For those who thought Teddy Thompson's self-titled first album was a fluke, think again. There is no sophomore slump on Separate Ways. It marks Thompson's debut with Verve Forecast. One has to wonder if ? and hope that ? they know they have a major talent on their roster. Separate Ways is a beautifully constructed collection of moody pop songs that reflect Thompson's melancholy yet blackly good-humored way of looking at the world. With able co-production provided by Brad Albetta, Thompson knows how to stack his musical deck with fine players. For starters, a host of second-generation offspring appear here: Martha and Rufus Wainwright appear as backing vocalists, as does Jenni Muldaur on a couple of tracks.