I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

I have never felt less cool rating an album

Why is Linda not included in de artists name? It's on the cover. The album itself was okay

Hit or miss for me. 3/5

I was hoping to like this more than I did. Not a bug fan of RT on his own, but some of this LP was enjoyable. Not an album I'd return to, however.

Pretty ahead-of-its-time sound, with pleasant vocals from both singers. Was sad to read they divorced a decade after making this together :( Make no mistake, this is a pretty good record, just not one I can see myself returning to.

Another one where I can't believe I haven't heard of it before! Great album with a lot of lovely songs - particularly like how well the singers harmonise. Strong 4 to a 5.

This was unusual- I would spin again as background music. Very evocative of the time it was released.

Good soft rock album that draws on Richard’s knowledge of the folk tradition. Shame there are no actual folk albums on the list. Musically this is more like a 1973 lp by Eno or Wyatt lp than a Ewan MacColl or Shirley Collins album. Richard’s voice is a little nasal and minor note on his solo lps. So Linda brings a welcome variety (as Sandy Denny does in Fairport Convention) and here they have some of Richard’s best songs to work with.

Some shanties that’d be great to sing with the lads down the tav with tankard in hand.

I actually enjoyed revisiting this far more then I expected. I think it must have been the nice weather or something. The Linda songs are the best ones

Good album! Not sure i ever need to return to though. Linda's song are the best on it. Richard songs kinda bring the album down a bit for me.

Very nice album. Even if at times it has Blue Peter theme vibes. Ive got a Richard Thompson album, its ok. But Linda's voice and their dynamic brings a lot more. Think i'll round it to a 4, Even 3.5 seems unkind

It’s getting harder to rate some of these albums because it’s not like there bad I just don’t care for them and won’t revisit This albums in that category

Feels A-side heavy this one. Some really good songs, but the more traditional folky ones aren’t for me.

3.5/5

Very good folk album

I generally enjoyed Linda's songs better, and I liked it when it got a bit dark towards the end.

No me llamo nada ma atención 4/10

This was....fine? I didn't hate it but I will also probably forget about it before I finish typing this sente.... Who?

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight has nice songs and mood, easy to listen, but not every track keeps you interested the whole time.

Mostly a pretty basic folk rock album. Not my thing. It’s too minimal and underwhelming for me. It wasn’t offensively bad or anything, but I can say I enjoyed it much. 5/10

Pretty unremarkable

Sounds like a rainy English pub where everyone’s quietly processing their feelings over a lukewarm ale. Beautiful in theory, but emotionally heavy enough that you check your watch between sips. Respect the craft, but I’m not staying for another round.

Not gonna lie, on the first verse of the first track I was ready to give up on this record and couldn't wait to get my ears to the border ASAP. I lack the historical context or cultural knowledge to recognize who Richard and Linda Thompson are. I had never heard of the record and was not prepared to have a dour-rain soaked folksy morning. But somewhere along the way of my forced listen, my rejection softened as I got comfortable with the vocals and instrumentation. And, I became interested in the stories being told. Without investing that interest in the album's narratives I think it's much harder to appreciate. Ultimately I won't reach for it when I want these vibes as I have many more contemporary expressions of these feelings that I have a personal connection to. But there's more here than that initial look had given. Maybe I just needed to wipe the steam off the mirror to see it more clearly.

Pre-dates my listening years. Completely unknown to me, and entirely brilliant. Like going to a real Irish pub to enjoy a full band playing an utterly captivating night of music.

Not awesome, just not my thing unfortunately

Too Jesus-y for me!

No los conocía de nada y me ha gustado mucho. Me guardo "When I Get to the Border", "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight", "Down Where the Drunkards Roll" y "The Little Beggar Girl". Los volveré a escuchar.

- justice for linda thompson in this album listing - i like the instrumentation - i also like the album cover - i like the trad folk elements - favorites: i want to see the bright lights tonight, withered and died - rating: 3/5

really solid classic folk second half of when i get to the border has some incredible instrumentation the transitions between richard and linda thompson can feel a little jarring sometimes, but they both have lovely voices, linda especially the second half felt a little too irish-jiggy to me, but i could see the first half growing on me a lot highlights: when i get to the border, withered and died, i want to see the bright lights tonight 3.5/5

actually really great! never heard of Richard or Linda Thompson before but i absolutely enjoyed their sound!! the last albums i've gotten i wasn't crazy about the singers' vocals, but i ended up loving both Thompson's voices. currently it's winter as i'm typing this (almost spring but it's cold and there's still snow everywhere) and wow this made me miss summer. folk rock always sounds like summer to me, and I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight is the perfect example of that. very nostalgic and makes me want to lay under a warm sun. kind of gives me that same feeling of Wings, then again it might just be because it's a husband and wife duo lol favorite track(s): The Great Valerio. the vocals on this one were really beautiful, and it was a lovely ending to the album. the title track I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight is a good classic jam as well.

2 out of 5. Almost a three, but just too samey to me.

A lovely laid-back album.

I’m not a folk person, but damn it, if it has sad songs in it, I will like it. This was very nice, I did not expect to like it.

While I’m not a massive fan of this album, I can understand the appreciation for the writing.

This was new to me and is really the tits.

24/03/2026 *1. when i get to the border - oooo really liking this immediately! guitars are lovely! looove the instrumental!!! 2. the calvary cross - love the guitar and tambourine at the start... organ is nice! not as fond of the rest of the song, but still nice :) *3. withered and died - her voice is lovely <3 lyrics are fantastic! *4. i want to see the bright lights tonight - liking the guitar and bass more in this one. love when it gets more bluesy.... horns! 5. down where the drunkards roll - nice, don't think i'm in the right mood for slow folk songs tonight though! 6. we sing hallelujah - nice again! *7. has he got a friend for me - reaaallly lovely.... has more of the emotion i've not found in the other songs. 8. the little beggar girl - nice... am wondering if these are their real accents... sounds like a mix of northern and irish, but the wikipedia summary for this album said he was from london? will research. 9. the end of the rainbow - lyrics are fantastic, but the music just doesn't do anything for me! *10. the great valerio - loving the guitar at the start... for whatever reason, this just didn't jump out for me... the lyrics are fantastic but only track seven seemed emotionally resonant for me? loved the woman's vocals (assuming it's linda thompson?) but not as fond on the male, thought the accent sounded a bit affected (not in a good way)? maybe will need a relisten on another day, might be too tired for a slow folk album today lol.

