Spanning the artist's career from 1967 to 1982, Small Town Romance is a delightful introduction for the neophyte and a necessity for even the most casual Richard Thompson fan. This warm, clear-sounding live disc, recorded at the Bottom Line and Folk City in New York in 1982, shows the singer/songwriter in top solo form following the dissolution of his partnership with wife Linda. There is one caveat: Thompson's vocal delivery--especially on songs that Linda used to sing, such as "A Heart Needs a Home" and "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight"--is a tad rough. One assumes this is the reason Thompson (according to label head Joe Boyd) asked for the record to stay out of print for a number of years. But such minor quirks invariably happen in live performances and the missed note here and the cough there add to the record's charm. Thompson has rarely sounded as nimble-fingered (on the terrifically showy "Roll Over Vaughn Williams") as he does here, nor as emotionally in touch with his songs. Highlights include a heart-tugging rendition of "Down Where the Drunkards Roll", the joky jig "Woman or a Man" and forceful takes on two Fairport classics, the anthemic "Meet on the Ledge" and the lovely "Genesis Hall". --Mike McGonigal