Album of the Day

The brilliant guitar work of Richard Thompson and the beautiful voice of Linda Thompson were a match made in heaven – even if the two of them weren't. SHOOT OUT THE LIGHTS was the last of six albums the U.K. duo recorded together before their marriage disintegrated, and the tension is close to the surface on such songs as "Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed?" and "Don't Renege On Our Love." The 1982 collection was produced by Joe Boyd following abortive sessions with Gerry Rafferty, and despite the discord between the Thompsons by the time of the set's release, they toured the U.S. in support of it; the Rhino Handmade reissue of SHOOT OUT THE LIGHTS includes a dozen live recordings drawn from that tour. The critical acclaim that greeted the album revitalized Richard Thompson's career, and we'll give the collection another spin in honor of his birthday.