# Versatile Heart

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***Versatile Heart*** is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter [Linda Thompson](/source/Linda_Thompson_(singer)). It was released on 14 August 2007 through [Decca Records](/source/Decca_Records). It was recorded at various studios throughout New York City and the United Kingdom and was produced by Edward Haber (alongside Linda's son [Teddy](/source/Teddy_Thompson) on certain tracks).

The album consists of originals written by Linda and other members of the Thompson family, alongside two covers. Guests appearing on the album include vocalist [Anohni](/source/Anohni) and guitarist [Larry Campbell](/source/Larry_Campbell_(musician)).

Much like her previous album *Fashionably Late* (2002), *Versatile Heart* did not find much commercial success but received positive reviews from critics. Linda would follow up the album with *Won't Be Long Now* in 2013.

## Reception

*Versatile Heart* received positive reviews from critics. Writing for *[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(magazine))*, Joshua Klein gave the album a rating of 7.5 out of 10 and stated the album "exudes class and weepy emotion".[2] *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)* awarded the album four stars out of five, calling it a "classy comeback".[3] [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) called *Versatile Heart* a "stunning collection of ballads" and praised Linda's "ability to imbue songs of remorse, loss, and frustrated desire with a soulful beauty and an implied state of grace".[1]

## Personnel

**"Stay Bright"**

- [Teddy Thompson](/source/Teddy_Thompson) – acoustic guitar

**"Versatile Heart"**

- [Linda Thompson](/source/Linda_Thompson_(singer)) – vocals
- Jenni Muldaur – harmony vocals
- [David Mansfield](/source/David_Mansfield) – mandolin
- Teddy Thompson – acoustic guitars, production
- Jeff Hill – electric bass
- George Javori – drums, [dumbek](/source/Goblet_drum), tambourine
- Bill Dobrow – shakers
- The Downtown Silver Band

- - [Steven Bernstein](/source/Steven_Bernstein_(musician)) – [alto horn](/source/Tenor_horn), [flügelhorn](/source/Flugelhorn), brass arrangement - [Frank London](/source/Frank_London) – alto horn, [cornet](/source/Cornet) - Dan Levine – [euphonium](/source/Euphonium), tuba

**"The Way I Love You"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- [Martha Wainwright](/source/Martha_Wainwright) – harmony vocals
- Teddy Thompson – acoustic guitars, piano
- [John Kirkpatrick](/source/John_Kirkpatrick_(folk_musician)) – [anglo concertina](/source/Anglo_concertina)

**"Beauty"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals, harmony vocals
- [Anohni](/source/Anohni) – vocals
- Maxim Moston – violins
- [Antoine Silverman](/source/Antoine_Silverman) – violin
- David Creswell – viola
- Anja Wood – cello
- [Byron Isaacs](/source/Ollabelle) – double bass
- [Rob Moose](/source/Rob_Moose) – nylon string guitar, violins

**"Katy Cruel"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals, chorus
- John Doyle – acoustic guitar
- [John Joe Kelly](/source/Flook_(band)) – [bodhrán](/source/Bodhr%C3%A1n)
- [Susan McKeown](/source/Susan_McKeown) – chorus
- Janine Nichols – chorus

**"Nice Cars"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- [Kamila Thompson](/source/Kamila_Thompson) – harmony vocals
- David Mansfield – acoustic and electric guitars
- Jeff Hill – electric bass
- George Javori – drums, percussion
- [Rob Burger](/source/Rob_Burger) – [Hammond](/source/Hammond_organ) organ
- Teddy Thompson – production

**"Do Your Best for Rock 'n Roll"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- David Mansfield – electric guitar
- Teddy Thompson – acoustic guitar, production
- Jeff Hill – double bass
- George Javori – drums

**"Day After Tomorrow"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- Kamila Thompson – harmony vocals
- John Doyle – acoustic guitar

**"Blue & Gold"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- John Doyle – acoustic guitar
- Brad Albetta – double bass
- Teddy Thompson – backing vocals, backing vocal arrangement
- Kamila Thompson – backing vocals
- John Kirkpatrick – [button accordion](/source/Button_accordion)
- Rob Burger – [pump organ](/source/Pump_organ)

**"Give Me a Sad Song"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- Teddy Thompson – acoustic guitar, harmony vocals, production
- David Mansfield – acoustic guitar
- Jeff Hill – electric bass, double bass
- George Javori – drums
- [Larry Campbell](/source/Larry_Campbell_(musician)) – fiddle
- [James Walbourne](/source/James_Walbourne) – electric guitar

**"Go Home"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals
- Larry Campbell – acoustic guitar

**"Whisky, Bob Copper and Me"**

- Linda Thompson – vocals, harmony vocals
- [Eliza Carthy](/source/Eliza_Carthy) – [Hohner](/source/Hohner) [organetta](/source/Organetto), harmony vocals
- [Martin Carthy](/source/Martin_Carthy) – acoustic guitar
- Susan McKeown – harmony vocals
- Round Midnight – barbershop quartet

- - Larry Bomback – tenor - T.J. Carollo – lead - Wayne Grimmer – baritone - Jeff Glemboski – bass

**"Stay Bright"**

- [Robert Kirby](/source/Robert_Kirby) – string arrangement
- Teddy Thompson – conducting
- The Scorchio Quartet

- - Gregor Kitzis – violin - Paul Woodiel – violin - Martha Mooke – viola - [Leah Coloff](/source/Leah_Coloff) – cello

## References

1. ["Linda Thompson – Fashionably Late"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/versatile-heart-mw0000484941). *AllMusic*. Retrieved 22 April 2023.

1. Klein, Joshua (31 August 2007). ["Linda Thompson – Versatile Heart"](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10578-versatile-heart/). *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 22 April 2023.

1. Denselow, Robin (30 August 2007). ["Linda Thompson – Versatile Heart"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/aug/31/folk.shopping). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 22 April 2023.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Versatile Heart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Versatile_Heart) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Versatile_Heart?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.