Dancing With Architecture Review
"Love Come Down"- Aug 2018
If asked to name an exquisite songwriter, we could all roll a bunch of names off without hesitation. Questioned to name a brilliant performer and again we could do so with ease. If pushed for someone who plays with a timeless roots sound yet is still pushing those generic boundaries forward and we might find that to be a more difficult task, yet with a bit of thought we could probably all think of one or two. But if asked to name an artist who manages to tick all of those boxes and you are suddenly in difficult territory. There can’t be many artists able to excel in all those areas, who can be found in that small part of the Venn Diagram where all of these skills are present but Thea Hopkins is certain one of that select club.
Love Come Down is a collection of six songs which wander the American landscape, folk, blues and country rooted tunes that embrace social commentary, love balladry, universal truths and personal reflections. Add to that Thea’s evocative voice and an often wistfully melancholic but never overtly sad touch, jazz textures and lilting acoustica and you have an amazing suite of songs.
Almost Upon a Time is a gorgeous folk ballad, timeless, heartfelt and restrained, Mississippi River, Mississippi Town is a shimmering slice of country, one that eschews the Nashville template and makes more left-field and progressive choices and the title track is a wonderfully understated dreamscape using space and atmosphere as much as the instruments to get the job done. I would say that this is a future classic in the making but then again, why wait? https://dancingaboutarchitecture.info/2018/08/08/love-come-down-thea-hopkins-reviewed-by-dave-franklin/
Rocking Magpie Review "Love Come Down" - July 2018
Distinguished, Articulate and Most of All, 'Grown Up' Folk Music.
Sadly I knew next to nothing about Thea Hopkins, save she was a 'Folk Singer' of some sort, as that's where I think I've seen her name on festival guides of the years; but one listen to the title track Love Comes Down and all of my expectations were turned upside down!
Yes; this could be filed under 'Folk' in a record shop, but only if Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Joan Armatrading were there too.
Here I am, over a month later sitting all alone in the July sunshine listening to this captivating 6 track EP/LP and I'm lost for words as to how to describe Thea Hopkins' voice and singing style; which is very much how and why she stands apart from her peers.
Haunting?
Pearlescent?
Ethereal?
Husky?
Expressive?
All of the above; and her storytelling on this love song is glorious too; and slide in a steely trumpet voluntary that would do Chet Baker pride and you find yourself helplessly falling in love with the power of music all over again.
This is followed by The Ghost of Emmett Till; which is in a similar haunting manner and re-tells that horrible story in a majestic manner that still fits the mood in certain parts of America to this very day.
Next up, Mississippi River, Mississippi Town takes you not just by surprise as it's a deep, dark Americana 'sound' with some intricate banjo picking and something called an 'electric ebow' which really creates a dusky atmosphere on a story about a storm and imminent flood that could devastate the area.
Tom Halter's trumpet makes another appearance on Almost Upon a Time and this time is joined by some delightful piano from Tim Ray; on a song that needs to be heard with the lights turned down low or your eyes tightly closed at the very least to get the best from it.
Everything comes neatly to a close with the sixth and final song on this all too short album; Until Then is a rather beautiful grown up lullaby, which could easily be sung to small children; but more importantly an over worked and under appreciated lover too perhaps?
Which only leaves us Tamson Weeks; which takes the accolade of 'Favourite Track'; not least because it fits in perfectly amongst the other five songs; but mostly because it's a fabulous story of Thea's Great, Great Aunt who was a medicine woman in the Aquinnah Wampanoag Indian tribe of Martha's Vineyard; and this starkly atmospheric tale is a glorious way to remember what sounds like a fascinating woman.
As I eluded to at the beginning, this is eloquent 'grown up' music in the manner of those three songwriters I mentioned and as I type Tim Buckley and Nanci Griffith spring to mind too. Now all I need to do is find the time to explore Ms. Hopkins back catalogue as my musical appetite has most certainly been whetted by these six songs.
https://rockingmagpie.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/thea-hopkins-love-comes-down/
Rootsville Review "Love Come Down" - June 2018
"Love Come Down", the fourth CD of Boston singer-songwriter Thea Hopkins is a real masterpiece.
