This CD was a Christmas present, many years ago.
I've mentioned these tribute albums before, and my hypothesis that the most successful happen when the work of people you quite like is covered by people you like more. Richard Thompson has written so many great songs, and many are attempted here, by a wide array of artists.
The acid test for me is always 'would I choose to listen to this when the original's available?', and the opening track, X's version of Shoot Out The Lights is a promising, loud and abrasive version, followed by an equally interesting Wall Of Death, covered without frills by R.E.M. Bonnie Raitt's When The Spell Is Broken works thanks to the gospel backing given by the Blind Boys Of Alabama, and perhaps my favourite moment of the album is a high speed, high decibel version of Turning Of The Tide by Bob Mould. The first 'misses' for me follow with Syd Straw and Evan Dando doing a limp For Shame Of Doing Wrong, and a lacklustre Down Where The Drunkards Roll by Los Lobos, but things are redeemed by the lovely voice of June Tabor, with a decent version of Beat The Retreat, and a fantastic acapella Genesis Hall.
Dinosaur Jr's rendering of I Misunderstood are quite a departure from Thompson's original, louder and more angsty, but it works really well, and Graham Parker delivers a professional version of The Madness Of Love. David Byrne turns up with a reasonable Just The Motion, followed by Beausoleil covering what, for me is a vastly underrated Thompson song, Valerie, although I'm not sure the Cajun style arrangement suits. Loudon Wainwright III and Shawn Colvin do an adequate A Heart Needs A Home, before a lovely Dimming Of The Day from the Blind Boys Of Alabama, and it's left to the folk aristocracy of Maddy Prior and Martin Carthy to wrap up, firstly with Farewell, Farewell as a much more traditional folk song than the Fairport original, not entirely successfully, and lastly a drawn out but pleasant The Great Valero.
It's an enjoyable take on some of Thompson's songs, from an impressive live up, with a few misses, but quite a few hits.
3* - a tribute album that was worth making, with a good blend of similarity to and difference from the originals
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