The British-born Thompson was originally best known for being the son of famed folk guitarists Richard & Linda Thompson, before his 2000 self-titled LP and 2005 breakout sophomore full-length, Separate Ways (he still contributes to his parents’, most notably on his mother’s latest work). He then became known as a frequent collaborator/contributor to the son of another famous musician, Loudon Wainwright III’s Rufus. But his own work shines through once again on A Piece of What You Need, a more up-tempo side that’s really winning.
Of course, after Thompson’s last release, a collection of classic country covers in last year’s Upfront & Down Low, almost anything would be more upbeat. But Piece is definitely a turn towards the sunnier side of life, even if sometimes it is an ironic turn at that. He draws less from his heart-on-the-sleeve soul-folk, more from a wry blues-man riff, and where he does go emotional, it’s more alt-country than alt-folk, such as on opener “The Things I Do”. This beautiful, carrying, evocative song (with just a hint of twang) is the standout ‘meaningful’ track on Piece, but the other slow, sad numbers like “Where Do I Go From Here”, “Slippery Slope (Easier)”, and the eponymous finisher all don’t play quite as good as the happier tracks, with only the big & bearing “Don’t Know What I Was Thinking” really making it.
Despite “Things”s opener status, it’s the up-tempo Thompson that’s really the heart of Piece. This side comes out in a blues-y, alt-road nature that’s both refreshing and comfortingly familiar. It begins with the honky-tonk stop-start of second track “What’s This?!!” and the grand, uplifting party of the following “In My Arms”, but really hits its peak in the middle with “Can’t Sing Straight” and “Jonathan’s Book”. “Can’t Sing” is an old-fashioned alt-blues road-drive, while “Book” is some laid-back, wry fun that puts a smile on your face. And the end of the record features a number of quality pieces that further explore this vein, including the straight-up country-style rock ‘n’ roll good time of “One of These Days”, an old-timey blues-drive hidden track, and the unique, jokingly self-unaware “Turning the Gun On Myself” (sort of a ‘drunk Randy Newman’).
Shifting away from the folk that characterized his parents and the alt-folk that characterized his peers, Teddy Thompson has made a wise move into a more enjoyable zone on A Piece of What You Need. While he’s not the first singer/songwriter to tread these grounds (this summer seems to be thick with them, from Ed Harcourt – QRO album review – to Langhorne Slim – QRO album review), he treads them well.
MP3 Stream: "Can't Sing Straight"
– David Michael Huang
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