Richard Thompson’s mastery of Fender and folk shines on Hippies, Thugs And Heroes
Richard Thompson’s *Hippies, Thugs And Heroes*, a follow-up to 2024’s *Ship To Shore*, showcases his continuing skill as a songwriter and guitarist. The review praises the album’s mix of folk and electric guitar, with songs that take aim at conmen and other flawed characters while keeping heartbreak at its centre.
Recorded near Thompson’s New Jersey home with the band from his previous album, the record adds horns and accordions, and Zara Phillips contributes vocals. Highlights include the single “Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking”, the mournful “The Soul In Me” and “Siren”, a spare closing song built around Thompson’s guitar and a lasting reflection on love.
- Richard Thompson follows *Ship To Shore* with a folk and rock album.
- The songs balance wry character sketches with heartbreak.
- The review singles out the closing track “Siren”.
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Richard Thompson is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music draws on folk traditions and electric rock. He first came to wider attention in the 1960s with the band Fairport Convention, then built a long solo career writing songs about relationships and everyday life.
Folk music often uses acoustic instruments and traditional song forms, while electric guitar can give it a louder, rock-influenced sound. Thompson’s work brings those approaches together, and his songs often tell stories about people whose actions and motives are complicated.