Customer Reviews

Sunnyvista

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the Richard and Linda Thompson album that even Richard and Linda Thompson fans don't hear too much about, and yet it is every bit as wrenching and disquieting as anything they ever did. As blasting an indictment of suburban anomie as has ever appeared on record, the collection is serious, sarcastic, cutting and contains a number of indisputably great tracks: the mock-Western fatalism of Living on Borrowed Time, the quiet insistence of You're Gonna Need Somebody, the wry humour of the title track, the shattering beauty of Two Lonely Hearts, the gutwrenching plaintiveness of Sisters -- the hardest song on this album to listen to -- and the more conciliatory, dreamlike coda Traces of My Love. Forget the jaunty Georgie On The Spree, which wasn't on the original release of this album and doesn't belong here, thematically or musically -- Sunnyvista is an uncompromisingly tough recording, but achieves true depth and emotional resonance through its musical accomplishment. Great guitar work, as always, great vocals from Linda in particular (she dominates the second half), and fine contributions from the likes of Gerry Rafferty. An album to rediscover.

First, let me say I am a huge Linda and Richard Thompson fan. I usually prefer what I call their "truly folky" period, which for me includes "I want to see the bright lights tonight" & the underrated "Pour down like silver" and "Hokey Pokey" (all released between 1974 and 1976).
What I first noticed about Sunnyvista is its inside jacket, a chef d'oeuvre of sick humour, emphasizing, maybe, our craziness and vanity as so-called civilized (or should we say well-conditionned ?) people.
If I were to name my all-time favourite Cd jacket, this one would for sure come to mind !
As to the record itself .. well, it has its moments. The two songs "Sisters" and "Lonely hearts" are great indeed, amongst their best work. Linda's vocals are heartbreaking, and both the lyrics and the music seem unforgettable. I also enjoy, to some extent, "Traces of my love".
I am much more divided as to the other tracks. Sunnyvista, the title song, is a weird one, somehow reminding of South American music. Though it is quite funny and well sung by Linda (as can be expected), I would call it a mere curiosity.
Most of the other tracks lack her astonishing vocal power and his mastering the art of song creation. Some of the melodies are not so bad (especially Why do you turn your back) and it's good to hear oriental sound mixed with british folk pop rock, but I very much dislike their use of backing vocals (even if they come from Gerry Rafferty or the McGarrigle sisters !). It's strange how those songs shoud sound more "dated" than the ones they came up with 5 years earlier (I'm talking here of flawless masterpieces such as Withered & Died, Never again or the Dimming of the Day).
The one thing I would rescue on ALL tracks is the lyrics, especially for the song Civilization, as I personnaly think very likewise. Would the so-called "normal" people be some aliens after all ?
I give the record 4 stars because, on the whole, Linda and Richard Thompson are far above the other folk rock musicians, even if Sunnyvista does contain some of their weakest efforts ..

This is the Richard and Linda Thompson album that even Richard and Linda Thompson fans don't hear too much about, and yet it is every bit as wrenching and disquieting as anything they ever did. As blasting an indictment of suburban anomie as has ever appeared on record, the collection is serious, sarcastic, cutting and contains a number of indisputably great tracks: the mock-Western fatalism of Living on Borrowed Time, the quiet insistence of You're Going To Need Somebody, the wry humour of the title track, the shattering beauty of Lonely Hearts, the gutwrenching plaintiveness of Sisters -- the hardest song on this album to listen to -- and the more conciliatory, dreamlike coda Traces of My Love. Forget the jaunty Georgie On The Spree, which wasn't on the original release of this album and doesn't belong here, thematically or musically -- Sunnyvista is an uncompromisingly tough recording, but achieves true depth and emotional resonance through its musical accomplishment. Great guitar work, as always, great vocals from Linda in particular (she dominates the second half), and fine contributions from the likes of Gerry Rafferty. An album to rediscover.

Sunnyvista is probably RT's least known album yet it is one of his best. What I love about this album is that it sounds absolutely unlike any of his other albums up to that point or even after. Most of these songs have just great rhythms that at first seem like upbeat songs. Heck, Civilzation is a reggae song! Hoewever, as with any RT song, the lyrics can be just devastating and cutting.

The overriding theme of this album is how so many people have just given in to society and its demands of conformity to ideals that really are of little importance. This is well worth getting (much easier to get and cheaper on cassette (ebay) since it's out of print) and is essential for any rt fan.

Their are so many great songs but Living on Borrowed Time and Lonely Hearts are just wonderful songs that have such great melodies.

