Those unfamiliar with his family history might be surprised that Teddy Thompson chose to do an album of country covers. But given the fondness of his parents — that’d be Richard and Linda Thompson — for American country standards, it’s no surprise at all. Richard, in particular, has covered quite a few country songs, in particular those by Hank Williams, over the years in concert and in various side projects.
“I was obsessed with country music when I was a kid, and it’s definitely had a huge influence on the way I write songs,” Teddy says in the press release that accompanies this album. “I was always attracted to songs that had a brilliant pun or a clever turn of phrase, but came from a dark, bitter place. As a writer, I’ve always gravitated towards that feeling.”
That pretty well sums up the atmosphere surrounding the dozen tracks on Upfront & Down Low, Thompson’s third full-length release. Some of these are bona fide classics of countrypolitan, honky-tonk and rockabilly: Ernest Tubb’s “Walking The Floor Over You,” which was covered by everybody who was anybody; Liz Anderson’s “(From Now On All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers,” which charted for both George Jones and Merle Haggard; “She Thinks I Still Care,” another hit for The Possum which has also been widely covered; a lovely take on Dolly Parton’s “My Blue Tears”; and a country-leaning Elvis Presley side, “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone.”
In some cases, Thompson presents these in arrangements that would be recognizable to country fans in the 1950s, but some, such as “Walking The Floor,” he rearranges radically; this particular one from its usual bouncy four-beat setting to a slow, tear-in-your-beer six/eight tempo that I find very effective. He sets “She Thinks I Still Care” to a string quartet plus strummed acoustic guitar — it’s startling at first, but captures the sweet melancholy of the song perfectly.
The selections are rounded out with some more “deep cut” choices, such as a couple by Boudleaux and/or Felice Bryant (who wrote many songs for the Everly Brothers), the opening “Change of Heart” and the closer, “Let’s Think About Living”; the very touching “My Heart Echoes,” with harmony vocals from Iris DeMent (who I can never hear too much of); and the bitterly humorous rockabilly song, “You Finally Said Something Good (When You Said Goodbye),” with Tift Merrit singing harmony and Richard Thompson doing his best James Burton imitation on guitar. Richard also plays some snakey licks on “Walking the Floor” and more subtle dubs on the one song written by Teddy, “Down Low.” This last, with harmony vocals from Jenni Muldaur, is a particularly dark breakup song that fits well with the album’s overall theme.
Teddy produced the album himself, quite professionally. In addition to the already mentioned contributors, Upfront & Down Low has an impressive lists of musicians, including Greg Leisz on pedal steel and dobro (“I’m Left”), and Tony Scherr, Marc Ribot and Jim Campilongo on guitars. His voice, which combines some of both his parents’ qualities but increasingly is his own, is well suited to the material. The cover design, which mimmicks that of a late-’50s country album in typography, is another nice touch.
Oh, and don’t miss the hidden bonus track, yet another semi-obscure Everly Brothers song like those he tacked onto the end of his previous two full-length releases. This one is “Don’t Ask Me To Be Friends,” which barely broke into the charts for a few weeks in 1962. Ms. Muldaur (I think) sings on this one with Teddy. Very nice. Maybe he’ll do a whole Everly tribute album next! Until then, if you like classic country or Teddy Thompson, you’re sure to like this album.
(Verve Forecast, 2007)
