Maverick Magazine – "Chickasaw" Review - August 2008

Thea Hopkins

Chickasaw

****

Brave songwriting by a woman who knows the importance and power of words.

Thea Hopkins isn’t afraid to tackle a sensitive subject. Take Jesus Is On The Wire for instance; it tells the true story of Matthew Shepherd, a young man who was taken out to the country, tied to a fence and then beaten to death by two men because he had the audacity to be gay. A church minister actually turned up at his funeral as he was being lowered into the ground and shouted, ‘God hates faggots!’ Strange that, I always thought God loved everybody. For this one song alone, Thea Hopkins is to be applauded, because it takes guts to stand up to the hypocrites and religious bigots. ‘They said he slept with guys, they said that he was gonna die.’ Those lyrics would still resonate if the song was fiction, but because they are penned in truth they send a shiver down the spine.

Hopkins is no one trick pony though; there are other songs here that are just as potent. She gets the war mongers in her sights on River Of Fire and scores a direct hit on the Bush administration: ‘the king sends his riders out just before the dawn, to the four corners of the earth he’s set his eye upon.’ Pretty powerful stuff delivered in a high lonesome voice slightly reminiscent of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell—two women who know a little bit about protest songs themselves. Like any good storyteller, Hopkins has the lyrical talent to create startling images in the mind, and she reminds us of what it is to be human. She evokes charming memories of childhood with The Edge Of Geary, whilst Once There Was A Lover, a song about choosing the wrong partner, is sure to strike a chord in anyone who’s ever walked this world hand in hand with a mistake. I would have liked to hear a little more variation in the pacing of the songs, but that really is splitting hairs. After all, mother earth needs all the courage she can get at the moment, and Thea Hopkins is one brave girl indeed. I salute her. DH
Maverick Magazine, UK (Sep 1, 2008) 

Americana UK, "Chickasaw" Review

“Immaculately played and produced, with narratives that drip with metaphor and imagery… Thea Hopkins possesses a voice that stands up to her material… The title track showcases the style perfectly, evocative and with a hint of menace. This is folk as it should be: dark tales, poetry and protest.”— Americana-UK 


Folk and Acoustic Music Exhange - "Chickasaw" Review

Thea Hopkins possesses a voice and style that are so unique and brilliant that you wonder why the rest of the world has not yet caught on. She is sultry and sensuous, serious and playful, mysterious and fascinating all at once. She is reminiscent of the great torch singers, but also has a modern and contemporary sound which she shares with the likes of Sarah McLaughlin and Natalie Merchant. The bottom line is that she knows how to take an audience on a ride that touches the full range of human emotions.

Chickasaw is her sophomore release—a worthy follow-up to the classic songs of her 2001 debut, Birds of Mystery. Chickasaw is subtitled "American short story folk," and indeed, the many wonderful songs here truly do tell a story about people living on the edge of love, of luck, and of life.

An air of romance, of earth-shattering love and lust, permeates the richly sensual Rows and Rows of Stars. David Goodrich colors Thea's gorgeous vocals with his superb work on guitar and piano. This is a song you can just drift away on—you don't want it to end.

The Edge of Geary brings back images of a small-town childhood as it appears in memory. Thea's soft, sultry alto rises to meet Chris Thompson's harmony vocals. Ian Kennedy shines on violin.

Every one of us has a story about choosing the wrong lover—the one who is too good to be true. Once There Was a Lover describes just this kind of false suitor. It is one of the recording's best cuts:
Once there was a lover who found
Shelter in Jesus and all he adored
Thorns and desire, roses and fire
Was all his heart had room for.

The Weather Turns is so hauntingly beautiful a song that its melody and lyrics stay with you long after you have listened to it. Natalie Haas on cello helps to create an air of melancholy and mystery. Thea's voice caresses the lyrics with her special magic.

Dave Goodrich, on resonator guitar, opens the title track, Chickasaw" This is a classic song of love gone badly and irrevocably wrong.

There are so many great songs here, I could address each and every one of them. But none is as moving as the revised version of Thea's riveting Jesus is on the Wire, which has been covered by Peter, Paul and Mary. Here she paints a picture of an unforgettable landscape, and a day that will go down in our collective memory. This song is a modern classic.

