Overview
“I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight” is the first album by the British folk rock duo of Richard Thompson, a singer/songwriter/guitarist and a former member of British folk rock band Fairport Convention, and Linda Thompson, a singer and Richard’s wife at the time.
Commentary
The album was recorded in 1973 and released by Island Records in 1974.
It is a folk-rock album featuring Richard Thompson’s songs with a somber atmosphere, his electric/acoustic guitar playing, their vocals, and also adding a variety of instruments including accordion, mandolin, dulcimer, and krummhorn (a woodwind of the Renaissance period).
The music is influenced by not only British traditional music, but also U.S. country rock.
Though the album was not commercially successful and critically ignored upon its release, after that it has received increased recognition as one of the greatest works of British folk rock and singer/songwriter music.
The 2004 digitally remastered CD includes three previously unreleased live tracks.
