Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson
Sweet Warrior
(Shout Factory)
On this release Thompson sets his sights on the political front. Several tunes focus on the Iraq war. Whether it’s the soldiers’ daily life (“Dad’s Gonna Kill Me”), the military family (“Johnny’s Far Away”) or Bush/right wing politics (“Mr.Stupid, I’ll Never Give Up”), Thompson aims with a sharp tongue and a pen in hand. The real gem is “Guns are the Tongues” which tells the story of a female recruiter in Northern Ireland using her “charm” to recruit young men to the cause. Thompson tells his stories using Celtic folk, rock, ’50s rockabilly, jazz and (for a change) ska with the guitar work from one of the finest players in today’s music scene.
Aaron Hartling