Shout! Factory

There’s a reason that Richard Thompson’s core of devoted fans returns to gig after gig: they know what to expect (consistently dazzling guitar work, both electric and acoustic; songs imbued with heart, wit and value) and they don’t know what to expect (his repertoire must literally consist of hundreds of songs, and there’s no telling which ones he’ll choose to play). But the San Francisco audience that caught these 2010 shows got something extra-special: all new material, some of Thompson’s most substantive in years (not that his writing is ever less than inspired). Accompanied by his versatile quartet, Thompson ruminates on the current financial doldrums (the searing “The Money Shuffle” ), ye old swingin’ ‘60s England ( “Demons in Her Dancing Shoes” ) and – what would a Thompson album be without one? – a ballad of dastardly demise ( “Sidney Wells” ). The songs, though not quite polished, still manage to feel like they’ve been around for decades. That’s Richard Thompson for you.