Across a Crowded Room

Across a Crowded Room is the fourth solo album by Richard Thompson released in 1985, on both vinyl and CD. As of 2019, it remains his final collaboration with producer Joe Boyd (who had produced Shoot Out the Lights), as well as his last studio album to have been fully recorded in England. The album gives its name to the film Richard Thompson: Across a Crowded Room, a concert film shot at a 1985 performance at Barrymore's in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, which focuses on material from the album.^[1]

Across a Crowded Room
Studio album by Richard Thompson
Released	April 1985
Recorded	September and October 1984
Studio	RAK Studios, London
Genre	Folk rock
Length	37:58
Label	Polydor
Producer	Joe Boyd
Richard Thompson chronology
Small Town Romance (1984) Across a Crowded Room (1985) Daring Adventures (1986)

Reception

Spin wrote, "Richard's command is such that his instrument serves as an eloquent extension of his limited vocal range, punctuating and amplifying each song. He puts nimble ax-wielders like Eddie Van Halen and Adrian Belew to shame, refusing to sacrifice a single note or nuance, even at high speed. As rewarding as any you'll hear all year.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Richard Thompson.

1. "When the Spell Is Broken" – 4:31
2. "You Don't Say" – 3:35
3. "I Ain't Going to Drag My Feet No More" – 4:22
4. "Love in a Faithless Country" – 5:55
5. "Fire in the Engine Room" – 3:39
6. "Walking Through a Wasted Land" – 4:01
7. "Little Blue Number" – 3:04
8. "She Twists the Knife Again" – 3:12
9. "Ghosts in the Wind" – 5:39

The listing reflects the sequence of songs the original LP release. The original CD issue included an extra track, "Shine On Love" and has a different running order. Subsequent CD re-issues have reflected the song selection and sequence shown above. In 1985 the album was re-issued on CD by PolyGram and in 1992 was re-mastered at Sound Recording Technology, Cambridge and re-issued on CD by BGO.^[3]

Personnel

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[4]
Rolling Stone	[5]

Source:^[3]

Musicians

• Richard Thompson – guitar, vocals
• Simon Nicol – guitar
• Dave Mattacks – drums
• Bruce Lynch – bass guitar
• Dave Bitelli [de] – alto saxophone
• Pete Thomas – tenor saxophone
• Christine Collister, Phil Barnes, Clive Gregson and The Soultanas – backing vocals
• Alan Dunn – accordion
• Philip Pickett – shawm, crumhorn, recorder and symphony.

Technical

• Joe Boyd – production
• Jack Nuber – engineering
• Greg Jackman and Jerry Boys – remix engineering
• Chris Dickie – assistant engineering
• Jack Skinner – mastering
• Dennis Keely – back cover photography
• Phil Smee and Donato Cinicolo – front cover photography
• Phil Smee at Waldo's – cover design