By Frank Alkyer | Published December 2017
Public radio listeners know mandolinist Chris Thile as the current host of A Prairie Home Companion. Others might know him from his work with the progressive bluegrass trio The Punch Brothers or new-grass artists Nickel Creek. And lucky jazz fans might have caught Thile’s recording and tour dates with pianist Brad Mehldau. It was one of the more surprising and enjoyable pairings this reviewer has heard in a long time. Thile has released a new solo album, Thanks For Listening, and it’s a gem of beautiful vocal harmonies, incredible musicianship and sophisticated, cutting lyrics. Thile has taken the mandolin and bluegrass tradition in directions before unseen. The music here brims with complex art and lush production. The tunes were written for a segment called “Song of the Week” that aired during each Prairie Home broadcast. Instead of just releasing those performances, Thile went into the studio and recorded 10 of the 19 songs he had composed for the segment. The results just shimmer. “I Made This For You,” the opening cut, highlights Thile’s strengths as a songwriter, lyricist, instrumentalist and artistic visionary. It’s an operetta in 4 minutes and 11 seconds. “Thank you, New York” demonstrates why a musician like Mehldau would want to team up with Thile. It’s a grand, beautiful pop song with an instrumental break that sends shivers down the spine. And the title track is a great sendoff as the final cut of the recording. It twists the theme into a very personal manifesto on the isolated nature of life today. Rest assured, there’s nothing easy in the music of Chris Thile. It makes you think, and sometimes think twice. And, in the end, it makes you glad you were listening.
