Walking on a Wire- Richard Thompson -1968-2009-

Great remastering but significant omissions and offbeat inclusions
This compilation merits a five star rating for the quality of the sonic remastering which, for most of the tracks, is noticeably superior to all other previous "red book" CD releases and close (if not equal) to audiophile reissues, such as the Gold CD version of "Shoot Out The Lights" released a number of years ago, and some recent Japanese-manufactured remasters (as with "I Want To See The Bright Lights"). I gave it four stars, however, for the song selection. Concededly, it is difficult to challenge inclusions or omissions from a four decade (and still growing) body of work that overall is so consistent and often powerful or sublime or both. Obviously, people have favorites and can disagree even with Richard Thompson who chose the songs for this (hopefully still mid-career) retrospective. No fan will be fully satisfied other than with a burned CD of their own making. What bothers me, though, is the lack of any EXPLANATION for certain inclusions or omissions. Other reviewers have noted the absence of "When The Spell Is Broken," a complaint with which I certainly concur. But there are many others, including "Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair" (from "Pour Down Like Silver"), all three of the best songs from "Hokey Pokey ("Missie How You Let Me Down," "Jennie" and the heart-wrenching "How Will I Ever Be Simple Again"), the incomparably haunting "Ghosts In The Wind" from the "Across A Crowded Room" LP, and perhaps the most significant omissions from "First Light" ("Restless Highway," "Sweet Surrender" and the exquisite "Pavanne"). And where is "Don't Renege On Our Love," the superb opening track from "Shoot Out The Light" that, along with the last track, "Wall Of Death," made Thompson's solo reputation on FM radio in the U.S.? Understanding that Thompson could only include a few tracks from each album, I still don't get WHY the two OK but otherwise unmemorable songs chosen from "Hokey Pokey" (i.e. "I'll Regret It All In The Morning" and "Old Man Inside A Young Man") are substituted for the three listed above. And that is the heart of it. While fans (or even Thompson himself) can earnestly but pleasantly disagree about some of these choices, the booklet which accompanies this package provides absolutely no explanation about why certain, less familiar songs were included while others that Thompson played live in his set for years were discarded. Also, the essays in the book are far too hagiographic. For example, the essayist notes that, despite the crumbling of Richard and Linda's marriage and cross-accusations of infidelity (but especially by Linda against Richard, inasumuch as they had just a child the year before, fer chissakes), their 1982 tour of the U.S. was musically successful. Well, that's mostly true, except that on stage they came close to physical violence at times (and I think that Linda did walk off the stage once or twice), the strain was clearly visible on their faces and the tension was palpable, making the music more dramatic but for those close to the stage quite disconcerting. I am not saying this to damn Richard -- domestic relationships are often sundered, both Linda and Richard have had lasting second relationships with each resulting in additional children, their son Teddy has been instrumental in bringing the two to some resolution and I have remained an unabashed fan and close listener of Richard's solo efforts -- but only to say that the essays leave out any CRITICAL perspective, inquiries or discernment. And to the extent these essays paint a completely flattering and glowing portrait due to omissions of other facts, then they are mendacious. For a multi-decade and expensive retrospective, such abdication of critical appreciation as well as judgment is unhelpful to new listeners and, frankly, a slight to long-time fans who already have many of these songs but are shelling out some pretty serious bucks to buy them again. So, I hope this helps long-term fans make their decisions. For potential new fans, I would recommend passing over this box set and starting with Fairport's "Liege and Lief" (recently released in remastered form with bonus tracks or in a 2-CD Deluxe Edition), Richard and Linda's "I Want To See The Bright Lights" and "Shoot Out The Lights" (both of which have been remastered with bonus tracks) and from Richard's solo career, "Hand Of Kindness" and "Across A Crowded Room." From there, if you're as moved as are so many others by the songs and the high quality of the musicianship, move on to Richard's solo "Rumor and Sigh" and R&L's "Pour Down Like Silver." While I (and many others) especially favor Richard's post-Fairport, pre-R&L solo effort, "Henry The Human Fly," I think that it is a bit more quirky and difficult to appreciate unless you already are a Fairport fan.

A mixed bag
Some great stuff, but too much of Linda and her wailing. When her voice is controlled and they sing duets, that can be a gorgeous combination. Otherwise, his music is just too personal to involve a second person. On this disk, though, he does a duet with his son, Teddy, that he once did with her. Intensely poignant.

another great collection
as a long time fan (about 40 years) i found this set to be a great overview of richard thompson's career and would easily work as a introduction to the various styles and periods of his work.

A very complete overview
Now, like some, I have to admit there are a few gripes - why, for example, did they not include "When the Spell is Broken" from Across a Crowded Room? I would have preferred that track to "Little Blue Number," but this is really a minor quibble, on the whole. Everything here is essential RT material, from the early Fairport tracks to the most recent studio cuts from Sweet Warrior; I found the inclusion of tracks from his and Linda's two Chrysalis albums (First Light and Sunnyvista) to be most welcome, as neither is currently in print, and even finding many of the Capitol albums (beyond just the Action Packed anthology, Rumor and Sigh or Mock Tudor) can be a dodgy affair. So yes, I would like to have seen "When the Spell is Broken" and possibly "Layla" (not the Clapton song) from First Light included, and there is nothing featured from Front Parlour Ballads, but if you have most of the albums already, it may not be entirely necessary. The remastering job here is excellent, however, the track production details not so much. But for someone looking for a solid career-spanning overview of Richard Thompson, Walking on a Wire is otherwise perfect. Well done, Shout! Factory.

The Ultimate Richard Thompson Collection
Even if you're not a Richard Thompson devotee, there is something for everyone in this excellent compilation of his career.