Surprised.

Bittersweet and bleak loveliness

Ok

What a great album! I loved this start to finish.

very good

This is charming, but I lost interest as the album went on.

Another one of those oh so pleasant background music type album that doesn’t really grab me but neither does it offend me!

This is some Christian living room garbage.

When I read that Richard Thompson was the guitarist for Fairport Convention I had pretty high expectations, but this didn't really live up to them. Too old-fashioned for my tastes. But it's pretty inoffensive too, just didn't really click with me

Total sucker for English folk music and they both have good voices. I will be listening to this again.

fine

Linda Thompson not included as the artist because this list was dead set on having only 5 women artists. the English are cursed by having some of the corniest folk music possible, and that curse haunts this album. a bunch of it remains very good. there's an incredible version of Calvary Cross I don't know the source of but can be found on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3biCVTKwRQ

This sort of thing is near the fine line of overbearing corniness to me, but by the end it had fallen on the right side. 70s folk with a distinct and not unpleasant flavour. Some very nice guitar stuff, plus I have a soft spot for anything resembling a Family Band, so let’s be generous.

bury me with this record

Folky music can go one or two ways for me, painfully okay or shoot it into my veins, this was painfully okay to me.

3/5 An indifferent 3/5 because it was painfully fine to me. I guess it was some nice folky music, but nothing that stood out to me.

Definitely not my favorite style of music, but it was fine for what it is, 2 stars

I know Richard Thompson is a excellent guitar player, I just wasn't moved by anything here. Disappointed, I was expecting more

Absolutely not, could not finish the album -- was not willing to subject myself to this past #4.

When to listen: In a pub on a rainy day. Pint not optional. I liked the beginning of the album more than the end. I've always loved the song for which the album is named, it's so wonderful, and it was cool to hear the full soundtrack from whence it came.

Not my vibe bruv

Really good folkish rock. Never heard of them before today but it was a great listen and I played it through a couple of times. It's relaxing but not too much, great for listening at work.

C30, A8 München - Augsburg, Deutschland. Stark angefangen, stark nachgelassen.

im grown enough to admit i dont care about folk

Really great, her voice is lovely and I really enjoyed many of these tracks. I had recently been introduced to Fairport Convention which she was the singer. 5 stars

Thks album sounded like a Celtic version of early Buckingham/Nicks Fleetwood Mac. Richard Thompson's guitar work is weird in the best way. The vocal harmonies are tight. I loved this album. 5 stars.

too slow for my personal taste

Liked: Has He Got A Friend For Me, The Great Valerio

UK folk is toch een genre waar ik regelmatig 'gems' in opgraaf, en één van de eerste acts waarbij je die wereld toetreedt is Fairport Convention. Het werk van Sandy Denny en Richard Thompson was mij dus ook bekend. Over deze plaat ben ik altijd gemengd positief. De eerste helft van het album heeft alles wat het genre zo eigenaardig, maar tegelijkertijd zo catchy maakt. Sterker nog, ik denk dat het die catchy pub rock twist (zie ook Lindisfarne) is wat het genre onderscheid van z'n Amerikaanse tegenhanger, naast natuurlijk de Keltische en andere traditionele instrumentatie. De tweede helft klinkt veel meer als classic Fairport Convention, maar verliest ook wel snel aan urgentie. Het mist een beetje Sandy Denny, denk ik. Al met al wel een stevige zeven. 7/10 Highlights: The Calvary Cross I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight The End Of The Rainbow

Geinig hoe Amerikaans dit album begint om vervolgens super Brits te zijn, en verderop ook zo te klinken. Het accent en de folkse melodieën geven dat snel weg. De beschrijving spreekt van een masterpiece. Dat gaat me wat ver. Maar ik ben wel overtuigd door de stemmen van beide Thompsons. Beide zijn niet perse super mooi maar wel puur en hebben iets unieks. In de samenzang zingt Richard heel laag. Linda klinkt wat meer zeurderiger maar klinkt wel als veel tijdgenoten uit de USA. De tracks waar wat tempo in zit liggen me het best. Al met al wel verrast door deze plaat. En ook gewoon zin om eindelijk weer eens een lekker cijfer uit te delen. 8/10 Highlights When I Get To the Border Down Here the Drunkards Roll We Sing Hallelujah

Klasik britanskog folk rocka sedamdesetih

565/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

Decent

didn't know at all, and can't yet place it musically

Tuns out, I like folk rock. Very mellow album. Notes of Simon and Garfunkal and also some notes of modern day alternative music.

This might have been good if I was hearing it live in a pub about 200 years ago

I was surprised to find out this was English as it seems to me to have inspired a lot of Americana indie & alt country like Bonnie Prince Billy and Dwight Yoakham. Beautiful, melodic and enchanting. Opening side in particular the first 2 songs, When I Get To The Border and Calvary Cross and the title track are classics. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars from me but rounding up today.

Best Irish album I’ve listened to so far

Mah

My wife liked it. It was good. A bit sing songy.

A New House Beige shrug of an album

Generally a big fan. This album really features Linda Thompson quite strongly and she's just as important as Richard on this record. It's very interesting to compare these versions to the ones Richard would sing solo many years later.

Kind of folky, Irish-y at times. Not my vibe, but some of it is catchy.

The production on this is great, especially the guitar work. I found Linda's vocals were much much better than Richard's, to the point I would've preferred this only had Linda's singing.

27/02/2026 It's a harmless album, can't say I enjoyed it much though. Spotify listeners: 133.9k

It was alright. Not quite as interesting as the fairport convention albums

Their second album. Rock / Folk. When I Get To The Border is a real nice opening track. The whole album is actually a nice surprise. Finding gems that were previously unknown to me is a large part of what this journey is all about. I Want To See The Bright Lights is another real good track. A very, very good album. Thirty six minutes flew by.

