Strict Tempo! (album)
Encyclopedia
Strict Tempo! is an instrumental album by Richard Thompson released in 1981.
After the modest sales for their 1979 album Sunnyvista
, Richard and Linda Thompson found themselves without a record deal. An album produced and financed by Gerry Rafferty
(see Shoot Out the Lights
for more details) failed to secure them a deal with a major label.
To generate some income, Richard Thompson formed his own record label Elixir Records and recorded this album at a small studio in London.
The album consists of some of the artist's favourite tunes, all rendered as instrumentals and all arranged for guitar
, mandolin
, and other instruments played by Thompson. The only other participating player is drummer Dave Mattacks
.
The album is being re-released on Vinyl by Omnivore Recordings in September, 2011, and on CD in November, 2011.
After the modest sales for their 1979 album Sunnyvista
Sunnyvista
Sunnyvista, released in October 1979 is the fifth album by Richard and Linda Thompson.After the artistic mismatch of the previous year's come back album , the Thompsons made greater use on this album of backing musicians that they had worked with previously.Sunnyvista is a curate's egg of an album...
, Richard and Linda Thompson found themselves without a record deal. An album produced and financed by Gerry Rafferty
Gerry Rafferty
Gerald "Gerry" Rafferty was a Scottish singer songwriter best known for his solo hits "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", "Days Gone Down", "Night Owl", "Get It Right Next Time", and with the band Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle with You". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in...
(see Shoot Out the Lights
Shoot Out the Lights
Shoot Out the Lights is the sixth and final album by British husband-and-wife folk rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson. It was produced by Joe Boyd and released in 1982 on his Hannibal label...
for more details) failed to secure them a deal with a major label.
To generate some income, Richard Thompson formed his own record label Elixir Records and recorded this album at a small studio in London.
The album consists of some of the artist's favourite tunes, all rendered as instrumentals and all arranged for guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and other instruments played by Thompson. The only other participating player is drummer Dave Mattacks
Dave Mattacks
Dave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
.
The album is being re-released on Vinyl by Omnivore Recordings in September, 2011, and on CD in November, 2011.
Track listing
All songs traditional and arranged by Richard Thompson except where noted.- "New-Fangled Flogging Reel/Kerry Reel"
- "Vaillance Polka Militaire/Belfast Polka"
- "Glencoe/Scott Skinner’s Rock/Bonny Banchory"
- "Banish Misfortune
- "Dundee Hornpipe/Poppy-Leaf Hornpipe"
- "Do It For My Sake"
- "Rockin’ In Rhythm" (written by Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
) - "The Random Jig/The Grinder"
- "Will Ye No Cam Back Again"
- "Cam O’er The Stream Charlie/Ye Banks And Braes"
- "Rufty Tufty/Nonsuch à la Mode de France"
- "Andalus/Radio Marrakesh"
- "The Knife-Edge" (written by Richard Thompson)
Personnel
- Richard Thompson - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, mandocelloMandocelloThe mandocello is a plucked string instrument of the mandolin family. It has eight strings in four paired courses, tuned in 5ths like a mandolin, but is larger, and tuned CC-GG-dd-aa . It is to the mandolin what the cello is to the violin.-Construction:Mandocello construction is similar to the...
, dulcimerAppalachian dulcimerThe Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
, harmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, pennywhistle, dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar... - Dave MattacksDave MattacksDave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on Ye Banks And Braes