RICHARD THOMPSON :: GRIZZLY SOUNDTRACK re-issue

Richard Thompson :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview

You’d have to imagine that Werner Herzog is not a man who is easily impressed. But there’s a moment in In The Edges, Erik Nelson’s short film documenting the sessions for the Grizzly Man soundtrack, where the legendary filmmaker seems positively overcome. As Richard Thompson improvises a dark, shimmering elegy on electric guitar, Herzog, seated nearby, appears to blink away tears, smiling in rapture. 

Music From Grizzly Man, which is receiving a handsome reissue this week from No Quarter records, is full of similarly stunning moments. The music Thompson and his collaborators conjured up was the perfect accompaniment to Herzog’s documentary about the ill-fated environmentalist Timothy Treadwell. But — like Neil Young’s Dead Man or Bruce Langhorne’s Hired Hand — it stands up just fine on its own. The 14 tracks here allow us to bask in Thompson’s unparalleled instrumental prowess, his superhumanly sensitive tone and his singular melodies. In a career that has seen plenty of high points, Music From Grizzly Man deserves a place up near the top. 

A few weeks back, Thompson hopped on Zoom to discuss the making of the soundtrack, his recent memoir, and more. | t wilcox

“Music From Grizzly Man,” coming May 6! RT will be reissuing his soundtrack from the Werner Herzog film “Grizzly Man,” which contains all of the out of print material he recorded for the acclaimed documentary about life and death in the Alaskan wilderness. From intimate solo recordings, to tender detailed melodies and quietly visceral improvisations, “Music From Grizzly Man” is one of RT’s best kept secrets in his catalog.

Listen to “Streamwalk” and “Treadwell No More” today: smarturl.it/GrizzlyMansingles

Pre-save or pre-order the album: smarturl.it/c1sjld