You? Me? Us? - Everything2.com

Richard Thompson album released in 1996. It follows in the style of many of his more contemporary releases - folky, haunting and lyrically twisted.

Standard stuff, right? Not quite. This album was released as a double set with a few songs making appearances on both discs. Disc one (labelled Nude) is completely accoustic; the other (Voltage Enhanced) is, well, let's call it full-throated. Very electric and not very good apart from the doubles - the electric half is completely flat and is lacking in the emotional depth the accoustic half is drenched in.

It is the two songs that are included on both discs that hold a lot of the interest. They are poster children for how drastically production can change a song's entire meaning. The version of Razor Dance on nude is creepy - listening to it, I feel like I'm being chased down an overgrown forest path. Its companion sounds like a bad 80's dance number or the background to a cheezy buddy movie chase scene.

The second doubled track, Hide Away, lives with the same duality of purpose.

The rest of the songs on the discs range from brilliant to boring and all of the really good stuff is on the Nude disc, although listened to in a row there's a good chance it'd put you to sleep. You really need to be in the mood to listen to it; if you are, it's so good it's enlightening.

Highlights:

Sam Jones: a man who collects bones for a living.
Train Don't Leave: a guy desperately trying to catch the train his girl's leaving him on. This one's got rock at its heart and is definitely a feelgood track.
Cold Kisses: a man rifling through his date's stuff trying to figure out how he measure up to her old lovers
Woods of Darney: A soldier steals the wife of a killed compatriate out of jealousy

Track List:

Nude:

Voltage Enhanced:

The portion of her face she allows me to see	If you don't like it, leave	Richard Thompson	i have the patience of a lake
April 8, 2004	LaForge Maneuver	Penfield Mood Organ	Wall of Death
Hiccups	bones	badminton