Editorial Review:

Album Description:
Teddy Thompson's self-produced Upfront & Down Low features his angelic voice in distinctive and heartfelt readings of beloved country classics: George Jones' 'She Thinks I Still Care' Ernest Tubb's 'Walking the Floor over You' and Merle Haggard's 'My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers.' It also includes Dolly Parton's bittersweet 'My Blue Tears' and the Elvis Presley chesnut 'I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone.'

Amazon.com:
Yes, Teddy Thompson's parents are renowned folkies Richard and Linda Thompson. And, sure, he's spent the past few years touring the world with his good friend Rufus Wainwright, who recently wrote a song about their inimitable relationship called 'Nobody's off the Hook.' But it's Thompson's rich, twangy voice that deserves the spotlight. After turning out two thoroughly underappreciated albums of original material--it would be pushing it to even call them cult favorites--the lovelorn singer-songwriter takes on a dozen classic country tunes on Up Front and Down Low. It's a good fit, the bitter sentiments the inform his own work paired with the sterling melodies of Ernest Tubb's 'Walking the Floor Over You' and Elvis Presley's 'I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone.' Thompson gives each of the tunes a masterful makeover, polishing them up with an all-star cast of players that includes Iris DeMent, Tift Merritt, and Marc Ribot. Wainwright offers string his own 'Down Low' into the mix without breaking the mood. It's the kind of stuff that could represent a breakthrough moment, as long as nobody gets distracted by the fact that he was born and raised in a Sufi commune. --Aidin Vaziri









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Disc 1:

1. Change Of Heart
2. Touching Home
3. Walking the Floor Over You
4. From Now On All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers
5. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
6. My Heart Echoes
7. The Worst Is Yet to Come
8. My Blue Tears
9. Down Low
10. You Finally Said Something Good (When You Said Goodbye)
11. She Thinks I Still Care
12. Let's Think About Living
13. Don't Ask Me To Be Friends

Rating: - * A Real Winner from the Second Generation ... I love Linda Thompson, Teddy's mother and I love Teddy's parents Richard and Linda Thompson together (sadly, they're divorced and no longer perform together). After hearing Teddy on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, I fell in love with his voice as well. In his new CD, a collection mostly of cover songs by such Nashville (and Bakersfield) legends as George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard Teddy Thompson excels. He has the perfect voice for these country classics. Who knew something like this would come from a singer from the UK? Last year another favorite of mine, the great Van Morrison did a CD of country classics and although very good, I think Teddy has eclipsed him. Of course it doesn't hurt that he employs the fabulous Iris Dement on one cut. Rating: - * What's the Point? ... I first heard Teddy Thompson's Separate Ways while visiting my sister and didn't stop playing if for about 3 months straight. FORTUNATELY I listened to Separate Ways first. Had it been Up Front I probably would have stopped there. Remakes of b-side country songs...What's the point. It doesn't show off his songwriting and incredible voice at all. Pass on this one and get Teddy Thompson and Separate Ways instead. Rating: - * Fresh approach and emotional interpretations. ... Judging by the quality of his two previous solo albums, Teddy Thompson's "son of folk legends Richard and Linda Thompson" tag will soon become redundant: he's a singer and songwriter of very high quality in his own right, with a rich voice and some choice songs that moves easily between pop, folk and rock. On this record, "Upfront & Down Low" he covers country songs of the classic era. These finely crafted pieces, marked by mournful wit, were penned by writers like Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton and Boudleaux Bryant and made famous by singers like Merle Haggard, George Jones and Elvis Presley. Though a first-rate songwriter himself, Thompson only put one of his own pieces into the mix, "Down Low", in which he sings "You're better off dead/ with a bullet in your head/ than comin' back to me..." He hired the renowned Robert Kirby, the man who distinctively and innovatively scored the prim strings on Nick Drake's albums, to arrange a tidy clutch of cello, violin and viola on the tracks. "My Blue Tears," also from the album, sounds great with minimal instrumentation, because Rufus Wainwright contributed a "wacky" string arrangement for the piece. (Just for the record "No One's off the Hook" on Wainwright's album "Release the Stars" was written for and about Teddy, who continues to tour with Rufus as an opening act ). No doubting, of course, that Teddy's choice of guest musicians sets a hell of a seal on the proceedings too - there's his illustrious father Richard Thompson on guitar, his mate Rufus , guitarist Marc Ribot, David Mansfield, Jenni Muldaur, Tift Merritt and Iris DeMent on vocals , Greg Leinz for a start! But whatever, it's Teddy's excellent choice of material and his very own musical personality that's stamped on these thirteen tracks, encompassing a basic honesty of approach and harnessing a gentle power that's very attractive indeed. tracks, encompassing a basic honesty of approach and harnessing a gentle power that's very attractive indeed. A Piece of What You Need Separate Ways Release the Stars Sweet Warrior Versatile Heart I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too Rating: - * I Love Teddy ... I liked the TT song "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye" on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack. It was quite simple. Voice, fiddle, drums, guitar in 4/4 time. Teddy's voice gives it the right tenderness without making it sound sappy. I went out and bought "Up Front..." and have been listening to it every day. I really enjoy the first two tracks. "Change of Heart" and "Touching Home." I guess my interest in country music has started when my friend encouraged me to go line dancing with him last month. Rating: - * Lovely ... Teddy Thompson's treatment of these country heartbreak standards is well worth adding to your collection. His voice lends itself beautifully, the musicianship is wonderful, and the arrangements and engineering are clean and respectful of the material. Wonderful, touching work.