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For Richard Thompson fanatics (and those who admire the brilliant songwriter and virtuoso guitarist tend to be quite ardent about him), this five-disc set of obscurities, outtakes, live performances, and previously unreleased material is the holy grail. Earlier releases from Free Reed found the label mining the riches of British folk-rock from the likes of Fairport Convention (which featured Thompson in its most popular incarnation), but here they’ve hit the mother lode. This isn’t the place for a newcomer to start with Thompson, as other “best-of” anthologies and career-spanning compilations might provide a better introduction. Instead, this is a treasure trove that will offer discovery for even the most devoted fan. Each disc has a theme–epic ballads, discarded songs, the essential canon–with the disc of cover versions particularly fascinating. From performance tapes, Thompson makes everything from the Who’s “Substitute” and Squeeze’s “Tempted” to the traditional “Danny Boy” and “Shenandoah” sound like his own. The expansive selection illuminates Thompson as an artist of great range and subtlety, humor and heart, from the intimacy of his solo acoustic performances to galvanizing, electrically charged renditions of masterpieces such as “Shoot Out the Lights,” “For Shame of Doing Wrong,” and “Calvary Cross.” An accompanying 168-page book provides biographical context and exhaustive annotation (though somehows seem to tag “Shoot Out the Lights” as solo acoustic when it’s plainly full-band electric). –Don McLeese
CD 1
1. Now That I Am Dead (3:05)
2. Genesis Hall (3:17)
3. Josef Locke (2:45)
4. Willy O’ Winsbury (4:58)
5. Don’t Sit On My Jimmy Shands (3:35)
6. Nobody’s Wedding (2:13)
7. Madonna’s Wedding (2:35)
8. Walking The Long Miles Home (4:05)
9. Withered And Died (3:25)
10. Beat The Retreat (4:59)
11. The Great Valerio (4:47)
12. Walking On A Wire (5:26)
13. Never Again (3:00)
14. The End Of The Rainbow (3:54)
15. King Of Bohemia (3:45)
16. Killerman Gold Posse (1:50)
17. Lotteryland (2:57)
18. Now Be Thankful (3:17)
19. Shoot Out The Lights (5:49)
20. Outside Of The Inside (4:20)
CD 2
1. I Feel So Good (3:17)
2. Push And Shove (3:10)
3. Time To Ring Some Changes (3:31)
4. Cooksferry Queen (3:26)
5. Waltzing’s For Dreamers (3:43)
6. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (3:20)
7. I Misunderstood (3:51)
8. Meet On The Ledge (3:25)
9. Down Where The Drunkards Roll (4:20)
10. Gethsemane (5:51)
11. Tear Stained Letter (3:19)
12. Wall Of Death (3:22)
13. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (4:53)
14. From Galway To Graceland (4:59)
15. Crazy Man Michael (4:46)
16. Dimming Of The Day (3:50)
17. Beeswing (5:28)
CD 3
1. Valerie (4:23)
2. Don’t Let A Thief Steal Into You Heart (3:54)
3. Ghosts In The Wind (5:41)
4. Crash The Party (6:12)
5. For Shame Of Doing Wrong (6:55)
6. Calvary Cross (9:32)
7. Sloth (12:20)
8. Night Comes In (8:12)
9. Drowned Dog, Black Night (6:36)
10. Put It There Pal (7:53)
11. Morris Medley/Flying Saucers (6:37)
CD 4
1. Substitute (3:05)
2. Tempted (4:39)
3. (The Story Of) Hamlet (4:36)
4. Oops, I Did It Again (3:11)
5. ‚Ca Plane Pour Moi (2:51)
6. Why Don’t Women Like Me? (2:52)
7. Time Has Told Me (4:47)
8. Shenandoah (3:34)
9. Danny Boy (3:35)
10. Move It (3:24)
11. Willie & Hand Jive/Not Fade Away (4:01)
12. Loch Lomond (3:30)
13. Job Of Journeywork (1:33)
14. Napoleon’s Dream (2:01)
15. Sally Rackett (1:04)
16. God Loves A Drunk (4:42)
17. The Angels Took My Racehorse Away (3:30)
18. Poseidon (4:00)
19. Wall Of Death (3:50)
20. You’ll Never Walk Alone (2:28)
21. I Ain’t Marching Anymore (2:52)
22. The Who Medley (6:49)
CD 5
1. Albion Sunrise (2:35)
2. How Many Times Do You Have To Fall (3:36)
3. Bad News Is All The Wind Can Carry (3:04)
4. Mrs Rita (2:47)
5. Shady Lies (2:23)
6. Lucky In Life, Unlucky In Love (3:13)
7. Dragging The River (2:06)
8. Alexander Graham Bell (3:23)
9. Someone Else’s Fancy (3:18)
10. Modern Woman (3:06)
11. Woman Or A Man (3:46)
12. My Daddy Is A Mummy (2:40)
13. You Got What You Wanted (3:17)
14. In Over Your Head (2:08)
15. Dear Janet Jackson (3:46)