Richard Thompson
Dream Attic (Shout! Factory)The twist to Dream Attic, Richard Thompson’s latest opus, is that it was recorded live in front of audiences during a West Coast swing earlier this year. As all new songs, one would never know it’s concert recordings except for the snippets of applause that follow each performance. Thompson’s never been less than inspiring in concert, but here his singing seems especially urgent, while a few of his guitar leaps will leave you shaking your head in wonderment. With Pete Zorn’s sax and flute and Joel Zifkin’s violin added to the mix, Thompson reverts to a style that hasn’t been apparent in his music for years, the kind of British electric folk he buzzed the world with in Fairport Convention. Dream Attic doesn’t store a bad tune, although “Burning Man” is fittingly gloomy and the guitar solo on “Bad Again” is typically impossible. It’s no gimmick if it works – besides, who’s to argue with results this thrilling. (7pm, Clear 4G stage)
This article appears in October 8 • 2010.