=Even so, Thompson doesn't follow a pattern. Every album has n
EXTD=uances and stylings that nearly distinguish one from another.
EXTD= One of the great things about Thompson is his unpredictablit
EXTD=y. It keeps him exciting, new, and fresh even after releasing
EXTD= countless albums. "Formulaic" doesn't fit his ouevre to any 
EXTD=degree. \n\nSo it's hardly a surprise that "Front Parlour Bal
EXTD=lads" sounds not at all like 2003's fairly electric "Old Kit 
EXTD=Bag". The largest similarity lies in the lyrical themes: pain
EXTD=fully failed love (a Thompson mainstay), despair, violence, f
EXTD=olk song morality, and the comical side of human self-destruc
EXTD=tiveness. But Thompson put away his electric guitar and his m
EXTD=asterful solos for this one. Only acoustic guitars and minima
EXTD=l percussion accompany Thompson's lyrics throughout the album
EXTD=. Thompson said over a year ago that his next album would be 
EXTD=an "all acoustic" album. He mostly kept that promise. \n\nCon
EXTD=sequently, this album contains more beautiful and bittersweet
EXTD= songs than rockers. And it contains some great ballads: The 
EXTD=pining "For Whose Sake?" about a failed committment; "Old Tha
EXTD=mes Side" which explores obsession with beauty on the outside
EXTD=; "Should I Betray?" (from the woman's perspective) starring 
EXTD=a married jerk that plays around with "fluff". \n\nNonetheles
EXTD=s, upbeat and danceable moments do occur. "Let It Blow" start
EXTD=s off the album with a very catchy melody and a charming stor
EXTD=y about a marriage between self-obsessed people. No happy end
EXTD=ing, of course. "A Solitary Life" picks up the pace after the
EXTD= very mellow "Precious One". It brings up another of Thompson
EXTD='s perennial themes: misanthropy; the kick up your heels "Mis
EXTD=s Patsy" echoes somewhat the sound of "One Door Opens" from "
EXTD=Old Kit Bag". And then there's the somewhat misplaced "My Sou
EXTD=l, My Soul". A full band treatment may have suited this one b
EXTD=etter. It seems to beg for drums, bass, a stronger backbeat, 
EXTD=and a big sound. Perhaps he'll enhance this one electrically 
EXTD=in concert? Apart from these songs, the album mostly contains
EXTD= slow, methodical, and stark songs. Put it on at a party? Pro
EXTD=bably not. \n\nThose who like the harder side of Thompson pro
EXTD=bably won't appreciate "Front Parlour Ballads". A first liste
EXTD=n may sound boring and empty, but many of the songs only reve
EXTD=al themselves after repeated listenings. Thompson crafted som
EXTD=e beautiful melodies for this one. But like many of Thompson'
EXTD=s songs they don't reach out and grab on a first listen. They
EXTD= slowly emerge. \n\nIn the end, this album doesn't represent 
EXTD=Thompson at his absolute best. There are no extremely salient
EXTD= standouts here. Still, most Thompson fans will probably welc
EXTD=ome it as a nice addition to his endless string of releases.
EXTD=\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nTHE YEAR OF RICHARD THOMPSON
EXTD= CONTINUES, August 29, 2005\nReviewer: S. Finefrock "sfinefro
EXTD=ck" (Raleigh, NC) \n2005 has sure been a great year for fans 
EXTD=of English singer-songwriter Richard Thompson. Two live DVD's
EXTD=, a live album, this fine collection and supposedly a new box
EXTD= set on the way. \n\nThis is the first mostly solo acoustic w
EXTD=ork that Thompson has released in ages. While he has toured s
EXTD=olo numerous times over the years, he usually tosses in just 
EXTD=a couple stripped down gems per release. Of course the second
EXTD= half of YOU, ME, US? was acoustic, but most of the songs fea
EXTD=tured full band arrangements. Like that album, FRONT PARLOUR 
EXTD=BALLADS is a bit of a mixed bag. Don't get me wrong, a mixed 
EXTD=bag from the likes of Richard is a magic bag from most other 
EXTD=artists. This contains all the hallmarks that have marked Ric
EXTD=hard's career, deeply literate songwriting, biting wit and st
EXTD=rong instrumental prowess. \n\nIf I can find fault here, it's
EXTD= that it's all basically solo acoustic, the songs don't stand
EXTD= out as on other "plugged in' releases. A song like KING OF B
EXTD=OHEMIA or SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF LONDON TOWN to name a couple e
EXTD=xamples are thrown into relief by the electric fireworks that
EXTD= surround them on MIRROR BLUE and MOCK TUDOR. Here the songs 
EXTD=LET IT BLOW and MY SOUL, MY SOUL stand out due to the extra l
EXTD=ight accompanyment that embellishes them. \n\nJudging from th
EXTD=e reviews it appears that this does not appeal to all the RT 
EXTD=fans. While I would not call it a great CD, I'd say it falls 
EXTD=firmly in the continium of quality that has marked Thompson's
EXTD= thirty plus year career. An overall solid effort with much t
EXTD=o enjoy.\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nAnother Artist Goes 
EXTD=Outside the Box, August 11, 2005\nReviewer: Richard Magee "Re
EXTD=ading to learn writing" (Abingdon, Maryland USA) \nOn this cd
EXTD= Richard Thompson dares to join Bob Dylan, Van Morrsion, and 
EXTD=Neil Young in the select group of brilliant singer-songwriter
EXTD=s who dare to step outside the box of their core audience's e
EXTD=xpectations. The results, I will admit, are mixed. Perhaps I'
EXTD=m willing to cut RT more slack becaue I LIKED 1000 Years of P
EXTD=opular Music (his shows and cd covering the aforementioned pe
