Richard Thompson's latest CD, Front Parlour Ballads, is out today. The disc finds Thompson relying on his acoustic guitar for the first time in years (1996's You? Me? Us? included one acoustic disc -- dubbed "Nude" -- and one electric disc -- "Voltage Enhanced"). The result is a top-notch collection of songs that highlights another side of Thompson's prodigious talent on guitar. There are plenty of ballads here, of course, but he doesn't restrict himself to slow tempos. And the fretwork, while less, well, electrifying, is no less jaw-droppingly good.

The disc comes in the middle of a prolific time for Thompson. A live CD and DVD culled from his appearance on "Austin City Limits" were released earlier this year, and a 5-CD box set is in the works. That collection will include thematic discs with: Songs based on real people, places and events; epic guitar workouts; unreleased songs; cover versions and sessions; and essential RT. That is exciting news.

Thompson performed at a big outdoor festival here earlier this summer, and he was fantastic as usual. The few new songs sprinkled into the set fit nicely, boding well for the staying power of this disc. It's too soon to know if there is a "Vincent Black Lightning 1952" or "Dimming of the Day" among these 13 tracks, but it's already obvious that Front Parlour Ballads continues Thompson's winning streak that dates back to 1999's Mock Tudor.