Reviews for “Friend” are coming in including…
The Morton Report-Bentley’s Bandstand: 2013 Hidden Gems
Billtown Blues: Friend, Thompson’s sixth release to date is perhaps his finest work to date…hard to imagine, given the caliber of his earlier work. He has performed with many of the finest players in the business and has received high praise from those within the industry as well as those from outside. Surrounded by an all-star cast, he has done it again. Thompson is the 21st century equivalent of the real deal. When I listen to blues I listen for tonal quality, technical precision, passion, power and emotional impact. Billy Thompson scores highly in every category. I am often criticized as a “Blues Nazi” or a “Traditionalist”. What it boils down to is more a matter of miscommunication than anything else. I love blues in its traditional forms. When I listen to Billy Thompson that is exactly what I am hearing. Of the disc’s thirteen tunes, only Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine was not either written or co-written by Thompson. Friend is diverse when it comes to playing style running from classic Chicago blues to soul and funk with so many other styles represented as well. From things that could easily have been written in the 50s to a much more contemporary style, all are done with passion, dripping with an emotional power that can only be achieved by going through the experience. I guess that is what I mean when I say I like a more traditional style. Thompson plays what he knows, puts his all into every tune and treats each and every song and style with the respect it deserves. From hard-driving blues/rock to sultry, passionate soul ballads, all are done with equal attention given to the small details that make them work. The future of the blues is in good hands. Billy Thompson speaks the truth in song and does it with a power that cuts straight through to the heart. I like it! – Bill Wilson, www.billtownblues.org
San Diego Blues Society: Any Billy Thompson CD is welcomed with open arms, simply because he is a great guitarist, soulful singer and creative songwriter. The former San Diegan certainly doesn’t disappoint on this latest outing. There ís a full 60 minutes here on Friend with 11 originals (some with lyrics by Kristen Trump), plus a song (Garden) borrowed from his homeboy Joey Harris and a cover of the Bill Withers classic. Ain’t No Sunshine, that gives Thompson freedom to display his considerable vocal skills.Brimming with talent, Thompson’s music is laden with layers that allow him to flow from blues to funk to soul to rock seamlessly. His songwriting has never been better, with personal introspections such as Friend and Farmer Kenny and the social commentary Many Faces. Testimony to Thompson’s talent is the variety of first-take musicians he ís lined up to help, led by keyboardist Billy Payne and bassist Kenny Gradney from Little Feat, keyboard player Mike Finnigan (Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and Crosby, Stills & Nash), bassist Hutch Hutchinson (Neville Brothers, Bonnie Raitt) and sax player Ron Holloway (Warren Haynes, Susan Tedeschi and Gil Scott Heron). Satisfied finds Thompson in a familiar framework, spinning a Little Feat-styled New Orleans street rocker. But this is legitimate stuff with Feats keyboardist Payne and bassist Gradney backing Thompson’s vocals and searing slide guitar. The rocket-like song is propelled forward by drummer Eric Selby’s insistent beat. An interesting thing about Thompson’s slide playing is that he Doesn’t resort to careless and indulgent slide excesses, but he uses it in the context of songs when it can add to the music. It’s a recipe missed by far too many slide guitarists. -Michael Kinsman, www.blusd.org
Blues Matters: With only a handful of recordings to his name, it’s a surprise to discover that North Carolina’s Billy Thompson is actually a sixty-two year old veteran of the blues scene having made his first recording twenty years ago and having enjoyed a shared stage with the likes of Little Milton, Albert King and Art Neville. It is the generations of influences that shine through the album with the sounds of New Orleans, Texas, Chicago and others all being evident, and appreciated. Kicking off with the funky Soldier Of Misfortunate and the urgent Garden Thompson lays down his terms of up tempo blues with his accelerated slide guitar and close mic vocal. The intense slow ballad ‘Interlude’ keeps the edge going even though it is a slow number, and the pace goes back up for the swinging Farmer Kenny. The album continues in that vogue in a fashion of a live show and its sweaty energy is evident by the bucket-load. Keys and saxophone add flavour and width to the Louisiana/New Orleans numbers. The heavy percussion throughout means there is barely time to rest in any one of the thirteen tracks and why would we want to? -Gareth Hayes, www.bluesmatters.com
“Interlude” video and interview… at the conclusion of our 2013 tour for “Friend,” 78 Degrees West Films produced a video for an original online series for ArtVoice of the song, “Interlude,” from Billy’s new release. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ84-5zljzo&feature=player_detailpage