EXTD=riod). I agree with the reviewer who said this is better than
EXTD= The Old Kit Bag, but not as good as Mock Tudor. \n\nFor all 
EXTD=the fuss about this being RT's "first solo acoustic album sin
EXTD=ce 1981's Strict Temp," I'd like to point out that one cd of 
EXTD=the You?Me?Us? 2-cd set was completely solo acoustic. To thos
EXTD=e who were disappointed by this cd, I'd suggest picking up Yo
EXTD=u?Me?Us? The melodies are exquisite and the lyrics intelligen
EXTD=t, especially on the haunting "Woods of Darney."\n\nAmazon.co
EXTD=m Editorial Review\nRichard-What Were You Thinking?, August 1
EXTD=0, 2005\nReviewer: H. Wernecke (Denver, CO) \nI have now list
EXTD=ened to this CD 5 times and I must admit some of it is growin
EXTD=g on me-there are now 4-5 songs that I feel meet his high lev
EXTD=el of songwriting, but I still think many of these sound too 
EXTD=much like "London Town" on Mock Tudor which to me is one of h
EXTD=is low points-very trite. Many of the lyrics are interesting 
EXTD=and tell unique, if obscure, stories, but the music on many o
EXTD=f these songs is just not up to his usual passion and beauty 
EXTD=like Bees Wing, Al Bowlly or Black Vincent; the lyrics seem f
EXTD=orced into the music. And I have always wanted to sing his so
EXTD=ngs and I don't find that much on this CD. It is though a pre
EXTD=tty gutsy effort that many of his fans will have a tough time
EXTD= with and this is definitely a uniquely talented artist at wo
EXTD=rk. \n\nI have listened to and loved Richard's music since th
EXTD=e late 60's on an almost daily basis (my car CD changer alway
EXTD=s has some Richard in it) and I have turned on many friends t
EXTD=o his wonderful songs and musicianship; his body of work woul
EXTD=d go with me to a stranded island. I have seen him in concert
EXTD= in all his forms at least 20-30 times. I have never felt thi
EXTD=s disappointed. As always, his muscianship is without questio
EXTD=n, but for the first time I can remember, his choice of mater
EXTD=ial is seriously in doubt. Many of the melodies sound the sam
EXTD=e, if you can call them melodies; they seem more like poems p
EXTD=ut to dirge music, the lyrics being forced into the music or 
EXTD=vice versa. And there is not enough of his amazing abilities 
EXTD=on the acoustic guitar or any of the other many instruments h
EXTD=e can play. The title is perfect though, because these songs 
EXTD=remind me of some of those he recorded on the 1000 year thing
EXTD=-they belong to that era where people sat around in parlours 
EXTD=in weird outfits with harpsichords. Even my wife, who loves R
EXTD=ichard, said this was very draggy and uninteresting-she went 
EXTD=to bed. He has every right to do what he wants and he is very
EXTD= eclectic (one of the things I love about him-it could be jaz
EXTD=z, punk, rock, folk, blues or any combination), but much of t
EXTD=his sounds the same and doesn't seem to be natural to him-it 
EXTD=seems forced. Maybe I should have listened more closely to th
EXTD=e songs online before buying, but I have never gone wrong buy
EXTD=ing Richard Thompson without pre-listening before. He has bee
EXTD=n getting better with age, especially his voice, but IMHO thi
EXTD=s is defintely a bump in the road. I remember reading where h
EXTD=e said he was getting a bit bored and wanted to try new thing
EXTD=s, which is fine-but now he's bored me. I'm going to go liste
EXTD=n to and watch the Providence Concert DVD or maybe the Austin
EXTD= City DVD and wait until the next one.\n\nHalf.com Details \n
EXTD=Producer: Richard Thompson, Simon Tassano \n\nAlbum Notes\nPe
EXTD=rsonnel: Richard Thompson (various instruments); Debra Dobkin
EXTD= (percussion).\nRecording information: Trellis Sound, Pacific
EXTD= Palisades, CA (2005).\n\nThe title FRONT PARLOUR BALLADS is 
EXTD=an appropriate one for this album. In sharp contrast to many 
EXTD=of Richard Thompson's latter-day releases, which feature full
EXTD=-bore pop-informed production, often courtesy of Mitchell Fro
EXTD=om, this is a mostly acoustic affair that finds Thompson gett
EXTD=ing back to his folk roots a bit. Other than sparse percussio
EXTD=n, the master guitarist plays everything himself here, which 
EXTD=generally amounts to not much more than acoustic and electric
EXTD= guitars and a bit of mandolin.\nThompson's pen is as sharp a
EXTD=s ever, with literate, carefully crafted lyrics riding atop g
EXTD=orgeous, elegant melodies. Emancipation from pop production a
EXTD=lso seems to have inspired him to reach back to pre-Tin Pan A
EXTD=lley early-20th-Century modes of songwriting; a number of the
EXTD= tracks here wouldn't sound of place amid the work of Stephen
EXTD= Foster. Some of the more outre compositions lean strongly to
EXTD=ward Brecht-Weill artsong territory, broadening the stylistic
EXTD= vistas even further. FRONT PARLOUR BALLADS may not brim with
EXTD= catchy, upbeat hookfests, but it's full of finely wrought ma
EXTD=terial from a bona fide auteur.\n\nIndustry Reviews\n4 stars 
EXTD=out of 5 - He's at his most sardonic...[and] most elegiac....
EXTD=With fluid acoustic guitar playing throughout...\n\n\n5 stars
EXTD= out of 5 - Sombre, witty, timeless, nostalgic and utterly En
EXTD=glish, all of Thompson's sterling qualities as a songwriter s
EXTD=eem to swell at once on this album.\n\n\n[A]nother coruscatin
EXTD=g and glittering prize....Hooks, hammers, and high jinx aboun
EXTD=d...
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