Linda Thompson

The 14th release in Topic’s acclaimed ‘An Introduction To…’ series celebrates the classic English folk singer, fingerstyle guitarist and fiddle player, Nic Jones. Compiled by Nic himself, the album includes sleeve notes by Colin Irwin (fRoots/The Guardian) and two previously unreleased 2013 studio tracks, ‘Now’ and ‘I Only Spoke Portuguese.’

Héritière d’une véritable dynastie musicale, fille des légendes folk Kate McGarrigle et Loudon Wainwright III et sœur du célèbre et inimitable Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright a grandi au sein d’un univers peuplé d’extraordinaires artistes : Leonard Cohen, Suzzy Roche, Anna McGarrigle, Richard et Linda Thompson, Pete Townshend, Donald Fagen et Emmylou Harris, pour n’en nommer que quelques-uns. Au sein de ce défilé de personnalités bohèmes, bruyantes et plus grandes que nature, la jeune Martha a mûri tant bien que mal, se démenant pour trouver une voix qui lui appartiendrait en propre. …

Rumours is the kind of album that transcends its origins and reputation, entering the realm of legend – it's an album that simply exists outside of criticism and outside of its time, even if it thoroughly captures its era…

Solid Air (whose title track was written for John Martyn's friend, songwriter Nick Drake) is one of the defining moments in British folk, in the same league as Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief, Richard & Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights, and Michael Chapman's Rainmaker. Martyn stepped out of his comfort zone to record and produce it, including not only jazz and blues but rock and plenty of sound effects, and featuring Rhodes piano on some of its tracks, dismaying some fans while winning a ton more for its genre-blurring presentation. A number of its cuts – such as the title track, "Over the Hill," "I'd Rather Be the Devil," and "May You Never" – remained staples in his live sets until the end of his life. [This edition includes a live performance of "I'd Rather Be the Devil" as a bonus track.]