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Strict Tempo!

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Strict Tempo!

| type = studio

| artist = Richard Thompson

| cover = RT_StrictTempo.jpg|border=yes

| alt =

| released = September 1981

| recorded = 1981

| venue =

| studio = BTW Studios, Wood Green, London and Woodworm Studios, Cropredy.

| genre = Folk

| length = 42:09

| label = Elixir Records
Topic Records (CD, 1992)
Omnivore Recordings (CD, 2011)

| producer = Richard Thompson

| prev_title = Live! (More or Less)

| prev_year = 1976

| next_title = Hand of Kindness

| next_year = 1983

}}

Strict Tempo! is the second studio album by Richard Thompson, released in 1981. Apart from soundtracks, it is Thompson's only entirely instrumental studio album. The album consists of some of the artist's favourite tunes, all rendered as instrumentals and all arranged for guitar, mandolin, and other instruments played by Thompson. The only other musician is drummer Dave Mattacks.

After the modest sales for their 1979 album Sunnyvista, Richard and Linda Thompson found themselves without a record deal. To generate some income, Thompson formed his own record label Elixir Records and recorded this album mostly at the small BTW studio in London, and also at the Woodworm Studios at Cropredy.

The album was re-released on CD by Topic Records in 1992, and again on CD by Omnivore Recordings in 2011.

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |first=Mark |last=Deming |title=Richard Thompson – Strict Tempo! |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/strict-tempo%21-mw0000203626 |website=AllMusic}}

|rev2 = Robert Christgau

|rev2score = B{{cite web |title=Richard Thompson |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Richard+Thompson |website=Robert Christgau |access-date=12 September 2023}}

| rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}

|rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev4score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=704}}

|rev5 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

|rev5score = 8/10{{cite book |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |date=1995 |publisher=Vintage Books |page=405}}

}}

Robert Christgau wrote that the songs are "recommended to folkies, ex-folkies, guitar adepts, and students of European song."

Track listing

All songs traditional and arranged by Richard Thompson except where noted.

  1. "New-Fangled Flogging Reel/Kerry Reel"
  2. "Vaillance Polka Militaire/Belfast Polka"
  3. "Glencoe/Scott Skinner’s Rockin' Step/Bonny Banchory" (James Scott Skinner, not credited)
  4. "Banish Misfortune"
  5. "Dundee Hornpipe/Poppy-Leaf Hornpipe"
  6. "Do It For My Sake"
  7. "Rockin’ In Rhythm" (Duke Ellington)
  8. "The Random Jig/The Grinder"
  9. "Will Ye No Cam Back Again"
  10. "Cam O’er The Stream Charlie/Ye Banks And Braes"
  11. "Rufty Tufty/Nonsuch à la Mode de France"
  12. "Andalus/Radio Marrakesh"
  13. "The Knife-Edge" (Richard Thompson)

Musicians

=Other personnel=

  • John Borthwick – engineer, BTW
  • Simon Nicol – engineer, Woodworm
  • Richard Thompson – producer, liner notes

=Topic Records, 1992 CD =

  • Tony Engle – design
  • David Suff – illustration (cover drawing), liner notes
  • Fin Costello – photography

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Richard Thompson}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strict Tempo! (Album)}}

Category:Richard Thompson (musician) albums

Category:1981 albums

Category:Omnivore Recordings albums