{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox album | name = Sweet Warrior | type = Studio | artist = Richard Thompson | cover = RT_SweetWarrior.jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|2007|5|28|df=y}} | recorded = October and December 2006 | venue = | studio = House of Blues Studio, Encino, Los Angeles, California | genre = Folk rock, contemporary folk | length = 68:03 | label = Proper (UK, Europe)<BR />The Planet Company (Australia)<BR />Shout! Factory (North America)<BR />P-Vine (Japan) | producer = Richard Thompson, Simon Tassano | prev_title = RT- The Life and Music of Richard Thompson' | prev_year = 2006 | next_title = Live Warrior<br /> | next_year = 2009 }} {{Album ratings | MC = 84/100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/sweet-warrior/richard-thompson|title=Sweet Warrior by Richard Thompson|website=Metacritic |publisher=|access-date=3 October 2016}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1067927|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref> | rev2 = ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' | rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev3score = A−<ref>The guy's a six-string hero whose artistic sweep runs from plangent ballads to fiery barnstormers to, well, a heap of engaging styles in between. [1 Jun 2007, p.69]</ref> | rev4 = ''The A.V. Club'' | rev4score = B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/richard-thompson-sweet-warrior-1798202616|title=Richard Thompson: Sweet Warrior|website=The A.V. Club|last=Hyden|first=Steven|date=May 29, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2025}}</ref> | rev5 = ''The Guardian'' | rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/may/25/folk.shopping|title=Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior|first=Robin|last=Denselow|date=25 May 2007|publisher=|access-date=3 October 2016|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> | rev6 = ''The Independent'' | rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article2579413.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615140918/http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article2579413.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2007|title=Independent review|access-date=3 October 2016}}</ref> | rev7 = ''PopMatters'' | rev7score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42452/richard-thompson-sweet-warrior/|title=Music Reviews, Features, Essays, News, Columns, Blogs, MP3s and Videos |website=PopMatters.com|access-date=3 October 2016}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Slant Magazine'' | rev8score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/richard-thompson-sweet-warrior/|title=Review: Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior|website=Slant Magazine|last=Newlin|first=Jimmy|date=May 29, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2025}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Spin'' | rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>Of course, the main attraction remains his bristling, zigzag guitar licks, which still astound nearly 40 years on. [Jun 2007, p.96]</ref> | rev10 = ''Uncut'' | rev10score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>He sounds more like a loner--intense, precise, impervious to fashion--than ever. [Jul 2007, p.102]</ref> }} ''' ''Sweet Warrior'' ''' is the thirteenth studio album by Richard Thompson, released in 2007. Thompson financed the recording of this album himself and then licensed the finished album to various labels for distribution. On its release, ''Sweet Warrior'' entered Amazon.com's top 20 for music sales.
==Overview== The album's sleeve notes are prefaced by Sonnet LVII by Edmund Spenser, "Sweet warrior! when shall I have peace with you", one of his 1595 Amoretti sonnet cycle.<ref name="credits">''Sweet Warrior'', Richard Thompson (2007), Proper Records: PRPCD032, sleeve notes</ref>
The track "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" was given an advance release via Thompson's own web site and iTunes. The song was singled out for praise by critics <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/42452/richard-thompson-sweet-warrior/ | title = Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior | publisher = PopMatters | date = 2007-05-28 }}</ref> and featured prominently in Thompson's live performances in early 2007. This song's lyrics make extensive use of US military slang (the "Dad" of the title is GI slang for "Baghdad"), and convey the thoughts and feelings of an uneasy U.S. soldier fighting in Iraq.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.richardthompson-music.com/catch_of_the_day.asp?id=700|title=Press release, March 14, 2007|website=Richardthompson.music.com|access-date=29 May 2025}}</ref> It was subsequently used on the closing montage of the first episode of the third season of the American action crime drama television series ''Sons of Anarchy''.{{cn|date=May 2025}}
The cover photograph is taken from the Collection d'Adhémar de Panat.<ref name="credits"/>
== Reception == The albums' advance release enjoyed airplay on several radio stations and attracted generally favourable comments from the press and advance publicity for the album.
The album received very favourable reviews. Writing in ''The Guardian'', Robin Denselow said: "He hasn't brought out his electric guitar to work with a band on an album of new songs in four years now, but it has been well worth the wait. He has always specialised in writing about loss, bitterness and horror, and this is one of the most brilliantly gloomy albums in his long career."<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/may/25/folk.shopping | title = Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior | work = The Guardian | date = 2007-05-25 | location=London | first=Robin | last=Denselow | access-date=2010-05-24 }}</ref> Gemma Padley, writing for the BBC, said: "''Sweet Warrior'' is a collection of songs that refuses to be taken too seriously. While the slower tracks radiate genuine feeling, the rambunctious up-tempo numbers evaluate with an ever-present cheeky glint in the eye – an eye that the irrepressible Thompson has firmly on the ball."<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/hv63/ | title = Richard Thompson, Sweet Warrior | publisher = BBC Folk & Country Reviews | date = 2007-05-28 }}</ref>
==Track listing== All songs written by Richard Thompson:
# "Needle and Thread" – 4:43 # "I'll Never Give It Up " – 3:22 # "Take Care the Road You Choose" – 6:44 # "Mr. Stupid" – 3:53 # "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" – 5:16 # "Poppy-Red" – 4:37 # "Bad Monkey" – 5:13 # "Francesca" – 5:17 # "Too Late to Come Fishing" – 4:36 # "Sneaky Boy" – 2:59 # "She Sang Angels to Rest" – 3:25 # "Johnny's Far Away" – 4:53 # "Guns Are the Tongues" – 7:27 # "Sunset Song" – 5:38
Bonus tracks on the P-Vine Records release for the Japanese market:
* "Any Old Body" * "Dust and Wine"
==Personnel==
=== Musical === {{div col}} * Richard Thompson – vocals, electric guitar, steel-string acoustic guitar, mandolin, accordion, tin whistle, autoharp, harmonium, hurdy-gurdy, electronic organ, handclaps (on 10), penny whistle (on 9) * Michael Hays – rhythm guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals * Danny Thompson – double bass * Taras Prodaniuk – electric bass guitar * Michael Jerome – drums, percussion * Judith Owen – backing vocals, handclaps (on 10) * Sara Watkins – fiddle (on 5, 12–13) * Joe Sublett – tenor saxophone (on 7–8) * Joe Buck – first violin (on 11) * Al Michaels – second violin (on 11) * Novi Ola – viola (on 11) * Simon Tassano – handclaps (on 10) * Chris Kasych – handclaps (on 10)<ref name="credits"/> {{div col end}}
=== Technical === * Doug Tyo – engineer (at House of Blues Studio, Encino, California) * Chris Kasych – assistant engineer * Simon Tassano – mixing (at Rumiville Studio, Austin, Texas) * Jim Wilson – mastering (at Airshow Mastering, Boulder, Colorado)<ref name="credits"/>
== References== {{reflist}}
==Other sources == * [http://www.richardthompson-music.com/album.asp?id=92 Official credits page]{{dl|date=January 2024}} *''Sweet Warrior'', Richard Thompson (2007), Proper Records: PRPCD032, sleeve notes
==External links== * [http://www.richardthompson-music.com/album.asp?id=92 Official lyrics page]{{dl|date=January 2024}} * {{YouTube|s_YAMd6UztE|Richard Thompson - Needle and Thread}}
{{Richard Thompson}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sweet Warrior (Album)}} Category:2007 albums Category:Richard Thompson (musician) albums Category:P-Vine Records albums Category:Proper Records albums