Eh. Didn't really stick with me

Whimsical

Pretty and sad

7 / 10

Nah.

I was enjoying the first half of the album well enough, but it lost me in the second half. Richard from my favorite troubadour band Fairport Conventions, just couldn’t save this one for me.

This is a collection of songs I had to sing in 6th grade chorus (with a flare of Jefferson Airplane thrown in). Didn’t understand the songs then and I still don’t now. I’m going to assume I’m not the target audience here and just move on to tomorrow’s selection without dwelling.

The Nickelback of British folk rock.

The album was initially ignored by both listeners and critics. Critics came back to this album and saw it's brilliance later, hence it finding its way onto this list. Critics are idiots.

Sry, not my music

Really fun listen. Great vocals, fun mix of music, lyrics that were unexpectedly dark at times

I always liked Richard Thompson in Fairport Convention. This isn't quite as good, and Linda's voice isn't a patch on Sandy Denny. I like the slightly-depressing lyrics and music, an interesting take on neo-folk music. Four stars.

A good listen. Elements of this sound very modern. Other parts have hints of classic era Fleetwood Mac. His voice seems much stronger than hers. Particularly liked his guitar work, which managed to incorporate Celtic elements without going overboard. It started to drag a bit by the end but still a decent listen

Another perfectly listenable (though not particularly unique) album to close out the week! Not the kind of thing I can see myself returning to on my own time, but I wouldn’t mind it if someone else put it on. There are a few solid highlights I might come back to if I ever get on a big folk kick! Highlights: When I Get to the Border, Withered and Died, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Down Where the Drunkards Roll, The Great Valerio

I found it kind of dull, lacking some of the feeling I want to find in folk music.

No familiarity with this album or artist. I dug the first half more than the second but overall found it to be quite enjoyable and glad that I got to listen to it.

Beautiful voices and masterfully played acoustic guitars (plus a variety of other folky instruments), telling sorrowful stories that still manage to contain a hint of hope somehow. Favorite track: "Down Where the Drunkards Roll"

Nice

3 Bright Lights was the highlight

pretty enjoyable not too bad

I was into it in the beginning but then it started to turn into a trip to a the renaissance faire...

No surpise that Linda carried this album. Such a nice voice. The folk rock genre isn’t for me these days though

I’m not a fan of Richard Thompson, so at first I was like 😩. But as I listened I was like maybe this isn’t so bad. But as the album went on I was like meh.

Renaissance Fair vibe, but I don't hate it.

6.0/10

Yeah very strong listen. Will listen more

This is some Renaissance Faire-type music. Very folksy, mellow, haunting vocals à la Joan Baez. Solid album, but I wouldn't catch myself listening much outside of here.

I got into this album recently and it hits from top to bottom.

always fun to encounter something completely new. some great moments and some meh.

Better than expected

The title track ‘Bright Lights’ has been one of my favourite songs ever, I absolutely love it, if I did karaoke, that’s the song I would do. However, I found the rest of the album to be quite low grade English 60s/70’s folk. Is is 3.5 for me

2026.02.15

I had never heard of these two before but I really enjoyed their folky album. At times I was reminded of The Seekers and even of The Tragically Hip. Nothing revolutionary but just good and nice.

I don't know what genre this is but I really enjoyed it.

Lagan i fin album, najbolje pesme su kad peva Linda. Ocena za album 4/5

Maybe it’s because I’m going through a bad time in my life but I just didn’t find this very interesting.

This album is a nice discovery for me. You can tell that the Thompson's put a lot of thought and care into each track. And the final result is probably the finest in English folk rock.

A great album, held back in just a couple of placed by some dated production things that I didn't enjoy. I have been a Richard Thompson solo fan for a while, but had never really gone into his work with Linda. I need to correct that.

Too slow again for me but would make a good movie soundtrack

ok

Both Linda and Richard Thompson are great singers and Richard is a talented unique guitarist with Scottish influence.

Solid folk. Bit of a bummer and some of the songs drag but overall pretty good.

Not bad. Not great, but not bad.

Why is this only credited to Richard Thompson when the album is credited to Richard and Linda Thompson? Great Folk-Rock from two masters of the genre.

A beautiful record, dark with emotional songwriting. Some majestic playing too, though there’s the odd element of the sound that grates, so four, not five from me

Songzeile Life seems so rosy in the cradle But I'll be a friend, I'll tell you what's in store There's nothing at the end of the rainbow There's nothing to grow up for anymore ... das 1974 zu singen ist konterrevolutionär. Dafür hab ich nicht tonnenweise Lucky Charms gefuttert.

A great, passionate folk rock effort. Despite the electric instrumentation, it doesn’t lose its traditional roots.

See I really like shoot out the lights (did she jump or was she pushed is one of the best songs ever written) but I’ve never tried the rest of their discography so I’m excited… After listening to it, this album is very good: the cavalry cross, I want to see the bright lights tonight and the end of the rainbow were my favourites. I think it’s a low 5, I prefer shoot out the lights but this was great too

This one is truly peaks and valleys. Some of these tracks are quite good but others are a little tough to get through. Overall not bad.

First double blind actually. I’d never heard of the artist or album, but I realized that I had heard “withered and died” in movies and stuff. Overall not my thing. Kind of low energy, surprised it made the list honestly

This album was a real vibe. It took me away to a smokey 70s British Pub. The kind of place where you grab a Boddingtons, hang with mates, and listen to some folk. No mad lads in this pub, just some hard working, blue collar Brits looking to unwind after the day

I've always meant to get around to listening to Richard and Linda's work. I'm glad I have now. This is very good stuff. Better than most of the "7 out of 10s", though alas, I'm still going to round down to 3 stars. But it's better than most of the stuff I give three stars. I especially like the British-isles instrumentation (tin whistle, concertina, etc.)

