Sweet Warrior
by Richard Thompson
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21

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  1. PhilW
    Oct 25, 2007
    10
    One of the best albums of our generation.
  2. MarkL.
    Sep 26, 2007
    9
    Yet another gem from one of the best songwriter/guitarists of our time! While RT's voice is, admittedly, an acquired taste, this could also be said of several notable artists(i.e., Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Waits) and after years of listening I actually find his vocalizations quite appealing. While many of the tracks are outstanding, I think the relevance and rawness of "Dad's Yet another gem from one of the best songwriter/guitarists of our time! While RT's voice is, admittedly, an acquired taste, this could also be said of several notable artists(i.e., Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Waits) and after years of listening I actually find his vocalizations quite appealing. While many of the tracks are outstanding, I think the relevance and rawness of "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" make it the song of the year.… Expand
  3. ChristopherW.
    Sep 25, 2007
    5
    My experience with Richard Thompson has been an incredibly frustrating one. While he writes wonderful songs and has impeccable skills on the guitar, his voice (ugggg!!) has to be one of the most unpleasant and annoying of any modern singer in my memory. (Imagine this...I actually love Dylan!) It's too bad really! If he'd step away from vocals and let a more competent and My experience with Richard Thompson has been an incredibly frustrating one. While he writes wonderful songs and has impeccable skills on the guitar, his voice (ugggg!!) has to be one of the most unpleasant and annoying of any modern singer in my memory. (Imagine this...I actually love Dylan!) It's too bad really! If he'd step away from vocals and let a more competent and enjoyable singer take over, I'm sure his albums would be the wonderful pleasures they should be. Very sad!… Expand
  4. DarrelL
    Aug 4, 2007
    10
    RT > all. Yet another reason why.
  5. ToddW
    Jul 30, 2007
    8
    You've got to either admire or feel sorry for artists like Richard Thompson. Maybe I've got it all wrong, but it seems to me that the goal of any performance artist is to have their art affect and be seen or heard by as many people as possible. A guitar virtuoso, Thompson has been producing incredibly complex music and insightful lyrics for more than 40 years and he's sold, You've got to either admire or feel sorry for artists like Richard Thompson. Maybe I've got it all wrong, but it seems to me that the goal of any performance artist is to have their art affect and be seen or heard by as many people as possible. A guitar virtuoso, Thompson has been producing incredibly complex music and insightful lyrics for more than 40 years and he's sold, what, 10 units? It only goes to reinforce how bad "popular" music truly is when someone like Richard Thompson still elicits a blank stare from the dark side of the rock denizens of the Sewerstream some 40-plus years after his beginnings in Fairport Convention and working with Van Morrison. Whereas Morrison criminally has never won a Grammy Award, I'll wager Thompson hasn't even been invited to the ceremony. Of course, those same dumbasses somehow saw fit to vote an album by a washed up Jethro Tull the first Best Heavy Metal gold gramophone. But I digress. It doesn't mean Thompson's music isn't important and worthy of repeated listens. It means the obvious: Thompson is doing us all a huge favor by ignoring popular foolery in continuing to record and most so-called audiophiles are simpletons.… Collapse
  6. judye
    Jun 26, 2007
    10
    Easily accessible. Once you are captured by this album it's hard to find your way out. He's is the most consummate singer/songwriter of the age. He puts Clapton and every other of his contemporaries to shame because he's still as productive and creative as ever. No pap, like McCartney.
  7. WanderinRoy
    Jun 18, 2007
    8
    The album does sound a bit like generic Richard Thompson. Of course, even generic Thompson is better than most people's best. Still, it could use a couple of songs that really stand out. There is nothing here we haven't heard before, but nothing that we won't enjoy hearing again & again.
  8. pluckyT
    Jun 16, 2007
    9
    Sure, I'm a huge fan of the guy, especially of his solo work from the 90's on. And, he delivers again. Literate, dark, sarcastic, and emotional with great guitar work (though I always hope for more). If you love Tom Waits, Nick Cave or electric Dylan, definitely check out this album. I'd also suggest Richard's Mirror Blue, Mock Tudor and You Me Us, as great starting Sure, I'm a huge fan of the guy, especially of his solo work from the 90's on. And, he delivers again. Literate, dark, sarcastic, and emotional with great guitar work (though I always hope for more). If you love Tom Waits, Nick Cave or electric Dylan, definitely check out this album. I'd also suggest Richard's Mirror Blue, Mock Tudor and You Me Us, as great starting points. I've seen him live eight or nine times solo and with band and you owe it to yourself to him at least once.… Expand
  9. DerekD
    Jun 14, 2007
    9
    Another amazing masterpiece by one of the sickest guitar players of our time!
  10. [Anonymous]
    Jun 10, 2007
    10
    His best in years, it shows he's lost nothing as a writer guitarist and gained depth as a vocalist.
  11. ClayW
    Jun 9, 2007
    8
    Though not as jawdroppingly brilliant as past efforts(see "Shoot Out the Lights" or "The Old Kit Bag") Thompson continues to make thoughtful, resonating music. The greatest overlooked songwriter/guitar god of our time.

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Amazon.com
    80
    Characteristically classy tunes that will thrill Thompson's fans, who have been waiting for just such a set of literate and challenging music from a musician who never delivers less.
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  2. Billboard
    70
    The 14 tracks find Thompson in typical tasteful form, playing with understated flash that straddles the trans-Atlantic divide to embrace Celtic soul and rootsy Americana, with bits of jazz and Jamaica ("Bad Monkey," "Francesca") thrown into the mix. [2 Jun 2007]
  3. Boston Globe
    80
    With nothing particularly unusual to recommend, non-fans will miss out on yet another in a long string of superb collections.
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