Teddy Thompson: Teddy Thompson : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Sometimes you don't need to shout to be heard. As a vocalist, Teddy Thompson isn't pushing too hard at the passion meter; at best, his singing rarely heats up past lukewarm. As a songwriter, however, he can generate some burn, as tracks like "Wake Up," "Brink of Love" and "Thanks a Lot" demonstrate. Thompson's melodies penetrate slowly, but the finest of them linger. That these mostly slow-tempo songs avoid monotony is partly thanks to producer Joe Henry, who manages to find variety in Thompson's minimalist sound. Of course, it doesn't hurt that his dad, Richard Thompson, is on hand for half the album, including "All We Said" and "Wake Up," where he delivers his usual inventive, torrid guitar solos. Other assists come from Emmylou Harris and fellow rock tot Rufus Wainwright. It is a measure of Teddy Thompson, however, that while his music is enhanced by this star power, the songs are never overshadowed. (RS 851)

RICHARD ABOWITZ