Richard Thompson's New Album Ship To Shore Out May 31

The legendary Richard Thompson will return with Ship To Shore on May 31, 2024 via New West Records. The 12-song set was produced by Richard Thompson and recorded in Woodstock, NY. Ship To Shore follows his 2018 studio album 13 Rivers and his 2021 memoir Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967-1975 which was published by Algonquin Books.

The influential singer-songwriter and virtuosic guitarist has been on a singular musical journey for over a half century, from his days in the ‘60s as a pioneer of British folk rock with Fairport Convention, to his seminal ‘70s duo work with Linda Thompson, to the exploratory, deeply emotional music of the solo career that has been his primary concern ever since. The time taken between 13 Rivers and Ship To Shore is something like an eternity for the prolific artist, but once Thompson began writing, new songs came in a burst of inspiration. To craft the album, he retreated to Woodstock, New York, where he was joined by his longtime band — guitarist Bobby Eichorn, bassist Taras Prodaniuk, and 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.

Ship To Shore pulls from various styles, genres and eras, but remains unmistakably Richard Thompson. “I liked the idea of having a strong base to work from and reaching out from there,” he says. “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.”

Today, Thompson shared the album highlight, “Singapore Sadie,” offering, “I have been playing this live over the past year or so and it has become a favorite. We recorded it really quickly in two or three takes and David Mansfield is featured on the fiddle.”

Richard Thompson Ship To Shore Track List:

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’s Ship To Shore will be available across digital platforms, compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A limited “Deep Blue” color 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 color 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 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.

Richard Thompson On Tour:

03/01/24 – Mamaroneck, NY – The Emelin Theatre *

03/02/24 – Beacon, NY – The Towne Crier Cafe *

03/15/24 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate *

03/16/24 – Fall River, MA – Narrows Center for the Arts *

03/17/24 – Northampton, MA – Back Porch Festival *

03/21/24 – Fairfield,CT – Sacred Heart University Community Theater *

03/22/24 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall *

03/23/24 – Burlington, VT – First Unitarian Church *

03/24/24 – Shirley, MA – The Bull Run *

04/04/24 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Music Hall *

04/05/24 – Gloucester, MA – The Cut *

04/06/24 – Roslyn, NY – My Father’s Place *

04/07/24 – Roslyn, NY – My Father’s Place *

04/09/24 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head Tavern *

04/10/24 – Richmond, VA – Tin Pan *

04/11/24 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap *

04/12/24 – Collingswood, NJ – The Scottish Rite *

05/25/24 – Cambridge, England, UK – Corn Exchange #

05/26/24 – Bristol, UK – Beacon #

05/27/24 – York, UK – Barbican #

05/29/24 – Glasgow, UK – Royal Concert Hall #

05/30/24 – Gateshead, UK – Glasshouse #

05/31/24 – Manchester, UK – Aviva Studios at Manchester Factory International #

06/01/24 – Stoke-on-Trent, UK – Victoria Hall #

06/03/24 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall #

06/04/24 – Cardiff, UK – New Theatre #

06/05/24 – Portsmouth, UK – Guildhall #

06/06/24 – Brighton and Hove, UK – Dome Concert Hall #

06/08/24 – London,UK – Royal Albert Hall #

07/28/24 – Cape May, NJ – Cape May Convention Hall #

10/18/24 – New York, NY – The Town Hall #

08/23/25- 08/30/25 – Venice, Italy – Harmony Voyages- Gems of the Adriatic Cruise

* Solo Show

# Full Band