Thea Hopkins is of Indian origin, but also has African-American, Irish, French and Portuguese blood in her veins, so you can expect her to have stories to tell, and that is exactly what she does on this album. Incidentally, she also appears to be a masterly editor, since she chose to include only six songs for this album, something she did earlier on her last album, "Lilac Sky". That’s really a mark of an artist close to our hearts: a short album, all good songs, no filler.
Those who have followed Hopkins knows her name became known for the first time when Peter, Paul & Mary recorded her "Jesus is on The Wire" both in 2004 and 2010. It was originally on Hopkins' first album, "Birds Of Mystery."
Noel Paul Stookey, the "Paul" from Peter and Mary, plays and sings on the new album, on "The Ghost of Emmett Till". Till was a black boy of 14 who was lynched in 1955, for whistling at a white girl. The incident eventually became a catalyst in the fight of black Americans for equality. The song includes a distinguished role for the sad trumpet sounds of jazzman Tom Halter. Halter can also be heard on "Almost Upon a Time", when his horn floats on a beautiful piano part by Tim Ray. (Ray has worked with Thea before, and was previously a member of Lyle Lovett’s band.)
On "Tamson Weeks" the main role - alongside the voice of Thea - is claimed by the violin of Mimi Rabson from The Really Esoteric String Quartet. That song is about Thea’s great-aunt, who was medicine woman of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Indian tribe of Martha's Vineyard."Mississippi River"clears a lot of space for the electric ebowguitar of David Minehan (of the Replacements and the Neighborhoods) who nicely duels with Thea on banjo.
Thea has been compared to fellow American Indian Buffy Ste Marie. That's not the right 1960/70s reference: she has a lot more of Joni Mitchell in her approach. Her voice is completely unique and very recognizable, but above all: she has become a songwriter of the highest level. She selectively deals with her own work, knowing that only the best is good enough. In this case, her selectivity produces a wonderful record, with a few songs of eternal value. Whoever does not fall for this album should have their ears urgently checked!
(Dani Heyvaert) http://www.rootsville.eu/2018%20album%20reports/reports/thea%20hopkins.html
Paris Move Review - "Love Come Down' - May 2018
Attention: Landslide! The discovery of this short album by Thea Hopkins may have the same effect as that of Van Morrison’s "Astral Weeks," or the late Tim Buckley’s "Lorca. Nothing less.
Considering her mixed-race background (Iroquois, African-American, Irish, French and Portuguese!) the lazy critic might be inclined to classify Thea Hopkins alongside Buffy Sainte-Marie. But an attentive listening of the album’s half-dozen tracks reveals horizons much less conventional. There is also a temptation to equate her with great forgotten 1970s folk artists such as Linda Perhacs and Judy Dyble. But the more obvious reference then jumps to the eardrums: with her album’s mix of organic folk, jazzy trumpet, violin and guitars, Thea Hopkins is, in fact, the most convincing perpetuator of the haunting art of Nick Drake. The comparison may be risky, but it is simply based on listening to the songs "Until Then", "The Ghost Of Emmett Till", "Love Come Down" and "Almost Upon A Time". Our amazement is total. Thea Hopkins’ CD “Love Come Down” should come with a warning -- to be opened with care: risk of love at first sight! A big favorite of the editorial team!
https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/thea-hopkins-love-come-down/
"Superb" Fatea Review Live Performance (UK) 2014
Review Of Live Show "Grateful Fred's Presents At The Atkinson" August 6, 2014 http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/2014/TheaHopkins.html/
march 2013 -Whisperin & Hollerin' Review lilac sky
‘Lilac Sky’ is the latest release from Boston singer/songwriter THEA HOPKINS and is her third release to date. However, this six track mini album marks a departure from the contemporary folk music of her first two albums. Here, instead, we have six tracks of pure Americana, although Thea describes it as: "Native Americana" which reflects her Wampanoag and Cherokee ancestry.
