Amnesia

Richard Thompson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 30, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol Records
• ASIN: B000008TWQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,115 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

By the time Amnesia was recorded in 1988, it seemed Richard Thompson had recovered from the break-up of his marriage to long-time musical partner Linda Thompson--or maybe, as the title implies, he simply buried and forgot the pain. Rather than creating an album of love-gone-bad tunes (as on 1983's lovely Hand of Kindness), Thompson broke out of the gloom and wrote songs with fresh energy and strength. An aggressive voice takes over where once a weaker man may have spoken ("Turning of the Tide," "Waltzing's for Dreamers"). Moving from personal relationships to the state of the world, Thompson targets TV evangelism and American imperialism with caustic wit and guitars that sting. Produced by Mitchell Froom, this collection is one of the best of their many collaborative efforts. --Lorry Fleming

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Incapable of anything except artistic excellence, May 28, 2000

By 

dev1 (Baltimore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amnesia (Audio CD)

If Richard Thompson releases a mediocre album, I want someone to tell me immediately because I believe that he's incapable of anything except artistic excellence. Amnesia includes some of Thompson's most moving and breathtaking compositions to date. `Gypsy Love Songs' is a rocker to end any argument that Thompson is among the finest composers and guitarist ever. It's angry, brooding, haunting and thunderous. Mickey Curry bludgeons the drum kit (on par with the great Jim Keltner) like a pile driver, Thompson's guitar solos are sterling, and Jerry Scheff's bass lines could shake granite. Either Jim Keltner or Mickey Curry on drums, and Tony Levin on base lay down a bulletproof rhythm on the other rockers (Jerusalem On The Jukebox, Don't Tempt Me), while Thompson interjects improvising and mesmerizing guitar lines. `Yankee Go Home' is an uplifting cheerful ride except for Thompson's lyrics - yes, he's angry.

The antithesis to Thompson's electric rockers and customarily cynical lyrics is the light and acoustic solo `Waltzing's For Dreamers.' Here, pessimism is replaced by longing and loneliness. Christine Collister is the only woman on Amnesia: her backup vocal harmonies amplify rather than contradict Thompson's gruff voice and irate delivery. For Richard and Linda followers, `I Still Dream' is especially poignant. Although the magic of `Shoot Out The Lights' may never happen, Amnesia contains more than a fare share of enchantment.

Technical Note: Not mentioned on the accompanying written material, I suspect this is a DDD release. Check the cymbals and top-hat on `I Still Dream' and `Can't Win.'

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Apt title for a long out of print and almost forgotten album, September 26, 2004

By 

ewomack "ewomack" (MN USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Amnesia (Audio CD)

Sadly, most of Richard Thompson's amazing catalogue lies smouldering in the out of print bin. Since the 1970s he has consistently put out great material, but a mass audience never wafted up from the general populace. When Capitol signed Thompson they probably saw mass appeal, hits, and the next big critical and commercial success. In the mid late 1980s music rags announced Capitol's huge marketing campaign designed to haul Thompson from obscurity to stardom. Almost instantaneoulsy, Thompson's face appeared plastered in record stores, in music magazines, and the occasional television appearance. "Amnesia" belongs to this era, and Capitol pulled out plenty, if not all, of the stops to market it. Somehow the album stalled despite the strength of its contents. The 1991 follow-up "Rumor and Sigh" found Capitol getting what it wanted out of Thompson, but some ten years later the label dropped him. Thompson survives on Indie labels, but hopefully some label will put Thompson's considerable Capitol output back into print (calling Rhino!! Rhino!! Are you there!?!?!).

"Amnesia" is in no way Thompson's best album, but it contains some amazing material. "Turning of the Tide" should have been a hit. No good reason exists for its obscurity on the radio waves in 1988. The song holds up as a pop bulwark even today. "Waltzing's For Dreamers" could arguably be placed alongside some of Thompson's best material. A mellow bittersweet song about lost love, one of Thompson's perennial subjects, it almost sounds out of place amongst the pop rock songs that fill most of the album. Thompson waxes controversial on "Yankee, Go Home", including such lines as "Overpaid, oversexed and over here/Get smart, gringo, disappear/The Hun's at the gates of Rome/Yankee Go Home". Subtle it is not. One wonders if Capitol and Thompson exchanged blows over its inclusion on "Amnesia". "Don't Tempt Me" is a humorous (or not so humorous depending on one's point of view) take on bar room machismo. "I Still Dream" and "Reckless Kind" are Thompson staples burgeoning with bad bitter lost love. "Gypsy Love Songs", though a bit overlong, contains some great guitar work.

"Amnesia" doesn't deserve to wallow in never never land. Only two cuts made it onto Capitol's "Action Packed: Best of the Capitol Years" compression of five albums. Fans and the curious must resort to used bins or online auctions to get a copy. This album deserves better.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thompson's best solo album, August 14, 1999

By 

Jeff Hubbard (SLC, UTAH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amnesia (Audio CD)

The previous writer said it all remarkably well, so my comments will be brief - in fact, about the only way that I'll differ is to award this album an unqualified five stars - I can't think of another album that Thompson's done that I like any better than this one. In fact, of all of his solo albums, this is the only one that I'd truly put on a par with "I Want to See the Bright Lights" or "Shoot Out the Lights." Again, I could go on at length, but there's really no point. This is a nearly flawless album, and if you have any interest in checking out Thompson's songwriting or guitar playing, you couldn't find a better starting point than this.