Throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s, a strain of belief persisted within the record industry that Thompson might yet emerge a genuine commercial commodity, at least on par with similar-minded contrarians like Elvis Costello and Lou Reed. In truth, Thompson’s muse always veered a bit askew for that kind of commercial embrace, but efforts were accordingly made to update the singer’s traditional-minded song craft with a contemporary studio sound. The results of these efforts range from the sublime to the borderline unlistenable, sometimes within the course of the same side of music. Such is the case with Amnesia, which kicks off with a terrific power-pop reading of one of Thompson’s catchiest-ever tunes, “Turning Of The Tide,” a could-have-been hit which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Document or Flip Your Wig. Regrettably, tracks like the weary blues of “No Gypsy Love Songs” and the acidic geo-political agitprop of “Yankee, Go Home” fare less well amidst the layered synths and gated drums of producer Mitchell Froom. As Thompson albums go, Amnesia is half good, which for a performer of his magnitude means it is still well worth hearing. Standouts like the slow-burning “The Reckless Kind,” the spiteful “Jerusalem On The Juke Box,” and especially the excellent ballad “Waltzing For Dreamers” ensure that Thompson can still deliver the goods amidst all the whistles, bells, and cluttered backing.