The first track ‘Might’ve Stayed in Memphis’ showcases all that’s great about this album. It's a country track that gets a bit rockier on the chorus with musicianship that blends acoustic and steel guitars. This chugs along very nicely with Thea’s lyrics working well on the theme of being in one place far too long, and the need to move on: -“Woke up this morning the sky was soaked in grey/Heard a street preacher yelling pray, pray, pray/ Looked out my window, saw the bridge to Arkansas/ I might've stayed in Memphis too long...Something tells me it's time to move on." This starts the album on a high note and plays to Thea’s strengths. She is an excellent songwriter with a memorably vivid line in lyrics and a fine ear for melody.
These abilities shine on the title track of the album, ‘Lilac Sky’, a rock ‘n’ roll song that has a real relevance to those who have been worn down by work, hardship and life in general: - “Lilac Sky turning black/ A train rolls down a railroad track Streets so narrow where we fall, Into each other's arms/ Windows rattle like tambourines, In this hotel sitting between Blue highways, blue mountaintops." Thea also excels on the final track, the doomy ‘Watcha Gonna Do?’ a well textured country song which blends guitars and mandola perfectly. Whilst the subject matter is depressing, it should strike a chord instantly with any fans of Woody Guthrie: - “Sun rises up, red as rust, On this town that's gone bust Company here said good bye/ Cleared out in record time...A hole in this town where the jobs disappear." This is a song in which you can almost taste the hopelessness, the grit and dust in people’s mouths as they try to eke out a living from day to day. It's a hard-bitten way for the album to end, but lyrically it is a spectacular tour de force.
Thea Hopkins recently won the first place in American Songwriter magazine’s lyric contest and on the strength of this, I can only concur that such an accolade was richly deserved. -- Nick Browne
Jan 2013- Review Of 'Lilac Sky'
What Goethe claimed once again? Right, yeah ... "Only in moderation is the master revealed." On "Lilac Sky," Boston singer-songwriter Thea Hopkins has chosen to release a modest number of good songs instead of a long CD filled to the brim with a lot of chaff among the wheat.
Among the six songs, four of them are self-written. They are delicious: Linda Thompson's country tug "Do Your Best For Rock And Roll" and a Marianne Faithfull and Barry Reynolds penned song, "When I Find My Life." In both songs Hopkins showcases her great talents as a singer. A truly crystal clear voice. Very efficient too! And that is certainly so for her writing. (She recently won a song competition held by the authoritative American Songwriter Magazine.)
Among her original songs are the catchy country tune "Might've Stayed In Memphis." "Lilac Sky" shoots smoothly out of the starting gates. The atmospheric "Down By The Water" rewards a close listen. Of special note, "Whatcha Gonna Do? " is a folk oriented beauty. Each of these songs absolutely must be heard. www.cntlaltcountry.be/Pagina1.htm#TheaHopkins
Jan 2013 - Review Lilac Sky
With her unique voice, she works effortlessly through songs like "Might've Stayed In Memphis", the uptempo transferred title track "Lilac Sky" (see video) and the smooth country songs "Down By The Water" and "Whatcha Gonna Do?". Four songs on this EP were composed by Thea Hopkins himself and two other songs she chose from the repertoire of other notorious female singer-songwriters. So she brings a highly personal interpretation of "When I Find My Life" by Marianne Faithfull, who number themselves first brought on her CD "A Perfect Stranger: The Island Anthology" from 1998. Totally against the expectations created by the title, the second cover "Do Your Best For Rock And Roll" no good swinging song, but a beautiful, understated singing jazzy piano ballad. It is therefore in our opinion the best song on this ep, all the way a song that immediately after the first listening to our iPod was placed. It's a song that was written by Teddy Thompson and his mother Linda Thompson. The ex-wife of Richard Thompson recorded this song for her album "Versatile Heart" from 2007. The beautiful piano work on this song is from Tim Ray, a man who earned his spurs as a supervisor of Lyle Lovett. A great voice, his own compositions to 'you' to say, with love songs selected to retreading, which is our final conclusion about "Lilac Sky" by Thea Hopkins. With the hope that we soon another full album of her must look forward, we close our story about this ep satisfied with this off. (Valsam) http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEUW/2013/JAN1/CD3.html
Jan 2013 - Review Lilac Sky
Thea Hopkins latest release is that increasingly frequent format the e.p. Not quite an album, but more than a single, it allows an artist to release some product without having to make a full album and is a handy touring item. Two of the six tracks here are covers. She does a good job of Linda and Teddy Thompson Do Your Best For Rock And Roll, a song full of yearning and hope and likewise puts some meaning into her cover of the Marianne Faithful/Barry Reynolds song When I Find My Life. She has gathered some good players around her for the recording. There are three guitarists featured all play with conviction but Andy Hillinger's twang on Hopkins' Down By The Water giving the song a cutting edge and a stamp of Americana. The rhythm section are solid and Tim Ray's piano is used effectively. As a writer Hopkins reveals a depth and an understanding in her songs like Might've Stayed In Memphis and with the title song.
