Sweet Warrior (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Sweet Warrior
Type = Studio
Artist = Richard Thompson


Released = 28 May 2007 (UK)
Recorded = October and December 2006 at House of Blues Studio
Genre = Rock, Folk rock
Length = 68:03
Label = Proper Records (UK, Europe)
The Planet Company (Australia)
Shout! Factory (North America)
P-Vine (Japan)
Producer = Richard Thompson, Simon Tassano
Reviews =
* BBC Collective (favourable) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/hv63/ link]
* "The Guardian" Rating|5|5 [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2087309,00.html 5-25-2007]
* "Independent" Rating|4|5 [http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article2579413.ece 5-25-2007]
* "Music Box" Rating|4|5 [http://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2007/richardthompson-sweetwarrior-05232007 5-23-2007]
* "Uncut" Rating|4|5 [http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/richard_thompson/reviews/9815 link]
* "AMG" Rating|4|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0vfwxzy5ldte link]
* PopMatters Rating-10|8 [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42452/richard-thompson-sweet-warrior/ 6-13-2007]
* "The A.V. Club" (B) [http://www.avclub.com/content/node/62148 5-29-2007]
Last album = "RT - The Life and Music of Richard Thompson"
(2006)"
This album = "Sweet Warrior"
(2007)
Next album =

"Sweet Warrior" is an album by Richard Thompson released in 2007. Thompson financed the recording of this album himself and then licensed the finished album to various labels for distribution. On its release, "Sweet Warrior" entered Amazon.com's top 20 for music sales.

Overview

The track "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" was given an advance release via Thompson's own web site and iTunes. The song was singled out for praise by critics [cite web
url = http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42452/richard-thompson-sweet-warrior/
title = Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior
publisher = PopMatters
date = 2007-05-28] and featured prominently in Thompson's live performances in early 2007.This song's lyrics make extensive use of U.S. military slang (the "Dad" of the title is GI slang for "Baghdad"), and convey the thoughts and feelings of an uneasy U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq [http://www.richardthompson-music.com/catch_of_the_day.asp?id=700 Press release, March 14, 2007.] .

This advance release also enjoyed airplay on several radio stations and attracted generally favourable comments from the press and advance publicity for the album.

The album received very favourable reviews. [cite news
url = http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2087309,00.html
title = Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior
publisher = The Guardian
date = 2007-05-25] [cite news
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/hv63/
title = Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior
publisher = BBC Folk & Country Reviews
date = 2007-05-28]

Track listing

All songs written by Richard Thompson:

# "Needle and Thread" - 4:43
# "I'll Never Give It Up " - 3:22
# "Take Care the Road You Choose" - 6:44
# "Mr. Stupid" - 3:53
# "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" - 5:16
# "Poppy-Red" - 4:37
# "Bad Monkey" - 5:13
# "Francesca" - 5:17
# "Too Late to Come Fishing" - 4:36
# "Sneaky Boy" - 2:59
# "She Sang Angels to Rest" - 3:25
# "Johnny's Far Away" - 4:53
# "Guns Are the Tongues" - 7:27
# "Sunset Song" - 5:38

Bonus tracks on the P-Vine Records release for the Japanese market:

* "Any Old Body"
* "Dust and Wine"

Personnel

; Musical

* Richard Thompson - vocals, electric guitar, steel-string acoustic guitar, mandolin, accordion, tin whistle, autoharp, harmonium, hurdy gurdy, electric organ, handclaps (on 10)
* Michael Hays - rhythm guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
* Danny Thompson - double bass
* Taras Prodaniuk - electric bass guitar
* Michael Jerome - drums, percussion
* Judith Owen - backing vocals, handclaps (on 10)
* Sara Watkins - fiddle (on 5, 12-13)
* Joe Sublett - tenor saxophone (on 7-8)
* Joe Buck - first violin (on 11)
* Al Michaels - second violin (on 11)
* Novi Ola - viola (on 11)
* Simon Tassano - handclaps (on 10)
* Chris Kasych - handclaps (on 10)

; Technical

* Doug Tyo - engineer (at House of Blues Studio, Encino, California)
* Chris Kasych - assistant engineer
* Simon Tassano - mixing (at Rumiville Studio, Austin, Texas)
* Jim Wilson - mastering (at Airshow Mastering, Boulder, Colorado)

References

; Sources consulted

* [http://www.richardthompson-music.com/album.asp?id=92 Official credits page]

; Endnotes

External links

* [http://www.richardthompson-music.com/album.asp?id=92 Official lyrics page]