Did not finish yet but will come back

++: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Down Where the Drunkards Roll, The Great Valerio +: The Calvary Cross, Has He Got a Friend for Me +-: When I Get to the Border, Withered and Died, The End of the Rainbow -: We Sing Hallelujah, The Little Beggar Girl 4,6/10

No my cup of tea.

Folksy, calm, border line psycadelic rock. It was fine, something that could be playing and I wouldn't turn it off. There were some decent lyrics that did make an impact.

This is pretty okay.

This was pretty good. Relatively short and sweet. The sound and vibe make sense seeing that it comes from a member of Fairport Convention. Again, another album from an artist we’ve already touched on multiple times in this project. If this project were truly great, it would put a 2 (3 in very special circumstances) album cap on all artists to showcase far more voices and artistic viewpoints.

Wow, Richard Thompson was part of Fairport Convention for the two albums we had by them. The small world of music never ceases to amaze me! I liked this more than I thought I would. It feels like they're tapping into a folk sound that feels old-fashioned but also timeless in a weird way. The songs are kind of depressing, but there's also a sense of comfort that we're all in 'whatever all of this is' together.

Kinda too twangy for me, sounds like Jefferson airplane but country like . 2 stars

2/5

“I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight” by Richard & Linda Thompson is practically the definition of cultivated boredom. Technically, everything is clean and neat, the production is absolutely professional... but nothing noteworthy happens. Wikipedia says it was “never commercially successful and critically ignored upon its release,” which is not surprising at all. From the perspective of the authors of “1001 Albums...”, it still seems to have a certain relevance, but the best I can say about this recording is that there is really nothing bad or annoying about it. Easiest listening, so to speak.

10/20 Les parties purement instrumentales s'écoutent plutôt bien. Sans être époustouflant, il y a de belles sonorités et c'est agréable. Malheureusement, par contre, a peine les parties chantés arrivées, l'instrumental s'efface pour laisser la lumière aux chants qui pourtant peinent a le convaincre. Ainsi, l'album n'est pas déplaisant, mais définitivement oubliable.

Titel Track ist ein meiner Lieblingssongs, aber ich hatte vergessen wie großartig das Album ist

Ahaa, ja, danke. Wir melden uns bei ihnen, bitte melden sie sich nicht bei uns.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but it just never really clicked. Most of the album felt flat to me, even though I can tell there’s skill behind it. It just didn’t grab my attention or give me much reason to stay invested. The lone bright spot was the Together Again bonus track, which is also telling since it’s the one song not written by either Thompson.

It was indeed English Folk Rock. Who cannot relate to this genre? I suspect very many people. I'm just having a laugh. Nothing stood out to me until the very last song. It had a moment of musical darkness that felt very expressive. Other than that, I was non-plussed. Maybe I should have actively listened to the whole album.

Pretty good album, first half much better, but nice listen

Loved the folk rock vibes. This website says its only richard thompson but the version I listened to was a collaboration with Linda Thompson which I assume is his wife, made it more meaningful and poetic in a sense. Definitely a fun listen 4/5

I'm not sure what's going on here. I can't decide how I feel about this album - one moment I'm getting swept away and the next I find myself cringing. I'm honestly not sure what is going on here... The songs are well written, but the production leaves something to be desired. The vocals are nice, but the instrumentation is boring. I just can't figure out if I like this or not, so I guess it's getting a 3.

Cool

Very easy listening. Title track is the most energetic for sure.

This feels so close to something great but i think my reaction is worse for the fact that it’s not quite there. It all just feels a little bit thin and to be honest i was more interested in the wikipedia page than the actual album. Also maybe im just forcing myself to have a stronger reaction to not give another 3? Who’s to say.

I enjoyed this Thompson + Thompson venture. I found the album to be haunting at times and felt that it captured the English dreariness quite well. I certainly preferred the Linda-heavy tracks and there are some all-time lyrics here (‘cause I love taking money off a snob like you). Doubt this one will make it into the rotation but I’m very glad to have heard it.

It was fine, not really my favourite or that memorable except for those moments when it unexpectedly went a bit sea shanty-esque. Loved the album title

There’s a lot to love about this album. I appreciate a singer that keeps their accent prominent while they sing. I love that you never know what instruments will come next. On an ostensibly folk album, you have enough going on sonically that you never feel quite so bored with the classic ‘vocals and guitar’ combo. There’s accordions and horns flying in to keep different songs interesting. Some of the songs feel like they never get out of second gear sometimes, but that feels deliberate. Why would you want to distract from the beauty of Linda Thompson’s voice?

Interesting classic folk

Eh this didn't do much for me. Also had never heard of it?

Forgettable

i HATE this type of music sorry

Really liked the first half of it. Like it genuinely didn't sound like something from 1971. Unfortunately the second half of the album didn't quite hold up as well but still really liked this. 8/10

Really liked this album but that’s not a surprise it being a 70s folk rock album, love that stuff gimme more always please

Not quite what I thought it would be but not too far off...

helt greit dette. trodde jeg likte folk bedre enn som så jeg og er så tired of work every day

i don*t like country

Perfectly fine husband and wife country rock. It's pretty dynamic for what it is, but it's nothing I'd listen to by choice. Doesn't seem essential at all, but it's fine.

