Capitol
2001
Action Packed: The Best Of The Capitol Years
About This Album
Richard Thompson has been the archetypal critics' favorite since his days with Fairport Convention in the late '60s and early '70s, a guitarist of obvious skill and originality who brings the fingerpicking prowess of folk to electric rock and, increasingly, a literate songwriter whose songs, by turns droll and dour, are sung with authority, but he is also a man seemingly incapable of making any sort of peace with broad commercial appeal. But then, why should he, when record companies have lined up to release his work, even if they ultimately cut him loose after failing to get his account into the black? Thompson has successively signed to large independents Island and Chrysalis (when they were independents), then to major imprints Polydor and Capitol. Beginning in 1988, his Capitol sojourn has been the longest, spanning more than ten years and five regular studio albums, three of which actually nudged into the lower reaches of the charts. Publicity materials for this compilation of that material do not spell out whether he is still signed to Capitol, but the label does seem to be putting some effort into promotion. Certainly, Action Packed is not your typical best-of kiss-off, but rather a well-considered collection drawing on some of the most impressive recordings of Thompson's later career as well as including rarities (the new-to-CD tracks "Mr.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,6,8,9,10,12,16,17,18 and 19)

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