#485: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight [Richard and Linda Thompson, 1974]

The second album by Richard Thompson, and the first to feature his wife, is sharply-written folk rock. Richard was formerly of Fairport Convention, whose biggest hit was a French language version of a Bob Dylan song. This would not be the last time this folk rocker with a nasal voice would be compared to Dylan. What separates them is Richard’s wife Linda, a fantastic singer with a voice somewhere between Loreena McKennitt and Karen Carpenter. Though his lyrics can be a little obscure at first listen, Richard is a talented writer: on Down where the Drunkards Roll, he sketches a sympathetic tale of addiction to the oldest vice; on The End of the Rainbow he gives the hard truths of life to a newborn. Unfortunately, the largely acoustic-guitar-driven instrumentation can lead to the slower songs sounding a little dull and staid. But on the rowdy When I get to the Border (my favourite song on the album), tin whistles, accordions, concertinas and krummhorns are introduced. This is a perfect recipe for a cult classic - sold nothing at the time but has since become critically beloved. 3.5/5.