Terrible, Jesus Christ

I saw this come up as my album of the day and thought, oh no, another folk album, but it turns out I like it! What? The reason why definitely isn't the pace. The fastest songs stop at mid-tempo and a lot of them are slow. It's not the singing, although in this case I prefer Richard's singing to his wife, whose delivery is rather anodyne. The subject matter gets some of the way there. Richard takes Christianity out behind the woodshed on "We Sing Hallelujah" (Richard and Linda would convert to Islam shortly after this album was recorded) and "The End Of The Rainbow" is some of the bleakest shit I've ever heard. Bleakness and cynicism are the heartbeats of this album, and you know what, in January 2026, that is hitting the spot for me right now. But even beyond the lyrics, there is a punchy instrumental underbelly to all these songs. Richard Thompson was a terrific guitarist (he's alive as of this review and 76 years old, so I don't know, maybe he still is) and has an ear for instrumentation. The music here isn't just lightly-strummed background accompaniment, there's actually a lot happening beneath the surface here. While I'm here, I'll give a recommendation for Shoot Out The Lights, which is also considered to be a great album making several "best of" lists, but is not among these 1,099 albums. Richard and Linda weren't divorced when this was recorded, but they would be by the time it was released, and oh boy, you can tell it's coming. This is The Divorce Album, and appropriately, it's not folk but (largely) country, which is the perfect divorce musical genre. Linda sounds much better on SOTL than she does on IWTSTBLT, her voice more expressive and emotive and she carries what I feel are the two best songs on the album, "Walking on a Wire" and "Just the Motion" both songs where she is Going Through It, with different mindsets: the first resentful, the second hopeful. Both are terrific. Richard works through his own shit on "Don't Renege On Our Love" and "A Man In Need," stops to remark on the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan ("Shoot Out the Lights") and contributes two more rockers in "Back Street Slide" and "Wall of Death." I like this album more than IWTSTBL, honestly. The songs have more bounce, Richard's guitar gets a workout, the rhythm section is punchier, and Linda Thompson leveled up between the two albums. "Wall of Death" was a fitting coda for their career together. The song is about a hypothetical amusement park where the singer wants to forego the other attractions and ride The Wall of Death because it's the "nearest to being alive." That metaphor fits their music perfectly, where they reveled in confronting the less pleasant emotions and putting them to song. Happy they had us along for the ride.

Thought the first half was superb, and second half a bit of a sleeper. Overall good.

⭐⭐⭐ Intressant men ojämnt album. De bästa låtarna i mitt tycke 'I want to see the bright lights tonight' 'The end of the rainbow' känns som förlagor till mer moderna indie låtar och landar mitt i prick i min musiksmak. Sen är det ett antal låtar som är mer av skipps. Men helheten känns ändå intressant och jag kan nog tänka mig ge det lite mer tid i framtiden, därför får det en trea.

Absolutely great album

Slow rolling easy listening. This sounds like a record to drink good beer with great friends to. Stronger first half then second half. Ok, the last two songs would not be a great way to end our night of fun with lyrics like "there's nothing at the end of the rainbow" and whatever sad ballad came as the finale. Not bad songs just a few choices throughout that I thought were a bit odd. 2 outta 5

I enjoyed this and would probably enjoy it more with a second listen. It didn’t have the same impact as his work with Fairport Convention but it was a solid album.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve developed more of an appreciation of the folk scene and the unsung nature of a lot of the work that has been put out under that genre’s umbrella. It’s not always fancy, and it’s not always glamorous, but I really respect the understated nature of it. I liked the harmonies throughout the album, and some nice guitar work in the background to a lot of it which makes a change from the more overblown stuff there has been on the list recently. Probably warrants a further listen in a different context, but as a first time listen, I really enjoyed it.

Not my cup of tea.

Has it’s moments but not memorable.

This was a beautiful and intimate record. I enjoyed the playing especially, and the trading of vocals was very nice.

4. good

A great folk rock album with a nice balance between Richard's and Linda's vocals and between ballads and more rocking songs. The title track is impeccable and I could listen to it all day. The lyrics are pitch black at times (especially "End of the Rainbow" which might be the darkest song of all time). And "The Great Valerio" is a stunning album closer. I can't believe that the Thompsons' "Shoot Out the Lights" isn't on the list which is a travesty-- but this one is great in its own right.

A really nice listen, between Richard Thompson's guitar work and Linda Thompson's stunning vocals. Some really dark subject matter on some of the songs here handled beautifully, and i love the title track.

I was a bit bored at first but it grew on me. Some great melancholy folk songs. The ones Linda sings are the best, particularly the title track and “The Great Valero.” At some point I was thinking “Mark Lanegan must have lived this record” and sure enough “Together Again” in the bonus tracks is a tune he covered.

When I Get to the Border The Cavalry Cross I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight The End of the Rainbow

Nice and easy listening, I enjoyed it

As someone whose knowledge of folk music from this era comes from Tom Morello's advocacy for it on his radio shows and my mother's love of Arlo Guthrie, I wanted to give this the benefit of the doubt. But as this was not released outside of the UK for NINE YEARS, didn't sell, was largely ignored by critics, and nearly put me to sleep, I just can't. I mean, it's fine. There is nothing necessarily wrong with it. It's just another filler album on the list that seems to be promoting British musicians that the editors personally like. Zero reason to hear this before you die. Influence 1. Hits 1. Quality 4. Intangibles 1. So, so many 2's on this list.

winter sounds

This one totally blew me away. Beautiful cover and a collection of amazing songs. It's a Songs:Ohia, neutral Milk hotel combination with some lovely folk twists everywhere. And to think this is from 1974 is absolutely unbelievable. Great production and I especially love Richard's voice. Such an interesting piece of music.

Yeah this is definitely an album... Not really much to say about it. Just very unremarkable. Should I have listened to this before I die? Apparently so, but I wouldn't agree. Just a very unremarkable album scoring just above the lowest mark, since it isn't bad but really not good either. 2/5

Says it was rock, sounded more like folk to me. Wasn’t that fun.

When this started, I thought it might bring out my sniggering side (ye olde folk etc), but I have to say, I loved it. Linda's strong voice reminded me of the fabulous Julie Covington in Evita a couple of times. What a singer (Linda. And also Julie.) I also remember hearing the title track of this album in a TV show and liking it enough to look it up. I really enjoyed the strong folk melodies, authentic delivery and simple but powerful backing. A good album, to me, on both an objective and subjective level. (Slightly boring last track, perhaps. Perhaps I need to listen again.) Glad to have discovered it.

Bit meh

Linda is way better than ol’ Dick. Folk but not? Either way I hope they saw the bright lights and moved on.

Really nice to listen to on a Sunday afternoon.

It’s a step up from Fairport Convention, but I could only picture the cast of A Mighty Wind while listening.

