Acoustic Classics II
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.
| 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 | ||||
| 
 | ||||
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
References
    
- "Acoustic Classics II - Richard Thompson". Metacritic. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- Deming, Mark. "Richard Thompson Acoustic Classics II". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- Honigmann, David (11 August 2017). "Richard Thompson: Acoustic Classics Vol. II — 'better than the first'". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- Kimpton, Glenn (1 August 2017). "RICHARD THOMPSON: ACOUSTIC CLASSICS II". Folk Radio UK. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- Rogers, Jude (10 August 2017). "Richard Thompson: Acoustic Classics II review – fiery, beautiful gems of song". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- Gill, Andy (10 August 2017). "Richard Thompson, Acoustic Classics II". The Independent. 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.
- Thomson, Graeme. "New Albums". Uncut (September 2017): 38.
- "Richard Thompson | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 20 March 2018.