It seems amazing that this is Thompson Junior's fifth album, and it's evidence that perseverance pays. Earlier in his career, Thompson radiated a sort of flaccid indecisiveness, but that has been replaced here by a quiet confidence, perhaps because he's coming to understand where his real strengths lie.
Maybe hanging around with his clever mates the Wainwrights filled his head with too many wacky chord progressions, but the fact is that Ted is no musical revolutionary. What he can boast is a classic folk-country pedigree, and the best songs here blend well-seasoned musical structures with lyrics that express a distinctive writer's viewpoint.
In fact, in "Over and Over", over a haunting string arrangement, he squares up to issues of low self-esteem and even self-loathing with bracing candour - “I make mistakes then I make them again”, “shit on myself so that no-one else can”. Happily, grim introspection is banished elsewhere by some glowing melodies and imaginative arrangements (box of chocolates for producer David Kahne.)
The opener, "Looking for a Girl", is a chunk of bouncy country-rock equipped with some wry couplets and a stinging electric guitar solo, while "I Feel" hails from the same point of the compass where you'll find the Hot Band and Rodney Crowell. The strident gurgling voice of Jenni Muldaur unfortunately renders "Tell Me What You Want" unlistenable, but Thompson finds space to emote in the strong, simple melody of "Take Care of Yourself". Best of the lot is "Home", where crafty strings and woodwinds provide an elegant foil for his droll narrative. Nice.
Find Watch Teddy Thompson sing "Looking for a Girl"
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