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight is an album that is perfectly fine for what it does. When i first saw this, i thought that it was gonna be a live album but as it turns out, even though there are a few live recordings of some of the songs on the 2004 CD, it was still very much a studio album. As an album itself, like i said, it's perfectly fine. It's your typical folk/country romp with all the things you would expect from this genre. The music as well as both Richard and Linda's voices which were the main highlight of this album. I really can't think of anything all too negative to say but nothing overly positive either. It's a good album and nothing else. Best Song: I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight Worst Song: We Sing Hallelujah

Very meh. This was kind of a drag, I wasn't feeling the folky vibes. A very generous 3/5.

First listen. Electro-folk music….kind of liking it. Sounds very very 70s in production, but that’s cool by me. Enjoyed it. Will listen again. 3

Pretty unremarkable 70s music. But I like 70s music generally speaking so it was still enjoyable for me.

Found this a little annoying, the folk rock got old pretty quick.

After seeing it was a husband/wife folk duo, I was less than excited. But I was pleasantly surprised, I thought he sounded a lot like father John misty on a lot of tracks, and her voice is familiar too though I couldn't place it. The last song on the album was my last favorite though, which is gonna round this 2.5 down.

Another favorite artist of my Dad's. Richard is a smoking guitarist, especially as an acoustic player, and the songs are good and enjoyable, hes got a nice voice. The album has a sort of live, spontaneous feel, doesn't feel labored over. I had listened to this years ago and this was the kind of thing I wanted to be reminded of when I started this album exercise. "Little Beggar Girl" is a cool kind of Middle Earth song - they mix that in to more straightforward rock pretty well. I dig it.

Um disco bonito, embora um tanto inconsistente. Considero a primeira metade mais rica em termos de melodias e arranjos. A despeito de ser um disco de musica folk, a partes com instrumentos elétricos trazem os melhores momentos, como em "The Calvary Cross".

A little slow

Some of it was pretty catchy. I particularly liked the last song.

6/10 Wow some of these lyrics are bleak. I like the melancholy songs, but overall pretty boring. Highlights: The End of the Rainbow The Calvary Cross

Not bad

If your favorite Beck album is Sea Change, this is the album for you. I really liked the first song and the title song. The rest sounds fine, but I don’t see myself going back to this one. Songs added to the playlist: When I Get to the Border I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

163 WHYYYYYYY!? Tenía aires medios irish a ratos que lo hicieron tierno, pero la mayoría del tiempo pensé en que necesito mínimo 5 espressos para poder escuchar esto.

Reminds me deeply of The Ballad of Wallis Island, highlighted even more-so by the fact that it's a husband wife pair. That's a lovely movie, so even though this isn't my taste it still evokes comfortable and pleasant feelings.

Instrumentation is really strangely varied from song to song, sometimes they think they're a rock band, sometimes just some guys in a pub with a guitar and female lead, sometimes they're a shanty group. Guess I can die now that I've listened to this.

Really interesting low-key country/folk album. Has a very dark and serious undertone surrounded by the cheerier songs throughout the album. Not a perfect offering, but very good. Top tracks: The Calvary Cross, Withered And Died, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Not my style

Generally pleasant enough folk music, although i didn’t enjoy the songs that strayed into electric like I want to see the bright lights. A bit too trad folk for me overall

I’m not naturally predisposed to listen to folk music, but this was quite pleasant. Richard’s voice is lovely (and preferable to Linda’s), so I’d have loved more of his vocals, and less of Linda. I especially loved “The Calvary Cross”.

My Mum loves Richard Thompson's voice. Me, I don't get it. I like Linda's though. This was a perfectly fine folk album but I have little to say about it, either positive or negative. Would have been a 2.5, but I can't stretch to 3, so: 2/5

This was awful. This sounds like some husband/wife duo that has 20 followers on social media, but 3,000 comments of bullying

yeah good

70s male female duet bliss

334/1089 - A bit better than the Liege and Lief album I got some time ago but nothing special. No song really stood out to me since the song forms were all too similar to each-other and the instrumentation wasn't notable enough to differentiate anything. Seems to be more focused on lyrics and not music, which isn't the point of listening to music for me.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. My mom listened to a lot of the Thompsons when I was growing up but I'd only heard the title track to this album. I quite liked it but thought the album might be a little on the folksy/americana side for me, I was dead wrong though, solid 4 stars and will be adding several of the songs off of here to my current rotation. Album really holds up well 50(jfc) years later.

I quite liked this

Relaxing!

Hey, this album cover looks familiar. What is it... Oh yeah! Bon Jovi ripped it off 12 years later! I only realized today, I wasn't familiar with this one before. Anyway, the album is really damn good. They're both great vocalists and the music plain sounds good. The guitar tones are very pleasant, the chord progressions are super nice. Despite that it's actually still quite sombre and soothing, but also just very emotionally touching. It definitely starts stronger than it ends, but still there's plenty to enjoy

Beautiful, although also sentimentally significant, so don't read too much into my words (but do listen to the album).

A little to slow for me. The only song I really liked was the title song to the album.

I listened to this 3 times in a row. I have a soft spot for folk music!

I mostly didn't enjoy it, but it had a few nice moments, The Great Valerio was a highlight

Pleasant. Took a couple of listens, and sometimes wanders into bland folkiness, but Thompson's guitar, the shared vocals and the choice of harmony on songs like Cavalry Cross are wonderful. A nice, rather than life changing listen. Middling to low 4.

Started out really strong, but then tapered off.

A listening experience akin to a melancholy evening of public radio programming. Not a bad experience, but the music sort of faded into the background of my day too often for me to justify rounding up from a 3.5*.

If you’re looking for country/folk/Irish(?) music you still might want to look somewhere else. There’s nothing on here that’s memorable, unfortunately. Even the live extras aren’t worth it, sounding more like karaoke than professional singing, and the longer versions added nothing interesting.

It was fine. I didn't hate it.

Not bad! I was kinda vibing with it from time to time, but for the most part this just still isn't for me.

A delightfully melancholic British folk rock album, pairing delicate acoustic guitars with gorgeous vocal harmonies and the generally dour tone of most good folk music. Easy 9/10.

