LimeWire Music Blog

It’s 2009 and right now, at this very instant, there are about one thousand rock ‘n’ roll outfits setting up for rehearsal, plugging in, tuning up, and attempting to pull the already paper-thin umbrella of “folk” to cover smiling indie ambition.  It doesn’t do much to keep off the rain, but it’s nice to accessorize. Before you unleash whatever abuse you have planned on that poor concertina, one could do worse than checking out Shout! Factory’s upcoming blueprint for folk rock fusion. According to Pitchfork, the label has announced Walking on a Wire: Richard Thompson (1969-2009), a four CD retrospective chronicling the  legendary guitarist and songwriter from his nascent days in Fairport Convention to the present.  For the uninitiated, Thompson produced one of the most prolific, if often overlooked, catalogs in popular music. And as far as mining goes, nobody plundered the past better. Combining perfect songwriting with his wall-of-sound electric guitar playing, Thompson made centuries old tunes sound fresh and his newest material timeless. If you can’t wait for Walking on a Wire’s June 30th release date to start your Thompson education, might I suggest a look at the BBC’s 2003 documentary, Solitary Life. Or if you need some Thompson right this instant, I offer this 1981 performance of his with ex-wife Linda, performing “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight” from their absolutely requisite 1974 album of the same name.