***1/2 RICHARD THOMPSON “Rumor and Sigh” <i> Capitol</i>

Though one hates to describe good work as routine, “Rumor and Sigh” is a routinely good effort from one of rock’s most accomplished all-around talents. The drawbacks are a relative dearth of guitar soloing (Thompson being one of the most distinctive string-benders around) and a lack of cohesion that makes this a 14-song hodgepodge. If anyone has the vision to make an album that achieves a sense of progression and wholeness, it should be Thompson. The only unifying factor here is the veteran British folk-rocker’s astringent wit.

That said, the hodgepodge approach offers pleasures too various to enumerate here. The gems are “I Feel So Good,” a sprung convict’s malevolent monologue that hits like a Willie Horton ad (minus the racism), and “I Misunderstood,” a taut account of romantic rejection that has a Fleetwood Mac gleam. As for the rest, Thompson conducts an assured juggling act, with comic oompah, bizarre horror, wickedly vituperative anti-Thatcher satire, medieval horns and a great motorcycle ballad among the elements tossed in the air. Each ball is worth watching, and not one falls.