CD review
RICHARD THOMPSON
Action Packed
The BEST of the Capitol Years

by LES EVERETT

RELEASED in 2001 this collection features selections from 1988 to 1999 neatly picked from Thompson's Capitol albums from that period - 'Amnesia' (1988), 'Rumour and Sigh' (1991), 'Mirror Blue' (1994), 'You? Me? Us? (1996) and 'Mock Tudor' (1999).

Thompson is a rare musical beast. He's named in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time list (at 19), is a writer with a real way with words and a vocalist of surprising versatility.

There is one previously unreleased offering on this 19-song collection - 'Persuasion' from 2001 featuring Teddy Thompson - it's a beauty too with the father and son voices working well together.

For me the most powerful song in this collection is 'Keep Your Distance' in which Thompson chimes in with some hurdy-gurdy for good measure.

Another highlight is 'Cold Kisses' where the singer finds himself 'behind enemy lines' at a new girlfriend's place and sneaks a look at some personal stuff in a draw: "Old photographs of the life you led. Arm in arm with Mr X Y and Z. Old boyfriends big and small. Got to see how I measure up to them all."

The classic '1952 Vincent Black Lightning' is also included but really 'Action Packed' is packed with gems.

'Action Packed. The BEST of the Captiol Years' by Richard Thompson is available from Dirt Cheap CDs, Carillon City, Murray Street Level, Perth 9322 5122 and Harbour Town, West Perth 9322 7666. (And it's in the $10 bargain bin!)

7 February 2007

australianrules.com.au

r thompson

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CD reviewRICHARD THOMPSONAction PackedThe BEST of the Capitol Years

CD review
RICHARD THOMPSON
Action Packed
The BEST of the Capitol Years