Rumor and Sigh

Infobox Album | Name = Rumor and Sigh
Type = Album
Artist = Richard Thompson


Background = Orange
Released = May 1991
Recorded = 1991 at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles and Konk Studios, London
Genre = Rock
Length = 61:19
Label = Capitol
Producer = Mitchell Froom
Reviews =
Last album = "Sweet Talker"
(1991)"
This album = "Rumor And Sigh"
(1991)
Next album = "Watching The Dark"
(1993)|__NOTOC__Listen
filename=R Thompson-1952 Vincent.ogg
title="1952 Vincent Black Lightning"
description=Sample of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" from "Rumor and Sigh"
format=Ogg

"Rumor and Sigh" is an album by Richard Thompson released in 1991.

This album is one of the commercial and artistic high-points of Richard Thompson's career. On its release it garnered the usual critical superlatives but sales were also healthy - helped by Capitol's commitment to promoting an artist they regarded as a prestigious signing and by "Rumor And Sigh"’s nomination for a Grammy Award in the "Alternative Rock" category (an award eventually won by REM).

The album represents the third collaboration between Thompson and producer Mitchell Froom. It shows Thompson's broad stylistic range to good effect, and includes what has become his best-loved song - "1952 Vincent Black Lightning". "Vincent" is a tale of star-crossed lovers and the motor bike that brings them together set in a traditional English melody and structure and played in a style reminiscent of early 20th century American folk music. It is a perennial favourite and rare is the Thompson concert that does not include this song. The song was subsequently a big hit on the bluegrass charts for Del McCoury, and has become a modern bluegrass standard, well known by fans and even musicians otherwise unfamiliar with Richard Thompson.

"Backlash Love Affair" weds medieval horns to a piece of cod heavy-metal, "Why Must I Plead" combines soul with a country fiddle, and "Keep Your Distance" has a hurdy gurdy solo by Thompson. Thompson also takes a wry dig at himself and simultaneously pays a tribute to one of his influences in "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands".

In a 2005 interview on South African radio station SAFM Thompson explained that the albums that he considered "successful" were those where the finished product most closely matched his initial concept. "Rumor And Sigh", he said, was one of his most successful records by this yardstick.

Track listing

All songs written by Richard Thompson

#"Read About Love"
#"I Feel So Good"
#"I Misunderstood"
#"Grey Walls"
#"You Dream Too Much"
#"Why Must I Plead"
#"1952 Vincent Black Lightning"
#"Backlash Love Affair"
#"Mystery Wind"
#"Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands"
#"Keep Your Distance"
#"Mother Knows Best"
#"God Loves A Drunk"
#"Psycho Street"

Personnel

*Richard Thompson - guitar, vocals, mandolin, hurdy gurdy
*Mitchell Froom - keyboards
*Jerry Scheff - bass guitar
*Mickey Curry - drums
*Jim Keltner - drums
*Alex Acuña - percussion
*Christine Collister and Clive Gregson - backing vocals
*John Kirkpatrick - accordion, concertina, backing vocals
*Phil Pickett - shawm, crumhorn, recorder
*Simon Nicol - guitar

References

*"Richard Thompson - The Biography" by Patrick Humprhies. Schirmer Books. 0-02-864752-1
*The Great Valerio by Dave Smith.
*http://www.richardthompson-music.com