Linda Thompson Makes a Family Affair Of First Album In Six Years, “Wont’ Be Long Now”

British folk-rock’s original siren Linda Thompson will release her first album in over six years, ‘Won’t Be Long Now’ on October 15 (Pettifer Sounds.) NPR urges, “getting to listen to Thompson’s rich voice is well worth the wait.” Recorded mainly in New York City, but also at sessions in Scotland and various London studios including Abbey Road, with longtime producer Ed Haber, the album features nine songs penned by Thompson as well as collaborators, including son Teddy Thompson and Ron Sexsmith.

‘Won’t Be Long Now’ explores the various aspects of Thompson’s musical personality. Lead song “Love’s For Babies and Fools” features ex-husband and past collaborator, Richard on guitar, marking the first time the pair has recorded together since 2002. The headstrong ballad was initially written for Rufus Wainwright but with Wainwright’s late mother Kate McGarrigle’s blessing, Linda and Richard recorded the track themselves. Continuing the album’s family affair, three generations of Thompsons come together on “As Fast My Feet.” The Anna McGarrigle-penned folk jam features Linda’s children Teddy, Kami and Muna singing together with then 16-year-old grandson Zak Hobbs on lead guitar and Richard’s youngest son Jack on bass. Other tracks include a previously unreleased version of “Paddy’s Lamentation” from Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York and haunting “Blue Breezin’ Blind Drunk” recorded live in New York City.

Linda Thompson first came to prominence in the 1970’s with a string of albums with her then-husband Richard that remain undisputed classics of the singer-songwriter genre including Rolling Stone’s #9 album of the 1980s, ‘Shoot Out The Lights.’ After 1985 she retired from recording due to a rare vocal disorder until her triumphant return with 2002’s ‘Fashionably Late’ (Rounder), which was called “a marvel of modern folk” by The New Yorker and The Wall Street Journal hailed it as “a bona fide comeback.” And in 2007 Thompson released ‘Versatile Heart’ (Rounder) to more critical praise with NPR’s Bob Boilen proclaiming it “an absolutely stunning record.”

Linda Thompson has revealed that collaborating with ex-husband Richard Thompson on her new album was just like working with any other session player.

Speaking in the new issue of Uncut, dated September 2013 and out now, Thompson says that she finds it “easy” working with the guitarist, despite their difficult break-up in the early ’80s.