Richard Thompson, "Guitar, Vocal" (Island, 1976)

For almost four decades, Richard Thompson has pretty much flown under the radar as one of the great guitarists plying his trade. For awhile, it looked as if he might have a commercial breakthrough in the late '80s, with some major record labels giving him a major push. But despite some stellar albums, particularly "Amnesia" (1988), he never quite enjoyed the sales that should have accompanied his talent.

He already was highly regarded when Island Records issued "Guitar, Vocal," a rarities collection featuring his early solo work along with his stint with the groundbreaking British folk-rock group Fairport Convention. The anthology originally was released as a two-record set, with the second slab of vinyl touted as a bonus EP featuring two instrumentals and two live tracks.

Let's start there. Thompson has always been just as comfortable playing acoustic-based folk as harder-edged rock, and these four songs represent the best of both worlds. The traditional jig "Flee As a Bird" simply features Richard finger-picking his Martin 00018 in a manner that suggests a second guitarist must've been present. Along with the Martin, he overdubs himself on mandolin and Appalachian dulcimer for the medley "The Pitfall/The Excursion," which sounds like it could have been picked from the American and/or British folk songbook, but is in fact an original compositions.

The live tracks make for a stark contrast. "Night Comes In" and "Calvary Cross" (both of which clock in at 12-plus minutes) long have been Thompson concert favorites, extended pieces that lend themselves to Thompson's virtuoso guitar improvisations, as he'd done previously with the Fairport staple "Sloth." These early versions show that he already had a firm grasp of the songs' power onstage, here ably assisted by John Kirkpatrick on accordion and the Fairport rhythm section of Dave Pegg, bass, and Dave Mattacks, drums.

Then there's Linda Thompson, his wife and musical partner at the time, lending her considerable vocal talents to "Night Comes In." Linda makes a couple of appearances on the album as lead singer, providing must-hear versions of Richard's aching "A Heart Needs a Home" and the country-flavored standard "The Dark End of the Street."

Fans of Fairport Convention will be pleased with the half dozen tunes recorded during Thompson's tenure with the band, 1967-70. "Time Will Show the Wiser" is a track from Fairport's then-hard-to-find debut LP, displaying the instrumental proficiency Thompson already had developed by age 19. The song features original Convention vocalist Judy Dyble, who later participated in a nascent version of King Crimson.

Judy's replacement, the late Sandy Denny, is featured on the next three tracks: "Throwaway Street Puzzle," the Dylanesque B-side to Thompson's immortal "Meet on the Ledge," which somehow flopped as a single; a BBC broadcast of the bluesy "Mr. Lacey"; and an absolutely gorgeous version of Roger McGuinn's "The Ballad of Easy Rider," an outtake from the sessions for Fairport's fourth (and best-selling) album, "Liege and Lief."

Denny left the band after that album for a solo career and a guest spot on the Led Zeppelin song "The Battle of Evermore." (Pegg once played in a band with Robert Plant, but that's a whole other issue.) Thompson assumed duties as one of Fairport's lead vocals and on "Guitar, Vocal" sings "Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman," which was left off the exceptional "Full House" album, and a live rendition of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller," proving these British folkies could rock.

The Richard Thompson catalog contains an assortment of very worthwhile recordings: "Henry the Human Fly," "Hand of Kindness," "Strict Tempo!" and his masterpiece with Linda, the haunting "Shoot Out the Lights." But if you're looking for a quick overview of his early career, "Guitar, Vocal" provides some gems for your listening pleasure.