Release Date: 1974

Impressions:  I only know of Richard Thompson vaguely from years of listening to WXRT, but I won’t hold that against him. I’ve never ran into this album. Let’s put it on. Holy cow, “When I Get To The Border” is an awesome opener! Doomed optimism. Stellar guitar work. Big, crisp, drum work. Well used accordion. Lyrics like “If you see a box of pine with a name that looks like mine/Say I drowned in a barrel of wine/When I got to the border” oddly makes me want to go out and get hammered. They slow things down nicely with guitar showcase “The Calvary Cross.” Oh man, “I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight” is the fucking jam. Horns, guitar, ooohs…. it’s just all perfect. Linda’s voice is up to the challenge on that song and and the spare “Down Where The Drunkards Roll.” Many of the songs have an acoustic, pastoral quality but never seem lame –although the mandolin-driven “The Little Beggar Girl” flirts with musical theater.  This seems to come from a post-hippie, pre-punk era of music (1970-1976) that’s a blind spot of mine so maybe that’s why it sounds so fresh to me, but, still, this album hit me just right. Penetrating, affecting lyrics, kick-ass guitar work, chock full of tunes that have aged well and the whole deal clocks in at a sharp 36 minutes. Thumbs up.