A series of live albums, a film score, a Richard and Linda Thompson boxset and a 70th Birthday bash at the Royal Albert Hall – a lot has happened since Richard Thompson’s last studio album, 13 Rivers, released in 2018. That’s all set to change on May 31st with the release of Ship To Shore on New West Records.
For this release, he headed to the musically mythical small town of Woodstock, New York. He was joined by his longtime band — guitarist Bobby Eichorn, bassist Taras Prodaniuk, drummer Michael Jerome — along with harmony vocalist Zara Phillips, fiddle player David Mansfield, and engineer Chris Bittner. The team worked quickly — roughly a week to track, vocals included. Today, we get our first taster with Singapore Sadie, a swaying shanty that began appearing in Thompson’s live set in 2022.
Thompson shared: “I have been playing this live over the past year or so and it has become a favourite. We recorded it really quickly in two or three takes and David Mansfield is featured on the fiddle.”
With its downtempo swaying vibe, accentuated in the accompanying artwork video, it’s a strong Thompson song that I imagine is difficult not to sing along to with catchy lines like: “Well Singapore Sadie she channels the dead like they’re standing right there in the room”. In our 2020 interview, Richard talked about how traditional folk music had influenced his songwriting…especially the darker stuff.
“…I grew up listening to traditional music where there’s lots of murders and people being carried off by faeries and rape and incest. You know the traditional music…as a body it can be quite dark. There’s a lot of songs where it gets balanced out, you know mining disasters. So, that’s the music that makes me dare I say happy.”
Richard will, of course, be extensively touring the album – he has announced his initial tour dates in support of Ship To Shore. Prior to the album release, he will launch a brief North American tour on March 21 in Fairfield, CT. He will launch a 12-date UK tour in Bristol on May 26 that features a performance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall in London on June 8. Thompson has also announced a performance at The Town Hall in New York City on October 18. See below.
Ship to Shore Formats and Editions
Ship To Shore will be available across digital platforms (including Bandcamp), CD, and standard black vinyl.
A limited “Deep Blue” colour vinyl edition of 500 with a bonus orange flexi disc featuring a demo of the song “Trust” will be available via Rough Trade.
An autographed compact disc edition and a limited Orange & Yellow Marble colour vinyl edition featuring a 5×7 archival print autographed by Richard Thompson will be available via Independent Retailers and is available for pre-order NOW via NEW WEST RECORDS.
Richard Thompson – Ship to Shore Tracklisting
- Freeze
- The Fear Never Leaves You
- Singapore Sadie
- Trust
- The Day That I Give In
- The Old Pack Mule
- Turnstile Casanova
- Lost In The Crowd
- Maybe
- Life’s A Bloody Show
- What’s Left To Lose
- We Roll
Released on 31st May 2024
Richard Thompson On Tour:
01/03/24 – Mamaroneck, NY – The Emelin Theatre *
02/03/24 – Beacon, NY – The Towne Crier Cafe *
15/03/24 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate *
16/03/24 – Fall River, MA – Narrows Center for the Arts *
17/03/24 – Northampton, MA – Back Porch Festival *
21/03/24 – Fairfield, CT – Sacred Heart University Community Theater *
22/03/24 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall *
23/03/24 – Burlington, VT – First Unitarian Church *
24/03/24 – Shirley, MA – The Bull Run *
04/04/24 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Music Hall *
05/04/24 – Gloucester, MA – The Cut *
06/04/24 – Roslyn, NY – My Father’s Place *
07/04/24 – Roslyn, NY – My Father’s Place *
09/04/24 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head Tavern *
10/04/24 – Richmond, VA – Tin Pan *
11/04/24 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap *
12/04/24 – Collingswood, NJ – The Scottish Rite *
25/05/24 – Cambridge, England, UK – Corn Exchange #
26/05/24 – Bristol, UK – Beacon #
27/05/24 – York, UK – Barbican #
29/05/24 – Glasgow, UK – Royal Concert Hall #
30/05/24 – Gateshead, UK – Glasshouse #
31/05/24 – Manchester, UK – Aviva Studios at Manchester Factory International #
01/06/24 – Stoke-on-Trent, UK – Victoria Hall #
03/06/24 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall #
04/06/24 – Cardiff, UK – New Theatre #
05/06/24 – Portsmouth, UK – Guildhall #
06/06/24 – Brighton and Hove, UK – Dome Concert Hall #
08/06/24 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall #
28/07/24 – Cape May, NJ – Cape May Convention Hall #
18/10/24 – New York, NY – The Town Hall #
23/08/25- 39/08/25 – Venice, Italy – Harmony Voyages- Gems of the Adriatic Cruise
* Solo Show
# Full Band