Review by LarryG
3 stars out of 4
Rumor and Sigh is the best cd of the 90's from one of the best guitarists
and songwriters around. His guitar playing is consistenly amazing. He's
very technically proficient without showing off and his playing is always
original and fits with the song. Rumor and Sigh stands out because of
its songs. He has the purity of folk and the power of rock. 1952 Vincent
Black Lightning is a tour de force with simple instrumentation. Thompson's
strong, unshowy voice tells a moving, mythic tale of a man's two great
loves for his woman and his motorcycle. Read About Love is a fun
rocker which shows off Thompson's great sense of humor with its tale of
a young lad trying to learn the facts of life. The scope of the songs
is broad from the galloping rocker Mother Knows Best to the weary Why
Must I Plead? and the haunting Behind Grey Walls but the quality of the
songs remains high. Thompson has always had a bemused bafflement about
women. I Misunderstood is sadly moving as Thompson sings, "I thought
she was saying good luck, she was saying goodbye." Thompson's lyrics
can have a misogynist tone. Thompson has always had a baffled bemusment
about women. I Feel So Good's tale of a just released prisoner looking
to break somebody's heart has a somewhat menacing tone but the music is
light and buoyant enough to draw you in. That Thompson is a nice guy drawn
to the dark side gives Rumor and Sigh an interesting complexity. He only
goes too far in Psycho Street, an unrelenting account of disturbing
sociopaths. But generally, Rumor and Sigh shows a great artist in top
form. The songs are always very listenable and well made and interesting
below the appealing surface.
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