Dream Attic

Richard Thompson is simply too fine a craftsman to release the kind of half-assed timewaster that Bob Dylan has been known to belch out: there is no equivalent to Knocked Out Loaded in RT's voluminous catalogue.  And yet, it's undeniable that the reigning king of British folk-rock has been in a bit of a rut the last few years. Recorded live during a recent west coast tour, Dream Attic is not a wild change of direction--RT has not gone electronica--but it's certainly his most vibrant album in ages. Unfortunately, these 13 all-new songs are of frustratingly variable quality. In particular, the Madoff-baiting "The Money Shuffle" features one of Thompson's heavy-handed social satire lyrics, always his weakest mode. Similarly, "Here Comes Geordie" gets off some tart. mocking lines, but really, an entire song mocking Sting's pretensions and vanity...in 2010? Aside from those two clunkers, however, Dream Attic rights itself admirably, with some of Thompson's most memorable tunes in ages, particularly the slip-jig murder ballad "Sidney Wells," the creepily atmospheric "Crimescene," and a heartfelt elegy for lost friends, "A Brother Slips Away." Crucially, the live setting gives Thompson room for some outstanding guitar solos, most notably a scorching, noisy attack that lifts the otherwise pedestrian rocker "Haul Me Up" to an exciting new level. It's by no means perfect, and will replace Shoot Out the Lights in no Thompson fan's heart, but it's encouraging to hear him sound more personally invested in his music.