Fairport Convention co-founder Richard Thompson has announced the release of his first studio album in six years.
Thompson will release the 12-track Ship To Shore through New West Records on May 31. The album was produced by Thompson and recorded in Woodstock, NY, and is the follow-up to his 2018 studio album 13 Rivers.
You can hear Thompson's new single from Ship To Shore, Singapore Sadie, below.
"I liked the idea of having a strong base to work from and reaching out from there,” says Thompson. “And I think of my base as being British traditional music, but there’s also Scottish music, there’s Irish music. There’s jazz and country and classical. As far as I’m concerned, once you establish your base, you can reach out anywhere. It’ll still be you ringing through, wherever you decide to go musically."
Ship To Shore features Thompson's longtime band – guitarist Bobby Eichorn, bassist Taras Prodaniuk, and drummer Michael Jerome – along with harmony vocalist Zara Phillips and fiddle player David Mansfield.
Prior to the album release Thompson will launch a brief solo North American tour on March 21 and will kick off a 12-date UK full-band 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 full-band performance at The Town Hall in New York City on October 18.
You can see all tour dates below.
Richard Thompson: Ship To Shore tracklist
1. Freeze
2. The Fear Never Leaves You
3. Singapore Sadie
4. Trust
5. The Day That I Give In
6. The Old Pack Mule
7. Turnstile Casanova
8. Lost In The Crowd
9. Maybe
10. Life’s A Bloody Show
11. What’s Left To Lose
12. We Roll
Richard Thompson UK Ship To Shore tour dates
May 25: Cambridge Corn Exchange
May 26: Bristol Beacon
May 27: York Barbican
May 29: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
May 30: Gateshead Glasshouse
May 31: Manchester Aviva Studios at Manchester Factory International
Jun 01: Stoke-on-Trent Victoria Hall
Jun 03: Birmingham Symphony Hall
Jun 04: Cardiff New Theatre
Jun 05: Portsmouth Guildhall
Jun 06: Brighton and Hove Dome Concert Hall
Jun 08: London Royal Albert Hall