This album marks the end of era, as it's the last collaboration between Thompson and producer Joe Boyd, perhaps the only man who played as large a part in defining British folk-rock as Thompson himself. It finds Thompson in fine form, featuring his characteristic compositional mix of the acidic and the elegant. "When the Spell is Broken" and "She Twists the Knife Again" are the kind of harrowing love-gone-wrong tales that Thompson weaves like no one else. "Love in a Faithless Country" is among Thompson's more musically ambitious pieces, dipping into the 20th Century classical bag of ostensibly discordant harmonies. Throughout, Thompson is ably backed by old Fairport Convention buddies Dave Mattacks and Simon Nicol, among others.
Richard Thompson's 1985 album Across a Crowded Room (his first album for a major label since Sunnyvista in 1979) stylistically picked up where his previous set, Hand of Kindness, had left off, and while it didn't break much in the way of new ground, it did find Thompson doing plenty of what he does best -- writing great songs and playing a lot of electric guitar. Across a Crowded Room takes a slightly more subtle approach than Hand of Kindness; the arrangements have been pared back a bit (there are fewer horn charts, and John Kirkpatrick's accordion is sadly absent), and Joe Boyd's production is roomier and more atmospheric, making the most of the album's broader soundscape. But for the most part, Richard Thompson's formula remained the same here, and if that makes it sound like he's just treading water, that might be the case for an artist less consistently remarkable. "When the Spell Is Broken" and "Ghosts in the Wind" find Thompson revisiting his favorite theme, love gone awry (the latter boasting a beautifully delicate, ethereal arrangement), while "Fire in the Engine Room" and "Little Blue Number" are unusually hard-rocking numbers with Thompson laying into the songs fast and frantic. And "Love in a Faithless Country" is a striking sketch of love under difficult circumstances that recalls nothing so much as George Orwell's 1984. There aren't many musicians who could make an album as strong as Across a Crowded Room and have it sound like business as usual, but given the consistent strength of Richard Thompson's body of work, this set sounds fairly typical -- and typically splendid. [The 1992 BGO version had a different track listing.] ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Recording information: Rak Studios, London, England (09/1984-10/1984).
Photographer: Dennis Keeley.
Personnel: Richard Thompson (vocals, guitar); Simon Nicol (nylon-string guitar); Alan Dunn (accordion); Philip Pickett (shawm, sopranino recorder, crumhorn); Pete Thomas (tenor saxophone); David Bitelli (baritone saxophone); Dave Mattacks (keyboards, drums, percussion); Christine Collister, Clive Gregson, Phil Barnes, Soultanas (background vocals).
(*) MP3 for this song is from a different CD. Listen to the sound sample to be sure this is the version you're looking for.
Across A Crowded Room Music Review
Customer Across A Crowded Room Reviews
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
Brilliant This is his best solo album. Great raw & moving songs, playing & vocals including Clive Gregson and Christine Collister on back ups. It sounds like the songs just flowed out of him for this album. Hav a listen to "she twists the knife again". what a great description of partner cruelty & vindictiveness.
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