On this 1979 album, luminaries like Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Gerry Rafferty and Glen Tilbrook assist the Thompsons on backing vocals. Sunnyvista is mostly an album of strong melodies, up-tempo rhythms and an impressive array of instruments, with a mostly cheerful mood. As such, it contrasts markedly with the sorrowful feel of their masterpieces Pour Down Like Silver and Shoot Out The Lights.

Civilisation and Borrowed Time are both strong folk-rock numbers. One of my favourites is Saturday Rolling Around, the most folky song here with an exuberant rhythm and singalong tune. You're Gonna Need Somebody is another beautiful song with a pop feel, vibrant rhythms and amazing harmony vocals by the McGarrigles. The title track Sunnyvista is quite witty and humorous, with an ironic twist, like a parody of a radio or tv commercial.

The optimism takes a bit of a dive with the lovely Lonely Hearts and the slow ballad Sisters, both typical of their characteristic sad songs. Justice In The Streets is almost funky, with tempo changes, varied vocals and an insistent chorus. Linda Thompson provides the beautiful lead vocal on Traces Of My Love, a melodic ballad that ends the album on a melancholy note. Sunnyvista is probably Richard & Linda Thompson's most pop-rock album and it contains several classic songs.

"Sunnyvista" is easily the weirdist pre-Froom album in Thompson's catalog. From the bossa nova sounding title track to the recurring synthesizer embellishments, it contains song structures and instrumentation you won't hear elsewhere. It's also odd from a conceptual standpoint. My guess is Thompson had been listening to alot of Kinks records at the time he wrote these songs. The lyrics are generally "Muswell Hillbillies" style ranting against modern society mixed with a healthy dose of Sufism. So you have perhaps Thompson's most self-consciously "modern" sounding album and its an anti-modernist concept album.

For the most part the songs are enjoyable, if not remarkable. It sounds like the Thompsons had some fun with this one, but the songs just don't really resonate. Only "Lonely Hearts" ranks with Thompson's finest work. Fortunately, "Sunnyvista" turned out to be just a strange left-field detour between "First Light" and "Shoot Out The Lights". Apparently, Thompson realized he was at a stylistic dead-end here because he did a complete 180 for the thoroughly brilliant back-to-basics "Shoot Out The Lights".

As has been noted by others, this is a dreadfully underrated album musically . Whilst album covers have never been a strong point for Richard's albums, this was one of a truly awful sequence. I cannot imagine anyone that didn't know the man's work already having their eye caught by this album and thinking 'That looks interesting'. Album art aside whoever, most of the music on this record is as strong as anything in Mr Thompson's canon. Richard finds fans in each and all of his many styles, whether overt or otherwise (the influence of both Scottish and Middle Eastern musics runs through much of his music) yet it is always with his folk-rock that I find the constant joy. That latter style is less-evident on this album than, say, 'Bright lights' but it is still recognisably Richard and Linda. He has never recorded a 'bad' album; there's a few tracks here and there that don't stand too much repetition (eg. Smiffy's Glass Eye)but for me it's easy to not worry about those and simply enjoy the hundreds of other brilliant songs he has given us and the incredible guitar-work.

Back to 'Sunnyvista' -a big plus is good clear production (a marked improvement on First Light), strong lyrics consistent with his recorded output up to that point (and heavily religious) but more upbeat and optimistic than other songs. Anyone familiar with early Arab and Persian Islamic devotional poetry will find a continued reflection of his Islamic faith in the lyrics here, though more contemporary than his Islamic songs on Pour Down Like Silver and First Light. ['Night Comes in' from 'Pour Down' uses classic Islamic devotional imagery of wine, dance and love to address the singer's relationship with God].'You're Going To Need Somebody' masterfully includes the Islamic proclamation of faith in Arabic as it's chorus (La ilaha illa allah - there is no god but God) - while Justice in the Streets refrains with a simple repeated Allah. Religious music is very rarely listenable let alone this good. This is music offered up to God as worship - thank heavens it's from someone as talented as Richard Thompson!

Musically there are numerous high-points including some trademark superb guitar, strong songs and beautiful singing from Linda. There are moments which must rank as the funkiest Thompson has ever got - 'Justice in the Streets'(reminiscent of Don't Let a Thief'). I'm not such a big fan of the lightweight Cajun meets Scottish country dance band of 'Saturday Rolling Around' or Peggy's uninspired bass generally but especially on 'Sisters'(a shame as it's a beautiful song). Fast, slow, happy, sad, rocking and rolling.

Remember also when considering this album, that it was released in 1979 - there's not a lot from that year that holds up as well as this after 30 years. So yes, it deserves 5 stars. Not his best but then it would be nigh impossible to sustain the brilliance of an album like 'Bright Lights'.

Also as noted by others, ignore the 'Georgie on a spree' additional track - not in keeping with the rest of album. Stupid addition that adds nothing to the integrity of the album.