''Two Letter Words'' is a

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...

Richard Thompson Richard Thompson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Richard Thompson (animator) (1914–1998), Warner Bros. cartoon animator in the 1950s * Richard Thompson (cartoonist) (1957–2016), cartoonist who also worked as an illustrator * Richard Tho ...

. Continuing his policy, begun with the '' Live at Crawley'' album, of releasing high quality alternatives to bootlegs,

released this album in 1996. The album was recorded during his 1994 tour of America. The 1994 tour marked the debut of a new look, smaller live band for Thompson with multi-instrumentalist Pete Zorn and the

rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm ...

Dave Mattacks David James Mattacks (born 13 March 1948) is an English rock and folk drummer, best known for his work with British folk rock band Fairport Convention. Fairport Convention He replaced Martin Lamble, who had died on 12 May 1969 in a road ac ...

and

Danny Thompson Daniel Henry Edward Thompson (born 4 April 1939) is an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a double bassist. He has had a long musical career playing with a large variety of other musicians, particularly Richard Thompson and John Ma ...

(no relation) providing the backing. The 1994 band was the blueprint for future touring Thompson bands. ''Two Letter Words'' is highly regarded by Thompson fans. It includes eight tracks from the then newly released ''

Mirror Blue __NOTOC__ ''Mirror Blue'' is the eighth studio album by Richard Thompson, released in 1994. The follow-up to 1991's successful ''Rumor and Sigh'' was recorded in January 1993 with Mitchell Froom once again in the producer’s chair. Despite th ...

'', and thus serves as an interesting contrast with the original album's controversial production. ''Two Letter Words'' was initially released under a deal with

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

, Thompson's label at the time, which permitted him to supplement his income with albums not recorded in the studio provided that they were not made available in retail outlets and were pressed in limited quantities. In 2009 it was re-released as a digital download available via Thompson's website. As of August 2020, it is still available from this source, and can be found on a variety of download and streaming services.

Track listing

All songs written by Richard Thompson Disc 1 #"I Ride In Your Slipstream" #"Galway To Graceland" #"Easy There, Steady Now" #"Waltzing's For Dreamers" #"I Can't Wake Up To Save My Life" #"MGB-GT" #"The Way That It Shows" #"Al Bowlly's In Heaven" #"Now Be Thankful" #"Mascara Tears" #"Tear Stained Letter" Disc 2 #"Dimming Of The Day" #"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" #"Beeswing" #"Mingus Eyes" #"Killerman Gold Posse" #"Shoot Out The Lights" #"Valerie" #"Wall Of Death" #"I Feel So Good" #"Hokey Pokey" #"Ghosts In The Wind" #"Back Street Slide" #"Read About Love"

Personnel

–

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

Pete Zorn Pete Zorn (29 May 1950 – 19 April 2016) 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. Career As a member of Th ...

–

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

pennywhistle The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, a class of instrument which also includes the recorder and Native American flute. A tin whistle player is called a whistl ...

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a small, high-pitched member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented in the 1840s by Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax. Built in B♭ an octave above the tenor saxophone (or rarely, slightly small ...

, backing vocals,

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

–

double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

–

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

References

Other sources

*''Richard Thompson – The Biography'' by Patrick Humprhies. Schirmer Books. 0-02-864752-1

External links

Official website
* {{Authority control 1996 live albums Richard Thompson (musician) live albums