Linda Sini

The revered British singer/songwriter Linda Thompson's latest project, the aptly named 'Proxy Music' features artists handpicked by Linda and her son (and album co-producer) Teddy Thompson, to record a new set of her tunes by "proxy". Thompson, who Rolling Stone hailed as having "one of rock and roll's finest voices," has limited singing capabilities now due to a rare vocal condition. 'Proxy Music', however, impressively showcases her songwriting range and prowess. Tracks like "Darling This Will Never Do," and "Mudlark" hold a timeless quality, while "Those Damn Roches" and "John Grant" (sung by John Grant himself) boast very modern sensibilities. 'Proxy Music' contains performances from Linda's long-time friends and admirers as Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Eliza Carthy, The Proclaimers, Dori Freeman, and Grant, along with many talented Thompsons, including her children Teddy and Kami, and her ex-husband Richard Thompson playing guitar on several tracks. "Music in my family," Thompson shares. "It's like glue. It binds us."

If Rhino had merely combined Linda Ronstadt's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 and volume two, they would have a compilation that captured her at her peak. They didn't do that for 2002's The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt, but they did follow that basic blueprint very closely, with 16 of the 21 songs culled from her '70s heyday, with the remaining five drawing from her late-'80s/early-'90s adult contemporary comeback, including "Don't' Know Much" and "Somewhere out There." That these songs don't quite fit musically with the laid-back Californian soft rock of the '70s doesn't matter, nor does it matter that her excursions into other genres – her traditional pop albums with Nelson Riddle, her Mexican records, her country albums with Trio – are missing ("Different Drum" with the Stone Poneys is here), because this collection expertly delivers her biggest hits in an enjoyable fashion with very little fat. Those original hits records remain first-rate, but it's nicer to get all of these on one disc instead of two.

The revered British singer/songwriter Linda Thompson's latest project, the aptly named 'Proxy Music' features artists handpicked by Linda and her son (and album co-producer) Teddy Thompson, to record a new set of her tunes by "proxy". Thompson, who Rolling Stone hailed as having "one of rock and roll's finest voices," has limited singing capabilities now due to a rare vocal condition. 'Proxy Music', however, impressively showcases her songwriting range and prowess. Tracks like "Darling This Will Never Do," and "Mudlark" hold a timeless quality, while "Those Damn Roches" and "John Grant" (sung by John Grant himself) boast very modern sensibilities. 'Proxy Music' contains performances from Linda's long-time friends and admirers as Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Eliza Carthy, The Proclaimers, Dori Freeman, and Grant, along with many talented Thompsons, including her children Teddy and Kami, and her ex-husband Richard Thompson playing guitar on several tracks. "Music in my family," Thompson shares. "It's like glue. It binds us."