CD REVIEWS

An occasional update of music releases

ROCK/POP Beat the Retreat: Songs by Richard Thompson (Capitol): Various artists perform 16 songs written by British folk-rocker Richard Thompson. The result is a tribute of the perfect kind: a compilation of songs that is fairly true to the artist, but still carries the distinct sound of the performers, whether it's Bob Mould cutting a rough edge on ``Turning of The Tide'' or June Tabor sparely crooning on ``Genesis Hall.'' The lineup works well to represent Thompson's wide-reaching appeal, including X; R.E.M.; Dinosaur Jr.; David Byrne; Beausoleil; and Los Lobos; as well as Bonnie Raitt; Shawn Colvin and Loundon Wainwright III; Maddy Prior and Martin McCarthy; and more.