Monster Music & Movies

Reviews:

Ever had the experience of losing track of old friends only to run into them years later and pick up where you left off, like you'd never spent a moment apart? That feeling is eerily similar to a single listen of Linda Thompson's new release, Fashionably Late, her first album of new material since 1985's One Clear Moment. After a psychological disorder left her speechless for a time, Thompson abandoned her musical pursuits until her mother's death last year jolted her back into the studio. The surprises don't stop there; ex-husband Richard Thompson guests on guitar and vocals on "Dear Mary," lending more credibility to the "never-been-gone" scenario. Making a case for genetics, Thompson co-wrote much of the material with son Teddy and the results are stunningly close to the legendary albums that Richard and Linda recorded in the '70s. A brilliant and wholly unexpected return to classic folk form.