Search - Linda Thompson :: Dreams Fly Away: A History Of Linda Thompson

Seventy-Eight Minutes of Grace and Elegance

dev1 | Baltimore | 10/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cruising the internet, I've found many adjectives describing the voice of Linda Thompson: including reflective, passionate, bittersweet, gentle, organic, theatrical, elegant, earnest and melancholy. My least favorite description is "theatrical." Kate Bush is theatrical, Linda Thompson's delivery is far from melodramatic. My favorite description is "elegant." Perhaps it's her phrasing or High British accent, either way, the voice of Linda Thompson is one of the most graceful and elegant instruments on record. I see no point engaging in a frivolous "better than" argument. Better than Sandy Denny, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, Judy Collins, Margo Timmins? Nonsense. Whether Linda Thompson is at the top of the pile, in the middle, or at the bottom; does not diminish her admirable contribution to popular music (and neither does it deflate the stature of the other artists named).Solo, Linda Thompson is impressive. Working with her musical accomplice, Richard Thompson, Linda surpasses excellence into the realm of exalted. Linda and Richard are a musical marriage born in heaven: the majesty of their partnership is not one of commonality, but of contrast. Linda's grace and elegance opposes Richard's acerbic and gruff delivery. Their duets are an alluring mix of silk and sandpaper (Walking On A Wire, For Shame Of Doing Wrong).I'm hesitant when buying CD compilations including previously unreleased material and outtakes. Often, "unreleased" material should have remained unreleased, and "outtakes" were deleted from the original albums for good reason: their inferior recordings. Not so here, executive producer Joe Boyd's selection is first rate: the quality of the material equals or surpasses the "real" stuff. All of Dreams Fly Away is tantalizing, but several tracks are a pleasant surprise. At odds with the expected British Folk-Rock is the lyrical perplexing synth-heavy "Talking Like A Man, " the bouncing Pop of "One Clear Moment", and the country slide-guitar touches on "Dimming Of The Day."Dreams Fly Away may break your heart (Insult To Injury, Telling Me Lies, I'm A Dreamer), or transport you inside azure clouds of harmonic beauty (I Live Not Where I Love, Sisters, Many Dreams Must Fly Away): seventy-eight minutes of grace and elegance."

Beautiful blend of rock and folk

Pieter | Johannesburg | 10/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This compilation showcases Linda Thompson's monumental contribution to rock and folk music from 1973 to 1988. It contains 10 previously unreleased songs, including four duets with Richard Thompson: live versions of Pavanne, The Great Valerio, Walking On A Wire produced by Gerry Rafferty plus a demo of First Light. My favourites include her interpretations of Sandy Denny's I'm A Dreamer and the old standard Blackwaterside plus her solo version of Dimming Of The Day. And the beautiful track Sisters and the yearning I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight. With Richard, Linda was an originator of a seamless blend of rock and folk. Dreams Fly Away proves her prowess as an emotive vocalist and her great achievement as a musician. These timeless songs with their poignant words and gripping melodies will never fail to move the serious music lover. The classy CD packaging contains witty and informative historical notes by Linda. I also recommend the classic albums Pour Down Like Silver and Shoot Out The Lights, for more of Linda and Richard's exquisite and memorable music.

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No dimming of her talent

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 04/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Richard is the better known and much more prolific of the former duo, but Linda's voice and presence make any recording she works on worthwhile. Dreams Fly Away consists of a mixture of previously released tracks (from her work with her former husband), live recordings, remixes (the remixes of the One Clear Moment tracks are an actual improvement. The annoying echo producer Hugh Murphy put on her vocals is much less noticable if not altogether gone) and demos. The notes and interviews are interesting and provide a unique perspective on Linda and her step out of the limelight. Her medical condition has obviously been overcome to some extent (her latest marvelous album is ironically titled Fashionably Late)but, for a while, this was the last word on Linda's music. While Linda may have been Richard's muse for a brief period and his voice for a number of their classics, she deserves recognition as an artist in her own right. This collection puts things right."