Teddy Thompson
Bella
Release Date: Feb 8, 2011
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Record label: Verve
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Album Review: Bella by Teddy Thompson
Excellent, Based on 3 Critics
Based on rating B+
Thompson embraces extravagance on his fifth studio album, with string arrangements embellishing the dark undercurrents in his melodies. He’s a craftsman who echoes the folk rock of his parents (Richard and Linda Thompson) and the melancholy pop of Crowded House. On Bella, he channels Roy Orbison heartbreak, Lou Christie falsetto, and Righteous Brothers drama with stirring results.
Opinion: Excellent
Something strange happens midway through “Looking for a Girl,” the catchy, countrified, yet fairly generic opening track and lead single from Teddy Thompson’s fifth studio album, Bella. After laying out a singles ad worth of his female requirements (“I’m lookin’ for a girl that’s good in bed”), Thompson drops the F-bomb—realizing that, OK, a hot chick would be nice and all, but he’ll settle for someone who’s “not so fuckin’ stupid that I wanna cry. ” It may seem to be of little importance, and it’s definitely not a moment you’ll remember after listening through Bella in its entirety, but that dirty word serves as both a wake-up call from an otherwise sterile track and a foreshadowing of Thompson’s off-beat musical intentions.
Opinion: Excellent
Thompson’s fifth album is a winningly charming affair, showcasing his rich voice. Laura Barton 2011 Bella is Teddy Thompson's fifth album, and the hope this time must be that it will stir the kind of commercial success that his particular kind of finely-honed melodic folk-pop surely warrants. After all, a man cannot live by critical acclaim alone.
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