QUOTE
Thursday, May 01, 2008
New Teddy Album * US and UK Tour Dates
Teddy will release his new album in the US on June 17th, supported by 3 weeks of US shows that month. UK and European releases will be at the end of the summer and Teddy will be playing at Glastonbury Festival on June 28th and opening for Rufus Wainwright in London on July 5th.
A Piece of What You Need, his fourth album overall and his third for Verve — is the London-born, New York-based artist's most ambitious and accomplished effort to date, showcasing his formidable vocal, songwriting and guitar talents while venturing into rewarding new musical and lyrical territory.
Thompson's trademark blend of catchy songcraft, pensive emotional insight and good-natured black humor is present on such new tunes as "In My Arms," "What's This?!!," "Don't Know What I Was Thinking" and the bittersweetly fatalistic "Turning the Gun On Myself." The album's effortless pop sensibility is matched by a playful sonic palette that incorporates such aural surprises as the careening brass band on "Can't Sing Straight" and "One of These Days," or the Hitchcockian orchestral rushes that haunt the cinematic "Jonathan's Book."
Although Thompson co-produced his last two albums Separate Ways and Up Close & Down Low, for A Piece of What You Need he made it a point to recruit an outside producer to help realize his expansive musical agenda. The man for the job was Marius de Vries, whose extensive production resume includes work with acts as diverse as Bjork, Madonna, David Gray and Rufus Wainwright.
"I knew that I wanted this one to be more adventurous, with strong, solid rhythm tracks and beautiful airy touches to support the songs," Thompson explains, adding, "Marius gets all the credit for that. He's taken the arrangements up a notch. There was nothing off-limits, nothing that was too weird or too difficult. I could tell him that I wanted something to sound like fairies dancing around a maypole, and he'd know what button to push to get that. We were able to add a lot more layers, without overshadowing the songs themselves."
A Piece of What You Need is a landmark for an artist whose creative restlessness continues to yield deeply compelling musical results. Thompson's sense of purpose — and sense of humor — are reflected in the song title that provides the album's name.
"The song was born from frustration with the state of music," he explains. "I liked it as an album title because I thought it sounded like an offering, like this record is a small bit of truth. For most people, it's gonna be an absolutely miniscule piece of what they need. But I'd like to think that I'm contributing some tiny little building block of something worthwhile, rather than just adding to the massive pile of disposable rubbish."
May 1 2008 8:00P
Memorial Hall Sheffield, UK
Jun 5 2008 8:00P
Horseshoe Tavern Toronto
Jun 6 2008 8:00P
Three Rivers Arts Festival Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jun 7 2008 7:00P
Detroit Festival Of The Arts Detroit, Michigan
Jun 10 2008 8:00P
Schubas Chicago, Illinois
Jun 11 2008 8:00P
Schubas Chicago, Illinois
Jun 12 2008 8:00P
University Of Wisconsin * Terrace Madison, Wisconsin
Jun 14 2008 8:00P
Molly Malones Covington, Kentucky
Jun 15 2008 8:00P
3rd & Lindsley Nashville, Tennessee
Jun 17 2008 8:00P
The Grey Eagle Asheville, North Carolina
Jun 18 2008 8:00P
Gravity Lounge Charlottesville, Virginia
Jun 20 2008 8:00P
Music Hall Of Williamsburg Brooklyn, New York
Jun 21 2008 8:00P
North Star Bar Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 28 2008 7:00P
Glastonbury Festival Pilton
Jul 5 2008 8:00P
Kenwood House London
New Teddy Album * US and UK Tour Dates
Teddy will release his new album in the US on June 17th, supported by 3 weeks of US shows that month. UK and European releases will be at the end of the summer and Teddy will be playing at Glastonbury Festival on June 28th and opening for Rufus Wainwright in London on July 5th.
A Piece of What You Need, his fourth album overall and his third for Verve — is the London-born, New York-based artist's most ambitious and accomplished effort to date, showcasing his formidable vocal, songwriting and guitar talents while venturing into rewarding new musical and lyrical territory.
Thompson's trademark blend of catchy songcraft, pensive emotional insight and good-natured black humor is present on such new tunes as "In My Arms," "What's This?!!," "Don't Know What I Was Thinking" and the bittersweetly fatalistic "Turning the Gun On Myself." The album's effortless pop sensibility is matched by a playful sonic palette that incorporates such aural surprises as the careening brass band on "Can't Sing Straight" and "One of These Days," or the Hitchcockian orchestral rushes that haunt the cinematic "Jonathan's Book."
Although Thompson co-produced his last two albums Separate Ways and Up Close & Down Low, for A Piece of What You Need he made it a point to recruit an outside producer to help realize his expansive musical agenda. The man for the job was Marius de Vries, whose extensive production resume includes work with acts as diverse as Bjork, Madonna, David Gray and Rufus Wainwright.
"I knew that I wanted this one to be more adventurous, with strong, solid rhythm tracks and beautiful airy touches to support the songs," Thompson explains, adding, "Marius gets all the credit for that. He's taken the arrangements up a notch. There was nothing off-limits, nothing that was too weird or too difficult. I could tell him that I wanted something to sound like fairies dancing around a maypole, and he'd know what button to push to get that. We were able to add a lot more layers, without overshadowing the songs themselves."
A Piece of What You Need is a landmark for an artist whose creative restlessness continues to yield deeply compelling musical results. Thompson's sense of purpose — and sense of humor — are reflected in the song title that provides the album's name.
"The song was born from frustration with the state of music," he explains. "I liked it as an album title because I thought it sounded like an offering, like this record is a small bit of truth. For most people, it's gonna be an absolutely miniscule piece of what they need. But I'd like to think that I'm contributing some tiny little building block of something worthwhile, rather than just adding to the massive pile of disposable rubbish."
May 1 2008 8:00P
Memorial Hall Sheffield, UK
Jun 5 2008 8:00P
Horseshoe Tavern Toronto
Jun 6 2008 8:00P
Three Rivers Arts Festival Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jun 7 2008 7:00P
Detroit Festival Of The Arts Detroit, Michigan
Jun 10 2008 8:00P
Schubas Chicago, Illinois
Jun 11 2008 8:00P
Schubas Chicago, Illinois
Jun 12 2008 8:00P
University Of Wisconsin * Terrace Madison, Wisconsin
Jun 14 2008 8:00P
Molly Malones Covington, Kentucky
Jun 15 2008 8:00P
3rd & Lindsley Nashville, Tennessee
Jun 17 2008 8:00P
The Grey Eagle Asheville, North Carolina
Jun 18 2008 8:00P
Gravity Lounge Charlottesville, Virginia
Jun 20 2008 8:00P
Music Hall Of Williamsburg Brooklyn, New York
Jun 21 2008 8:00P
North Star Bar Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 28 2008 7:00P
Glastonbury Festival Pilton
Jul 5 2008 8:00P
Kenwood House London
i'm in for molly malones in CVG!
