Variations on a Theme

by Rick Anderson Yes, David Thomas is weird, and yes, he's even weirder solo than he is when he's leading Pere Ubu . But if you're not careful, it can be all too easy to let the weirdness distract from the genuine beauty, of which there is quite a bit on this spectacularly good album. Lots of credit is due to Brit-folk guitar hero Richard Thompson , whose presence may seem like a complete artistic non sequitur, but who adds not only chops but also structural complexity and a deep musical grace to Thomas's whinnying falsetto ruminations on birds, plants, and pedestrians. Credit is also due to bassist Jack Monck , who anchors things heroically on this album. There are lots of highlights here, but two of the album's finest moments come on Bird Town , a hysterical 12-bar blues romp that features both a vocal cameo ("Oy kid, what's the name of this town? Is it giraffe town?") and a whole series of brilliant solos by Richard Thompson , and on "A Day at the Botanical Gardens," which is one of the loveliest pieces of music Thomas has ever been responsible for. Highly recommended.