Hand of Kindness | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 1983 | |||
Recorded | 1983 | |||
Studio | Olympic, London Ocean Way, Hollywood | |||
Genre | Rock, folk rock, zydeco | |||
Length | 41:15 | |||
Label | Hannibal | |||
Producer | Joe Boyd | |||
Richard Thompson chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
Hand of Kindness is the third solo album by singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson. It was recorded and released in 1983, after a ten year collaboration with former wife Linda Thompson. It is his first album of original solo material since Henry the Human Fly (1972).
After having separated from Linda, and the "Tour From Hell" to promote the couple's Shoot Out the Lights , Richard resumed his own career as a recording and performing artist.
Several songs feature the twin saxophones of Pete Zorn and Pete Thomas, and for about 18 months after the release of Hand of Kindness, Thompson toured with his "Big Band" that featured the two sax players prominently.
The album opens with "Tear-Stained Letter", later a country music top ten hit for Jo-El Sonnier. In 2021, Thompson's ex-wife Linda cited album track "How I Wanted To" as her favorite of her former husband's songs. [4]
The album's cover photo features Thompson holding an acoustic guitar made for him by American luthier Danny Ferrington; the same guitar appears on the cover of Thompson's next release, Small Town Romance .
All tracks are written by Richard Thompson
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Tear-Stained Letter" | 4:42 |
2. | "How I Wanted To" | 5:12 |
3. | "Both Ends Burning" | 3:51 |
4. | "A Poisoned Heart and a Twisted Memory" | 5:25 |
5. | "Where the Wind Don't Whine" (B-side included as CD bonus track) | 4:09 |
6. | "The Wrong Heartbeat" | 3:15 |
7. | "Hand of Kindness" | 6:03 |
8. | "Devonside" | 4:46 |
9. | "Two Left Feet" | 3:53 |
Richard Thompson is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
John Michael Kirkpatrick is an English musician, playing free reed instruments such as the accordion and concertina and performing English folk songs and tunes.
The Albion Band, also known as The Albion Country Band, The Albion Dance Band, and The Albion Christmas Band, is a British folk rock band, originally brought together and led by musician Ashley Hutchings. An important grouping in the genre, it has contained or been associated with a large proportion of major English folk performers in its long and fluid history.
Sunnyvista is the fifth album by Richard and Linda Thompson, released in 1979, by Chrysalis Records.
Shoot Out the Lights is the sixth and final album by British husband-and-wife rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson. It was produced by Joe Boyd and released in 1982 on his Hannibal label. A critically acclaimed work, AllMusic's Mark Deming noted that Shoot Out the Lights has "often been cited as Richard Thompson's greatest work."
(guitar, vocal) is a 1976 album by Richard Thompson. It was released by Island Records as a career retrospective after he and his wife Linda had gone into semi-retirement from the business of making and performing music following the release of Pour Down Like Silver (1975).
Small Town Romance is the first live album by British singer/songwriter Richard Thompson.
Across a Crowded Room is the fourth solo album by Richard Thompson released in 1985, on both vinyl and CD. As of 2019, it remains his final collaboration with producer Joe Boyd, as well as his last studio album to have been fully recorded in England. The album gives its name to the film Richard Thompson: Across a Crowded Room, a concert film shot at a 1985 performance at Barrymore's in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, which focuses on material from the album.
Two Letter Words is a live album by Richard Thompson.
Semi-Detached Mock Tudor is a live album by Richard Thompson
Ducknapped! is a live album by Richard Thompson, recorded during the 2003 tour to support the album The Old Kit Bag, and released on Thompson's boutique Beeswing label. As with most of Thompson's recent live releases from a tour supporting a new album, that album is heavily featured, with nine of The Old Kit Bag's twelve songs being included.
Simon John Breckenridge Nicol is an English guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founding member of British folk rock group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band. He has also been involved with the Albion Band and a wide range of musical projects, both as a collaborator, producer and as a solo artist. He has received several awards for his work and career.
Pete Zorn was an American multi-instrumentalist who was a longstanding member of Richard Thompson's backing band. He was also a member of Steeleye Span, The Albion Band, and Driver 67.
Sandy is the second solo album by British folk rock musician Sandy Denny. It was released in September 1972.
Rock On is a 1972 one-off album of oldies covers by The Bunch, a group of English folk rock singers and musicians. The Bunch was put together by Trevor Lucas in late 1971 to record this sole album. This album consisted of covers of the band’s favourite songs by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and The Everly Brothers, amongst others.
The Bunch were a British folk rock band, which came together in 1971 to record their one off album, Rock On.
Live Warrior is a live album by Richard Thompson recorded during the 2007 tours of the UK and United States to support the Sweet Warrior studio album. It is released on Thompson's boutique Beeswing label.
"Tear-Stained Letter" is the opening track from Richard Thompson's 1983 album Hand of Kindness. The song has been recorded by others, including a notable hit version by Jo-El Sonnier in 1988.
Dream Attic is a live album by British folk rock musician Richard Thompson released in 2010, on Proper Records. While not a studio album, it is Thompson's fourteenth overall full-length album of new original solo material.
What's It Gonna Take? is the 43rd studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 20 May 2022. It reached the Top Ten in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but failed to chart in Ireland. It was also his first solo album in over fifty years not to chart in the US.