Recent Additions : Richard Thompson - Still

I am not sure that Still will create any new fans for Richard Thompson.  But at this stage of his career that is not really the point.

I sense that, freed from the desire and probably need to make it big, Thompson recently has just concentrated on what he is good at.

Therefore this is a typically solid Thompson album.  It has now expected mix of solid songs, terrific guitar playing and at times wicked humour. Thompson recorded the album  with the same band he recently brought to NZ in Wilco's loft with Jeff Tweedy producing.   

When I saw him in New Plymouth in March he played Guitar Heroes and Beatnik Walking off the album.  While some might enjoy the virtuosity of Guitar Heroes where Thompson plays in the styles of his various guitar heroes from Django, James Burton, Chuck Berry and Hank Marvin, it just does not come off to me and seems unusually slight.   

However I am pleased to report that  this is the the rest of the album is up to Thompson's normal standards. Standout tracks for me include All Buttoned Up, She Never Could Resist a Winding Road, Long John Silver and the aforementioned Beatnik Walking