Charlie Thompson, is a British Hillbilly, Honky Tonk, Rockabilly and Western Swing singer.
Charlie Thompson – Untamed Heart
Fairlane Records – FCD002 [2024]
New Love – Untamed Heart – Just Inside Your Arms – Waltzing With Sin – That’s When I’ll Start Loving You Again – Pick Me Up On Your Way Down – Mansion On The Hill – I’m A Fool – Lonesome Dove – I Wish I Knew – You Make It Sound So Easy – Close All The Honky Tonks
It’s well known, and Bo Diddley even sang it: “You can’t judge a book by looking at the cover.” It’s true. Well, partly. Because when you hold Charlie Thompson’s new album in your hands, with its superb cover designed by the talented Chris Wilkinson, you can’t help but have a good feeling. And when you put your record on the turntable (or in your player) and listen to it, this impression is more than confirmed. But if you know Charlie Thompson, it’s not a surprise but a sparkling confirmation.
Thompson is a craftsman. He works slowly and takes the time to fine-tune his work (Since his career started about twenty years ago, he has released fewer albums than Billy Childish in six months). This is why each album is precious, and the amateur knows how to appreciate his music at its true value, as it‘s distilled with parsimony.
The British singer has a knack for working with top-tier musicians. His recent albums have featured standout artists from Scandinavia (such as Jussi Huhtakangas, Jurki Juvonen, Markku Juvonen, Carl Johan Viktor) and California (including TK Smith, Jeremy Wakefield, Dave Stuckey, Wally Hersom). For his latest album, he brought together a new group of exceptional musicians. The honky-tonk style of the album naturally led the project towards Texas, specifically Billy Horton’s Fort Horton studio. Alongside Thompson, the album features Billy Horton on double bass, his brother Bobby on rhythm guitar, Dave Biller (known for his work with Dale Watson, Wayne Hancock, and Charley Crockett) on guitar and steel guitar, Buck Johnson (from Shaun Young and Marti Brom‘s bands) on drums, Jason Roberts (who has performed with Asleep At The Wheel, Don Walser, and James Hand) on fiddle and mandolin, T Bonta (a versatile pianist who has collaborated with numerous artists in Austin), and Nathan Fleming (known for his work with Jesse Dayton, Charley Crockett, and Theo Lawrence) on steel guitar. While Winston Churchill is credited with the phrase, “I am easily satisfied with the best,” looking at this lineup, Thompson could easily adopt it as his own.
This top-notch team serves a repertoire based on traditional Honky Tonk and Country Shuffles. The group is so steeped in this style that it plays this music without any lack of taste or concession to modernity. What’s remarkable is that the whole thing never sounds like a stiff and dusty museum piece. On the contrary, the songs, mostly covers from artists like Melvin Endsley, Hank Williams, Charlie Walker, Hank Locklin, and Sonny Burns, are played with astonishing naturalness and authenticity. Additionally, the two modern compositions fit seamlessly into the mix, whether it’s the mid-tempo “That’s When I’ll Start Loving You Again” written by Tobias Einestad of the Domestic Bumblebees (who also writes for the Country Side Of Harmonica Sam) or the wonderful “Lonesome Dove” written by Thompson, reminiscent of “The Bend Of the River” by Marty Robbins.
But of course, I saved the most important, the best, for last. I’m talking about Thompson’s voice, the real star of this record. Because if Honky Tonk is an ultra-codified genre, it is also an unforgiving music. The musicians are mainly there to create a setting on which the voice rests. It’s music for singers and emotions. Charlie Thompson has the means to achieve his ambitions. He tackles this repertoire with rare grace and elegance, behind which there is a slight relaxation. With this clear, calm, and controlled voice, without ever cheating, he weaves a direct emotional link with the listener, playing with an inflection to introduce a subtlety or an emotion to touch you deeply.
As you will have understood, I hope, Untamed Heart is a rare example of a perfect album from start to finish, from the first glance at the cover to the last note of the final song, which continues to resonate with the listener long after the end of the record.
Available on Charlie’s website and from most specialist rockin’ record dealers.
It should also be up on every major streaming platforms shortly.
Charlie Thompson – The Foothill Sessions
Fairlane Records FCD001 [2015]
Going Like Wildfire – The Automobile Song – A Blue Million Tears – Boogie Blues – We’re Buggin’ Out – I Don’t Care – Let Me Love You Just A Little – So Long – You Tried to Ruin My Name – Ain’t Never Gonna Get Married Again – (We’ve Reached) The Beginning Of the End – I Miss You Already
Beautiful as a Faron Young ep on Capitol (perfectly designed by Chris Wilkinson of the Bonneville Barons and the Zazou Cowboys), here comes Charlie Thompson’s latest output. I believe this one had been recorded a while ago as I heard of these sessions from years now (which makes me feel less guilty for my belated review). It’s also a proof that Charlie didn’t want to release it until he finds it perfect and boy, IT IS PERFECT.
Helped by what could be best described as a dream team of musicians (Jeremy Wakefield on steel, Wally Hersom on bass, Dave Stuckey on rhythm guitar, drums and harmony, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, TK Smith on guitar and Bobby Furgo on fiddle) and recorded by Wally Hersom at his Wallyphonic studio this platter not only looks but also sounds as if it came straight from the 50’s, a period when country music and honky tonky tonk still meant something.
To put it frankly, this is the best album of traditional country music I’ve heard in ages. Actually I can’t even remember having heard such a good mid-50’s honky tonk album played by a modern artist before. The songs choice (coming from the catalogues of Luke McDaniel, Carl Peterson, Webb Pierce, Jim Reeves, Moon Mullican, Pee Wee King and so on) is also very good mixing slow numbers with more rollicking and swinging stuff (it must be hard to resist with a band like this). And of course there’s Charlie’s voice, sounding like Faron Young, Dave Rich and Marty Robbins all rolled into one but in the same time sounding like none other than Charlie Thompson.
If by now you are not taken by a compelling need to buy it, we both have a problem: me as a reviewer and you with your musical tastes.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
