Acoustic Classics II
2017 studio album by Richard Thompson
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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, Austin, Texas | |||
| Genre | Folk rock | |||
| Length | 54:24 | |||
| Label | Beeswing | |||
| Producers | Richard Thompson and Simon Tassano | |||
| Richard Thompson chronology | ||||
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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
Others
- Artwork: Ben Bowdler
- Guitars: George Lowden
Chart performance
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (Official Charts)[12] | 24 |