Thea Hopkins joins the ranks of singer/songwriters whose role is to perfect their craft rather than redefine it. But she does so with enough of her own identity that these six tracks leave you curious to hear more. That in itself is an achievement that makes Lilac Sky a pretty good reason to have made it and an equally good reason to listen to it. Stephen Rapid
www.lonesomehighway.com/music-reviews/2013/1/6/thea-hopkins-lilac-sky-self-release.html
June 2012- Noise Review Of MFA Show
aug 2008 Maverick Magazine – "Chickasaw" Review
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)
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
"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
Review From Whisperin & Hollerin'
‘Lilac Sky’ is the latest release from Boston singer/songwriter THEA HOPKINS and is her third release to date. However, this six track mini album marks a departure from the contemporary folk music of her first two albums. Here, instead, we have six tracks of pure Americana, although Thea describes it as: "Native Americana" which reflects her Wampanoag and Cherokee ancestry.
The first track ‘Might’ve Stayed in Memphis’ showcases all that’s great about this album. It's a country track that gets a bit rockier on the chorus with musicianship that blends acoustic and steel guitars. This chugs along very nicely with Thea’s lyrics working well on the theme of being in one place far too long, and the need to move on: -“Woke up this morning the sky was soaked in grey/Heard a street preacher yelling pray, pray, pray/ Looked out my window, saw the bridge to Arkansas/ I might've stayed in Memphis too long...Something tells me it's time to move on." This starts the album on a high note and plays to Thea’s strengths. She is an excellent songwriter with a memorably vivid line in lyrics and a fine ear for melody.
These abilities shine on the title track of the album, ‘Lilac Sky’, a rock ‘n’ roll song that has a real relevance to those who have been worn down by work, hardship and life in general: - “Lilac Sky turning black/ A train rolls down a railroad track Streets so narrow where we fall, Into each other's arms/ Windows rattle like tambourines, In this hotel sitting between Blue highways, blue mountaintops." Thea also excels on the final track, the doomy ‘Watcha Gonna Do?’ a well textured country song which blends guitars and mandola perfectly. Whilst the subject matter is depressing, it should strike a chord instantly with any fans of Woody Guthrie: - “Sun rises up, red as rust, On this town that's gone bust Company here said good bye/ Cleared out in record time...A hole in this town where the jobs disappear." This is a song in which you can almost taste the hopelessness, the grit and dust in people’s mouths as they try to eke out a living from day to day. It's a hard-bitten way for the album to end, but lyrically it is a spectacular tour de force.
Thea Hopkins recently won the first place in American Songwriter magazine’s lyric contest and on the strength of this, I can only concur that such an accolade was richly deserved.
author: Nick Browne
Jan 8 2013- Review Of "Lilac Sky"
Among the six songs, four of them are self-written. They are delicious: Linda Thompson's country tug "Do Your Best For Rock And Roll" and a Marianne Faithfull and Barry Reynolds penned song, "When I Find My Life." In both songs Hopkins showcases her great talents as a singer. A truly crystal clear voice. Very efficient too! And that is certainly so for her writing. (She recently won a song competition held by the authoritative American Songwriter Magazine.)