The beauty of Thea's voice is matched by the brilliance of her lyrics. Some singers know how to sing and others know how to write. Thea Hopkins draws you in with her sensual, sultry voice, but keeps your attention by wrapping that voice around beautiful melodies and wonderful stories. She's a marvelous talent. Get lost in her mystery. You may never want to be found.  --Roberta B. Schwartz - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange  
 
“Birds of Mystery” was named one of 2001’s Top Ten local albums by the Boston Herald. “A gorgeous dusky voice wraps itself like mist around country-folk songs of tenderness and substance.”

Boston Herald- "Birds of Mystery" Review

3 & 1/2 stars Local singer-songwriter Thea Hopkins is blessed with a creamy, clarion voice and a vivid observational eye. Those attributes, plus a little help from her friends, make ``Birds of Mystery'' a strong debut -- a blend of country, folk and pop. Catie Curtis lends harmonious help on “Western Town,” and Greg Greenway adds gravitas to the affecting ``Jesus is On the Wire,'' which powerfully takes up the hate-crime murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd. Violinist Mimi Rabson lends the dustily charming ``Down in Egypt'' a smoky quality, and John Curtis contributes a sunny, comforting guitar solo to the lovely romantic ballad ``Say You Will.'' But make no mistake, Hopkins' poetic impressions and dusky vocals that recall Mary Chapin Carpenter and Jennifer Warnes are the star attractions here.
Sarah Rodman - Boston Herald

Thea Hopkins has a lovely, rich, sultry, soulful voice that weaves itself around lyrics of great beauty. She has the kind of sound that makes you sit up and listen and wonder where and when you can hear more. Not only is her vocal style unique and different, but her take on subjects well-worn by singer/songwriters feels fresh and new.
Take the moment when lovers part in When the Moon Walked In. Hopkins describes the scene as "when the moon walked/ in that night/ when you turned in the/ pale cold light/ when the moon walked in you sighed,/ I've had enough of what you hide/ when the moon walked in."
In Down to Egypt she takes us to a place "that has a heart/ sand and stone, broken art/ It has secrets no one knows/ It has rooms, / Where no one ever goes."
The horrible deaths of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming and James Byrd in Texas have been written about in both prose and in song. No one has captured the feel, the place and the emotions involved as well as Hopkins in Jesus is on the Wire. Talented singer/songwriter Greg Greenway adds his expressive tenor to the verse on James Byrd - one of the CD's best moments. My favorite cut on this well-crafted recording is Say You Will, a simple love song that showcases the beauty of Hopkins' voice. It features John Curtis on guitar with just a dab of Craig Harris on percussion. Hopkins surrounds herself with stellar support. In addition to Greenway, Catie Curtis provides harmony vocals, Matt Glaser and Mimi Rabson are on violins, with Eric Kilburn on mandolin and harmonica.
This is music to dream by and to love by. It is music to listen to on a lazy afternoon or a rainy day. I would be surprised if no one takes notice of Hopkins' specialness. Even if you have a short list of must have CD purchases this year, add Birds of Mystery to that list and start singing her praises. Thea Hopkins is a star on the rise.
Roberta B. Schwartz - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange

Clarity and poise… Among the more striking passages are "Jesus is On the Wire," a stirring ballad, and the haunting palette of "Blues on the Edge of This Town."
Matthew S. Robinson - Boston Globe
 
“Moments of sultry brilliance” N.E. Perfomer Magazine

Metronome - "Birds of Mystery" Review

“Thea Hopkins has one of the sweetest voices you’ll ever hear: clear, powerful, and above all, soulful. Hopkins also displays her songwriting savvy on “Birds of Mystery.”
Metronome
 
"I saw Thea Hopkins' showcase at the  Northeast Regional Folk Alliance conference. Her songs are intelligent and beautifully written. Her voice carried me away. I could listen to her sing her songs forever."  David Pyles - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
 
"Thea Hopkins is one of the most poetic, literate and powerfully moving of the new singer/songwriters to emerge on the scene in the last few years. Her song, 'Jesus Is On the Wire' is a compelling composition with a riveting story-telling style. This is one of the most important songs we have sung in recent years."
Peter, Paul & Mary