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45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
FOR SHAME of Doing Wrong, August 12, 2004
Unfortunately, I never bought Richard & Linda Thompson's first three albums (I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Hokey Pokey and this album, Pour Down Like Silver) when Rykodisc released them in the early 90s. I don't know why, really. I guess because I was stuggling financially and emotionally, and I had bought the LPs when Hannibal released them in '83. I cursed myself when they went out of print, and vowed that, should they ever be released again, I would not miss the chance a second time.
Imagine my pleasant suprise when it actually happened, although at a hefty import price. I swallowed hard at the price tag, and told my wife THIS was what I wanted for my birthday. She rolled her eyes and complied, and I excitedly put it on. It sounded flat and horrible. I decided I must be tired, stopped the player and put it on again the next morning. Same thing; flat and horrible. Well, I know that listening is not a strictly physical occurrance, so I decided to pull out the old LP and make my detemination as objective as possible. Well, the old LP, which was remastered good but not great (the cuts on the Richard Thompson box Watching The Dark proved that, they sounded SO much better than my LP), just blew this "newly remastered" import CD right out of the water.
Look, I don't know what happen. This is not the first time I've bought an Island remaster. I bought several of the Traffic remasters that came out several years ago, and they were marvelously done...great fidelity. But I can assure you that something went very wrong here. I know this album, in it's original mix and release, sounded a bit boxy and flat, but this is much, much worse.
I know that there are a lot of Thompson fans out there, and I'm rather surprised no one has yet reviewed this. For all of you, please be forwarned. If you have the Ryko reissues, or even the Hannibal LPs, they blow this out of the water. Please don't waste your money. And Island, I don't know what the hell went wrong here, but Richard & Linda Thompson deserve better, and that goes double for their fans.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Thompson recording could sound better but has stellar bonus tracks , February 17, 2006
This was Richard and Linda's last statement before disappearing from the music world for three years. While the remastering is far from perfect on this edition of the album (it sounds like they a used copy of the master not the original master), the album itself is a classic. Thompson's guitar playing is more restrained here possibly reflecting his new mind set; he and his wife Linda joined a communal Sufi Muslim sect. Either way, the pared down approach of the arrangements works well in favor of the emotional directness of the songs. The mood is dark at times but the melodies and lyrics are compelling. "Streets of Paraidse", the beautiful "Dimming of the Day" and "Night Comes In" all remain just as powerful as when they were first recorded.
This remastered edition suffers from a number flaws but that shouldn't detract you from picking up some edition of the album. The mastering is, indeed, flat and, in fact, sounds like it's done from a second or third generation copy of the original mastertape. The sonic detail is decent enough it just doesn't have the depth I expected. The bonus tracks are tacked on at the end almost as an afterthought. While they are great live performances two of them were previously released on "Guitar, Vocal". The two new tracks are worthwhile additions to any Thompson fans collection and sound pretty good given the age of the recordings and the recording conditions. Thompson had wished that Island had not included the bonus tracks or put them on a separate CD allowing the original album to stand alone. As it is they are presented without a gap and begin immediately after the stunning conclusion of the album disrupting the flow of the album.
Regardless of these shortcomings Thompson fans will be delighted to pick up the bonus tracks (if they don't already have them in bootleg form). The recording itself sounds good but could sound a lot better. Looking past the remaster itself the strength and power of these powerful songs continue to shine evne if there was a mistake during the mastering process. I urge Island to go back and involve the Thompsons in future reissues of their recordings.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of The great spiritual rock albums, March 17, 2005
This was the Thompsons last studio recording for Island and their last before taking a long break from recording whilst they lived in a Sufi commune. The immediately striking aspect of this album is the sparse arrangements that perfectly suit the introspective and spiritual tone of many of the lyrics. Reportedly Thompson was going to flesh the album out with more overdubs but changed his mind. He was right to leave well enough alone.
Paradoxically Thompson's adoption of Sufism, his growing inclination to turn his back on the music business and the increasing pressure from his spiritual master unlocked some of his most compelling electric guitar playing. Although his intention seems to have been completely the opposite his considerable gifts on his chosen instrument are on display to good effect here. His playing on this album is tasteful, powerful and resourceful.
The songs rank amongst his finest and have a barely controlled passion just below the surface. Many of them reflect the sense of peace that Thompson felt after embracing his faith. Night Comes In is peppered with Sufic references. Beat The Retreat is a quitely powerful statement of relief at a spiritual homecoming and of the sadness of being seperated from The Beloved. And he saves the best for last with the marvellous Dimming Of The Day - a beautiful and very moving expression of massive personal longing and also one of Linda Thompson's finest moments.
But most of all I like the genuinely spiritual tone that permeates this record. In his comeback recordings ("First Light" and "Sunnyvista") Thompson's religious zeal is overdone and veers towards the spiteful, but on this record he evokes the relief and joy of a man who has found the home that his heart so badly needed.
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