Among her original songs are the catchy country tune "Might've Stayed In Memphis." "Lilac Sky" shoots smoothly out of the starting gates. The atmospheric "Down By The Water" rewards a close listen. Of special note, "Whatcha Gonna Do? " is a folk oriented beauty. Each of these songs absolutely must be heard.
www.cntlaltcountry.be/Pagina1.htm#TheaHopkins
Jan 8 2013 -Review Lilac Sky
With her unique voice, she works effortlessly through songs like "Might've Stayed In Memphis", the uptempo transferred title track "Lilac Sky" (see video) and the smooth country songs "Down By The Water" and "Whatcha Gonna Do?". Four songs on this EP were composed by Thea Hopkins himself and two other songs she chose from the repertoire of other notorious female singer-songwriters. So she brings a highly personal interpretation of "When I Find My Life" by Marianne Faithfull, who number themselves first brought on her CD "A Perfect Stranger: The Island Anthology" from 1998. Totally against the expectations created by the title, the second cover "Do Your Best For Rock And Roll" no good swinging song, but a beautiful, understated singing jazzy piano ballad. It is therefore in our opinion the best song on this ep, all the way a song that immediately after the first listening to our iPod was placed. It's a song that was written by Teddy Thompson and his mother Linda Thompson. The ex-wife of Richard Thompson recorded this song for her album "Versatile Heart" from 2007. The beautiful piano work on this song is from Tim Ray, a man who earned his spurs as a supervisor of Lyle Lovett. A great voice, his own compositions to 'you' to say, with love songs selected to retreading, which is our final conclusion about "Lilac Sky" by Thea Hopkins. With the hope that we soon another full album of her must look forward, we close our story about this ep satisfied with this off. (Valsam)
http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEUW/2013/JAN1/CD3.html
Jan 6 2013 - Review Lilac Sky
Thea Hopkins latest release is that increasingly frequent format the e.p. Not quite an album, but more than a single, it allows an artist to release some product without having to make a full album and is a handy touring item. Two of the six tracks here are covers. She does a good job of Linda and Teddy Thompson Do Your Best For Rock And Roll, a song full of yearning and hope and likewise puts some meaning into her cover of the Marianne Faithful/Barry Reynolds song When I Find My Life. She has gathered some good players around her for the recording. There are three guitarists featured all play with conviction but Andy Hillinger's twang on Hopkins' Down By The Water giving the song a cutting edge and a stamp of Americana. The rhythm section are solid and Tim Ray's piano is used effectively. As a writer Hopkins reveals a depth and an understanding in her songs like Might've Stayed In Memphis and with the title song.
Thea Hopkins joins the ranks of singer/songwriters whose role is to perfect their craft rather than redefine it. But she does so with enough of her own identity that these six tracks leave you curious to hear more. That in itself is an achievement that makes Lilac Sky a pretty good reason to have made it and an equally good reason to listen to it.
Stephen Rapid http
www.lonesomehighway.com/music-reviews/2013/1/6/thea-hopkins-lilac-sky-self-release.html
Sept 5 - Boston Globe Editor's Pick
June 2102 Noise Review Of MFA Show
THEA HOPKINS Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA 5/3/12 A fine gig tonight at a great packed venue for long-time folk talent Thea Hopkins. She’s opening for the legendary Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, he of the more talk/less music mentality (that’s what octogenarians are apt to do—whoa!). Immediately Thea and her tremendous sidekick, Andy Hollinger (guitar/ mandolin), set the audience upright with a short collection of great folk-rockin’ material. Her voice is crisp and clear with gorgeous sustained tones vested with both blues and country inflections. She graces us with an uptempo version of Linda and Teddy Thompson’s tune, “Do Your Best for Rock ’n’ Roll,” that gets the crowd boppin’, but it’s her original material that is the focal point. “Down By the Water,” “Hold On,” “Rows and Rows of Stars,” and “Lilac Sky,” the title tune from her upcoming new album, are standouts. Thea also proudly tells us that she has just won an American Songwriter contest and will be receiving a new Gibson guitar. Bravo and fait accompli. (Harry C. Tuniese)
Maverick Magazine
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