Soggy Martyrs - Richard Thomas

Advantages: Superbly played, written and sung - and what a variety of moods
Disadvantages: None

...When Richard and Linda Thompson's marriage and professional partnership hit the rocks in 1982, both went solo - Richard had done so once before, after leaving Fairport Convention at the start of the 70s. In my view, the result was the best of his long career to date. He had a first-rate band behind him, consisting of three of his former Fairport colleagues, with folk stalwart John Kirkpatrick on accordion and concertina, and sax players Pete Thomas and Pete Zorn. Add Richard and his often underrated but incredibly potent lead guitar, and you've got an amazing rock'n'roll meets Cajun outfit. The songs were equally incredible, some of them naturally reflecting the traumas of his personal life at the time. "Tear Stained Letter" ('My heart was beating like a song by the Clash, it was writing cheques that my body couldn't cash... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average off topic

Advantages: The most magnificent and sublime soundtrack that offers something for almost everyone
Disadvantages: The three source songs

...INTRODUCTION I have never really been a great fan of Thomas Newman's music. The few early orchestral scores I have heard such as Little Women, Oscar and Lucinda, and The Horse Whisperer always came across to me as pleasant but ultimately not all that involving to invite for many repeated listenings. In fact the only real exception that comes to mind was Shawshank Redemption that had a limited run time in my player. But my interest in the composer finally dissipated when he entered his experimental phase at the turn of the millenia with scores like American Beauty and Erin Brockovich. His shift in using a more minimalistic approach and preference to smaller instrumental ensembles, often employing a diverse array of quirky percussive instruments and off-beat rhythms rather than themes and melodies, caused his music to sound too... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Mellow, easy on the ear, interesting blend, Rock but not too Rock!
Disadvantages: Rob Thomas's voice gets lost in the music on one or two songs, maybe a bit ot eclectic for some tastes.

..."Well, I don't wanna be lonely no more, I don't wanna have to pay for this." This song line had embedded itself in my mind and after a weekend of hearing Rob Thomas's "Lonely no more" everywhere I went I just had to sample more than the one song and on seeing an advert for "Something to be" on the telly I knew I had to get a copy of the album. On first listen I was struck by the Latino sound to many of the pieces, Rob Thomas voice sounding like a pleasing mix of Sting, Jon Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin. In fact this eclectic mix of sounds is reflected in every song upon this album and extends to the variety of song genres mixed up through all twelve album tracks. It wasn't till later I found out that Rob Thomas was the lead singer from Matchbox Twenty, not split from the band but having a go at the solo artist... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful