Sunday 3 November 2024

By proxy

In a long and hugely successful career Linda Thompson has written, sung and recorded scores of seminal tunes - many of which are now considered folk rock standards. These days, however, Linda has lost her most personal of instruments: having being diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia she is no longer able to enchant audiences with her instantly recognisable voice; the voice that shaped and defined not just her solo albums but those on which she collaborated with her ex, Richard Thompson. 

Earlier this year she curated a collection of new songs she'd co-written with her son Teddy Thompson under the title Proxy Music (see what she did there?) With a star studded roster of guest musicians (many family members) including a brace of Wainwrights, the Unthanks, the Proclaimers and Eliza Carthy to name but a few, the resulting album is nothing short of beautiful. One of my personal favourites is a song she bequeathed to John Grant. Linda loves John Grant. I think the feeling is mutual. 'John Grant' is track six (18:10) - the whole album is here...

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