Track Listing

1. Shine So Bright
2. I Should Get Up
3. Everybody Move It
4. I Wish It Was Over
5. Separate Ways
6. Sorry To See Me Go
7. Altered State
8. Think Again
9. That's Enough Out Of You
10. No Way To Be
11. You Made It
12. Frontlines/Take A Message To Mary

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2000 in Music
• Released on: 2005-11-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 48 minutes

Album Description
"Exquisite" **** Uncut

"Heart-on-sleeve atmospherics" **** Mojo

"Finely crafted songs... effortless grace" Q Magazine

The album features Rufus & Martha Wainwright, and Richard & Linda Thompson.

Customer Reviews

erm...
Just too mainstream, there are far more interesting things going on in the undergrowth - for a comparison I recommend Nick Worrall. His album is FREE to download as well.

Lazy Boy Makes Good
It's a small world sometimes.

The world's of The Wainwrights, The McGarrigles
and The Thompsons intertwine endlessly if seems.

Fathers and Sons. Mothers and Daughters.

Mr Thompson jnr's self-admission that he needs
a kick in the butt occasionally has on this occasion
resulted in a very fine album indeed.

Since his eponymous 2000 debut the songwriting has
become more rounded, more confident and this from
a young man clearly ill-at-ease with himself.

12 songs framing narcissistic uncertainty, emotional fragility
and deadpan self-mockery in a truthful and revealing way.

Self-flagellation and obsession apart there are some damned
good tunes here. Catchy. Memorable. Mr.Thompson's untilitarian
tenor a tender and affecting instrument at times.

Musical and moral support from friends and family is strong throughout.

Vocal contributions from a brace of Wainwrights on 'Shine So Bright'
and 'Everybody Move It' are predictably stunning.

Pere Thompson's distinctive guitar gets several worthy airings
notably on 'I Wish It Was Over'.

'No Way To Be' is perhaps the true beating/bleeding heart of the album.
A very beautiful song. 'Frontlines' a close second-best.

('Take A Message To Mary' also makes a sweet gift if you are patient).

The overall production values are workmanlike but complementary.

The evidence would support the view that Mr Thompson has indeed
found his own voice.

Highly recommended.

Nearly great
Let me start by saying that this isn't normally the kind of music I choose to listen to but sometimes you need an album that's warm, melodic and nakedly emotional for some late night atmosphere. Separate Ways by Teddy Thompson certainly fits that description on all three counts and is a rewarding experience in the right moment. In many ways the songs here are fine examples of the timelessness of great songwriting and all have nice arrangements that aren't subject to the whims of music producer fashions and will suit a relaxed late night mood to perfection.

When listening to these twelve finely crafted examples of the songwriter's art it's inevitable that I'm reminded of Richard Thompson and the drawing together of influences from folk, rock and country and the creation of a sound that bears the stamp of each but won't be allow itself to be pigeonholed into any specific genre. But, unlike his famous father, Teddy Thompson's songs are consistent throughout the disc and while there may not be any absolute classics to match the Richard Thompson's truly great songs, there isn't any of his mediocre filler either.

The music here also has elements that remind me of people like Gram Parsons, Ron Sexsmith, Maria McKee, Eleanor McEvoy, Ryan Adams, Neil Finn, Chris Isaak and a whole host of singers and musicians working in a similar rock/country crossover area and for anyone with the undeniable talent of Teddy Thompson there is definitely going to be a successful future ahead. If you like any of the artists mentioned above then you'll certainly like what you hear on Separate Ways.

My single criticism of the album, and the reason for only rating it at four stars, is that despite the obvious quality of the songs, the clean production and the faultless performances, overall the album feels to have something missing. It's a touch too delicate and hesitant and just seems to lack the bite that would have made it step up to being a great album rather than just being the good one that it is.