A Real Winner from the Second Generation
I love Linda Thompson, Teddy's mother and I love Teddy's parents Richard and Linda Thompson together (sadly, they're divorced and no longer perform together). After hearing Teddy on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, I fell in love with his voice as well. In his new CD, a collection mostly of cover songs by such Nashville (and Bakersfield) legends as George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard Teddy Thompson excels. He has the perfect voice for these country classics. Who knew something like this would come from a singer from the UK? Last year another favorite of mine, the great Van Morrison did a CD of country classics and although very good, I think Teddy has eclipsed him. Of course it doesn't hurt that he employs the fabulous Iris Dement on one cut.

What's the Point?
I first heard Teddy Thompson's Separate Ways while visiting my sister and didn't stop playing if for about 3 months straight. FORTUNATELY I listened to Separate Ways first. Had it been Up Front I probably would have stopped there.

Remakes of b-side country songs...What's the point. It doesn't show off his songwriting and incredible voice at all.

Pass on this one and get Teddy Thompson and Separate Ways instead.

Fresh approach and emotional interpretations.
Judging by the quality of his two previous solo albums, Teddy Thompson's "son of folk legends Richard and Linda Thompson" tag will soon become redundant: he's a singer and songwriter of very high quality in his own right, with a rich voice and some choice songs that moves easily between pop, folk and rock.
On this record, "Upfront & Down Low" he covers country songs of the classic era.
These finely crafted pieces, marked by mournful wit, were penned by writers like Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton and Boudleaux Bryant and made famous by singers like Merle Haggard, George Jones and Elvis Presley.
Though a first-rate songwriter himself, Thompson only put one of his own pieces into the mix, "Down Low", in which he sings "You're better off dead/ with a bullet in your head/ than comin' back to me..."
He hired the renowned Robert Kirby, the man who distinctively and innovatively scored the prim strings on Nick Drake's albums, to arrange a tidy clutch of cello, violin and viola on the tracks.
"My Blue Tears," also from the album, sounds great with minimal instrumentation, because Rufus Wainwright contributed a "wacky" string arrangement for the piece.
(Just for the record "No One's off the Hook" on Wainwright's album "Release the Stars" was written for and about Teddy, who continues to tour with Rufus as an opening act ).
No doubting, of course, that Teddy's choice of guest musicians sets a hell of a seal on the proceedings too - there's his illustrious father Richard Thompson on guitar, his mate Rufus , guitarist Marc Ribot, David Mansfield, Jenni Muldaur, Tift Merritt and Iris DeMent on vocals , Greg Leinz for a start!
But whatever, it's Teddy's excellent choice of material and his very own musical personality that's stamped on these thirteen tracks, encompassing a basic honesty of approach and harnessing a gentle power that's very attractive indeed.
tracks, encompassing a basic honesty of approach and harnessing a gentle power that's very attractive indeed.

A Piece of What You Need
Separate Ways
Release the Stars
Sweet Warrior
Versatile Heart
I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

I Love Teddy
I liked the TT song "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye" on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack. It was quite simple. Voice, fiddle, drums, guitar in 4/4 time. Teddy's voice gives it the right tenderness without making it sound sappy.

I went out and bought "Up Front..." and have been listening to it every day. I really enjoy the first two tracks. "Change of Heart" and "Touching Home." I guess my interest in country music has started when my friend encouraged me to go line dancing with him last month.

If you liked "Separate Ways", you might not like this
I liked Teddy Thompson's last album, "Separate Ways", enough to buy it. The songs were catchy, not too long, and well-written. He has a pleasant voice as well. But the songs weren't country. On "Up Front and Down Low", however, it's more than a toe in the pool, he's all the way country. And it's old-school country, with the twangy strings and all. If that's your thing, then you might like this, especially coming from such a talented musician. But it's not like the current breed of what is sometimes called alternative country such as Ryan Adams or Neko Case.