On Richard Thompson’s thirteenth solo album he revisits a theme upon which he had touched before at various points in his songwriting career: the plight of the soldier. “Dad’s Gonna Kill Me” references military slang for the city of Baghdad, while “Johnny’s Far Away” explores the common topic of sexual temptation for married sailors on assignment, and “Guns Are the Tongues” comes at the same general idea from a slightly different angle, portraying a crew run by a female crime boss. Thompson’s acerbic insight and eye for the sharp detail continue to serve him well here.