Fine, a little slow and boring, not important or influential or anything else. There’s just so much else I’d rather listen to.

some of the instrumentation brought an interesting edge to what I expect out of folk music, but I found the singing to be pretty rough for the most part. I don’t see the magic in this one. standouts: The Cavalry Cross • I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Fantastic album. They do so much on here in a fairly manageable amount of time. You've got a party song, you've got social satire, you've got melancholy reflections on life's meaning.....and their voices are so gorgeous together.

Cute. Reminds me of Tim Buckley a bit. Not sure if I'll finish the album.

boring

That would officially be Richard and Linda Thompson. Richard Thompson is an amazing guitarist. His lyrics are good as well but always seem to be missing something to me--or maybe its just his overall delivery. Linda's voice adds some better variation to albums (as opposed to the ones that are truly just him).

Ich mochte sehr gern die bedrückte Stimmug dieses Albums. Habe hier den Einfluß auf vieles im Bereich Folk gehört, was ich auch mag. Einzelne Songs waren nicht ganz so meins. Werde ich mir aber nochmal anhören!

A perfectly fine but not at all exciting listen.

Спиздили knocking on heavens door у дилана

I’ve never heard of Richard and Linda Thompson before, but this album cover certainly is intriguing. I see that this album is listed as folk, which I never would have guessed, based on the aforementioned cover. The folk albums that I’ve reviewed so far have been a pretty mixed bag for me, and I see that Richard here was in Fairport Convention, whose two albums each earned three stars from me. I’m not expecting to be wowed by this album, but some of the reviews I’m reading are giving me hope! I hope I can see some bright lights tonight too. Despite a really strong start from this album, I wasn’t really impressed by it. “When I Get To The Border” and “The Calvary Cross” were both really great songs, but after that initial stretch, I thought this album was pretty bland, and that it didn’t offer anything unique. Yes, the songs were fine, and nothing on here was unlistenable, but I wasn’t really intrigued by the arrangements or the lyrics. I thought the vocals were consistently above average throughout this album (Linda’s singing at times reminded me of Natalie Merchant, which I mean as a compliment), but I can honestly say that about hundreds of albums I’ve reviewed. What hooked me on the first two songs was the unique blend of country and folk rock, but that sound seemed to be abandoned after those first two songs, which I was really bummed by. On the bright side though, those two songs show that Richard and Linda are very capable songwriters and musicians. The title track was pretty good as well, and seemed to shift back closer to a country-infused sound, but I wished that the horns had been more prominent. This album may be influential, but I found that it just really wasn’t my speed.

Not a lot of harmonies and folk rock is in my wheelhouse. It was alright. Enjoy a handful of the songs.

Did not expect this album to be so damn depressing, but here we are. Not super familiar with British Folk, say for maybe Fairport Convention, whom I like a lot. These two fall in a similar area musically as FC, standard folk-rock music fused with psychadelic and Celtic sounds. But it's really the lyrical content of this album that drew me in; it's super bleak, lonely, and almost hopeless. I'd say that comes to a head in the devastating 'The End Of The Rainbow', but earlier songs that yearn for escape, like 'When I Get To The Border' or the title track, also evoke a familiar sense of dread I haven't felt in a long time. And something about the song 'Has He Got A Friend For Me' made me so damn sad, just something about the way Linda puts together this piece about loneliness and longing for a significant other was so potent. So yeah kinda ruined my evening and all, but at least the music was damn good. Doesn't help that it's a Sunday evening right now.

It was fine I liked the vocal harmonies. I also like the guy's voice a little more. Their singing style kind of reminds me of how priests sing.

I don't usually gel with folk, but this was extraordinary in parts. The Calvary Cross was spine-chillingly good.

Hokey yokel music

Kind of celtic-y folk country.

I don’t listen to much folk but this was pretty good, I’ll probably be coming back

I sort of understand people reviewing with words like 'nice' on a single first listen but they clearly haven't tuned into the lyrics much. End of the Rainbow has to be the bleakest thing ever written and most of the rest aren't any sunnier. I love it I sought out the extended version. Treat yourself and look for a live version of Calvary Cross. Not on the extended version of this. The comp Guitar, Vocals might be on your streamer.

Smooth og gott stöff.

Ansi fín plata. Þægilega lög og Linda syngur vel. Fróðlegt að kynnast meira þessari ensku þjóðlagabylgju. Fín vinnutónlist.

I liked the album. the songs were hit or miss. i liked the celt-folk type songs but the contemporary type songs they were just ok. a solid three, where i think it deserves a second listen.

This was a really cool listen! This type of music is one of my guilty pleasures when I'm in the right mood. Just the old school, stripped down, low-fi folk-rock singer/songwriter. But this was even better than that because they layered in all kinds of additional sounds and instruments. The music composition was fantastic, great guitar chords and sounds. Lyrics were good and the songs were catchy. The title track was the highlight. Calvary Cross was pretty good. The version I listened to on YouTube Music had some love bonus tracks that were even better than the originals. Very fun listen.

I was expecting better. I like a bunch of there music but this was a little disappointing.

This record didn’t seem to have a timeless or special artistic quality that warrants a top 1,001 album.

"I'll hurt you til you need me." Basically, the entire album is about how you never get to the border.

A solid 3.5 for me! Really liked the first half, but found myself zoning out in the second half. I think I'm just in the mood for something livelier, but I'll revisit this when I'm in the mood for slow and sad.

Acoustic guitary duet. Pleasant but not particularly interesting to me.

Really good.

This album shows that, besides being extremely adept within all the clichés of seventies folk rock, the Thompsons are very capable songwriters whose voices work very well together. He can write pop songs as well as the next person but he does so without abandoning his signature sound. He’s also a very good lyricist, poetic without being pretentious or obscure. He also resists the temptation to show off his very great instrumental skills, so that the songs really shine. Given that this is not a genre I generally warm to, I really enjoyed listening to this record.

Yeah this is not for me.

