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, who ranks among the finest singers of her generation, hardly sings a note on “Proxy Music," her first album in over a decade. Instead, Thompson makes herself heard through her songwriting. She’s often remembered for music she made with Richard Thompson, including several classic albums before their marriage ended in 1982.

Linda has since released the occasional solo album, each excellent, but her ability to sing has been affected for decades by the vocal condition spasmodic dysphonia. To sing a new batch of songs she has written, Thompson drafted proxies – hence the wonderful title. The talented cast of family and friends includes son Teddy Thompson, who produced the set; daughter Kami Thompson and son-in-law James Walbourne, who perform as the Rails; and and Martha Wainwright.



The album, which will be released Friday, is filled with lively lyrics and humor (a fabulously glam spoof of on the cover is reason enough to buy the LP). Thompson’s delightful language of love speaks of no-man’s land and “umpteen” paramours. “Vicissitudes abound, life is ups and downs,” goes a couplet in “John Grant,” sung by (of course) John Grant.

The musical range is broad. Thompson’s Scottish roots show on “Bonnie Lass,” a ballad of lost love sung by the Proclaimers, while Grant explores the underappreciated genre of Icelandic-British-Americana with references to Reykjavik, London and the fictional town of . Eliza Carthy performs “That’s the Way the Polka Goes” .

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