"I'm sad as a proud man can be sad tonight"4 Out Of 5 Stars
That line comes from "Waltzing For Dreamers," the most melancholy song on Richard Thompson's 1988 album, "Amnesia." His first of several albums for the Capital label, it's also the second of Thompson's to feature then red hot producer Mitchell Froom. I'm not sure if it was the promise of some heavier promotion for the album or that Froom kept the album to a complimentary production job, but Thompson delivered a consistent batch of songs for "Amnesia," one of his better and certainly more mainstream efforts.
As for Thompson, he kept his stature as one of rock's great undiscovered geniuses, once again providing stellar songwriting, impassioned vocals and searing guitar work. One can forgive "Gypsy Love Song" for being one of "Amnesia's" weaker tracks for the incredible guitar solo, and wait for the politically biting "Jerusalem On The Jukebox," taking its aim at the uncomfortably cozy relationship between televangelists and politicians. That's also a track that showcases Thompson's dry humor, as well as "Yankee Go Home."
The songs are buoyed not only by Froom's sympathetic production, but a series of musical pros like Tony Leven, Jim Keltner and Jerry Scheff among others. The only thing missing is the kind of classic song Thompson typically had per record, the previously mentioned "Waltzing's For Dreamers." "I Still Dream" and the somewhat feisty "Don't Tempt Me" also comes close. But on his superb follow-up, "Rumour And Sigh," arguably one of his all time best albums, that the unforgettable songs reappeared. "Amnesia" is a great start to a productive few years for Thompson, and nit a bad album to have in the collection.
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