Album 975 of 1089 I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight - Richard & Linda Thompson (1974) Rating : 3 / 5 A really nice folk listen for the morning - gentle, steady, and easy to settle into. Nothing here jumped out as a “wow” track for me, but the strength of this album isn’t in big moments anyway. It’s the overall feel: earthy, understated, and quietly emotional without ever getting heavy-handed. Their harmonies blend beautifully, the songwriting is thoughtful, and the production keeps everything simple in the best way. It’s the kind of album that doesn’t try to impress you - it just sits with you, calmly, and lets the mood do the work. A fine way to start the day, and one of those records where the whole is stronger than any individual song.

Enjoyed the Celtic vibes with this. A few times I stopped to look up which song I was on. I will listen again.

First time I sat through a Richard and Linda Thompson record. Not a folk rock fan let alone a British folk fan. Pleasantly a surprise. The guitar playing is enjoyable, technically excellent, and each song is served by the quality of the performances. Linda’s vocals are superb and crystal clear. Calvary Cross, the title track and the Great Valerio are well written, interesting and although the subject matter of these songs is a bit bleak, you get a sense of hope lurking in the sadness. I’m not sure I’d revisit this record on my own volition but I would not be opposed to listening to this album again. There are a couple of tracks that don’t work as well (See We Sing Hallelujah) but none are out of place. An interesting detour especially coming after Turbonego’s Apocalypse Dudes. Above average quality record.

I usually dislike folk music. But this was better than most. They had some good harmonies, avoided the ren faire sound that I can’t stand. Lyrics were interesting. I was pleasantly surprised not to hate it.

To me, this is folk music with a bit more of an edge. Her voice is more pleasant to me than his. It’s ok to me.

Album review 013 I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight by Richard and Linda Thompson (1974) Rating 2/5 It’s been a long time since I last listened to this album and despite regular appearances on best ever lists, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight has never clicked for me. Two songs into this most recent listen I thought “yeah, this actually may be an album that I might really grow to like”. By track 11, I realised I was wrong - folk rock just isn’t a type of music I enjoy (although there are a couple of notable exceptions which we’ll get to over the next 1,000 or so reviews). It’s a perfectly ok record, but not one I think I’ll ever appreciate.

Alright good folk rock sound. Can't remember anything about it half a day later, but I didn't hate it. Just didn't stand out

Storytelling/Singer/Songwriter - mostly just boring. Some of the storytelling was nice like the title song but it was just kind of eh

Not particularly remarkable to me

It's not really my style but it has its moments

That's actually a good 3. It's cheesy but I love it and the folky rhythms are great. Some Celtic, some Western, I like!

This was better than expected

Surprised by this

Pleasant enough. But it’s pretty . . . low-energy. More variety, please. (And I know they could do that! See 1982’s Shoot Out the Lights.)

Terrible. I only made it halfway through the third track before I had to stop listening. Folk and country at its worst. 1/5

This album has such a charm to it, the vocals are so sweet and the tone of the few instruments this album has makes it so texturally-rich. I find a lot of the songs are quite sing-along-y, but that's honestly fine with me. The harmonies are great. I definitely see myself returning to this album. Highlight Song/s: When I Get To The Border and I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

meh

Not the worst thing I've ever heard but didn't grab me

Meh. A little boring, honestly. My husband and wife team were alternating singing duties and her songs were better but still nothing to get excited about

Some gorgeous songs but others are a bit too medievaly for my taste. Linda's voice is absolutely gorgeous.

Reminded me of the carpenters

A standard folk album, but the balance between the male and female singer was good.

This was a surprise and a very good one. I'll need to add this to the re-listen pile.

British folk. 1/5

For someone who likes First Aid Kit, this shouldn’t be too hard of a sell. But for me this just isn’t particularly interesting. Linda sings well, but I’m not sold on her husbands singing. The songs also lacks hooks in my opninion. Just generic strumming and uninspiring chord progressions. Feels like quite generic folk/country.

A big discovery for me on this list has been Fairport Convention. Seeing Richard Thompson was a part of that band, this should be up my alley. I enjoyed this, it felt lite a nice mix of folk and country. "I want to see the bright lights tonight" was a stand out song leaning more to country. Another one which had a more folksy touch was "The little Beggar Girl". This album lacks something that The Fairport Convetion has, it's partly the vocals but Linda Thompson does a stellar job too. Maybe it's the arrangments. Lastly, when i saw the album cover I was expecting punk or something metal/horror-rock. Was surprised when it was country. This gets a sold three from me.

Day 129 First listen- Wow what a great folk album, their vocals are gorgeous together and solo and the album is consistent with quality. (4/5)

This was the kind of album I hoped to discover when I began this project of listening to the 1001 albums I must hear before I die! Ironically overlooked in America, it nonetheless sounds to me like a missing link between the folk music of the 50s and 60s and the rise of Americana music in the 90s. Leave it to a talented Brit couple to map out that road for us!!

4/5

Never heard of album or singer. First song, Extremly British. Very 70s as well. Fun song I guess. Very Irish too with the flutes. Not my style. Calvary cross is MUCH better. Love the production. Withered and died is fine to borderline bad. All I have to say abt that. I want to see the bright lights is much better. Love the horn/guitar work. And good songwriting. Beatles vibes. “Drunkards” is good, fine music and songwriting but I like the harmonizing a lot. Good guitar solo too. Not a fan of hallelujah, did not last the test of time. Friend for me is fine nothing special. Little beggar girl is catchy at least, but again just too old. Father Time beat the shit out of Thsi album. End of the rainbow is mid. The great Valerie is probably the best song in the album, but still just good at best. This album as a whole was fine to not good. Worst I’ve listened to so far. 1.8 stars

Not for me, could not listen through

Solid folk music. A lot more riffage going on then I would have thought, and each song sounded like two opposing forces trying to compromise. One wanted rock the other wanted folk. I read some reviews before listening, and some were like, hold on to your hats for those first two songs! I held onto my hat and only felt a gentle breeze. But maybe that's on me for expecting a hurricane from folk music

first off: amazing album cover. I enjoyed this entire album and would gladly listen to it all the way through multiple times a year. I can hear how it influenced a lot of my favorite artists, and yet it stands for itself.