Teddy Thompson
BellaRecord Label: Verve
Review by John Noyd
April 2011
When Teddy opened last month for the Old 97’s at Madison’s Barrymore, his strong voice and tight back-up brought to mind a number of great singers whose trademark heart on their sleeve pop songs are simply iconic. Thompson’s direct lyrics colored by subtle wit instantly called to mind, Marshall Crenshaw and Chris Isaak while his cover of the classic, “Runaway,” suggested comparisons to both Del Shannon and Roy Orbison. Gathering solid, well-constructed insights cushioned by pithy hooks, cozy harmonies and sighing strings, “Bella,” is both a welcome throwback and a refreshing step forward. Classic song structures incorporating biographical perspectives touching on universal themes, “Bella,” coolly conveys a world of romantic yearning fired by introspective regret, galvanized in gregarious guitars and tempered with melodically encapsulated metaphors
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