| Acoustic Classics II | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 10 August 2017 | |||
| Recorded | Rumiville Studio, Texas | |||
| Genre | Folk rock | |||
| Length | 54:24 | |||
| Label | Beeswing | |||
| Producer | Richard Thompson and Simon Tassano | |||
| Richard Thompson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Acoustic Classics II is the seventeenth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter Richard Thompson. It was released by Beeswing Records on 10 August 2017.
Background
Acoustic Classics II is the second acoustic compilation album by Richard Thompson. The songs range from his time in Fairport Convention, as half of a duo with Linda Thompson and as a solo artist.
The album was released on Vinyl, CD and digital download.
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 78/100 [1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   
[2] |
| Financial Times |
[3] |
| Folk Radio UK | Positive [4] |
| The Guardian |
[5] |
| The Independent |
[6] |
| Record Collector |
[7] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music |
[8] |
| The Press |
[9] |
| The Times |
[10] |
| Uncut |
[11] |
On the Metacritic website, which aggregates reviews from critics and assigns a normalised rating out of 100, Acoustic Classics II received a score of 78, based on 1 mixed and 4 positive reviews. [1]
Among the critics that gave the album positive reviews, Uncut called the album "an unalloyed treat" adding that "there's something fundamentally satisfying about Thompson unplugged". [11] Andy Gill writing in The Independent states that "there’s no dip in quality here as Richard Thompson revisits material" [6] and Folk Radio UK call the album "one to treasure". [4] David Honigman of The Financial Times writes that "this second volume Richard Thompson has recorded of acoustic cover versions of his own songs works better than the first" [3] and Jude Rogers in The Guardian praises Thompson's "authoritative, confident voice" and "pearl-bright guitar-playing". [5]
Track listing
All tracks written by Richard Thompson except "Crazy Man Michael" by Thompson and Dave Swarbrick
| # | Title | Original version on | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
1.
|
"She Twists the Knife Again" | Across a Crowded Room (1985) | 2:48
|
2.
|
"The Ghost of You Walks" | You? Me? Us? (1996) | 4:41
|
3.
|
"Genesis Hall" | Unhalfbricking (1969) | 3:30
|
4.
|
"Jet Plane in a Rocking Chair" | Pour Down Like Silver (1975) | 2:29
|
5.
|
"A Heart Needs a Home" | Hokey Pokey (1975) | 3:26
|
6.
|
"Pharaoh" | Amnesia (1988) | 4:25
|
7.
|
"Gethsemane" | The Old Kit Bag (2003) | 5:13
|
8.
|
"Devonside" | Hand of Kindness (1983) | 3:05
|
9.
|
" Meet on the Ledge" | What We Did on Our Holidays (1969) | 3:05
|
10.
|
"Keep Your Distance" | Rumor and Sigh (1991) | 3:35
|
11.
|
"Bathsheba Smiles" | Mock Tudor (1999) | 3:33
|
12.
|
"Crazy Man Michael" | Liege & Lief (1969) | 4:23
|
13.
|
"Guns Are the Tongues" | Sweet Warrior (2007) | 6:05
|
14.
|
"Why Must I Plead?" | Rumor and Sigh (1991) | 4:06
|
Personnel
Richard Thompson - guitars and vocals
Chart performance
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums ( OCC) [12] | 24 |
References
- ^ a b "Acoustic Classics II – Richard Thompson". Metacritic. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "Richard Thompson Acoustic Classics II". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ a b Honigmann, David (11 August 2017). "Richard Thompson: Acoustic Classics Vol. II — 'better than the first'". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ a b Kimpton, Glenn (1 August 2017). "RICHARD THOMPSON: ACOUSTIC CLASSICS II". Folk Radio UK. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ a b Rogers, Jude (10 August 2017). "Richard Thompson: Acoustic Classics II review – fiery, beautiful gems of song". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- ^ a b Gill, Andy (10 August 2017). "Richard Thompson, Acoustic Classics II". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Staunton, Terry (September 2017). "RICHARD THOMPSON – ACOUSTIC CLASSICS VOL TWO". Record Collector. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ Taylor, Spencer (9 September 2017). "CD review: Richard Thompson, Acoustic Classics II". The Press. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Will (11 August 2017). "Pop review: Richard Thompson: Acoustic Classics Vol II". The Times. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ a b Thomson, Graeme. "New Albums". Uncut (September 2017): 38.
- ^ "Richard Thompson | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 20 March 2018.